Argentina’s World Cup winning captain Lionel Messi is set to sign a one-year extension and an option of an additional year with his club Paris Saint-Germain, according to BBC.
The report stated that the Argentine great's father Jorge has been negotiating with PSG director of football Luis Campos for months, and the agreement came after a meeting with the club’s Qatari owner Nasser Al Khelaifi in Doha.
Messi’s current contract ends in June 2023.
Messi was the player of the tournament in Qatar as he guided Argentina to a thrilling win over France at the Lusail Stadium.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta had recently expressed interest in bringing the seven-time Ballon d’Or player back to the club, stating: "At the moment he is at PSG and we would very much love him to come back one day."
Messi joined PSG in 2021 on a two-season deal with an option for another year after having spent his entire professional career with Barcelona.
He collected four Champions League titles in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015 in Spain as well as 10 La Liga crowns.
Argentina's World Cup triumph saw them move up to second in the Fifa rankings with quarter-finalists Brazil still top of the table.
The Argentines moved up one place, as did runners-up France, who are now third, with Belgium dropping to fourth.
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Lionel Messi holds up the trophy after Argentina defeated France on penalties in the World Cup final at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, on Sunday, December 18, 2022. AP -

Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates with teammates after beating France. AP -

France's Kylian Mbappe walks past the trophy at the end of the match. AP -

Argentina's Lionel Messi holds up the Golden Ball award for best player of the tournament. AP -

Argentina celebrate victory at Lusail Stadium. Getty -

Lionel Messi of Argentina kisses the trophy after beating France 4-2 on penalties. EPA -

Argentina celebrate victory. AP -

Argentina captain Lionel Messi celebrates with World Cup trophy. PA -

Kylian Mbappe of France with his Golden Boot award for finishing as the tournament's top scorer. EPA -

Argentina players celebrate after winning the World Cup final penalty shoot-out against France. Getty -

Argentina players celebrate victory. Getty -

Argentina's Lautaro Martinez and Lionel Messi celebrate after winning the World Cup. Reuters -

Argentina's Leandro Paredes celebrates scoring the winning penalty against France. Getty -

Argentina's Leandro Paredes celebrates scoring during the penalty shoot-out against France. Reuters -

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez saves from Kingsley Coman of France in the penalty shoot-out. Getty -

Lionel Messi scores for Argentina in the penalty shoot-out. Getty -

Emiliano Martinez of Argentina celebrates after saving Kingsley Coman's penalty. Getty -

Kylian Mbappe completes his hat-trick from the spot to make it 3-3. Getty -

Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his, and France's, third goal. Getty -

Lionel Messi scores Argentina's third goal. Getty -

Lionel Messi celebrates scoring Argentina's third goal. Getty -

Lionel Messi scores Argentina's third goal. Reuters -

Lionel Messi celebrates scoring Argentina's third goal. PA -

Argentina's Lionel Messi goes for a high challenge on Eduardo Camavinga of France. Getty -

Lionel Messi celebrates with teammates after scoring Argentina's third. AFP -

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is beaten by the penalty of France's Kylian Mbappe. Getty -

Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring France's second goal. PA -

Argentina's Nicolas Otamendi fouls Randal Kolo Muani of France giving away a penalty. Getty -

Kylian Mbappe volleys home France's second goal. Getty -

Argentina attacker Angel Di Maria skips past the challenge of France's Antoine Griezmann. PA -

Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the first France goal. Getty -

Kylian Mbappe scores France's first goal from the penalty spot. Reuters -

Angel Di Maria celebrates scoring Argentina's second goal. Reuters -

Argentina's Lionel Messi sends France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris the wrong way from the spot. Getty -

France's Kylian Mbappe with Lionel Messi of Argentina. Getty -

Angel Di Maria scores for Argentina in the first-half. Getty -

France's Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud and Adrien Rabiot after Argentina made it 2-0. PA -

Argentina's Angel Di Maria celebrates after scoring with France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris on his knees. Reuters -

Argentina's Nicolas Tagliafico and Randal Kolo Muani fight for the ball. AP -

Angel Di Maria celebrates after scoring for Argentina. Getty -

Lionel Messi is mobbed by Argentina teammates after scoring. Getty -

France's Jules Kounde heads the ball. AP -

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring for Argentina. Getty -

Argentina attacker Angel Di Maria earns a penalty after going down under the challenge of France's Ousmane Dembele. Getty -

France's Olivier Giroud shakes hands with manager Didier Deschamps after being substituted in the first half. PA -

Lionel Messi scores from the spot for Argentina. PA -

Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring a first-half penalty for Argentina. Getty -

France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris saves from Argentina's Julian Alvarez. AP -

France manager Didier Deschamps, left, with his Argentina counterpart Lionel Scaloni before the game. AP -

Argentina players before the match. AP -

France players before the match. Getty
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
While you're here
Con Coughlin: To survive, Nato must renew its sense of common purpose
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Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
Company%20Profile
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
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
MATCH INFO
Burnley 0
Man City 3
Raheem Sterling 35', 49'
Ferran Torres 65'
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
While you're here
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57%20Seconds
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G










