BTS are on top of the world right now.
For those who are unaware, the seven-member boy band from South Korea have been growing in popularity over the last few years. They recently debuted at No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with their second English-language single Butter and were also the first K-pop act to be nominated for a Grammy Award back in March.
In addition to topping the music charts and breaking records, they can also add having their own limited-edition McDonald's meal to the resume. The BTS Meal is now available in the UAE and will also soon launch in other GCC countries such as Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.
It costs Dh24 ($6) and consists of 10 chicken nuggets, medium World Famous Fries, medium Coke and sweet chilli and Cajun dipping sauces inspired by popular recipes from McDonald's South Korea.
It's the band's signature order, and they've even launched a merchandise line to complement (see photo gallery above).
As a BTS fan, I obviously had to give it a try, so my partner and I headed to the closest McDonald’s near us, in Al Bahia, Abu Dhabi, opting to use the drive-thru. Whether it was because our trip coincided with the meal launch, or pure coincidence, I don't know, but we found ourselves in a queue with at least seven cars ahead of us.
About 30 minutes later, we finally had our food, which comes in special purple packaging, the group's signature colour. We decided to eat at home, so, as we drove back, I decided it would be a good time to introduce my partner to Spotify’s curated BTS playlist, to really prepare for the occasion.
Was the meal worth it?
Well, if you like McDonald's chicken nuggets, there's no doubt you'll enjoy it, but the real test is the two sauces it comes with.
Overall, I found the sweet chilli variety to be better suited with the nuggets. While its overall sweetness hits you first, the spiciness eventually catches up, giving your meal an extra kick.
The Cajun sauce is a more unique offering, with its creamy hot mustard base and hints of salt and vinegar, but it can be slightly overpowering.
Both are worth trying, however, as they do elevate the meal, which, when it comes down to it, is no different to a regular McDonald's takeaway – it just has a famous name associated with it.
While it may not become your favourite go-to meal (and it's only available until Monday, June 28, anyway), it's still a nice and easy way to honour a group that is very deserving of all this hype.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Five ways to get fit like Craig David (we tried for seven but ran out of time)
Start the week as you mean to go on. So get your training on strong on a Monday.
Train hard, but don’t take it all so seriously that it gets to the point where you’re not having fun and enjoying your friends and your family and going out for nice meals and doing that stuff.
Think about what you’re training or eating a certain way for — don’t, for example, get a six-pack to impress somebody else or lose weight to conform to society’s norms. It’s all nonsense.
Get your priorities right.
And last but not least, you should always, always chill on Sundays.
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
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What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Youth YouTuber Programme
The programme will be presented over two weeks and will cover the following topics:
- Learning, scripting, storytelling and basic shots
- Master on-camera presence and advanced script writing
- Beating the algorithm and reaching your core audience
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Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
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