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.
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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 -

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 -

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 -

Moroccans party on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris. EPA -

Celebrations in Rabat, Morocco. 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.
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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 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 -

Dejected Spain players after the match. 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 scores the team's fourth and winning penalty in the shoot-out against Spain. Getty -

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 -

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'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 -

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 after hitting the side netting with an attempt on goal. AFP -

Morocco keeper Bono punches the ball clear. 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 the ball over the bar. AFP -

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 -

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 -

Morocco keeper Bono saves a shot by Spain's Gavi. AP -

Spain manager Luis Enrique talks to Gavi. EPA -

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 Dani Olmo grimaces in pain. 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 midfielder Hakim Ziyech talks with coach Walid Regragui. AFP -

Morocco's goalkeeper Bono punches clear. AFP -

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
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China |
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UAE |
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Japan |
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Norway |
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Canada |
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Singapore |
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Australia |
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Saudi Arabia |
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South Korea |
Blonde
Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
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Founder: Ayman Badawi
Date started: Test product September 2016, paid launch January 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software
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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.
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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.
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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?
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The Perfect Couple
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February, 2022: Hosts - Nepal; Teams - UAE, Nepal, PNG
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Male 51kg Round 1
Dias Karmanov (KAZ) beat Mabrook Rasea (YEM) by points 2-1.
Male 54kg Round 1
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Male 57kg Round 1
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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.
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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.
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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.
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4/5
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
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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
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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
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May 2025
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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
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November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
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India team for Sri Lanka series
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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”.






