• The cover album of 'Midnights'. Taylor Swift's 10th album crashed Spotify moments after its release. Photo: Republic Records
    The cover album of 'Midnights'. Taylor Swift's 10th album crashed Spotify moments after its release. Photo: Republic Records
  • While unremarkable, Taylor Swift's self-titled 2006 album put her on the list of ones to watch. Photo: Big Machine Records
    While unremarkable, Taylor Swift's self-titled 2006 album put her on the list of ones to watch. Photo: Big Machine Records
  • 'Fearless' (2008) was an assured collection of songs by the increasingly confident Swift. Photo: Big Machine Records
    'Fearless' (2008) was an assured collection of songs by the increasingly confident Swift. Photo: Big Machine Records
  • 'Speak Now' (2010) had Swift lyrically detailing her growth from adolescence to adulthood. Photo: Big Machine Records
    'Speak Now' (2010) had Swift lyrically detailing her growth from adolescence to adulthood. Photo: Big Machine Records
  • With 'Red' (2012), Swift made her bid for mainstream success. Photo: Big Machine Records
    With 'Red' (2012), Swift made her bid for mainstream success. Photo: Big Machine Records
  • The spectacular '1989' (2014) remains Swift's best album. Photo: Big Machine Records
    The spectacular '1989' (2014) remains Swift's best album. Photo: Big Machine Records
  • 'Reputation' (2017) was overwrought and too dark to be fully embraced by her fans. Photo: Big Machine Records
    'Reputation' (2017) was overwrought and too dark to be fully embraced by her fans. Photo: Big Machine Records
  • 'Lover' (2019) was a welcome course correction, yet sounded messy and unwieldy. Photo: Republic Records
    'Lover' (2019) was a welcome course correction, yet sounded messy and unwieldy. Photo: Republic Records
  • 'Folklore' (2020) was a stunning effort that had Swift write more narrative-driven songs. Photo: Republic Records
    'Folklore' (2020) was a stunning effort that had Swift write more narrative-driven songs. Photo: Republic Records
  • 'Evermore' (2020) was atmospheric and cinematic. Photo: Republic Records
    'Evermore' (2020) was atmospheric and cinematic. Photo: Republic Records

'Midnights': Taylor Swift releases her 'wild ride of an album'


Farah Andrews
  • English
  • Arabic

Taylor Swift's latest album Midnights is here.

The singer released the anticipated new record at 8am GST on Friday.

It includes a collaboration with Lana Del Rey, Snow on the Beach, and was co-created with Jack Antonoff, who Swift thanked in an Instagram post when the album was released.

Click through the gallery above to see Taylor Swift's album art to date

Taylor Swift's 'Midnights' is out now. Photo: Republic Records
Taylor Swift's 'Midnights' is out now. Photo: Republic Records

"Midnights is a wild ride of an album and I couldn’t be happier that my co pilot on this adventure was @jackantonoff. He’s my friend for life (presumptuous I know but I stand by it) and we’ve been making music together for nearly a decade however … this is our first album we’ve done with just the two of us as main collaborators," Swift wrote.

"We’d been toying with ideas and had written a few things we loved, but Midnights actually really coalesced and flowed out of us when our partners (both actors) did a film together in Panama. Jack and I found ourselves back in New York, alone, recording every night, staying up late and exploring old memories and midnights past."

Swift is dating English actor Joe Alwyn and Antonoff's is reportedly engaged to Margaret Qualley, daughter of Andie MacDowell. The pair starred in 2022 romantic drama Stars at Noon.

The singer thanked her collaborators in her post, including Rey, along with musicians Jahaan Sweet, Sam Dew, songwriter Sounwave, producer Keanu Beats and actress Zoe Kravitz, who has two writing credits on the album. She also thanked William Bowery, which is the pen name Alwyn opted for writing credits on Swift's past releases.

She concluded: "Midnights is a collage of intensity, highs and lows and ebbs and flows. Life can be dark, starry, cloudy, terrifying, electrifying, hot, cold, romantic or lonely. Just like Midnights."

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Tales of Yusuf Tadros

Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)

Hoopoe

While you're here
Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

Traits of Chinese zodiac animals

Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent   

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F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

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

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ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS

- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns 

- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;

- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces

- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,

- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.

MATCH INFO

Euro 2020 qualifier

Croatia v Hungary, Thursday, 10.45pm, UAE

TV: Match on BeIN Sports

Jewel of the Expo 2020

252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome

13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas

550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome

724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses

Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa

Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site

The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants

Al Wasl means connection in Arabic

World’s largest 360-degree projection surface

RESULTS

Manchester United 2

Anthony Martial 30'

Scott McTominay 90 6' 

Manchester City 0

Stage result

1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 4:42:34

2. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe

3. Elia Viviani (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers

4. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) BikeExchange-Jayco

5. Emils Liepins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo

6. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ

7. Max Kanter (Ger) Movistar Team

8. Olav Kooij (Ned) Jumbo-Visma

9. Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux

10. Pascal Ackermann (Ger) UAE Team Emirate

Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg

Roma 4
Milner (15' OG), Dzeko (52'), Nainggolan (86', 90 4')

Liverpool 2
Mane (9'), Wijnaldum (25')

Tomb%20Raider%20I%E2%80%93III%20Remastered
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Aspyr%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Aspyr%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20series%20X%2FS%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

Updated: October 21, 2022, 10:16 AM