• US president George W Bush and Iraqi prime minister Nouri Al Maliki exchange official documents on December 14, 2008 in Baghdad. Mr Bush had arrived in Iraq on an unannounced farewell visit, weeks before leaving office.
    US president George W Bush and Iraqi prime minister Nouri Al Maliki exchange official documents on December 14, 2008 in Baghdad. Mr Bush had arrived in Iraq on an unannounced farewell visit, weeks before leaving office.
  • Nouri Al Maliki, Iraqi prime minister designate, meets US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice at the US ambassador’s house in Baghdad on April 25, 2006.
    Nouri Al Maliki, Iraqi prime minister designate, meets US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice at the US ambassador’s house in Baghdad on April 25, 2006.
  • Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki gives a salute on May 21, 2006, a day after the Iraqi new government was formed. Following the first meeting of his new Cabinet, put together after months of political wrangling, he announced plans for renewed security and national reconciliation.
    Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki gives a salute on May 21, 2006, a day after the Iraqi new government was formed. Following the first meeting of his new Cabinet, put together after months of political wrangling, he announced plans for renewed security and national reconciliation.
  • Nouri Al Maliki, centre, and Zalmay Khalilzad, right, then US ambassador to Iraq, arrive at the new Baghdad South power plant on June 2, 2006.
    Nouri Al Maliki, centre, and Zalmay Khalilzad, right, then US ambassador to Iraq, arrive at the new Baghdad South power plant on June 2, 2006.
  • US president George W Bush and Iraqi prime minister Nouri Al Maliki in Baghdad on June 13, 2006. Mr Bush told Mr Al Maliki that Iraq’s future was ‘in your hands’ but he promised US help.
    US president George W Bush and Iraqi prime minister Nouri Al Maliki in Baghdad on June 13, 2006. Mr Bush told Mr Al Maliki that Iraq’s future was ‘in your hands’ but he promised US help.
  • Tony Blair greets Nouri Al Maliki at 10 Downing Street, the London residence of the British prime minister, on July 24, 2006. Mr Maliki was to hold talks with Mr Blair before flying to the US to meet president George W Bush.
    Tony Blair greets Nouri Al Maliki at 10 Downing Street, the London residence of the British prime minister, on July 24, 2006. Mr Maliki was to hold talks with Mr Blair before flying to the US to meet president George W Bush.
  • Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki and US Gen George Casey sign an accord in Baghdad, Iraq, on September 7, 2006. The coalition commander signed over operational control of the Iraqi armed forces, air force and navy to the Iraqi government.
    Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki and US Gen George Casey sign an accord in Baghdad, Iraq, on September 7, 2006. The coalition commander signed over operational control of the Iraqi armed forces, air force and navy to the Iraqi government.
  • Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki in his office in the fortified Green Zone on October 25, 2006 in Baghdad.
    Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki in his office in the fortified Green Zone on October 25, 2006 in Baghdad.
  • US president George W Bush and prime minister Nouri Al Maliki at a joint press conference on November 30, 2006, in Amman, Jordan.
    US president George W Bush and prime minister Nouri Al Maliki at a joint press conference on November 30, 2006, in Amman, Jordan.
  • British prime minister Tony Blair and prime minister Nouri Al Maliki in Baghdad’s Green Zone in December 17, 2006.
    British prime minister Tony Blair and prime minister Nouri Al Maliki in Baghdad’s Green Zone in December 17, 2006.
  • US Democratic senator and former presidential candidate John Kerry, prime minister Nouri Al Maliki and US delegate Christopher Wood in the Green Zone, Baghdad, on December 17, 2006.
    US Democratic senator and former presidential candidate John Kerry, prime minister Nouri Al Maliki and US delegate Christopher Wood in the Green Zone, Baghdad, on December 17, 2006.
  • US senator Hillary Clinton speaks with prime minister Nouri Al Maliki on January 13, 2007, in Baghdad.
    US senator Hillary Clinton speaks with prime minister Nouri Al Maliki on January 13, 2007, in Baghdad.
  • Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki shakes hands with US vice president Dick Cheney as a translator looks on during a meeting in Baghdad on May 9, 2007.
    Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki shakes hands with US vice president Dick Cheney as a translator looks on during a meeting in Baghdad on May 9, 2007.
  • Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki shakes hands with a cleric while on a visit to the holy Shiite city of Karbala, Iraq, on on August 30, 2007. Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr had ordered his Mahdi Army militia to suspend its activities for six months after clashes in Karbala in which at least 52 people were killed.
    Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki shakes hands with a cleric while on a visit to the holy Shiite city of Karbala, Iraq, on on August 30, 2007. Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr had ordered his Mahdi Army militia to suspend its activities for six months after clashes in Karbala in which at least 52 people were killed.
  • Prime minister Al Maliki meets UK prime minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street on January 3, 2008.
    Prime minister Al Maliki meets UK prime minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street on January 3, 2008.
  • Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki receives Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, centre, at Baghdad airport on July 10, 2008.
    Prime minister Nouri Al Maliki receives Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, centre, at Baghdad airport on July 10, 2008.
  • German Chancellor Angela Merkel shakes hands with prime minister Nouri Al Maliki upon arrival at the Chancellery in Berlin on July 22, 2008.
    German Chancellor Angela Merkel shakes hands with prime minister Nouri Al Maliki upon arrival at the Chancellery in Berlin on July 22, 2008.
  • Pope Benedict XVI meets prime minister Nouri Al Maliki on July 25, 2008, at the pontiff’s summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, Italy.
    Pope Benedict XVI meets prime minister Nouri Al Maliki on July 25, 2008, at the pontiff’s summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, Italy.
  • Jordan’s King Abdullah II meets prime minister Nouri Al Maliki in Baghdad. It was the first visit to Iraq by an Arab head of state since the 2003 US-led invasion.
    Jordan’s King Abdullah II meets prime minister Nouri Al Maliki in Baghdad. It was the first visit to Iraq by an Arab head of state since the 2003 US-led invasion.
  • French president Nicolas Sarkozy and prime minister Nouri Al Maliki in Baghdad on February 10, 2009.
    French president Nicolas Sarkozy and prime minister Nouri Al Maliki in Baghdad on February 10, 2009.
  • Iraqi prime minister Nouri Al Maliki and US president Barack Obama in Baghdad on April 7, 2009.
    Iraqi prime minister Nouri Al Maliki and US president Barack Obama in Baghdad on April 7, 2009.
  • Joe Biden, US vice president, meets prime minister Nouri Al Maliki near Baghdad on July 3, 2009. Mr Biden’s first visit to Iraq as vice president took place days after US forces pulled out of Iraqi cities.
    Joe Biden, US vice president, meets prime minister Nouri Al Maliki near Baghdad on July 3, 2009. Mr Biden’s first visit to Iraq as vice president took place days after US forces pulled out of Iraqi cities.

Ex-Iraqi PM Nouri Al Maliki 'narrowly escaped US sanctions'


Robert Tollast
  • English
  • Arabic

Nouri Al Maliki, the Iraqi former prime minister thought to be seeking a comeback in October's elections, was days away from being sanctioned by the US government earlier this year, according to a source close to the matter.

The move was being discussed during the closing weeks of the Trump administration in January but the government transition reportedly stalled the process.

“He was so close to designation, but state mechanisms ran out the clock on him,” the source said.

The basis for the sanctions is not clear, although in recent years Mr Al Maliki has faced a growing number of corruption allegations and increasingly positioned himself in alliance with Iran-backed groups that have attacked US forces and killed hundreds of protesters.

Iraq's prime minister from 2006 to 2014, Mr Al Maliki was considered by some in Washington to be “our man in Iraq”, at one time holding regular video calls with former president George W Bush, who described him as “a good man with a difficult job”.

He has kept a relatively low profile recently, but is seeking a political return in the coming election, according to analysis by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

His new allies include an organisation linked to an Iran-backed militia called Sayyid Al Shuhada, which recently threatened US forces in Iraq.

If you look at it from what the situation was until 2011 there was a basis for viewing Maliki as ‘our man'
Kirk Sowell,
Utica Risk

While Mr Al Maliki escaped sanctions, the US in January sanctioned Faleh Al Fayyadh, the head of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), for human-rights abuses and corruption. The militia umbrella organisation is officially under the Iraqi government, but many of its groups are openly loyal to Iran.

Mr Al Fayyadh, who once served as acting minister of state for national security in Mr Al Maliki’s government, is accused of orchestrating a crackdown on anti-government protests that broke out in late 2019, in which at least 500 people were killed.

The US earlier also sanctioned several prominent commanders of Iran-backed PMF militias, including Qais Al Khazali of Asaib Ahl Al Haq, whose party Sadiqun briefly joined Mr Al Maliki’s political bloc in 2014.

Al Khazali is among the PMF commanders who have long orchestrated attacks on US forces, and in some cases Iraqi security forces.

Iran’s man in Iraq?

Mr Al Maliki repeatedly denied facilitating Iran-backed groups while in power, as billions of dollars of US reconstruction funds flowed into Iraq, but Americans were divided over the extent to which he was telling the truth.

“Maliki reiterated a vision of Shia, Sunni, and Kurdish partnership, and in my one-on-one meeting with him, he impressed me as a leader who wanted to be strong but was having difficulty,” wrote former US National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley in a leaked 2006 memo.

The memo made no mention of the fact that Mr Al Maliki’s Dawa party contained an MP named Jamal Jaafar Ibrahimi, better known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis.

Muhandis had been accused by the US and Kuwait of orchestrating an attack on the US and French embassies in Kuwait in 1983, and would go on to become the de facto leader of the PMF until he was killed by a US drone strike in January 2020.

Mr Al Maliki once told a journalist that the evidence of Muhandis's role in the Kuwait attacks was slim.

“If we get some evidence against him, we will arrest him now,” he said.

After Muhandis was sanctioned by the US in 2009, Mr Al Maliki privately confided to the former US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker that he did not trust the Iranians, describing how Iran favoured other Iraqi groups over his Dawa party during the Iran-Iraq war, most notably the Badr Organisation, which would go on to become one of the most powerful Shiite organisations in Iraq.

His ambiguous position on Iran served Mr Al Maliki well. The US became more concerned that he was becoming an authoritarian ruler rather than a secret ally of Iran.

“If you look at it from what the situation was until 2011 there was a basis for viewing Maliki as ‘our man',” said Kirk H. Sowell, publisher of Inside Iraqi Politics.

“It is not as if the alternatives were great. One was Baqir Al Zubaydi, best known for executing Sunnis by drilling through their skulls, and Ali Al Adib was another, and [Mr Al Maliki's predecessor, Ibrahim] Jaafari another — we'd already tried him. All the alternatives appeared closer to Iran.”

Maliki and the militias

By mid-2008, Mr Maliki’s backers could point to his aggressive military operation, Charge of the Knights, to clear the radical cleric Moqtada Al Sadr’s Iran-backed Jaish Al Mahdi militia from Basra.

"Charge of the Knights changed him, changed everything,” said Norman Ricklefs, an adviser with coalition and Iraqi forces at the time.

"While all kinds of military plans were being made at the operational level, which I witnessed, Maliki just went ahead and ignored them all. He made a reckless and bold move. Maliki was Churchillian in that moment, impulsive, careless, and ultimately extremely successful."

"It coloured his administration and his character from then onwards."

Mr Al Sadr had fallen out of favour with Tehran and Mr Al Maliki’s actions helped to hobble his brutal militia.

But other Iran-backed groups were rising and an increasingly powerful Mr Maliki was in the process of formalising them as political allies while he took control of Iraqi state institutions.

Days after ISIS swept through northern Iraq and seized Mosul in June 2014, Mr Al Maliki issued Cabinet Decree 301 to create the Commission for the Popular Mobilisation Forces, allowing Iran-backed militias a formal role in the fight against ISIS.

That year, he had allied with Sadiqun, the political wing of Asaib Ahl A Haq, and was allowing the militia a bigger role in the war on ISIS.

Despite being forced from office in August 2014 amid a collapse in Iraqi security, Mr Al Maliki retained powerful influence through state institutions.

"Throughout eight years in office, he appointed loyalists in every corner of the Iraqi state, says Omar Al Nidawi, a programme manager at Education for Peace in Iraq, an NGO.

"Other powerful parties have yet to replace hundreds of the directors and other 'special grade' appointees from the Maliki era. We're talking about massive patronage networks and corruption that generated many billions of dollars. That money is still floating around, and money is power," he added.

In recent years, Mr Al Maliki's allies have worked effectively to undermine prime ministers seen as close to the US, including his successor Haider Al Abadi and Mustafa Al Kadhimi, the current prime minister.

“Maliki provided Fatah [a political bloc led by the Badr Organisation] and PMF leaders with the political instinct they lost when Muhandis was killed,” Michael Knights, an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said.

“Though still technically on a separate list in elections, Maliki played an optical adviser role akin to the one Ahmed Chalabi used to play for the Sadrists — the alliance builder.”

Although his growing ties with Iran-backed groups became clearer in 2014 — even as he called for US help against ISIS — Mr Al Maliki had been building strong partnerships with figures close to Tehran for years.

Fighters of the marshes

US State Department cables describe how Mr Al Maliki wanted to create loyalist militias in the south of Iraq. He chose Dagher Mousawi, the head of the resistance group Sayyid Al Shuhada following the 1991 uprising against Saddam Hussein, to lead this project.

The US considered Mousawi effectively an agent of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Dagher Mousawi
Dagher Mousawi

“Sayyid Al Shuhada has been widely reported to facilitate the transfer of weapons and munitions across the Iranian border into Iraq and to provide fiscal and logistical support to more violently inclined groups. Recent collateral reporting suggests they may be abetting efforts to assassinate political opponents targeted by IRGC,” a 2005 cable warned.

That year, Mr Al Maliki attended an Arab League event with Mousawi in tow; Mousawi posted a picture of the trip on his Twitter account.

Dagher Mousawi
Dagher Mousawi

Cables describe how the US believed the priority was to push back against Al Sadr’s militias, who were among the main drivers of sectarian conflict.

“The US considered Maliki someone who wanted to be a leader, for good or bad and supported him during Charge of Knights,” says Joel Wing, a California-based analyst.

“They thought, ‘he's a nationalist, we've hit pay dirt.’ Things didn't change until the 2010 election and even then some still backed him.”

Mousawi’s group Sayyid Al Shuhada appears to have re-mobilised under the same name in 2012 to fight in Syria, and their commander now regularly threatens the US.

In 2014, Mousawi ended his 11-year stint as a civilian politician to lead the PMF 7th Brigade, Liwa Al Muntadhar, but died in 2019 in a car crash.

Mr Al Maliki, though six years out of office, remains a powerful champion of the PMF.

He has pushed for a law criminalising criticism of the PMF, saying that anyone who does so is following “foreign agendas”.

Iraqi analyst Sadiq Hassan argues this has now become a formalised effort by former allies of Mr Al Maliki, including Asaib Ahl Al Haq, to intimidate or kill those who criticise the PMF.

Mr Al Fayyadh, Muhandis and Al Khazali threatened to “cut off the hands” of protesters who attacked their offices during demonstrations in Basra in 2018 over poor public services and a lack of jobs — foreshadowing the bloodshed that would meet the 2019 protests.

Mr Al Maliki's new political efforts suggest he may be rekindling some of these old alliances before October’s elections, including an alliance with Mousawi’s former PMF unit.

Mr Knights and his colleague Hamdi Malik recently noted that Mr Al Maliki’s forthcoming electoral coalition will include leaders of the original Iraqi faction of Hezbollah, and Saraya Hezbollah, which is linked to Mousawi’s Liwa Al Muntadar faction, and Sayyid Al Shuhada — all original anti-Saddam resistance groups formed in the 1990s.

While you're here
MATCH INFO

Barcelona 5 (Lenglet 2', Vidal 29', Messi 34', 75', Suarez 77')

Valladolid 1 (Kiko 15')

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

The Freedom Artist

By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m

The First Monday in May
Director:
Andrew Rossi
Starring: Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, John Paul Gaultier, Rihanna
Three stars

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

PFA Team of the Year: David de Gea, Kyle Walker, Jan Vertonghen, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Alonso, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Sergio Aguero

'Brazen'

Director: Monika Mitchell

Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler

Rating: 3/5

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.”

RESULTS

6.30pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
7.05pm: Meydan Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (Turf) 1,000m
Winner: Equilateral, Andrea Atzeni, Charles Hills
7.40pm: Curlin Stakes – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (D) 2,200m
Winner: New Trails, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash
8.15pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Mnasek, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: D’bai, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Summer Romance, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
10pm: Al Shindagha Sprint – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MO
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreators%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Amer%2C%20Ramy%20Youssef%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Amer%2C%20Teresa%20Ruiz%2C%20Omar%20Elba%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Three ways to boost your credit score

Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:

1. Make sure you make your payments on time;

2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;

3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.

Company profile

Company name: Suraasa

Started: 2018

Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker

Based: India, UAE and the UK

Industry: EdTech

Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding

Ammar 808:
Maghreb United

Sofyann Ben Youssef
Glitterbeat 

Biog

Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara

He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada

Father of two sons, grandfather of six

Plays golf once a week

Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family

Walks for an hour every morning

Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India

2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business

 

Brief scores:

Newcastle United 1

Perez 23'

Wolverhampton Rovers 2

Jota 17', Doherty 90' 4

Red cards: Yedlin 57'

Man of the Match: Diogo Jota (Wolves)

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WonderTree%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20April%202016%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Muhammad%20Waqas%20and%20Muhammad%20Usman%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Karachi%2C%20Pakistan%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%2C%20and%20Delaware%2C%20US%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Special%20education%2C%20education%20technology%2C%20assistive%20technology%2C%20augmented%20reality%3Cbr%3EN%3Cstrong%3Eumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGrowth%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Grants%20from%20the%20Lego%20Foundation%2C%20UAE's%20Anjal%20Z%2C%20Unicef%2C%20Pakistan's%20Ignite%20National%20Technology%20Fund%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE rugby in numbers

5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons

700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams

Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams

Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season

Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season

Rainbow

Kesha

(Kemosabe)

MATCH INFO

Everton 2 (Tosun 9', Doucoure 93')

Rotherham United 1 (Olosunde 56')

Man of the Match Olosunde  (Rotherham)

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHakbah%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENaif%20AbuSaida%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E22%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-Series%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGlobal%20Ventures%20and%20Aditum%20Investment%20Management%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The five stages of early child’s play

From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:

1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.

2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.

3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.

4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.

5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.

The Disaster Artist

Director: James Franco

Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan

Four stars

TOP%2010%20MOST%20POLLUTED%20CITIES
%3Cp%3E1.%20Bhiwadi%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Ghaziabad%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Hotan%2C%20China%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Delhi%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Jaunpur%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E6.%20Faisalabad%2C%20Pakistan%0D%3Cbr%3E7.%20Noida%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E8.%20Bahawalpur%2C%20Pakistan%0D%3Cbr%3E9.%20Peshawar%2C%20Pakistan%0D%3Cbr%3E10.%20Bagpat%2C%20India%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20IQAir%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Profile of Tamatem

Date started: March 2013

Founder: Hussam Hammo

Based: Amman, Jordan

Employees: 55

Funding: $6m

Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media

WORLD RECORD FEES FOR GOALKEEPERS

1) Kepa Arrizabalaga, Athletic Bilbao to Chelsea (£72m)

2) Alisson, Roma to Liverpool (£67m)

3) Ederson, Benfica to Manchester City (£35m)

4) Gianluigi Buffon, Parma to Juventus (£33m)

5) Angelo Peruzzi, Inter Milan to Lazio (£15.7m

RESULTS

5pm: Rated Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: AF Mouthirah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Alajaj, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Hawafez, Connor Beasley, Abubakar Daud

6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Tair, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel

7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Wakeel W’Rsan, Richard Mullen, Jaci Wickham

7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner: Son Of Normandy, Fernando Jara, Ahmad bin Harmash

Election pledges on migration

CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections" 

SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom" 

Pakistanis%20at%20the%20ILT20%20
%3Cp%3EThe%20new%20UAE%20league%20has%20been%20boosted%20this%20season%20by%20the%20arrival%20of%20five%20Pakistanis%2C%20who%20were%20not%20released%20to%20play%20last%20year.%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%0D%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EShaheen%20Afridi%20(Desert%20Vipers)%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ESet%20for%20at%20least%20four%20matches%2C%20having%20arrived%20from%20New%20Zealand%20where%20he%20captained%20Pakistan%20in%20a%20series%20loss.%20%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EShadab%20Khan%20(Desert%20Vipers)%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%0DThe%20leg-spin%20bowling%20allrounder%20missed%20the%20tour%20of%20New%20Zealand%20after%20injuring%20an%20ankle%20when%20stepping%20on%20a%20ball.%20%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAzam%20Khan%20(Desert%20Vipers)%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EPowerhouse%20wicketkeeper%20played%20three%20games%20for%20Pakistan%20on%20tour%20in%20New%20Zealand.%20He%20was%20the%20first%20Pakistani%20recruited%20to%20the%20ILT20.%20%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMohammed%20Amir%20(Desert%20Vipers)%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EHas%20made%20himself%20unavailable%20for%20national%20duty%2C%20meaning%20he%20will%20be%20available%20for%20the%20entire%20ILT20%20campaign.%20%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EImad%20Wasim%20(Abu%20Dhabi%20Knight%20Riders)%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20left-handed%20allrounder%2C%2035%2C%20retired%20from%20international%20cricket%20in%20November%20and%20was%20subsequently%20recruited%20by%20the%20Knight%20Riders.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Leaderboard

63 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA)

64 - Rory McIlroy (NIR)

66 - Jon Rahm (ESP)

67 - Tom Lewis (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)

68 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)

69 - Justin Rose (ENG), Thomas Detry (BEL), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Danny Willett (ENG), Li Haotong (CHN), Matthias Schwab (AUT)

Venom

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed

Rating: 1.5/5

Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

MATCH INFO

Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD

* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Normcore explained

Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.

THE BIO

Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13 

Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier

Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife 

What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents. 

Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.

HOW TO WATCH

Facebook: TheNationalNews 

Twitter: @thenationalnews 

Instagram: @thenationalnews.com 

TikTok: @thenationalnews   

What drives subscription retailing?

Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.

The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.

The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.

The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.

UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.

That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.

Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

The five pillars of Islam
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon

For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.

THE%20HOLDOVERS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlexander%20Payne%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Paul%20Giamatti%2C%20Da'Vine%20Joy%20Randolph%2C%20Dominic%20Sessa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Updated: July 30, 2021, 9:20 AM