David Beckham
Football star and entrepreneur David Beckham has kicked off a new game in the metaverse as global brand ambassador for the DigitalBits open-source blockchain protocol.
The role will see Beckham, 46, promoting DigitalBits, which supports digital assets including non-fungible tokens and stablecoins, to consumers and other organisations.
He will also team up with the start-up on several new projects. Among these are new ways to connect with fans, potentially in the next iteration of the internet known as the metaverse.
The metaverse has been defined as a virtual-reality space where users can interact within a computer-generated environment.
“I am always keen to find new ways to connect with my fans across the world,” Beckham said.
“The moment I spoke with [founder] Al [Burgio] and the DigitalBits team, I knew that this was a major opportunity to create new experiences for my fans online. I have always taken pride in working with the best teams, and I am so excited to work on my NFT collections and more innovations in the future.”
The value of the agreement has not been confirmed, but media reports estimate that it is worth £5 million ($6.5m).
Last year, DigitalBits signed an €85m ($92.8m) deal with Italian football club Inter Milan and sealed an agreement with AS Roma for €36m. Other sporting celebrities it has gone into partnership with include former boxer Floyd Mayweather and US professional basketball player Lisa Leslie.
Beckham, the former England footballer, and his wife, Victoria, are estimated to have a combined net worth of $450m, according to wealth tracker Celebrity Net Worth.
Football earnings have provided the lion’s share of those assets, but the Beckhams also have several businesses and endorsement deals. They also own a $24m penthouse in Miami.
Beckham owns the MLS football club Inter Miami. In 2019, he co-founded Studio 99, a production and content studio focused on unscripted films and advertising content for global brands. In 2020, he was announced as the co-owner of British professional e-sports company Guild Esports.
His brand endorsements include adidas, EA and Diageo.
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr, known to the world as Snoop Dogg, has been one of the early movers in the metaverse. Now, the rapper is working to launch his own streaming app which will host music from his Death Row Records.
Until then, the music will “live in the metaverse” and operate as an “NFT label”, he said.
Snoop Dogg, 50, said low returns from streaming services prompted him to consider building an alternative revenue stream. He acquired Death Row Records, which launched his career, in February, and almost immediately took the label’s discography off streaming platforms.
“First thing I did was snatch all the music off those platforms traditionally known to people because those platforms don’t pay,” he told Revolt TV’s Drink Champs.
“Those platforms get millions and millions of streams, and nobody gets paid other than the record labels. So, what I wanted to do is snatch my music off, create a platform similar to Amazon, Netflix, Hulu. It’ll be a Death Row app and the music, in the meantime, will live in the metaverse.”
Snoop Dogg’s move appears to be part of an effort to help artists generate more profits from their work.
An artist whose music has been streamed 100 million times doesn’t make $1m, he said.
“I want to create an avenue to where I can show people how not to always have to go through the slave trade, but create our own trade where we are engaging with our own fans buying our music and then making us money off of the music by it being traded and sold,” he told the show.
The rapper said his most recent album, BODR (Bacc on Death Row), made $21m in the metaverse on the day it was released in February — a sum he said would not have been possible via streaming services.
BODR was initially available in the form of 25,000 “Stash Box” NFTs containing one of the album’s songs for $5,000 each, according to Billboard.
BODR is also available on streaming services.
Snoop Dogg has since also released some Death Row music in the form of limited-edition NFTs.
The American musician has his own virtual world called the Snoopverse, where paid participants can visit a digital version of his home and potentially attend virtual concerts.
On April 20, an early access pass to the Snoopverse was selling for the equivalent of $1,491 on gaming metaverse platform The Sandbox, according to the day’s cryptocurrency exchange rates.
Snoop Dogg owns virtual real estate in The Sandbox, where he has released NFTs and launched a virtual music video for the track House I Built.
Separately, he has released several NFT collections, including on the Cardano blockchain.
Snoop Dogg’s net worth is estimated at $150m by Celebrity Net Worth. His income includes music sales, television and film work, clothing lines and commercial endorsements, including Beyond Meat and Bic lighters.
Anushka Sharma
Bollywood star and new mum Anushka Sharma has been slowly building a portfolio of food-related investments. Last week, the actor joined Indian millet-based start-up Wholsum Foods as an investor and brand ambassador for its flagship brand Slurrp Farm.
The company, founded in 2016, creates millet-based snacks and meals for children that are also available in the UAE, as well as online in the US and UK. The ancient grain is a traditional food in India.
“It’s a realisation that hit home even harder after I became a mother — I want my daughter to develop a healthy relationship with food and I have to start her on that journey early on,” Sharma said.
“Wholsum Foods was started by two mothers so their mission to unjunk the plates of kids and families across the world resonates with me strongly … Through the partnership, I hope to help nurture India’s rich heritage of millets and enable today’s generation to leave behind a healthier lifestyle and planet for those to come,” she said.
Sharma posted a promotional announcement to her Instagram account last week, posing alongside co-founders Shauravi Malik and Meghana Narayan, a swimmer who represented India at the Asian Games.
Her investment follows Wholsum Foods’ $7m funding round led by Investment Corporation of Dubai and multi-stage venture fund Fireside Ventures. The Gurugram-based company aims to nearly triple revenue over the next year, from 550m Indian rupees ($7.2m) to 1.5 billion rupees by March 2023.
In February, Sharma and her husband, cricketer Virat Kohli, joined Mumbai-based fake meat brand Blue Tribe as investors and brand ambassadors for an undisclosed amount.
Sharma's net worth is estimated to be about $35m, according to Indian media. Her income stems principally from acting and producing work in more than 20 films, and from endorsements for brands such as Standard Chartered bank.
The actor last month stepped away from Clean Slate Filmz, the production venture she founded with her brother, Karnesh, to concentrate on acting. She also owns fashion brand Nush, launched in 2017, and has several investments with Kohli.
Elvis Presley
Universal Music is to manage Elvis Presley’s song catalogue under a publishing deal with Authentic Brands Group announced earlier this month. Hits such as Can't Help Falling in Love and Jailhouse Rock are covered under the deal, Reuters reported. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The deal comes before the June release of director Baz Luhrmann’s biopic, Elvis, starring Tom Hanks and Austin Butler.
It is the latest in a series of music catalogue deals, including sales by Bob Dylan, Tina Turner and Sting.
Presley’s estate is worth between $400m and $500m, according to Rolling Stone. At the time of his death at the age of 42 in 1977, the “King of Rock 'n' Roll” was estimated to be worth $5m.
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
How to vote in the UAE
1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/
2) Take it to the US Embassy
3) Deadline is October 15
4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
- Keep your oven open after cooking
- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
- Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat
- Put on extra layers
- Do a few star jumps
- Avoid alcohol
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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Stats at a glance:
Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)
Number in service: 6
Complement 191 (space for up to 285)
Top speed: over 32 knots
Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles
Length 152.4 m
Displacement: 8,700 tonnes
Beam: 21.2 m
Draught: 7.4 m
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
Brief scores:
Day 2
England: 277 & 19-0
West Indies: 154
Concrete and Gold
Foo Fighters
RCA records
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
AT%20A%20GLANCE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWindfall%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EAn%20%E2%80%9Cenergy%20profits%20levy%E2%80%9D%20to%20raise%20about%20%C2%A35%20billion%20in%20a%20year.%20The%20temporary%20one-off%20tax%20will%20hit%20oil%20and%20gas%20firms%20by%2025%20per%20cent%20on%20extraordinary%20profits.%20An%2080%20per%20cent%20investment%20allowance%20should%20calm%20Conservative%20nerves%20that%20the%20move%20will%20dent%20North%20Sea%20firms%E2%80%99%20investment%20to%20save%20them%2091p%20for%20every%20%C2%A31%20they%20spend.%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EA%20universal%20grant%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EEnergy%20bills%20discount%2C%20which%20was%20effectively%20a%20%C2%A3200%20loan%2C%20has%20doubled%20to%20a%20%C2%A3400%20discount%20on%20bills%20for%20all%20households%20from%20October%20that%20will%20not%20need%20to%20be%20paid%20back.%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETargeted%20measures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMore%20than%20eight%20million%20of%20the%20lowest%20income%20households%20will%20receive%20a%20%C2%A3650%20one-off%20payment.%20It%20will%20apply%20to%20households%20on%20Universal%20Credit%2C%20Tax%20Credits%2C%20Pension%20Credit%20and%20legacy%20benefits.%3Cbr%3ESeparate%20one-off%20payments%20of%20%C2%A3300%20will%20go%20to%20pensioners%20and%20%C2%A3150%20for%20those%20receiving%20disability%20benefits.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Uefa Nations League: How it works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
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
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
The years Ramadan fell in May
INDIA SQUADS
India squad for third Test against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar
India squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
SHAITTAN
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVikas%20Bahl%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAjay%20Devgn%2C%20R.%20Madhavan%2C%20Jyothika%2C%20Janaki%20Bodiwala%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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