As the fireworks and celebrations around the world ushered out one year and welcomed in the next, it also heralded the arrival of a milestone birthday for many celebrities.
As these athletes, singers and actors all prepare to bid farewell to one decade, and embark on the next, we round up the birthdays of note.
Stars turning 21 in 2022
Billie Eilish
Date of birth: December 18, 2001
The award-winning singer Billie Eilish, who became the youngest person ever to win a Grammy in 2020, and has already recorded a James Bond film's title track, will celebrate her 21st birthday on December 18.
Kaia Gerber
Date of birth: September 3, 2001
Daughter of one of the original "supermodels", Cindy Crawford, Gerber made her runway debut aged just 16, walking for Raf Simon's Calvin Klein Collection. Since then, she has appeared on runways for most major fashion brands.
Caleb McLaughlin
Date of birth: October 13, 2001
Best known for playing Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix series Stranger Things, he earned a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance with the rest of the cast.
Rowan Blanchard
Date of birth: October 14, 2001
An actress and activist, Blanchard protests on issues of gun violence, human rights and feminism, and has addressed the UN Women and US National Committee, campaigning for feminist rights.
Stars turning 30 in 2022
Neymar
Date of birth: February 5, 1992
Neymar Jr, widely regarded as one of the best football players in the world, and who plays for Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazilian international team, turns 30 on February 5.
Taylor Lautner
Date of birth: February 11, 1992
Best known for playing shape-shifter Jacob Black in The Twilight Saga film series, he will be celebrating his 30th birthday on February 11.
Selena Gomez
Date of birth: July 22, 1992
Selena Gomez, the third most followed woman on Instagram and Come & Get It singer, will celebrate her 30th birthday this summer.
Demi Lovato
Date of birth: August 20, 1992
Another famous Disney alumnus to celebrate 30 this year is Demi Lovato. The performer, who starred in the children's television series Barney & Friends and Camp Rock, is now better known for their singing and will turn 30 on August 20.
Nick Jonas
Date of birth: September 16, 1992
Jonas Brother, Lovato's fellow Camp Rock star and husband of Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas will be blowing out candles on September 16.
Cara Delevingne
Date of birth: August 12, 1992
Model, actress and the youngest of the Delevingne sisters, Cara Delevingne turns 30 on August 12.
Cardi B
Date of birth: October 11, 1992
Cardi B, who in 2018 became the first woman to win the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album as a solo artist, and who has eight Billboard Music Awards, five Guinness World Records and six American Music Awards, and has been streamed over one billion times on Spotify, turns the big 3-0 on October 11.
Miley Cyrus
Date of birth: November 23, 1992
Like Lovato, Gomez and Jonas, Miley Cyrus rose the ranks at Disney care of Hannah Montana, and it feels like she has been famous for a lifetime. The singer, who has vastly turned her back on acting, will celebrate turning 30 this November.
Stars turning 40 in 2022
Seth Rogen
Date of birth: April 15, 1982
A Judd Apatow favourite, the Canadian comedian broke out in Freaks and Geeks, and has gone on to star in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Superbad, Drillbit Taylor and Knocked Up with the comedy director, producer and screenwriter.
Jessica Biel
Date of birth: March 3, 1982
The actress who starred alongside Edward Norton in The Illusionist, and more recently in Netflix hit The Sinner, is married to singer Justin Timberlake. The couple have two sons, Silas and Phineas Timberlake.
Kirsten Dunst
Date of birth: April 30, 1982
Dunst first appeared in the film Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles aged only 12, before going on to star as Mary Jane in the first Spider-Man films. She has twice worked with director Sofia Coppola, starring in The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette.
Anne Hathaway
Date of birth: November 12, 1982
Having starred as the long-suffering assistant in The Devil Wears Prada with Meryl Streep, Hathaway then sang her way through Les Miserables, a role that bagged her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Stars turning 50 in 2022
Eminem
Date of birth: October 17, 1972
The perennially baby-faced rapper, and 8 Mile star, Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, will turn 50 on October 17.
Shaquille O’ Neal
Date of birth: March 6, 1972
Standing at 2.16 metres tall, former professional NBA is known as simply "Shaq", and will celebrate his 50th birthday this year.
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson
Date of birth: May 2, 1972
The world's highest-paid actor of 2020, the wrestler-turned-action star has appeared in Baywatch, Jumanji reboots and numerous Fast & Furious films, as well as voicing the character of Maui in the animated movie Moana.
Sofia Vergara
Date of birth: July 10, 1972
The Colombian-American actress is best known for playing Gloria in the television sitcom Modern Family, and for being a judge on the ongoing America's Got Talent.
Cameron Diaz
Date of birth: August 30, 1972
Having started out as a model, Dias appeared alongside Jim Carrey in the 1994 film The Mask, however, she is probably best known for There's Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich and Charlie's Angels.
Idris Elba
Date of birth: September 6, 1972
Once tipped as the next James Bond, Elba played Stringer Bell in the HBO series The Wire, DCI John Luther in the BBC One series Luther, and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Date of birth: September 27, 1972
The star of Se7en, Shakespeare in Love (for which she won the Oscar for Best Actress) and founder of the lifestyle site Goop, Paltrow is set to turn 50 this year.
Ben Affleck
Date of birth: August 15, 1972
Affleck won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 1997 for Good Will Hunting, a film that he wrote with his childhood friend Matt Damon. Since then, he has starred in Armageddon and Pearl Harbor, but is now in the news for his relationship with Jennifer Lopez.
Jennifer Garner
Date of birth: April 17, 1972
Like ex-husband Affleck, Garner is turning 50 this year. The acclaimed 13 Going on 30, Alias and Dallas Buyers Club actress is mum to three children, Violet, Seraphina and Samuel.
Jude Law
Date of birth: December 29, 1972
British actor Jude Law, who plays a young Albus Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, turns 50 at the end of this year. Law is dad to six children; three with ex-wife actress Sadie Frost, Rafferty, 25, Iris, 21, and Rudy, 19; Sophia, 12, with American model Samantha Burke; Ada, 6, with British singer Catherine Harding; and a baby, aged 1, with current wife, Phillipa Coan.
Stars turning 60 in 2022
Jim Carrey
Date of birth: January 17, 1962
Star of The Mask, Man on the Moon, The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind will celebrate turning 60 on January 17. Carrey is already a grandfather, having become one at age 48 when his daughter Jane Carrey had a son in 2010.
Tom Cruise
Date of birth: July 3, 1962
Star of Top Gun, Rain Man, Born on the Fourth of July, and Jerry Maguire, Cruise is famous for doing his own stunts, such as in the Mission: Impossible franchise, for which he was suspended on the outside of the Burj Khalifa.
Michelle Yeoh
Date of birth: August 6, 1962
A former Miss Malaysia pageant winner, Yeoh found fame in Hong Kong action films during the 1990s where she did all her own stunts. She found international fame for the 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, going on to appear in Memoirs of a Geisha, and lending her voice to Kung Fu Panda 2.
Steve Carell
Date of birth: August 16, 1962
Star of the American version of The Office, Carell also appeared in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), and Little Miss Sunshine (2006), and Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011). Carell is also the voice of Gru, the supervillain in the animated films Despicable Me and Minions.
Demi Moore
Date of birth: November 11, 1962
A member of the so-called Brat Pack in the 1980s, Moore appeared in St Elmo's Fire before going on to make Ghost, Indecent Proposal and A Few Good Men.
Jodie Foster
Date of birth: November 19, 1962
Widely regarded as one of the foremost acting talents of her generation, Foster has starred in Taxi Driver, the musical Bugsy Malone, The Accused, Silence of the Lambs and Panic Room, before switching to mainly directing, including episodes of Orange Is the New Black, House of Cards and Black Mirror.
Ralph Fiennes
Date of birth: December 22, 1962
A stage and cinema actor, Fiennes has won numerous awards for his portrayal in Shakespearean plays, and appearing in the films Schindler's List, The English Patient, The Constant Gardener and The Duchess, while some will know him best as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films and as M in the most recent James Bond films.
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Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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UAE v Ireland
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2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
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Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.
3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.
4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Confederations Cup Group B
Germany v Chile
Kick-off: Thursday, 10pm (UAE)
Where: Kazan Arena, Kazan
Watch live: Abu Dhabi Sports HD
What is an ETF?
An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.
There is no fund manager deciding which stocks and other assets to invest in, instead they passively track their chosen index, country, region or commodity, regardless of whether it goes up or down.
The first ETF was launched as recently as 1993, but the sector boasted $5.78 billion in assets under management at the end of September as inflows hit record highs, according to the latest figures from ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five largest providers BlackRock’s iShares, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisers, Deutsche Bank X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
While the best-known track major indices such as MSCI World, the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, you can also invest in specific countries or regions, large, medium or small companies, government bonds, gold, crude oil, cocoa, water, carbon, cattle, corn futures, currency shifts or even a stock market crash.
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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.”
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
