• Moroccans in Dubai after the historic World Cup victory over Spain. All photos supplied
    Moroccans in Dubai after the historic World Cup victory over Spain. All photos supplied
  • Dubai TV sound engineer Zakariae Belafquih, 40, watched from the stadium as Morocco beat second-ranked Belgium 2-0
    Dubai TV sound engineer Zakariae Belafquih, 40, watched from the stadium as Morocco beat second-ranked Belgium 2-0
  • Hicham Hansali, 48, a football coach for Al Wasl Club under-14s, has had dozens of calls from fellow Moroccans in the UAE asking him to help them get tickets
    Hicham Hansali, 48, a football coach for Al Wasl Club under-14s, has had dozens of calls from fellow Moroccans in the UAE asking him to help them get tickets
  • Hicham Hansali flew to Qatar for the World Cup opening and decided to stay after Morocco’s first win
    Hicham Hansali flew to Qatar for the World Cup opening and decided to stay after Morocco’s first win

Moroccan fans determined to be part of history for World Cup clash with Portugal


Salam Al Amir
  • English
  • Arabic

Proud Morocco fans have vowed to do "whatever it takes" to make it to Qatar for their national side's historic World Cup clash against Portugal on Saturday.

The Atlas Lions became the first Arab side to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament with a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Spain on Tuesday, sparking euphoric scenes from Doha to Rabat and across the region.

Moroccans based in the Emirates are desperate to will their team on to another remarkable victory from the stands in Doha.

  • Moroccan supporters in Paris celebrate after their team advanced to the quarter-finals of the tournament. EPA
    Moroccan supporters in Paris celebrate after their team advanced to the quarter-finals of the tournament. EPA
  • A young man is thrown in the air by Moroccan supporters as part of celebrations in Milan, Italy. AP
    A young man is thrown in the air by Moroccan supporters as part of celebrations in Milan, Italy. AP
  • People celebrate at Msheireb Metro Station in Doha, Qatar, after Morocco beat Spain in a penalty shootout at the Fifa World Cup on Tuesday. Getty
    People celebrate at Msheireb Metro Station in Doha, Qatar, after Morocco beat Spain in a penalty shootout at the Fifa World Cup on Tuesday. Getty
  • Thousands gather in Rabat, Morocco, to celebrate. AP
    Thousands gather in Rabat, Morocco, to celebrate. AP
  • Moroccan fans in Marseille party after their team's penalty shoot-out win at the World Cup in Qatar. AP
    Moroccan fans in Marseille party after their team's penalty shoot-out win at the World Cup in Qatar. AP
  • Moroccan fans celebrate in La Ramblas, Spain. Reuters
    Moroccan fans celebrate in La Ramblas, Spain. Reuters
  • Moroccans party on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris. EPA
    Moroccans party on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris. EPA
  • Celebrations in Rabat, Morocco. AP
    Celebrations in Rabat, Morocco. AP
  • Moroccan celebrations in Barcelona. AP
    Moroccan celebrations in Barcelona. AP

Ahmed Elmalouli, 40, head of the Moroccan supporters' club in the UAE, said he and many other compatriots are prepared to pull out all the stops to attend the match.

“My friends and I are heading to Qatar by car for Saturday’s game,” he said.

“I got the Hayya card to go to watch our previous matches, but a family emergency prevented me.”

He said the shock win over Spain brought joy to the hearts of millions of Moroccans and fellow Arabs.

Mr Ahmed watched the match with hundreds of others at Al Boughaz Al Maghribi restaurant in Dubai’s Deira district.

He said they were joined by ecstatic supporters from the UAE, Egypt, Palestine and Yemen after Achraf Hakimi's deft penalty sealed their place in the last eight.

“They were cheering and joining in the celebration after the glorious win,” he said.

'It's our duty' to cheer on team

Yassine Sibari , 45, managing director of Ralph Lauren Co Middle East, watched all Morocco’s matches live along with his teenage son, but missed Tuesday’s game.

“I watched it at the Sports City fan zone in Dubai along with over 1,000 people, some of who didn’t even find chairs,” he said.

“Its a national duty to be there for our team.”

He has booked a plane ticket for Doha and the search for a match ticket is well under way.

“I will get one and will be there at any price and no matter what it takes,” he said.

He has already sampled the carnival atmosphere of the World Cup in Qatar and was delighted to see Arabs of all nationalities unite behind Morocco.

He believes history will repeat itself with Morocco overcoming Portugal to earn a semi-final spot.

“It wouldn’t be the first one, the former team of the Atlas Lions defeated Portugal 3-1 back in the 1986 World Cup,” he said.

  • Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi of Morocco celebrate after their penalty shoot-out victory in the World Cup last-16 match against Spain at Education City Stadium on December 6, 2022. Getty
    Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi of Morocco celebrate after their penalty shoot-out victory in the World Cup last-16 match against Spain at Education City Stadium on December 6, 2022. Getty
  • Morocco's players celebrate after their 3-0 penalty shoot-out victory. Getty
    Morocco's players celebrate after their 3-0 penalty shoot-out victory. Getty
  • Morocco's Achraf Hakimi celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning penalty. AFP
    Morocco's Achraf Hakimi celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning penalty. AFP
  • Morocco goalkeeper Bono saves from Sergio Busquets of Spain during the penalty shoot-out. EPA
    Morocco goalkeeper Bono saves from Sergio Busquets of Spain during the penalty shoot-out. EPA
  • Dejected Spain players after the match. AFP
    Dejected Spain players after the match. AFP
  • Morocco players celebrate the win. AFP
    Morocco players celebrate the win. AFP
  • Achraf Hakimi of Morocco celebrates after the team's victory in the penalty shoot-out against Spain. Getty
    Achraf Hakimi of Morocco celebrates after the team's victory in the penalty shoot-out against Spain. Getty
  • Achraf Hakimi of Morocco scores the team's fourth and winning penalty in the shoot-out against Spain. Getty
    Achraf Hakimi of Morocco scores the team's fourth and winning penalty in the shoot-out against Spain. Getty
  • Morocco's Achraf Hakimi scores the winning penalty. Reuters
    Morocco's Achraf Hakimi scores the winning penalty. Reuters
  • Spain's goalkeeper Unai Simon watches Morocco's Achraf Hakimi's winning penalty hits the back of the net. AP
    Spain's goalkeeper Unai Simon watches Morocco's Achraf Hakimi's winning penalty hits the back of the net. AP
  • Goalkeeper Bono of Morocco saves the third penalty by Sergio Busquets of Spain. Getty
    Goalkeeper Bono of Morocco saves the third penalty by Sergio Busquets of Spain. Getty
  • Morocco players react after goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saves a penalty from Spain's Carlos Soler. PA
    Morocco players react after goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saves a penalty from Spain's Carlos Soler. PA
  • Morocco's Hakim Ziyech scores a penalty shoot-out. AP
    Morocco's Hakim Ziyech scores a penalty shoot-out. AP
  • Bono of Morocco makes a save against a penalty by Carlos Soler of Spain in the penalty shoot-out. Getty
    Bono of Morocco makes a save against a penalty by Carlos Soler of Spain in the penalty shoot-out. Getty
  • Unai Simon of Spain makes a save against Walid Cheddira of Morocco. Getty
    Unai Simon of Spain makes a save against Walid Cheddira of Morocco. Getty
  • Spain's Marco Asensio hits the side netting with a shot. AP
    Spain's Marco Asensio hits the side netting with a shot. AP
  • Spain's Marco Asensio after hitting the side netting with an attempt on goal. AFP
    Spain's Marco Asensio after hitting the side netting with an attempt on goal. AFP
  • Morocco keeper Bono punches the ball clear. Getty
    Morocco keeper Bono punches the ball clear. Getty
  • Morocco goalkeeper Bono is put under pressure by Marco Asensio of Spain. Getty
    Morocco goalkeeper Bono is put under pressure by Marco Asensio of Spain. Getty
  • Morocco's Nayef Aguerd heads a good chance over the bar. AP
    Morocco's Nayef Aguerd heads a good chance over the bar. AP
  • Morocco's Nayef Aguerd heads the ball over the bar. AFP
    Morocco's Nayef Aguerd heads the ball over the bar. AFP
  • Noussair Mazraoui of Morocco battles for possession with Ferran Torres of Spain. Getty
    Noussair Mazraoui of Morocco battles for possession with Ferran Torres of Spain. Getty
  • Youssef En-Nesyri, Sergio Busquets and Nayef Aguerd challenge for the ball. EPA
    Youssef En-Nesyri, Sergio Busquets and Nayef Aguerd challenge for the ball. EPA
  • Morocco's Noussair Mazraoui and Spain's Ferran Torres battle. AP
    Morocco's Noussair Mazraoui and Spain's Ferran Torres battle. AP
  • Spain's forward Marco Asensio fights for the ball with Morocco's Romain Ghanem Saiss. AFP
    Spain's forward Marco Asensio fights for the ball with Morocco's Romain Ghanem Saiss. AFP
  • Morocco keeper Bono saves a shot by Spain's Gavi. AP
    Morocco keeper Bono saves a shot by Spain's Gavi. AP
  • Spain manager Luis Enrique talks to Gavi. EPA
    Spain manager Luis Enrique talks to Gavi. EPA
  • Morocco keeper Bono tips a shot from Spain's Gavi on to the bar. Getty
    Morocco keeper Bono tips a shot from Spain's Gavi on to the bar. Getty
  • Spain's Gavi talks to Argentinian referee Fernando Rapallini after fouling Morocco's Sofiane Boufal. AFP
    Spain's Gavi talks to Argentinian referee Fernando Rapallini after fouling Morocco's Sofiane Boufal. AFP
  • Spain's Dani Olmo grimaces in pain. AP
    Spain's Dani Olmo grimaces in pain. AP
  • Spain's Aymeric Laporte challenges for the ball against Morocco's Walid Cheddira. AP
    Spain's Aymeric Laporte challenges for the ball against Morocco's Walid Cheddira. AP
  • Morocco's Nayef Aguerd walks off the pitch after picking up an injury. AP
    Morocco's Nayef Aguerd walks off the pitch after picking up an injury. AP
  • Morocco midfielder Hakim Ziyech talks with coach Walid Regragui. AFP
    Morocco midfielder Hakim Ziyech talks with coach Walid Regragui. AFP
  • Morocco's goalkeeper Bono punches clear. AFP
    Morocco's goalkeeper Bono punches clear. AFP
  • Aymeric Laporte of Spain is booked. EPA
    Aymeric Laporte of Spain is booked. EPA

Zakariae Belafquih, 40, a sound engineer in Dubai, is determined to be part of a packed crowd at Al Thumama Stadium this weekend.

“Many of the players in the team are my friends and I will seek their help and help of other friends in Qatar to secure a ticket,” he said.

“I will do the impossible to get me a ticket.”

He drove with two of his friends to Qatar to see the team's last-16 success.

“An eight-hour drive was the smoothest and everyone on UAE and KSA’s borders were very co-operative and supportive."

While Morocco got the better of Portugal 36 years ago, Mr Belafquih believes there is a score to settle from the 2018 World Cup, when Portugal won 1-0.

Dubai resident Hicham Hansali, 48, flew to Qatar for the World Cup's opening stages and decided to stay there after Morocco’s first win.

“Their astonishing performance and wins compelled that I stay and support them,” he said.

Mr Hansali said he had been inundated with calls from fellow Moroccans eager for a ticket.

“So many are calling and want to come watch the next game here live. Today alone I received 10 calls so far about this.”

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

Sun jukebox

Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)

This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.

Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)

The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.

Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)

Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.

Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)

Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.

Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)

An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.

Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)

Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Blonde
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Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
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LUKA CHUPPI

Director: Laxman Utekar

Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Cinema

Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Sanon​​​​​​​, Pankaj Tripathi, Vinay Pathak, Aparshakti Khurana

Rating: 3/5

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Founder: Ayman Badawi

Date started: Test product September 2016, paid launch January 2017

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Software

Size: Seven employees

Funding: $170,000 in angel investment

Funders: friends

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.”

Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?

The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.

Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.

New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.

“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.

The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.

The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.

Bloomberg

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

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UAE’s revised Cricket World Cup League Two schedule

August, 2021: Host - United States; Teams - UAE, United States and Scotland

Between September and November, 2021 (dates TBC): Host - Namibia; Teams - Namibia, Oman, UAE

December, 2021: Host - UAE; Teams - UAE, Namibia, Oman

February, 2022: Hosts - Nepal; Teams - UAE, Nepal, PNG

June, 2022: Hosts - Scotland; Teams - UAE, United States, Scotland

September, 2022: Hosts - PNG; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal

February, 2023: Hosts - UAE; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal

Results

Male 51kg Round 1

Dias Karmanov (KAZ) beat Mabrook Rasea (YEM) by points 2-1.

Male 54kg Round 1

Yelaman Sayassatov (KAZ) beat Chen Huang (TPE) TKO Round 1; Huynh Hoang Phi (VIE) beat Fahad Anakkayi (IND) RSC Round 2; ​​​​​​​Qais Al Jamal (JOR) beat Man Long Ng (MAC) by points 3-0; ​​​​​​​Ayad Albadr (IRQ) beat Yashar Yazdani (IRI) by points 2-1.

Male 57kg Round 1

Natthawat Suzikong (THA) beat Abdallah Ondash (LBN) by points 3-0; Almaz Sarsembekov (KAZ) beat Ahmed Al Jubainawi (IRQ) by points 2-1; Hamed Almatari (YEM) beat Nasser Al Rugheeb (KUW) by points 3-0; Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) beat Yu Xi Chen (TPE) by points 3-0.

Men 86kg Round 1

Ahmad Bahman (UAE) beat Mohammad Al Khatib (PAL) by points 2-1

​​​​​​​Men 63.5kg Round 1

Noureddin Samir (UAE) beat Polash Chakma (BAN) RSC Round 1.

Female 45kg quarter finals

Narges Mohammadpour (IRI) beat Yuen Wai Chan (HKG) by points.

Female 48kg quarter finals

Szi Ki Wong (HKG) beat Dimple Vaishnav (IND) RSC round 2; Thanawan Thongduang (THA) beat Nastaran Soori (IRI) by points; Shabnam Hussain Zada (AFG) beat Tzu Ching Lin (TPE) by points.

Female 57kg quarter finals

Nguyen Thi Nguyet (VIE) beat Anisha Shetty (IND) by points 2-1; Areeya Sahot (THA) beat Dana Al Mayyal (KUW) RSC Round 1; Sara Idriss (LBN) beat Ching Yee Tsang (HKG) by points 3-0.

Calls

Directed by: Fede Alvarez

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Karen Gillian, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

4/5

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.8%22%20quad-HD%2B%20dynamic%20Amoled%202X%2C%203120%20x%201440%2C%20505ppi%2C%20HDR10%2B%2C%20120Hz%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204nm%20Qualcomm%20Snapdragon%208%20Gen%203%2C%2064-bit%20octa-core%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012GB%20RAM%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Android%2014%2C%20One%20UI%206.1%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20quad%20200MP%20wide%20f%2F1.7%20%2B%2050MP%20periscope%20telephoto%20f%2F3.4%20with%205x%20optical%2F10x%20optical%20quality%20zoom%20%2B%2010MP%20telephoto%202.4%20with%203x%20optical%20zoom%20%2B%2012MP%20ultra-wide%20f%2F2.2%3B%20100x%20Space%20Zoom%3B%20auto%20HDR%2C%20expert%20RAW%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208K%4024%2F30fps%2C%204K%4030%2F60%2F120fps%2C%20full-HD%4030%2F60%2F240fps%2C%20full-HD%20super%20slo-mo%40960fps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%20f%2F2.2%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205000mAh%2C%20fast%20wireless%20charging%202.0%2C%20Wireless%20PowerShare%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205G%2C%20Wi-Fi%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20USB-C%3B%20built-in%20Galaxy%20S%20Pen%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP68%2C%20up%20to%201.5m%20of%20freshwater%20up%20to%2030%20minutes%3B%20dust-resistant%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESIM%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nano%20%2B%20nano%20%2F%20nano%20%2B%20eSIM%20%2F%20dual%20eSIM%20(varies%20in%20different%20markets)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Titanium%20black%2C%20titanium%20grey%2C%20titanium%20violet%2C%20titanium%20yellow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGalaxy%20S24%20Ultra%2C%20USB-C-to-C%20cable%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh5%2C099%20for%20256GB%2C%20Dh5%2C599%20for%20512GB%2C%20Dh6%2C599%20for%201TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

While you're here
Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

MATCH INFO

Wales 1 (Bale 45 3')

Croatia 1 (Vlasic 09')

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm

Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km

The lowdown

Rating: 4/5

What is Diwali?

The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.

According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.

In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.  

 

Major honours

ARSENAL

  • FA Cup - 2005

BARCELONA

  • La Liga - 2013
  • Copa del Rey - 2012
  • Fifa Club World Cup - 2011

CHELSEA

  • Premier League - 2015, 2017
  • FA Cup - 2018
  • League Cup - 2015

SPAIN

  • World Cup - 2010
  • European Championship - 2008, 2012
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

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20front-axle%20electric%20motor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E218hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E330Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20touring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E402km%20(claimed)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh215%2C000%20(estimate)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeptember%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits

Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

Storage: 128/256/512GB

Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps

Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID

Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight

In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter

Price: From Dh2,099

India team for Sri Lanka series

Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan

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”.

Updated: December 09, 2022, 6:04 AM