Bollywood stars Farhan Akhtar, Alia Bhatt and Dhanush are all set to make their debuts in big-budget Hollywood films. Photo: AFP and EPA
Bollywood stars Farhan Akhtar, Alia Bhatt and Dhanush are all set to make their debuts in big-budget Hollywood films. Photo: AFP and EPA
Bollywood stars Farhan Akhtar, Alia Bhatt and Dhanush are all set to make their debuts in big-budget Hollywood films. Photo: AFP and EPA
Bollywood stars Farhan Akhtar, Alia Bhatt and Dhanush are all set to make their debuts in big-budget Hollywood films. Photo: AFP and EPA

Alia Bhatt to Farhan Akhtar: the Bollywood stars making their Hollywood debut


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Bollywood actor and director Farhan Akhtar is the latest star from India to land a major Hollywood project. Akhtar, who was last seen in the boxing drama Toofan last year, has joined the cast of the eagerly awaited Ms Marvel, set to debut on June 8 on Disney+.

"Grateful that the universe gifts these opportunities to grow, learn and in this case have a ton of fun while doing it," Akhtar, 48, said on social media, announcing his casting.

A multi-hyphenate, Akhtar, who is also a singer and producer, first made his name in Bollywood directing the acclaimed 2001 film Dil Chahta Hai. He joins a growing number of Indian actors making their acting debuts across the pond, joining the likes of Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Anupam Kher, Irrfan Khan and Deepika Padukone.

Here are all the Bollywood stars set to make their Hollywood debut:

Farhan Akhtar

Farhan Akhtar, who is the son of acclaimed lyricist Javed Akhtar and screenwriter Honey Irani, at the Red Sea International Film Festival in 2021. AFP
Farhan Akhtar, who is the son of acclaimed lyricist Javed Akhtar and screenwriter Honey Irani, at the Red Sea International Film Festival in 2021. AFP

One of the most successful names in Bollywood today, Akhtar is the son of acclaimed lyricist Javed Akhtar and screenwriter Honey Irani. His sister, Zoya Akhtar, is also a successful director, known for hit films such as Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Gully Boy.

Following his acclaimed directorial debut in 2001, Akhtar starred in his first film, the musical Rock On!! in 2008, and has since fronted a number of acclaimed films, from Luck by Chance (2009) to Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013). In 2019, he appeared alongside Chopra Jonas in the family drama The Sky is Pink, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

While his role in Ms Marvel is not yet known, Deadline reports that Akhtar has been cast in a "guest-starring" role.

Ms Marvel is the first Muslim superhero to headline a Marvel comic book series and the show will feature newcomer Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, a Muslim-American teenager growing up in Jersey City who gains super powers.

Alia Bhatt

Alia Bhatt, who last month married Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor, at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2022. AFP
Alia Bhatt, who last month married Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor, at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2022. AFP

Fresh off her acclaimed turn as a mafia queen in the semi-biographical Gangubai Kathiawadi, Bhatt in March announced she's making her Hollywood debut in Heart of Stone, a spy thriller, alongside Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan.

The Netflix film, to be directed by British filmmaker Tom Harper, of Peaky Blinders fame, will also feature an international cast, including German actor and Army of the Dead's breakout star Matthias Schweighofer; Jing Lusi of Crazy Rich Asians; and British actress Sophie Okonedo, who was last seen in Death on the Nile.

While there are no plot details yet for Heart of Stone, the film is planned as a female spin on popular spy franchises, including Mission: Impossible and James Bond. Wonder Woman star Gadot, who was the first big name to be signed, has already begun filming in the UK.

Bhatt, who last month married Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor, is believed to have moved her wedding date so it didn't clash with the filming schedule of Heart of Stone.

“I just don’t want to do it for the heck of it and to tick it off the box. I want to look at opportunities which should have a good part, an interesting dynamic, and cast, something that is new and relevant," she told News 18 of her first Hollywood project.

Bhatt and Kapoor are set to star in their first movie together in the big-budget superhero film Brahmastra, scheduled for release in September.

Dhanush

Dhanush, who made his Hindi-language debut with 'Raanjhanaa' in 2013, promoting his Bollywood film ‘Atrangi Re’ in Mumbai in 2021. AFP
Dhanush, who made his Hindi-language debut with 'Raanjhanaa' in 2013, promoting his Bollywood film ‘Atrangi Re’ in Mumbai in 2021. AFP

A superstar in South India, Dhanush made his acting debut in 2002 with the Tamil film Thulluvadho Ilamai, directed by his father Kasthuri Raja. He's since appeared in a number of Bollywood films, making his Hindi-language debut with Raanjhanaa (2013).

Although he played the lead in an international project — the India-set The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir in 2018 directed by Canadian filmmaker Ken ScottDhanush's first major Hollywood project will be the big-budget thriller The Gray Man.

Believed to be the most expensive Netflix film ever made, the spy caper stars Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Rege-Jean Page and Billy Bob Thornton among others and will be helmed by Marvel veterans Anthony and Joe Russo.

Set for a July 15 cinema debut (streaming from July 22), the action thriller will follow Court Gentry (Gosling), the CIA's most skilled mercenary, who accidentally uncovers dark agency secrets. When a psychopathic former colleague (Evans) puts a bounty on Court's head, it sets off a global manhunt by international assassins.

The Gray Man is based on Mark Greaney’s 10-book series of the same name.

“I am very humbled by the love and anticipation my fans have shown for me and The Gray Man. Though it’s a small part, I had the opportunity to collaborate with many talented people on set and work on some terrific action sequences," Dhanush said last month when stills from the film were released. "I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my Hollywood journey, and I am hoping audiences globally enjoy the film and experience an adrenalin rush with the action."

Hrithik Roshan

Hrithik Roshan, pictured in Dubai in 2017, is one of the most bankable stars in the Indian film industry, known for his dance moves as well as action thrillers. Photo: Delores Johnson / The National
Hrithik Roshan, pictured in Dubai in 2017, is one of the most bankable stars in the Indian film industry, known for his dance moves as well as action thrillers. Photo: Delores Johnson / The National

Ever since he signed with a Hollywood talent agency in 2020, fans of Roshan have been eagerly awaiting an announcement from the actor. Roshan is represented by The Gersh Agency, one of the largest in the US, with talents such as Meg Ryan, John Slattery, Adam Driver and Mark Hamill in its books.

Roshan, who made his acting debut with Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai in 2000, is still one of the most bankable stars in the Indian film industry, known for his dance moves as well as action thrillers. His last film, War, which was released in 2019, was the highest-grossing Hindi film that year.

“Hrithik has always been an envelope pusher,” manager Amrita Sen told Deadline following the Gersh Agency signing. “For the last 20 years, Hrithik has been helping to drive Indian cinema into new genres, new narrative concepts and ever-more sophisticated storytelling. He is excited about the fact that the market for global content, which features characters and stories from other parts of the world, couldn’t be stronger than it is today.

"With Hrithik’s leadership, our goal is to continue to put India in a front and centre position on the path towards globalisation and diversity and help integrate creators into new markets that were previously not available to them. In partnership with Gersh, we will now be taking Hrithik’s ambitious vision around the world.”

Sobhita Dhulipala

A former beauty queen and model, Dhulipala made waves with a breakout role in the 2019 Amazon Prime Video series Made in Heaven, in which she played a wedding planner. She's since appeared in a number of South Indian films, including Kurup, alongside Kerala heart-throb Dulquer Salmaan. The crime film was one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of 2021.

Dhulipala's first international project, Monkey Man, will mark the directorial debut of actor Dev Patel. The Netflix film, set in India, will feature Patel in the lead as an unlikely hero who emerges from prison and seeks revenge on the people who wronged him. South African actor Sharlto Copley, who starred in the acclaimed 2009 film District 9, will also star along with Indian actor Sikandar Kher.

"What appealed to me about the project is that it's a collaborative spirit, a young and rather eccentric approach to the story, and most certainly the people involved. I knew it would be special from the get-go. I really enjoyed my character's tender dilemmas; they were as glamorous as sorrowful," she told the Hindustan Times about her role.

Monkey Man wrapped filming in March last year. A release date has not been announced.

Top 11 new Indian shows and movies coming to Amazon Prime Video — in pictures:

  • Amazon has announced 41 new titles spanning several genres and Indian languages to be launched over the next two years. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    Amazon has announced 41 new titles spanning several genres and Indian languages to be launched over the next two years. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • The poster for the coming series 'Hush Hush' starring Juhi Chawla, Ayesha Jhulka, Soha Ali Khan, Karishma Tanna and Shahana Goswami in the lead. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    The poster for the coming series 'Hush Hush' starring Juhi Chawla, Ayesha Jhulka, Soha Ali Khan, Karishma Tanna and Shahana Goswami in the lead. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • 'Adhura' is a supernatural horror series starring Rasika Dugal, right. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    'Adhura' is a supernatural horror series starring Rasika Dugal, right. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • Telugu superstar Naga Chaitanya in 'Dhootha'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    Telugu superstar Naga Chaitanya in 'Dhootha'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • Set in a small town, 'Dahaad' is an action thriller with Sonakshi Sinha playing a police officer who sets out to hunt down a serial killer. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    Set in a small town, 'Dahaad' is an action thriller with Sonakshi Sinha playing a police officer who sets out to hunt down a serial killer. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor makes his streaming platform debut with 'Farzi'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor makes his streaming platform debut with 'Farzi'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • 'The Village' is one of the first Indian series to be based on a graphic novel. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    'The Village' is one of the first Indian series to be based on a graphic novel. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • Madhuri Dixit Nene plays an overbearing mother in the comedy 'Maja Maa'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    Madhuri Dixit Nene plays an overbearing mother in the comedy 'Maja Maa'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • 'Jubilee', starring Prosenjit Chatterjee, is set in the 1940s and looks at the birth of Bollywood. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    'Jubilee', starring Prosenjit Chatterjee, is set in the 1940s and looks at the birth of Bollywood. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • Punjabi hip-hop star AP Dhillon will be the focus of the documentary film 'This is AP Dhillon'. Photo: ap.dhillxn / Instagram
    Punjabi hip-hop star AP Dhillon will be the focus of the documentary film 'This is AP Dhillon'. Photo: ap.dhillxn / Instagram
  • Tanya Maniktala in 'PI Meena'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    Tanya Maniktala in 'PI Meena'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • The poster for 'Bambai Meri Jaan' starring Kay Kay Menon in the lead. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    The poster for 'Bambai Meri Jaan' starring Kay Kay Menon in the lead. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • Satyadev Kancharana, Akshay Kumar and Jacqueline Fernandez in 'Ram Setu'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    Satyadev Kancharana, Akshay Kumar and Jacqueline Fernandez in 'Ram Setu'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • The poster for 'Gulkanda Tales' starring Kunal Khemu. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    The poster for 'Gulkanda Tales' starring Kunal Khemu. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
  • The poster for 'Jee Karda' starring Tamannaah Bhatia, Suhail Nayyar, Aashim Gulati, Anya Singh, Hussain Dalal, Samvedna Suwalka and Sayan Banerjee. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
    The poster for 'Jee Karda' starring Tamannaah Bhatia, Suhail Nayyar, Aashim Gulati, Anya Singh, Hussain Dalal, Samvedna Suwalka and Sayan Banerjee. Photo: Amazon Prime Video

Men’s singles 
Group A:
Son Wan-ho (Kor), Lee Chong Wei (Mas), Ng Long Angus (HK), Chen Long (Chn)
Group B: Kidambi Srikanth (Ind), Shi Yugi (Chn), Chou Tien Chen (Tpe), Viktor Axelsen (Den)

Women’s Singles 
Group A:
Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn), Pusarla Sindhu (Ind), Sayaka Sato (Jpn), He Bingjiao (Chn)
Group B: Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe), Sung Hi-hyun (Kor), Ratchanok Intanon (Tha), Chen Yufei (Chn)

RACE CARD

5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA); Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA); Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB); Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA); Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA); Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA); Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T); 1,400m

Five hymns the crowds can join in

Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday

Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir

Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium

‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song

‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar

‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion

‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope

The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’

There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia

The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ

They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening 

RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m, Winner SS Lamea, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer).

5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m, Winner AF Makerah, Sean Kirrane, Ernst Oertel

6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m, Winner Maaly Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi

6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,600m, Winner AF Momtaz, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m, Winner Morjanah Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi

7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,200m, Winner Mudarrab, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy

Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds  

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices

The 15 players selected

Muzzamil Afridi, Rahman Gul, Rizwan Haider (Dezo Devils); Shahbaz Ahmed, Suneth Sampath (Glory Gladiators); Waqas Gohar, Jamshaid Butt, Shadab Ahamed (Ganga Fighters); Ali Abid, Ayaz Butt, Ghulam Farid, JD Mahesh Kumara (Hiranni Heros); Inam Faried, Mausif Khan, Ashok Kumar (Texas Titans

Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.

'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'

Director:Michael Lehmann

Stars:Kristen Bell

Rating: 1/5

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Walls

Louis Tomlinson

3 out of 5 stars

(Syco Music/Arista Records)

Long read

Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response

The National in Davos

We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.

Most match wins on clay

Guillermo Vilas - 659

Manuel Orantes - 501

Thomas Muster - 422

Rafael Nadal - 399 *

Jose Higueras - 378

Eddie Dibbs - 370

Ilie Nastase - 338

Carlos Moya - 337

Ivan Lendl - 329

Andres Gomez - 322

MATCH INFO

Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')

Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')

Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

QUALIFYING RESULTS

1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.

Eliminated after second session

11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.

Eliminated after first session

15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.

Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars

Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

Qosty Byogaani

Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny

Four stars

The Vile

Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah

Director: Majid Al Ansari

Rating: 4/5

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Skoda Superb Specs

Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol

Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

Dubai Creek Open in numbers
  • The Dubai Creek Open is the 10th tournament on this year's Mena Tour
  • It is the first of five events before the season-concluding Mena Tour Championship
  • This week's field comprises 120 players, 21 of which are amateurs
  • 15 previous Mena Tour winners are competing at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club  
Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

Engine: 80 kWh four-wheel-drive

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 402bhp

Torque: 760Nm

Price: From Dh280,000

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.6-litre%2C%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeight-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E285hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E353Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh159%2C900%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Director: Laxman Utekar

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

Rating: 1/5

INFO
Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The biog

Favourite food: Fish and seafood

Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends

Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!

Favourite country to visit: Italy

Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

Family: We all have one!

Expert input

If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?

“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett

“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche

“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox

“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite

 “I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy

“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra

Rafael Nadal's record at the MWTC

2009 Finalist

2010 Champion

Jan 2011 Champion

Dec 2011 Semi-finalist

Dec 2012 Did not play

Dec 2013 Semi-finalist

2015 Semi-finalist

Jan 2016 Champion

Dec 2016 Champion

2017 Did not play

 

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

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.

 

West Asia Premiership

Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles

Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain

Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

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Updated: May 09, 2022, 12:36 PM