FX has yet to see the script for Charlie Sheen’s new sitcom. Christopher Polk / Getty Images / AFP
FX has yet to see the script for Charlie Sheen’s new sitcom. Christopher Polk / Getty Images / AFP

Today's entertainment news: Charlie Sheen show off to a rocky start



The chief of the FX network says he still hasn't seen a script for Charlie Sheen's new TV comedy Anger Management, scheduled to debut in June.

FX's John Landgraf said on Sunday that it's a little unusual for the cable network. FX almost never orders series without seeing a pilot episode, much less a script, in advance. But it still decided to take a risk with the actor who Landgraf said had "probably the most epic meltdown in the history of television".

But the network president said he believes FX is catching Sheen at the right time, when the actor is hungry for redemption. There's also the chance for a big payday, if it all works out.

* AP

Trailer for postponed Djinn now online

Amid the speculation surrounding Djinn, the UAE's first horror film directed by Tobe Hooper, a trailer has been doing the rounds online.

Whatever the reasons for Djinn's delay (it's now due out in the summer), the four-minute film reveals a rather eerie thriller set mainly in a sparse luxury apartment block filled with those haunted house favourites: long corridors. Shortly after moving in, a young couple start having a bit of a nightmare with supernatural spirits, something to do with the former fishing village the building is located in. There's a fair amount of shouting, a whole lot of dark shapes and plenty of lights that turn on and off at inopportune moments.

In all, it doesn't look too bad, with numerous jump-in-your-seat moments and reasons for neck hairs to be standing to attention. Hopefully we'll get the full hide-behind-the-popcorn experience before too long.

Lady Gaga gives Beyoncé baby a 'Little Monster'

The pop sensation Lady Gaga has reportedly presented a pink one-piece baby suit to Beyoncé's baby with the words "Little Monster" written on it.

According to friends, she included a note instructing the baby, Blue Ivy Carter, to wear it to her first Lady Gaga concert, The Sun online reported.

"Gaga and Beyoncé have remained close since they worked together on Telephone," a source said. "While they don't speak often, they are always in touch via email and text. She knew Beyoncé would find the present hilarious."

Ronan Keating to release pop album

The singer Ronan Keating says he is working on new solo material and is "nervous" about its release.

The When You Say Nothing at All singer is back in the studio to work on solo material following a stint touring with his group Boyzone last year.

"It's not folk. It's a mix! It's a pop album. Gregg Alexander and I are working together again," contactmusic.com quoted the 34-year-old as saying. "It's got that Life Is a Rollercoaster feel again. I'm having fun with it again, it's been five years since I've done a studio album. I'm a little bit nervous."

Egyptian singer's tomb found

Swiss archaeologists have discovered the tomb of a female singer dating back almost 3,000 years in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, the antiquities minister Mohammed Ibrahim said on Sunday in Cairo. The rare find was made accidentally by a team from Switzerland's Basel University in Karnak, near Luxor in upper Egypt. The woman, Nehmes Bastet, was a singer for the supreme deity Amon Ra during the 22nd Dynasty (945-712BC), according to an inscription on a wooden plaque found in the tomb. She was the daughter of the High Priest of Amon.

The discovery is important because "it shows that the Valley of the Kings was also used for the burial of ordinary individuals and priests of the 22nd Dynasty," Ibrahim said. Until now, the only tombs found in the historic valley were those linked to ancient Egyptian royal families.

* AFP

Ayyam Gallery holds auction

Want to bag an original artwork at a price that is, relatively, realistic? The Young Collectors Auction returns to Ayyam Gallery in Al Quoz this evening - a diverse selection of prints, collage and canvases by some of the foremost names in art from the Middle East.

There are signed editions by the big-hitting likes of Safwan Dahoul and Shadi Ghadirian, but look out for works by Ala Ebtekar (whose show at The Third Line also opens this week), landscape paintings from the 1970s by Fateh Moudarres and a skull-orientated piece, reminiscent of Damien Hirst's spot paintings, by Alfred Tarazi.

Auctioneering is Ayyam's Dubai-based director Hisham Samawi. These events tend to have a good momentum of sales and buzz - perfect for those looking for a first-time buy. Doors open at 10am for viewings of the works in the sale, with the auction starting at 7pm. Visit www.ayyamgallery.com.

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.

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

Racecard

5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m

5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m

6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m

6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m

7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m

7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m

Where to buy art books in the UAE

There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.

In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show. 

In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.

In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

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
The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

THE BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma

Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.

Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.

A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.

Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.

A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.

On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.

The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.

Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.

The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later. 

AGL AWARDS

Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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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
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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 
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
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