Saudi mixed martial artist Abdullah Al Qahtani says he has eyes firmly on gold after he headlined a hometown hat-trick at the inaugural PFL Mena event last weekend.
Al Qahtani, the first from the kingdom to sign for the Professional Fighters League (PFL), cruised past Jordan’s Yazeed Hasanain at The Green Halls in Riyadh on Friday, winning by verbal submission right at the end of the second round. In doing so, the Riyadh-born athlete advanced to the featherweight semi-finals later this year.
Now 9-1-0 as a pro, Al Qahtani was initially to open his PFL Mena account against Morocco’s Taha Bendaoud. However, Bendaoud had to be replaced late on because of reported weight struggles.
“Thanks to God, my fight went how I wanted, and according to the plan,” Al Qahtani told The National. “The fighter changed in the last minute, but everything is good, everything is going like I want.
“Really, I wanted to fight with the Moroccan guy, the other one. But it’s OK, it is what it is.
“When I won, I feel a good feeling after the big win here in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in my hometown. I win by TKO but a special TKO. Maybe I wanted to win by a good knockout, but this TKO was a special one.
“I love it. It’s me, it’s my fighting style. I’m going to let my opponent want to stop the fight, that he can’t, that he doesn’t know what he wants to do.
“This is my style in fighting, and this is what I love in MMA. This is what I love, and this is what I do.”
Al Qahtani delivered on his spot at the top of the billing at PFL Mena: Riyadh, rounding off a perfect night for Saudi fighters as the PFL kicked off their latest regional league – and first in Mena – with a focus on featherweights and bantamweights.
The opening event of four this season, PFL Mena follows the organisation’s traditional, play-off-win-and-advance format. The league is designed to promote the region’s top fighters.
In the last four, provisionally scheduled for September, Al Qahtani will face Abdelrahman Al Hyasat, who on Friday defeated Ahmed Tarek of Egypt by unanimous decision. Al Hyasat’s pro record stands at 4-0.
“About my next fight, I started to watch my opponent fight at the event,” Al Qahtani said. “Yeah, he’s good, but also I’m perfect, Inshallah. I’m the best, my eyes are on the belt. I’m ready for anyone – I just want the belt.
“I will prepare myself for the next. I’m going to show everyone who is Abdullah Al Qahtani; I’m going make a big show and, inshallah, it’s a big win for me. I’m going to win the fight, and I’m going to step closer to the belt.”
Al Qahtani’s victory represented the third on the night for Saudi. Making her MMA debut, Hattan Al Saif knocked out Egypt’s Nada Faheem with a perfectly timed head kick 41 seconds into the second round of their women’s flyweight amateur showcase bout.
Al Saif, a gold medal at last year’s International Federation of Muay Thai Associations World Championships, made history in January by becoming the first Saudi female to sign a contract with a professional MMA promotion.
Faheem, meanwhile, is a 10-time Sanda Egypt national champion and headed into the contest claiming Al Saif has never before faced any real challenges to this point in her fighting career.
“The fight went exactly how I planned it with my coach,” Al Saif said. “I listened to what my coach told me to do during the fight. Nothing was easier than expected, but I was well prepared for her.”
Al Saif, 22, could feature on the next PFL Mena event, set to take place in Riyadh on July 5. The second show in the series will comprise fighters from lightweight and welterweight divisions.
“I am so excited for what is coming up for me,” Al Saif said. “Inshallah, I will fight again soon as I am hungry to fight now. I already have the Saudi fans behind my back, and I am so proud of this.
“My message to them is that I will never let them down.”
In Friday’s opening bout, Saudi amateur flyweight Malik Basahel dominated India’s Harsh Pandya to prevail by unanimous decision. The victory lifted Basahel’s amateur record to 19-2-1.
“It was a special moment for me as a Saudi fighter to open the card for the first PFL Mena event,” Basahel said. “And not only to be able to fight and showcase my skills, but get the victory as well in front of my family and friends.
“I always love when I get to fight here in Saudi, but to do it in this stage is what I always wanted to do and I’m grateful for this opportunity.”
As for what is next for the Jeddah-based athlete, Basahel added: “I would like to keep fighting and getting better and just evolve as a mixed martial artist.
“And hopefully get the chance to showcase my skills in the [PFL] Smart Cage, and continue to build up my name in this sport and get more experience.”
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
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Brief scores
Toss India, chose to bat
India 281-7 in 50 ov (Pandya 83, Dhoni 79; Coulter-Nile 3-44)
Australia 137-9 in 21 ov (Maxwell 39, Warner 25; Chahal 3-30)
India won by 26 runs on Duckworth-Lewis Method
More coverage from the Future Forum
Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:
2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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THREE
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More from Neighbourhood Watch
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3/5
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
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