Netflix has cancelled Meghan Markle's animated series Pearl in a cost-cutting move.
The show is among several being dropped by the streaming platform as it looks to save money amid a decrease in subscribers and influx of competitors.
Archewell Productions, the company formed by Markle and husband Prince Harry, announced last year that Markle would executive produce the project.
The children's series was to centre on a 12-year-old girl inspired by influential women throughout history.
Netflix did confirm, however, that it would continue working on other Archewell Productions projects, such as documentary series Heart of Invictus, which will focus on athletes competing in the Duke of Sussex's Invictus Games for injured veterans in 2022.
The streaming platform also announced its decision to drop two other animated children's series called Dino Daycare and Boons and Curses.
Last month, Netflix had revealed its total number of users had dropped by 200,000 from January to March, and said about two million more were likely to cancel subscriptions by July.
Prince Harry and Meghan, who moved to the US in 2020 after announcing they were stepping down as working members of the British royal family, signed a multi-year production deal with Netflix that same year.
The value of the deal was not disclosed, but estimates put it at anywhere between $100 million and $150m.
Last month, Spotify announced Markle's new podcast, Archetypes, would appear on the platform by summer.
The series will "investigate the labels that try to hold women back", Spotify said, revealing that Meghan will "uncover the origin of these stereotypes and have uncensored conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape narratives".
In a teaser for the show, Meghan says: "This is how we talk about women: the words that raise our girls, and how the media reflects women back to us... but where do these stereotypes come from?
"And how do they keep showing up and defining our lives?"
Meghan Markle's 40 best fashion moments — in pictures:
-

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Brandon Maxwell, attends the Your Commonwealth Youth Challenge reception at Marlborough House on July 5, 2018 in London, England -

Queen Elizabeth II and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Givenchy, visit the Storyhouse on June 14, 2018 in Chester, England -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Carolina Herrera, and Delfina Figueras arrive for the Sentebale Polo at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club on July 26, 2018 in Windsor, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Emilia Wickstead, attend the official opening of the Anzac Memorial at Hyde Park on October 20, 2018 in Sydney, Australia -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Safiyaa, arrive at the Royal Albert Hall on March 7, 2020 in London, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Emilia Wickstead, attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9, 2020 in London, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Givenchy, leave St George's Chapel after their wedding ceremony on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Dior, attends an event to mark the centenary of the RAF on July 10, 2018 in London, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Martin Grant, visit Bondi Beach on October 19, 2018 in Sydney, Australia -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in a Sentaler coat, at a community market on January 14, 2019 in Birkenhead, England -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Figue, visits the University of the South Pacific on October 24, 2018 in Suva, Fiji -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Givenchy, attends The Fashion Awards at Royal Albert Hall on December 10, 2018 in London, England -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Carolina Herrera, and Prince Harry on February 25, 2019 in Rabat, Morocco -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Stella McCartney, and Prince Harry leave Windsor Castle after their wedding to attend an evening reception at Frogmore House on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Oscar de la Renta, attend the Australian Geographic Society Awards at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney, Australia, on October 26, 2018 -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Erdem, and Prince Harry attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Self-Portrait, arrive at Fua'amotu Airport on October 25, 2018 in Nuku'Alofa, Tonga -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Safiyaa, arrive for a state dinner on October 23, 2018 in Suva, Fiji -

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, in Ralph & Russo, pose for an official engagement portrait on December 21, 2017 -

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, in Theory, attend a street dance class during their visit to Star Hub community and leisure centre in Cardiff, Wales, on January 18, 2018 -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Prada, Prince Harry and Queen Elizabeth II attend the Queen's Young Leaders Awards Ceremony at Buckingham Palace on June 26, 2018 in London, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, in Burberry, arrive at Social Bite cafe in Rose Street on February 13, 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland -

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, in a coat by Line The Label, announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace on November 27, 2017 in London, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Zimmermann, arrive at Nausori Airport on October 23, 2018 in Suva, Fiji -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Roland Mouret, attend the Cirque du Soleil premiere of 'Totem' at Royal Albert Hall on January 16, 2019 in London, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Jason Wu, attend the premiere of Disney's 'The Lion King' at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on July 14, 2019 in London, England -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in a Reiss coat, arrives for her visit with Prince Harry to Canada House on January 7, 2020 in London, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Jason Wu, arrive at the 100 Days to Peace gala in London, England on September 6, 2018 -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Theia, attend a state dinner at the Royal Residence on October 25, 2018 in Nuku'alofa, Tonga -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Karen Walker, attend a wreath laying ceremony at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park on October 28, 2018 in Wellington, New Zealand -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in a Hugo Boss skirt, and Prince Harry at The University of Chichester Tech Park during an official visit to Sussex on October 3, 2018 in Chichester, England -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Brandon Maxwell, attends the Your Commonwealth Youth Challenge reception at Marlborough House on July 5, 2018 in London, England -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Oscar de la Renta, attend the Coach Core Awards held at Loughborough University on September 24, 2018 in Loughborough, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Givenchy, arrive at a public walkabout at the Rotorua Government Gardens on October 31, 2018 in Rotorua, New Zealand -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in a Martin Grant coat, arrive at the Sydney Opera House on October 16, 2018 in Sydney, Australia -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Martin Grant, meets Prime Minister S Akilisi Pohiva on October 26, 2018 in Nuku'alofa, Tonga -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Brock Collection, arrives to visit the Royal Variety Charity's residential nursing and care home Brinsworth House, in Twickenham, London, on December 18, 2018 -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Veronica Beard, and Prince Harry visit District 6 Museum on September 23, 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in a Club Monaco trench, visits the Maranui Cafe in Wellington, New Zealand, on October 28, 2018 -

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in Ralph Lauren, attends the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2018 in London, England -

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in La Ligne, pose with son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in an image released on March 8, 2021
Jiu-jitsu calendar of events for 2017-2018:
August 5:
Round-1 of the President’s Cup in Al Ain.
August 11-13:
Asian Championship in Vietnam.
September 8-9:
Ajman International.
September 16-17
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, Ashgabat.
September 22-24:
IJJF Balkan Junior Open, Montenegro.
September 23-24:
Grand Slam Los Angeles.
September 29:
Round-1 Mother of The Nation Cup.
October 13-14:
Al Ain U18 International.
September 20-21:
Al Ain International.
November 3:
Round-2 Mother of The National Cup.
November 4:
Round-2 President’s Cup.
November 10-12:
Grand Slam Rio de Janeiro.
November 24-26:
World Championship, Columbia.
November 30:
World Beach Championship, Columbia.
December 8-9:
Dubai International.
December 23:
Round-3 President’s Cup, Sharjah.
January 12-13:
Grand Slam Abu Dhabi.
January 26-27:
Fujairah International.
February 3:
Round-4 President’s Cup, Al Dhafra.
February 16-17:
Ras Al Khaimah International.
February 23-24:
The Challenge Championship.
March 10-11:
Grand Slam London.
March 16:
Final Round – Mother of The Nation.
March 17:
Final Round – President’s Cup.
While you're here
Sulaiman Hakemy: Why it's important to lose elections
Rashmee Roshan Lall: US race relations in three words
Michael Goldfarb: First debate marks the end of an era
Key features of new policy
Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools
Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability
The winners
Fiction
- ‘Amreekiya’ by Lena Mahmoud
- ‘As Good As True’ by Cheryl Reid
The Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award
- ‘Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo’ by Oswaldo Truzzi; translated by Ramon J Stern
- ‘The Sound of Listening’ by Philip Metres
The George Ellenbogen Poetry Award
- ‘Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance’ by Fady Joudah
Children/Young Adult
- ‘I’ve Loved You Since Forever’ by Hoda Kotb
Final scores
18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)
- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)
-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)
-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)
-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)
-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
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
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT
Price, base / as tested Dh460,000
Engine 8.4L V10
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
The national orchestra
Long read
Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Draw
Quarter-finals
Real Madrid (ESP) or Manchester City (ENG) v Juventus (ITA) or Lyon (FRA)
RB Leipzig (GER) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Barcelona (ESP) or Napoli (ITA) v Bayern Munich (GER) or Chelsea (ENG)
Atalanta (ITA) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Ties to be played August 12-15 in Lisbon
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
COMPANY%20PROFILE
COMPANY PROFILE
Transgender report
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The specs: 2018 Jaguar F-Type Convertible
Price, base / as tested: Dh283,080 / Dh318,465
Engine: 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 295hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.2L / 100km
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Five ways to get fit like Craig David (we tried for seven but ran out of time)
Start the week as you mean to go on. So get your training on strong on a Monday.
Train hard, but don’t take it all so seriously that it gets to the point where you’re not having fun and enjoying your friends and your family and going out for nice meals and doing that stuff.
Think about what you’re training or eating a certain way for — don’t, for example, get a six-pack to impress somebody else or lose weight to conform to society’s norms. It’s all nonsense.
Get your priorities right.
And last but not least, you should always, always chill on Sundays.
While you're here
Hussein Ibish: There are reasons for Democrats and Republicans to be happy
Rashmee Roshan Lall: Who are the women driving Joe Biden's success?
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
The Ashes
Results
First Test, Brisbane: Australia won by 10 wickets
Second Test, Adelaide: Australia won by 120 runs
Third Test, Perth: Australia won by an innings and 41 runs
Fourth Test: Melbourne: Drawn
Fifth Test: Australia won by an innings and 123 runs
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Greenwood 77')
Everton 1 (Lindelof 36' og)


