Holly to Bolly: Parineeti Chopra adds glamour to Dishoom; Johnny Depp auctions his art collection; and more



Actress Parineeti Chopra shares "sizzling chemistry" with Varun Dhawan in scenes they filmed for Dishoom, says producer Sajid Nadiadwala.The pair are in the process of filming song and dance scenes in Mumbai's Mehboob Studio for the Rohit Dhawan film starring Varun, John Abraham and Jacqueline Fernandez. A large portion of the action scenes were shot in Abu Dhabi this year. "The song will showcase sizzling chemistry between Varun and Parineeti amidst a lavish set up. It is going to be an out-and-out dance number. We have begun shooting for the song, and the schedule lasts for two days. The team is delighted to have her join us in the journey," said Nadiadwala. Based in the Middle East, the comedy-drama revolves around two police officers who are searching for India's top cricketer. It is set for release in the UAE on July 28. – IANS

Musical based on Anastasia coming to Broadway

A musical based on the popular animated film Anastasia is heading to Broadway next year. The musical, like the 1997 film, is inspired by the youngest daughter of the last tsar of Russia. Spanning the final days of the Russian Empire to 1920s Paris, the story follows a young woman trying to uncover the mystery of her past with the help of a handsome con man. Entertainment Weekly reports that after a successful trial run, it will hit the stage in April next year. The lead role will be taken by Christy Altomare who also starred in Mamma Mia. – The National staff

I’m an ordinary person with a passion, says Nazia Hussain

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt's niece Nazia Hussain, who is about to start filming for the sequel to the 2006 film Tom, Dick and Harry, says she struggled in the industry like "an ordinary person". Hussain, who got her break in the 2014 Telugu romantic musical drama film Nee Jathaga Nenundali, where she stars as Gayatri Nandana, a girl who gets talent spotted and goes on to become a famous singer, says she never used her connections to pull strings. "I'm an ordinary person with a passion, related to someone famous. I've stood in lines for auditions, travelled in local trains and struggled like any other person who is pursuing a career in films. I am proud of myself for doing so," Hussain said. Talking about the Tom, Dick and Harry sequel, she said: "I'm extremely thrilled, this project has been in the pipeline for a while and we are starting with it soon. So I'm exited and bouncing off the walls." The film will be directed by Deepak Tijori. – IANS

Johnny Depp auctions his art collection

Johnny Depp is selling off some of his priceless art collection amidst his bitter divorce proceedings. Eight works by American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat went under the hammer at auction house Christie's in London. Almost all the paintings and drawings date from 1981 and illustrate the post-punk New York scene of the time. The auction comes after the sale of the artist's Untitled piece from 1982 that fetched US$57.3 million (Dh210m) – a Basquiat record – in May. "The Basquiat market is really high. He just thought it was the right moment to take advantage of the world record we broke ... last month," Edmond Francey, head of Post War and Contemporary Art at Christie's in London, told Reuters. – Reuters

J K Rowling’s new wizardry tale set in Massachusetts

J K Rowling's latest tale of wizardry is set atop the mountains in Massachusetts. The second instalment, in a collection called Magic in North America, describes a secret wizarding school located at the peak of Mount Greylock in the Berkshires. The story was published on Tuesday on Rowling's Pottermore site. The tale, Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, provides the backstory for the North American school of magic, founded in the 17th century. An orphaned Irish girl sails across the ocean on the Mayflower to Massachusetts, where the school is established. The story is a tie-in to the upcoming film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, scheduled for release on November 18. The film is an adaptation of Rowling's book by the same name and is the author's screenwriting debut. – AP

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

MATCH INFO

Manchester United 6 (McTominay 2', 3'; Fernandes 20', 70' pen; Lindelof 37'; James 65')

Leeds United 2 (Cooper 41'; Dallas 73')

Man of the match: Scott McTominay (Manchester United)

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The specs

Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Kerb weight: 1580kg

Price: From Dh750k

On sale: via special order

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How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

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Saturday's results

Brighton 1-1 Leicester City
Everton 1-0 Cardiff City
Manchester United 0-0 Crystal Palace
Watford 0-3 Liverpool
West Ham United 0-4 Manchester City

How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
  • The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
  • The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
  • The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
  • The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
  • The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
A MINECRAFT MOVIE

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa

Rating: 3/5

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia