Abu Dhabi’s Peter Rosalita has made a spectacular comeback to the America’s Got Talent stage.
Dressed in a three-piece cream suit, the Filipino singer wowed judges and the audience with a powerful rendition of Michael Bolton’s Go The Distance.
Despite having a sore throat, Peter looked confident during his America’s Got Talent: All-Stars performance, and hit the high notes with ease.
His efforts earned him a standing ovation from the audience and all three judges, Howie Mandel, Simon Cowell and Heidi Klum. Host Terry Crews commented, “The judges are on their feet”.
Cowell told the singer that his voice had gotten better since his last appearance on the show.
“Peter, you are very old-fashioned, even in terms of what you wear, the kind of songs you sing. However, your voice has actually got better. Now I know there’s still a lot of people to come, having said that, that might be enough to put you through to the finals,” said the music executive.
Klum called Peter, who is a student at Richmindale school in Abu Dhabi, “one of the best-dressed men in showbiz”.
The episode will be shown on Monday on NBC.
In an interview with AGT before his performance, the young singer spoke about his last appearance on the show, during season 16.
“I got far to the semi-finals and I got very nervous and there was that hiccup,” said Peter, referring to the moment he had to ask for the music to be restarted. He eventually lost the finals to Dustin Tavella.
“Being on America’s Got Talent changed my life,” said Peter.
“Now that I'm back, I feel more confident and I grew a little. This is my second chance, I’m gonna make sure that there will be no hiccups.”
Peter's original audition, during which he sang Celine Dion's version of All By Myself, has been watched more than 10 million times on YouTube, and was praised by the Canadian songstress on Twitter.
America's Got Talent: All-Stars is a spin-off of the original talent show and includes past winners, finalists and fan favourites from across previous seasons of the franchise, all competing for the All-Star title.
“It is still nerve-racking thinking that I have to compete with the best of the best on AGT All-Stars,” he previously told The National. “But I also feel confident and proud and happy that they have chosen me to be one of the performers and will be performing along with those global talent stars.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see more of Peter Rosalita's America's Got Talent journey
FIXTURES
UAE’s remaining fixtures in World Cup qualification R2
Oct 8: Malaysia (h)
Oct 13: Indonesia (a)
Nov 12: Thailand (h)
Nov 17: Vietnam (h)
The specs: 2018 Audi R8 V10 RWS
Price: base / as tested: From Dh632,225
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 540hp @ 8,250rpm
Torque: 540Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L / 100km
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
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
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
