Author: dailyguardian.ae

Although the magical Hogwarts adventures of Harry Potter and the super villaininfested New York City of Spider-Man are worlds apart, the two franchises have a common history in this century. The first Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, arrived in theaters in November 2001. Six months later, Spider-Man marked his big-screen debut in May 2002. Both film series went on to be among the highest-grossing franchises ever. There isn’t a true rivalry between Spider-Man and Harry Potter fans in the way that fans would pit comic book heroes against each other. Comic book crossovers actually exist that have…

A non-Muslim student is among the winners of a mosque design competition held in Dubai. Anna De Sa from Brazil won the third place in the contest that challenged students to build the ‘most beautiful mosque’ on the Pearl Jumeirah Island. De Sa’s oval-shaped mosque design is inspired by Prophet Nooh’s ark — a ship that features prominently in both Quranic and Biblical narratives. According to a senior official at the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai (IACAD), the win signifies the cultural diversity and values of coexistence prevalent in the UAE. Stay up to date with…

Pope Francis lamented the war in the Holy Land where Palestinian health officials said airstrikes killed at least 78 people on Christmas Eve in one of the Gaza Strip’s deadliest nights in Israel’s 11-week-old battle with Hamas. Israeli strikes that began hours before midnight persisted into Christmas Day on Monday. Local residents and Palestinian media said Israel stepped up air and ground shelling against al-Bureij in central Gaza. At least 70 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting Maghazi in central Gaza, health ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra said, adding that many were women and children. Stay up to date…

Spend your Christmas morning with your favorite Disney songs and characters for the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade. Every holiday season, Disney holds a parade inside the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, that airs on Christmas. The parade features appearances from iconic Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, and more. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the parade. Derek and Julianne Hough will host the event inside the Magic Kingdom, with Mickey Guyton anchoring coverage at Walt Disney Resort in Florida and Jesse Palmer at Disneyland Resort in California.…

Experience a magical night at Miss Tess filled with an array of exquisite Asian delights, you’ll be transported to a world of luxury and wonder. The menu offers an array of Asian cuisine that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you wanting more. From sushi to dim sum, every dish is expertly crafted with the freshest ingredients and bursting with flavour. The restaurant also features a stunning terrace that offers breath-taking views of the Downtown skyline. It’s the perfect spot to take in the sights and sounds of the city while enjoying a delicious cocktail or two. While you…

Despite the global economic challenges faced by many markets in 2023, the economic outlook in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the UAE remains robust, a senior official has said. “Forecasts for the UAE, in particular, suggest that it will emerge as the top-performing economy in the GCC in 2024, experiencing an overall GDP growth of 4.0 per cent,” Arindam De, Deputy CEO and Managing Director, Protiviti Member Firm for the Middle East region, told Khaleej Times in an interview. Excerpts: What are the anticipated key trends shaping the UAE and GCC business landscape in 2024? Projections for 2024 indicate…

Mother-son duo Saif Ali Khan and Sharmila Tagore are all set to add a royal touch to Koffee With Karan couch this week. On Monday, KJo took to his Instagram and dropped the new promo of the season’s next episode. Twinning in black, Sharmila looks graceful in a black floral saree, while Saif is dapper in a black suit. Sharing the video, he wrote, “A royal brew is on the menu for this week! Catch the mother-son duo, Sharmila Tagore & Saif Ali Khan on the latest episode of #KoffeeWithKaranS8.” From their iconic roles to family tales, this episode is…

Samsung’s Galaxy S24 may be just around the corner, but that doesn’t mean the Samsung Galaxy S23 isn’t still a great phone that’s worth protecting, especially its gorgeous AMOLED 2X edge-to-edge display. Even though that screen is made from the latest Gorilla Glass, it’s still susceptible to scratches and scuffs, so unless you plan to use a folio case, we’d strongly recommend an extra layer of protection to keep your display looking pristine. That’s even more true if you’re the adventurous type, since even the most durable cases for your Galaxy S23 are only fighting half the battle. The trickiest…

Celebrating the 99th birth anniversary of former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the makers of Main Atal Hoon, starring Pankaj Tripathi, dropped the first song from the film Desh Phele. Taking to Instagram, Pankaj Tripathi treated fans with the first song on this special occasion. The song takes into the world of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a poet who rewrote history. Sung by Jubin Nautiyal, the heart-touching lyrics are penned by Manoj Muntashir and composed by Payal Dev. Main Atal Hoon stars Pankaj Tripathi as Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, taking us through his extraordinary life! Recently, the makers launched the…

While the UAE is at the forefront of digital payments, around 20 per cent of transactions of consumers surveyed is still in cash, a new study has shown. According to Visa’s ‘Where Cash Hides’ research, in the UAE, peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions (43 per cent) and everyday spending (27 per cent) form a large portion of cash usage The report — based on a survey of 3,400 of individuals and 30 in-depth interviews across UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia — included questions about overall frequency of cash usage and specific cases where respondents would use cash more than other…