Nitin Mirani. Jaime Puebla / The National
Nitin Mirani. Jaime Puebla / The National

Dubai comic in contest final



Dubai-based comedian Nitin Mirani has reached the final of The World's Funniest Person competition, a contest that hopes to sow the seeds of world peace through stand-up comedy. The Indian comic performed in the semi-final on Monday with nine other comedians at renowned comedy club The Laugh Factory in Hollywood. Following an online vote, the top five progressed to the final in Las Vegas tomorrow – United ­Nations Day – and Mirani made it through in fifth place. Read our interview with Mirani at www.thenational.ae/arts-lifestyle. Catch the live webcast of the final tomorrow at www.laughfactory.com. ­– The National staff

Comic arts award-winner

Fatima Al Muhairi, a graduate of the Cartoon Network Animation Academy in Abu Dhabi, has won the first Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (Admaf) Comic Arts Award. Her winning graphic novel, Mary and Me, tells the story of a young girl's relationship with her mum, dad and nanny. Part of Admaf's Rewarding Excellence programme, the award aims to raise awareness of the power of the comic arts as a tool for self-­expression, creativity and cultural awareness. The shortlisted entries for the award, open to UAE citizens over the age of 18, had been displayed at the Mubadala Youth Forum. The prize includes an all-­expenses-paid trip to attend a course at the New York Film Academy 3-D Animation School. The winning work will also be entered into the USA ­Society of Illustrators Comic and Cartoon Art Annual next year. – The National staff

Rudimental to Play the capital

After rocking the beach in Dubai at Sandance this month, Rudimental are set to make the journey to Abu Dhabi to headline a weekend of Formula 1 after-parties at the Yas Viceroy. There will be events at the Podium Lounge on the Marina Wing rooftop each night from Thursday, November 20, until Sunday, November 23, with the Brit Award-winners headlining on Sunday. Smokingroove and DJ Patrick Oliver will headline on Thursday, electronica outfit Sister Bliss on Friday, and Grammy Award-winning dance-music duo Dirty Vegas on Saturday. Ticket prices start at Dh350, available at www.podiumlounge.com/ae; you can also book by e-mailing vip@podiumlounge.com or calling 055 309 5495. – The National staff

Argentina wants BBC apology

Argentina's ambassador to Britain has demanded an apology from the BBC over a controversial trip by the motoring show Top Gear to the South American country last month. The presenters and crew had to flee last month after they faced violent protests, during which rocks were thrown at them, for driving a car with licence plate H982 FKL – interpreted by some as an insulting reference to Argentina's 1982 war with Britain over the disputed Falkland Islands. The BBC insists the licence plate was a coincidence. The Argentine embassy in London said ambassador Alicia Castro had complained to the BBC about Clarkson's "provocative behaviour and offensive remarks toward the government and the Argentine people" and called for an apology. The BBC said it would follow its usual complaint procedures. In 2011, the BBC apologised to Mexico after Clarkson and his co-hosts characterised Mexicans as lazy and oafish. This year Clarkson issued a grovelling apology after he was apparently caught on camera using the racist n-word during filming for the show. – AP

Elvis snapper dead at 85

Alfred Wertheimer, the photographer whose portraits of Elvis Presley documented the birth of a music legend, has died at the age of 85. Wertheimer was 26 when he was assigned to photograph the unknown 21-year-old singer. He travelled with Elvis from New York to Memphis by train and produced a series of now-famous black and white portraits that have been the subject of exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution and the Grammy Museum. “There has been no other photographer that Elvis ever allowed to get as up close and personal in his life through photos as he did with Alfred,” said Elvis’s former wife, Priscilla Presley. “I’m deeply saddened by the death of Alfred Wertheimer. He was a dear friend and special soul. I feel he was a gift for all who knew him, especially, Elvis Presley.” Wertheimer died of natural causes on Sunday at his New York apartment. – AP

Breaking Bad dolls withdrawn

Toys R Us is removing four collectable dolls based on the characters of AMC's hit series Breaking Bad from the shelves of it's stores in the US after a mother in Florida launched a petition protest last week. The dolls are based on the series about high-school chemistry teacher Walter White who becomes a drug dealer with his former pupil, Jesse Pinkman. The toys comes with accessories such as a bag of cash and a bag of drugs. Toys R Us said the dolls were being removed immediately from its website and stores. "Let's just say, the action figures have taken an indefinite sabbatical," the company said. The retailer said the figures were sold in limited quantities in the adult action-figure area of its stores. Susan Schrivjer had launched a petition on change.org last week, calling for the dolls to be removed from stores. On Monday, Bryan Cranston, the award-winning actor who plays White, responded to the controversy, tweeting, "I'm so mad. I am burning my Florida mom action figure in protest." – AP

Kill

Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat

Starring: Lakshya, Tanya Maniktala, Ashish Vidyarthi, Harsh Chhaya, Raghav Juyal

Rating: 4.5/5

The Witcher - season three

Director: Various

Stars:
Henry Cavill, Freya Allan, Anya Chalotra

Rating:
3/5

Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.

Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

COMPANY PROFILE

Company name: Klipit

Started: 2022

Founders: Venkat Reddy, Mohammed Al Bulooki, Bilal Merchant, Asif Ahmed, Ovais Merchant

Based: Dubai, UAE

Industry: Digital receipts, finance, blockchain

Funding: $4 million

Investors: Privately/self-funded

COMPANY PROFILE

Company name: Revibe
Started: 2022
Founders: Hamza Iraqui and Abdessamad Ben Zakour
Based: UAE
Industry: Refurbished electronics
Funds raised so far: $10m
Investors: Flat6Labs, Resonance and various others

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

RESULTS

6.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82.500 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner Meshakel, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)

7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m

Winner Gervais, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (Turf) 2,410m

Winner Global Heat, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.

8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,900m

Winner Firnas, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

8.50pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (D) 1,600m

Winner Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

9.25pm Dubai Trophy (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (T) 1,200m

Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m

Winner Wasim, Mickael Barzalona, Ismail Mohammed.

ROUTE TO TITLE

Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2

Fast X

Director: Louis Leterrier

Stars: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Jason Momoa, John Cena, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Brie Larson, Helen Mirren and Charlize Theron

Rating: 3/5

Key findings
  • Over a period of seven years, a team of scientists analysed dietary data from 50,000 North American adults.
  • Eating one or two meals a day was associated with a relative decrease in BMI, compared with three meals. Snacks count as a meal. Likewise, participants who ate more than three meals a day experienced an increase in BMI: the more meals a day, the greater the increase.
  • People who ate breakfast experienced a relative decrease in their BMI compared with “breakfast-skippers”.
  • Those who turned the eating day on its head to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day, did even better.
  • But scrapping dinner altogether gave the best results. The study found that the BMI of subjects who had a long overnight fast (of 18 hours or more) decreased when compared even with those who had a medium overnight fast, of between 12 and 17 hours.
Mina Cup winners

Under 12 – Minerva Academy

Under 14 – Unam Pumas

Under 16 – Fursan Hispania

Under 18 – Madenat

Company profile

Company: Splintr

Started: May 2019

Founders: Mohammad AlMheiri and Badr AlBadr

Based: Dubai and Riyadh

Sector: payments / FinTech

Size: 10 employees

Initial investment: undisclosed seven-figure sum / pre-seed

Stage: seed

Investors: angel investors

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Director: Peyton Reed

Stars: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors

Rating: 2/5

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8

Transmission: nine-speed automatic

Power: 630bhp

Torque: 900Nm

Price: Dh810,000