Pop star Britney Spears is back in the headlines.
A New York Times documentary released this week is providing riveting insights into her music career, controversial relationship with her father and the machinations of an unforgiving music industry.
While Framing Britney Spears makes for some harrowing viewing, the documentary has also sparked a reappraisal of Britney's work, with a new generation of fans checking out her song catalogue on streaming sites.
They will find a lot of good material on offer. Since her emergence 22 years ago, Britney has built an impressive body of work that not only helped define the pop sounds of the early 2000s, but also ushered in the dance music wave dominating the charts and festivals today.
Her work also provides an unvarnished look into her innermost thoughts during what went on to become a tumultuous career.
From the innocent sounds of ... Baby One More Time to the angry defiance of Piece of Me, Britney's catalogue tells the story of a teenager's public transition to adulthood with all the joys and pain that comes along the way.
Here are 10 songs that best showcase that journey.
1. ‘... Baby One More Time’ (1998)
What an arrival: Britney transitioned effortlessly from Disney children’s television star to pop music stardom with one of the all-time greatest debut singles.
The first of many successful partnerships with Swedish producer Max Martin, the earworm is built upon brilliantly ascending melodies that lead to an explosive chorus straight out of the Abba handbook.
2. ‘Sometimes’ (1999)
A major theme throughout Britney’s career is that pull between youth and adulthood. This is why each album is packed with both playfully upbeat tracks and heartfelt balladry.
Sometimes is good example of the latter, an uplifting and glossy ballad where Britney admits to being a little complicated. Just how deep that feeling ran would be proven years later.
3. 'Oops!... I Did It Again' (2000)
Britney announced herself as a diva in waiting with this sublime piece of pop music. More than the smooth hooks, what makes this song brilliant is the production from Swedish pop-meister Martin.
This song was a first-rate example of their partnership, in which a premium was placed on melodies and vocals delivered with pin-point precision. This track should be prescribed listening for any pop songwriting masterclass.
4. ‘Lucky’ (2000)
Once again, Britney counteracted the raised eyebrows caused by the slightly racy Oops!... I Did It Again with a refined power ballad. Interestingly, the lyrics detail "a Hollywood girl" who is "lost in an image, in a dream".
Did Britney already begin to feel the corrosive nature of the music business only two years into her career?
5. 'I'm a Slave 4 U' (2001)
With this heady single, Britney decidedly moved away from the bubblegum pop of her first two albums for a more adult sound. This means harmonies were jettisoned for heaving beats and sweet vocals made way for more sultry and panting sounds.
As well as being a global hit, the track was responsible for one of the great VMA Awards performances, where Britney took to the stage in 2004 draped with a white python.
6. 'I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman' (2002)
With a title that can also be used to sum up the thin line Britney has skirted throughout her career, this decent ballad has the singer really focusing on the emotional turmoil that comes with transitioning to adulthood.
Being a grown-up is not just about big night outs, as in the preceding single I'm a Slave for 4 U, but also being more circumspect and independent. "There is no need to protect me," she sings. "It's time that I learn to face up to this on my own."
7. ‘Toxic’ (2004)
The best of Britney's clubby tracks, Toxic is an absolute banger with an east-meets-west production that melds bhangra drums and Bollywood strings with darting synth and surf guitars. Capped off by Britney's arresting and slinky vocals, it went on to land the star her first Grammy in 2004 for Best Dance Recording.
8. ‘Piece of Me’ (2007)
If you are a lifelong Britney fan, anything from 2007's Black Out album will be hard to listen to. Not because of its quality, which was strong enough, but because it was recorded during a period where Britney was at her lowest ebb.
Amid a well-publicised string of increasingly erratic behaviours, the fact she was able to produce decent material was a miracle in itself.
Piece of Me is sturdy dance number powered by squelchy electro synth riffs. The track also finds a defiant Britney taking aim at her media critics.
“I'm Miss American Dream, since I was 17,” she says in the opening verse. “Don't matter if I step on the scene, or sneak away to the Philippines. They're still going to put pictures of [me] in the magazine.”
9. ‘Perfume’ (2013)
It’s good to see Britney sing again with feeling. After four albums full of dark, claustrophobic and, at times, angry club tracks, Britney delivers a more optimistic turn in this late career highlight.
Sure, the synths and EDM beats are here, but they don’t dominate and allows Britney to deliver her most heartfelt vocal performance in years.
10. ‘Matches’ (2020)
With her latest track, Britney reminds us of her carefree sounds of old. Matches recalls her early collaborations with producer Martin and the result is an exuberant piece of pop music.
The fact that the track features the Backstreet Boys gives it an extra level of pathos. Both artists came up together and suffered their own share of public setbacks. This makes Matches more than breezy pop song, but a statement of survival.
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
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
WTL%20SCHEDULE
%3Cp%3EDECEMBER%2019%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EKites%20v%20Eagles%0D%3Cbr%3EAliassime%20v%20Kyrgios%0D%3Cbr%3ESwiatek%20v%20Garcia%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Tiesto%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDECEMBER%2020%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFalcons%20v%20Hawks%0D%3Cbr%3EDjokovic%20v%20Zverev%0D%3Cbr%3ESabalenka%20v%20Rybakina%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Wizkid%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2021%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFalcons%20v%20Eagles%0D%3Cbr%3EDjokovic%20v%20Kyrgios%0D%3Cbr%3EBadosa%20v%20Garcia%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Ne-Yo%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2022%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EHawks%20v%20Kites%0D%3Cbr%3EThiem%20v%20Aliassime%0D%3Cbr%3EKontaveit%20v%20Swiatek%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20deadmau5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2023%20(2pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EEagles%20v%20Hawks%0D%3Cbr%3EKyrgios%20v%20Zverev%0D%3Cbr%3EGarcia%20v%20Rybakina%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Mohammed%20Ramadan%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2023%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFalcons%20v%20Kites%0D%3Cbr%3EDjokovic%20v%20Aliassime%0D%3Cbr%3ESabalenka%20v%20Swiatek%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Mohammed%20Ramadan%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2024%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFinals%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Armin%20Van%20Buuren%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Favourite things
Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery
Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount
University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China
Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai
Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China
Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
The years Ramadan fell in May
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
