DUBAI // Paris Hilton launched filming for her new reality television show last night, saying it would be "totally different" from the previous series, in the US and Britain, in deference to the local culture.
The hotel heiress, reality show personality, television producer and businesswoman, 28, greeted a press conference at the InterContinental Hotel yesterday with "salamu alekum", and immediately asked how to say her two trademarked catchphrases - "that's hot" and "that's huge" - in Arabic.
Ms Hilton said she had researched the Emirates' rules and customs before arriving to film Paris Hilton's My BFF, an acronym American girls use to denote "best friend forever". She promised that her Middle East debut would offer none of the controversy associated with previous shows.
"I wanted to know everything about this place first because I wanted to make sure everything was OK," she said yesterday. "I just want to respect everyone here."
She admitted that unlike in London and the US, she would be "like a fish out of water"; she has never been to the region before despite travelling extensively.
"I expect to learn a lot here; it's a completely different world," she said.
The launch was opened by a catwalk show featuring the 22 female contestants, all vying to be Paris's BFF. The Dubai-based MTV series is open to women only, unlike previous shows. Ms Hilton also promised to dress more conservatively in Dubai than she does in Los Angeles. "I love the way the women dress here," she said. "It's a lot more conservative and elegant than Hollywood. I'm excited about trying new fashion. The women here are so beautiful. I can learn a lot from these girls."
Ms Hilton is scheduled to be in Dubai for 20 days, and plans to use her spare time to explore some of the most popular attractions.
A trip into the desert, camel riding, indoor skiing, getting a henna tattoo and splashing out some of her millions at local malls ranked highly on her "to do" list.
She said she hoped that filming the show in Dubai would show those people who have never visited what a "cool city" it is.
mswan@thenational.ae
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UNpaid bills:
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
Brazil – $143 million
Argentina – $52 million
Mexico – $36 million
Iran – $27 million
Israel – $18 million
Venezuela – $17 million
Korea – $10 million
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019
USA – $2.38 billion
Brazil – $287 million
Spain – $110 million
France – $103 million
Ukraine – $100 million
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
