The highly anticipated superhero film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has finally been released.
Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the sequel to Black Panther (2018) and is the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While fans have been eagerly awaiting the release of the sequel, the film will have a lot to live up to.
Released in 2018, Black Panther was a commercial and critical success. Grossing $1.3 billion worldwide, it was the second-highest-grossing film of that year, the ninth-highest-grossing of all time and was nominated for seven awards at the 91st Academy Awards, making it the first superhero movie to receive a Best Picture nomination.
Fans have also been curious about which direction the story will take after Chadwick Boseman, who starred as T'Challa, the king of Wakanda, died of colon cancer in August 2020. Marvel has decided not to recast his role and details of the storyline have been kept quiet, including who will be the next Black Panther.
Here’s everything you need to know about the latest Marvel film.
Who is in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’?
Black Panther is not only considered one of the best films from the Marvel Universe, it was also noted for its cultural significance and its primary cast of black actors.
Ryan Coogler returns to direct the sequel and co-writes the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole.
The film once again stars Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Winston Duke as M’Baku and Martin Freeman as Everett Ross.
Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta is in the film, and he will play Namor the Sub-Mariner, a Marvel character who first appeared in the comics in 1939. British screenwriter and actress Michaela Coel also joins as Aneka along with Mexican actress Mabel Cadena as Namora, Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams and Alex Livinalli as Attuma.
What is ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ about?
In the wake of king T’Challa’s death, queen Ramonda (Bassett) and her daughter Shuri (Wright) along with M’Baku (Duke), Okoye ( Gurira), and the Dora Milaje, the team of women who serve as special forces for Wakanda, are in a fight to protect their nation from new intervening and threatening world powers.
As Wakanda rises up to embrace its future without its king, the heroes must work together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Nyong’o) and Ross (Freeman) to forge a new path for the kingdom.
The trailer revealed an emotional, action-packed story dealing with grief, succession and the threat of war.
While the details aren’t fleshed out, what we saw from the trailer is that this is an epic story with a lot of adventure, fantasy and sci-fi wrapped up in a powerful narrative with very high stakes.
The burning question centred around the film, and touched upon towards the end of the trailer is who will next take the mantle of Black Panther and leader of Wakanda? Spoiler alert: Marvel fans who read the comics will be aware that the title of Black Panther gets passed down through generations and that Shuri, T'Challa's sister, eventually became Black Panther and queen of Wakanda.
While the trailer shows a glimpse of someone in a black and gold version of the superhero suit, we aren’t sure if it’s Shuri or perhaps one of the other female characters.
Has ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ been released in cinemas?
The release date for the film was changed several times owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and Boseman's death. The film was initially set for release in May this year, then moved to July, then October.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens in the US on November 11. It was released in the UAE on November 10.
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Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
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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
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
The specs: 2019 Cadillac XT4
Price, base: Dh145,000
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 237hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
