Review: 'After Life' finds the funny side of grief

Author:  Thu, 2020-04-30 19:23 LONDON: Thanks to the near-universal acclaim for “The Office” and “Extras,” few people tend to question Ricky Gervais when the British comedian embarks on a second series. So, although many critics felt that the first season of “After Life” left its protagonist, widower Tony Johnson, at the perfect point in his post-bereavement journey, Gervais (who writes, directs and stars as Tony) brings his...

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Dad rock: Rediscovering one of Palestine’s first rock bands

Author:  Thu, 2020-04-30 18:35 BEIRUT: “I was immediately fascinated with the image of my father fronting a band,” admits Sama’an Ashrawi, a young podcaster and director from Texas. “But I never thought there would be any recordings, and I wouldn’t find out for several years that there was original music.” Ashrawi’s father Ibrahim and all but one of his aunts and uncles were founding members of Al-Bara’em (The Blooms), a cover-band-turned-psychedelic-rock-group...

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US actress Lindsey Lohan thanks Dubai police for coronavirus efforts

Author:  Thu, 2020-04-30 11:56 DUBAI: American actress Lindsey Lohan, who has been living in Dubai since 2008, took to Instagram to thank the UAE government for keeping the country safe during the ongoing worldwide coronavirus pandemic. The “Mean Girls” star posted a series of pictures on Wednesday of herself standing next to members of the Dubai police while wearing a face mask and gloves.         View...

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India’s Bollywood star Rishi Kapoor, 67, dies of leukemia

Author:  Thu, 2020-04-30 11:05 MUMBAI: Indian actor Rishi Kapoor, who starred in celebrated Bollywood movies such as “Bobby” and “Mera Naam Joker,” died on Thursday after a two-year battle with leukemia, his family said. Kapoor, 67, the scion of a famed film industry family, is survived by his wife and two children, and had been diagnosed with cancer in 2018. “He remained jovial and determined to live to the fullest right through...

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Screen scene: Films, series to stream this week

Thu, 2020-04-30 10:39 After Life  The series is on Netflix. (Supplied) Starring: Ricky Gervais, Diane Morgan, Tom Basden  Where: Netflix  Ricky Gervais’ black comedy about a man dealing with his wife’s death from breast cancer returns for a second season. Tony is still struggling to deal with his grief, but is also trying harder to curb his ‘superpower’ of saying exactly what he thinks to everyone.  Extraction  Starring:...

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Gigi Hadid, Zayn Malik reportedly expecting a baby girl

Author:  Thu, 2020-04-30 09:49 DUBAI: American-Palestinian model Gigi Hadid and Pakistani-British singer Zayn Malik are reportedly expecting a baby girl, a family source told US entertainment daily TMZ.  Shortly after TMZ broke the pregnancy news on Wednesday, Entertainment Tonight revealed further details from a family source who said that Gigi had “kept the secret close to her family and friends for a while, as she’s only...

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5 healthy ways to break your fast

Author:  Thu, 2020-04-30 09:25 DUBAI: The holy month is upon us, and if you are fasting then iftar has become the most important part of your day. But do not dive straight into high-fat, high-sugar foods — make the meal really count. Start with a drink Water is key, so start with a glass or two. (Shutterstock) Hydration should be your No. 1 priority as soon as you are allowed to eat and drink again. Water is key, so start with...

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Lessons to be learnt from real-life school corruption scandal

Author:  Thu, 2020-04-30 09:11 CHENNAI: Education has often attracted financial scandals, especially in countries such as India, where teachers are underpaid and overworked. And America, despite being a top first-world state is no exception – as it would appear in director Cory Finley’s “Bad Education,” now streaming on Disney Plus Hotstar. Shockingly, the corruption runs deep, and Finley bases his work on a real 2002 incident...

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Lebanon’s female modernist stars: Four stellar Arab artists who deserve greater recognition

Wed, 2020-04-29 16:20 BEIRUT: Arab modernism remains a much-underrated genre in the art world. Dubai-based independent arts consultant Myrna Ayad believes that Arab modernists have not received the recognition they deserve — although she points out that there have been recent positive changes implemented by auction houses, art professionals, and academics ­­to showcase their artistry on the international stage. “In the past, there was...

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Shanina Shaik, Halima Aden to strut down virtual runway in support of COVID-19 research

Wed, 2020-04-29 12:33 DUBAI: The world’s most famous supermodels are joining forces to take part in a virtual fashion show on May 1 in support of COVID-19 research. US-Somali Halima Aden and part-Saudi Shanina Shaik will join Kim Kardashian West, Ashley Graham, Hailey Bieber, Winnie Harlow, Irina Shayk and many more for French fashion editor Carine Roitfeld’s CR Runway in collaboration with amfAR, a non-profit organization dedicated to the...

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A simple 10-minute makeup look for your next Zoom meeting

Wed, 2020-04-29 12:03 DUBAI: Chi Shevket, senior regional makeup trainer for Hourglass Middle East, reveals how to get a simple, sophisticated beauty look in minutes for your next video call.  Prep the skin “You need to prep your skin, whether you’re going for a natural makeup look or full glam,” states Shevket. The makeup artist suggests cleansing your skin thoroughly and moisturizing before applying the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer...

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How Iraqi calligrapher Majid Al-Yousef’s journey began with bad handwriting

Wed, 2020-04-29 12:11 DUBAI: People’s criticism can sometimes hold you back, but this wasn’t the case for Dubai-based calligraphy artist Majid Al-Yousef.  Al-Yousef’s journey started in elementary school, when his teacher “triggered” him because his handwriting “wasn’t the best,” he said in an interview with Arab News.   It was then that Al-Yousef chose to develop his skills and “enter the world of calligraphy.”  “I used to...

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Call of duty: Can video games help win battle against coronavirus?

Author:  Wed, 2020-04-29 11:21 DHARAN: Social curbs introduced in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic have led to a surge in online gaming, with global revenues exceeding $10 billion in March, making it the most profitable month on record, according to estimates. US-based telecommunications company Verizon Wireless reported a 75 percent surge in web traffic for video game use after social distancing measures were announced, while...

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Ramadan drama with Jewish characters stirs debate in Middle East

Author:  Wed, 2020-04-29 10:38 DUBAI: A period drama about the trials of a Jewish midwife airing on MBC for Ramadan has drawn both criticism as an attempt to promote Arab “normalisation” with Israel and praise for a rare exploration of the Gulf’s social history. “Umm Haroun,” a fictional series about a multi-religious community in an unspecified Gulf Arab state in the 1930s to 1950s, began airing on Friday as part of MBC’s lineup...

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Indian actor Irrfan Khan dies after long battle with cancer

Wed, 2020-04-29 10:05 MUMBAI: Irrfan Khan, an Indian filmstar who brought a modern sensibility to recent hit movies and featured in several Hollywood films such as “Life of Pi” and “The Namesake,” died on Wednesday. Khan’s death, after a prolonged battle with cancer, was confirmed by a spokesman for the actor in a brief statement. Khan was admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital in Mumbai with a colon infection a few days...

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Gigi Hadid, Zayn Malik are expecting a baby

Author:  Wed, 2020-04-29 09:11 DUBAI: American-Palestinian model Gigi Hadid is expecting her first child with on-again flame Zayn Malik, according to US entertainment daily TMZ.  Shortly after TMZ broke the news, Entertainment Tonight revelled further details from a family source who said that Gigi had “kept the secret close to her family and friends for a while, as she’s only a few months along.”  The reports claimed that...

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