Saturday night was an evening of many firsts for the popular television reality show The Voice Ahla Sawt: the hijab-clad Nedaa Shrara from Jordan became the first woman to win on MBC's Arabic version of the competition.
Throughout the three-hour episode, which was filmed live in Beirut at the MBC studios, her mentor, Egyptian star Sherine Abdel-Wahab, was insistent that Shrara would win the third season, and said that viewers “all have enough good sense and know better, and will make sure she wins and they won’t disappoint me”.
It was a testimony to how good Sharar was that the other judges – Iraqi great Kadim Al-Sahir, Lebanese pop star Assi El Hallani and Tunisian singer Saber Rebaï – did not once begrudge Abdel-Wahab her confidence.
But not many know that 23-year-old Shrara, who teaches children with special needs, did not apply to audition of her own accord.
"I was surprised to learn that my friends and family had sent in an audition tape in without telling me," said Shrara. "I was so happy to hear that I was chosen to audition, because I knew it was the only way to make my dreams come true. I came to The Voice with one goal: to win."
According to MBC, 150 million viewers across the Middle East tuned in to watch the third season of The Voice, which ran over every Saturday for 14 weeks.Both #MBCTheVoice and #NedaaShrara were among the top 10 trending hashtags in the region.
Abdel-Wahab is not surprised by the show’s popularity.
“All of us judges are just so thankful – we thank God – that despite everything that is happening these days in life in this region, we as a programme are still able to find a way to bring a smile to people’s faces,” she said.
Abdel-Wahab has always placed great store in smiles, and made a point early on in the show to admonish Shrara for lack of expression when singing.
“I’ll never forget when Sherine told me I have to smile,” said Shrara. “She said it wasn’t nice for the audience when I don’t smile when I sing and don’t show how much I enjoy it. My confidence grew, I started singing with joy. I think I wouldn’t have come this far if it weren’t for Sherine’s mentoring.”
During the course of the show, Abdel-Wahab revealed that Shrara has been estranged from her father ever since she left Jordan to take part in The Voice.
"From the moment Nedaa came to The Voice, her father hasn't spoken to her and doesn't agree with what she's doing," said Abdel-Wahab. "I want to say that, despite all the temptations she grapples with daily on this show, Nedaa has stuck to her convictions and beliefs, has always dressed in accordance with her hijab and her modesty, has always been true to her values. I want to tell her father, your daughter is a role model on this show and makes us all proud that she has been here."
More firsts for the show included an opening-sequence performance during the finale by a group of young children, who sang an Arabic version of Michael Jackson's We Are the World alongside the four finalists Shrara, Lebanese Christine Said, Iraqi Ali Youssef and Tunisian Hamza Fadhlaoui.
The children are future contestants on the debut programme The Voice Kids, which will begin broadcasting on Saturday. The judges are Lebanese diva Nancy Ajram, Egyptian singer and actor Tamer Hosny, and Al-Sahir.
Al-Sahir had his own "first" during the finale, performing in English for the first time in his 30-year career. Al-Sahir had composed music to the words of On Love by Gibran Kahlil Gibran. He said it was a project he has been working on for two years.
• To watch a rerun of the finale of The Voice Ahla Sawt, visit www.shahid.net. The first season of The Voice Kids will make its debut at 10pm on Saturday on MBC1 and MBC Masr
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SPECS
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Representing%20UAE%20overseas
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Pieces of Her
Stars: Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, David Wenham, Omari Hardwick
Director: Minkie Spiro
Rating:2/5
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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
Company%20Profile
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