Get out of the way, fairy-tale show. Hordes of comic-book super heroes are arriving to claim your high ratings and turf you out of prime-time telly, with stars from the DC and Marvel universes and elsewhere materialising in smartly scripted, witty and action-packed episodes. From the upbeat Supergirl and The Flash to iZombie, with its brain-eating woman zombie detective, and a supremely bored Lucifer, who decides to help the cops, it’s clear Hollywood showrunners have set their graphic imaginations free to soar like never before, with crossovers and combos galore.
The Flash
The skinny Unburdened by the usual superhero doom and gloom, actor Grant Gustin successfully delivers a light-hearted incarnation of Barry Allen/The Flash as he blazes through Central City like a guardian angel.
The buzz One of the CW network's most watched and highest-rated series since The Vampire Diaries (2009), fans have come to love the show even more now that the focus has shifted from Barry's dorky ways in favour of his keen scientific mind.
Broadcast info 11pm, Wednesdays on OSN (second season).
Arrow
The skinny Stephen Amell portrays Oliver Queen, the billionaire playboy of Starling City, who returns home with a full quiver and crime-fighting finesse after spending five years shipwrecked on a mysterious island.
The buzz By respecting its characters, this show, now in its fourth season, satisfies viewers with witty, well-written scripts and quality production values. And let's be frank, Amell's rugged good looks also make the ladies quiver with each arrow he fires from his mighty bow.
Broadcast info No date yet for UAE
Legends of Tomorrow
The skinny Rip Hunter, inventor of the Time-Sphere, travels back in time to the present day to recruit Arrow and The Flash, among others, in an attempt to prevent the immortal techno-wizard/supervillain Vandal Savage from destroying the world and time itself.
The buzz What could be cooler than Arrow and The Flash getting together as a dynamic duo for their very own spin-off series? Yes, it's really happening on The CW network.
Broadcast info Debuts in January 2016.
iZombie
The skinny Rose McIver stars as the overachieving medical resident Liv Moore, who winds up joining the ranks of the living dead, only to discover that the consumption of fresh human brains – at her new job in the coroner's office – allows her to absorb memories of the dead. So she poses as a psychic and helps to solve crimes.
The buzz Now in its second season for The CW network, this casual, refreshingly different take on zombie lore dazzles with its humour and humanity – even if the bloody, brain-eating bits gross us out.
Broadcast info No date yet for the UAE.
Lucifer
The skinny A loose adaptation of the character created by Neil Gaiman for his Sandman comic-book series, Tom Ellis (EastEnders) stars as Lucifer Morningstar, The Lord of Hell, who battles his eternal boredom by helping out the Los Angeles Police Department.
The buzz A pilot episode, screened at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, drew praise for its sharp dialogue and flawless delivery by Ellis, whose Lucifer refuses to take anything seriously. This Fox series promises to be a devilishly amusing hoot.
Broadcast info Debuts in 2016.
Gotham
The skinny Rising detective Jim Gordon, played with brass knuckles by Ben McKenzie, fights to clean up the filth in Gotham City as he shares in the origin stories of young Bruce Wayne as Batman, as well as supervillains The Riddler, The Penguin, Catwoman, The Joker, Poison Ivy and more.
The buzz With corrupt characters and atmospheric visuals to die for that are infused with a 1920s gangland vibe, Gotham is a monster hit, now in its second season.
Broadcast info No date yet for the UAE.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
The skinny The popular Clark Gregg reprises his big-screen role of Agent Phil Coulson to assemble a small, highly select group of agents from the worldwide law-enforcement body known as S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division). Together they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, "protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary".
The buzz Three seasons in, this better-than-average superhero show continues to evolve, much to the delight of both critics and fans.
Broadcast info 10pm, Wednesdays on OSN (third season).
Marvel’s Agent Carter
The skinny Hayley Atwell delightfully slips back into her iconic Peggy Carter role from Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier to take up spying and detective work for Howard Stark. Let those silly overgrown boys underestimate her at their own peril in postwar America.
The buzz Despite declining viewership in the United States, this cheeky, exciting and stylish 1940s drama won critical acclaim and has been renewed for 10 more episodes.
Broadcast info Second season coming in early 2016.
Daredevil
The skinny Charlie Cox rocks hard as Matt Murdock, attorney by day and vigilante by night. Blinded in an accident as a boy, Murdock uses his super-heightened senses as Daredevil, busting crooks on the streets of New York after the sun goes down.
The buzz The website Rotten Tomatoes reports a 98 per cent approval rating. This show delivers nail-biting drama, true grit and oodles of action.
Broadcast info All 13 episodes are now available on Netflix. Season two is coming in 2016.
Jessica Jones
The skinny Krysten Ritter, the sultry star of Don't Trust the B___ in Apartment 23, will be first to hit the airwaves as a major female character with genuine super powers, unlike Captain America's old flame Agent Carter and the The Avengers's Black Widow, both mere mortals who have none. Jones is a former superhero who opens her own detective agency.
The buzz Comic-Con fans who recently saw the first episode in New York overwhelmingly loved Ritter's performance, the series' noir tone and its approach to sexuality and darker topics.
Broadcast info All 13 episodes debut on November 20 on Netflix.
Luke Cage
The skinny There's nothing nastier than an ex-con who, thanks to a sabotaged experiment, winds up a fugitive with superhuman strength, unbreakable skin and an appetite to fight crime. Enter Luke Cage, portrayed by Mike Colter, well-known to fans of the Halo game franchise. Luke will also pop up in Jessica Jones before his own series gets off the ground.
The buzz Darker than Iron Man or Thor, Cage is a hush-hush kind of guy and a Harlem hero, where he grew up in a gang called the Bloods, with dreams of becoming a major racketeer. Filming began in September in New York City. Looks like a winner.
Broadcast info To debut on Netflix in 2016.
Iron fist
The skinny Marvel and Netflix are rumoured to be having headaches casting an actor to portray Danny Rand, a stunning martial arts expert with supernatural abilities.
The buzz "Iron Fist is challenging to develop for Marvel as he is just plain weird relative to the other three Netflix headliners [Jones, Daredevil and Cage], because he's essentially magical" and explaining his power source is tricky, writes Rob Keyes of screenrant.com.
Broadcast info Neither production nor broadcast date have been announced.
The Defenders
The skinny After the previous four superheroes have starred in their own Netflix show, they will all appear in The Defenders, a crossover mini-series where they combine forces to clean up the rotten core of the Big Apple.
The buzz Kapow! Blam! We can hardly wait.
Broadcast info At the earliest in 2017 on Netflix.
Hoping for a comeback
Constantine
The skinny Viewers who tuned in adored Matt Ryan as demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine, whose soul belongs to the netherworld. Sadly, due to iffy ratings, NBC cancelled the series, but in hopes another network might give it a chance. But it was not to be. RIP.
The buzz The good news is that in a November 4 crossover episode, titled Haunted, Arrow reached out to Constantine for help in dealing with his love, Sara Lance, who was recently brought back from the dead.
Broadcast info Series is dead; fans still trying to resurrect it.
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
Need to know
Unlike other mobile wallets and payment apps, a unique feature of eWallet is that there is no need to have a bank account, credit or debit card to do digital payments.
Customers only need a valid Emirates ID and a working UAE mobile number to register for eWallet account.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
THE BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Whenever I have any free time I always go back to see my family in Caltra, Galway, it’s the only place I can properly relax.
Favourite film: The Way, starring Martin Sheen. It’s about the Camino de Santiago walk from France to Spain.
Personal motto: If something’s meant for you it won’t pass you by.
Last-16 Europa League fixtures
Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)
FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm
Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm
Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm
Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm
Thursday
Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm
Sevilla v Roma (one leg only) 8.55pm
FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm
Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm
OPENING FIXTURES
Saturday September 12
Crystal Palace v Southampton
Fulham v Arsenal
Liverpool v Leeds United
Tottenham v Everton
West Brom v Leicester
West Ham v Newcastle
Monday September 14
Brighton v Chelsea
Sheffield United v Wolves
To be rescheduled
Burnley v Manchester United
Manchester City v Aston Villa
The Word for Woman is Wilderness
Abi Andrews, Serpent’s Tail
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)
Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)
RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: Najem Al Rwasi, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
2.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Fandim, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
3pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Harbh, Pat Cosgrave, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
3.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Wakeel W’Rsan, Richard Mullen, Jaci Wickham
4pm: Crown Prince of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jawaal, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
4.30pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh200,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
