Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, right, goes up for a shot against Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier. AP Photo
Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, right, goes up for a shot against Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier. AP Photo
Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, right, goes up for a shot against Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier. AP Photo
Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, right, goes up for a shot against Orlando Magic guard Evan Fournier. AP Photo

Fred VanVleet's record 54 points lift Raptors, Kyrie Irving stars for Nets against Clippers: NBA round-up


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Fred VanVleet set a club record with 54 points, including a career-best 11 3-pointers in 14 attempts, as the visiting Toronto Raptors defeated the Orlando Magic 123-108 on Tuesday night.

Toronto's previous club record was 52 by DeMar DeRozan. VanVleet's 54 points were the most ever by an undrafted NBA player, surpassing the 53 scored by Moses Malone of the Houston Rockets against the then-San Diego Clippers in 1982.

VanVleet scored 17 points in the first quarter and had 28 points by halftime, as he went 8-for-9 from beyond the arc in the first half. The team record for 3-pointers in a game is 12, set by Donyell Marshall in 2005. He wound up making 17 of 23 shots from the floor, including 11 of 14 from long range.

Kyle Lowry added a triple-double with 14 points,10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Raptors. Nikola Vucevic had 21 points and 18 rebounds for the Magic, and Evan Fournier also scored 21 points.

Brooklyn Nets 124 - Los Angeles Clippers 120

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving. AP Photo
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving. AP Photo

Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 39 points but Brooklyn nearly collapsed again down the stretch before outlasting Los Angeles in New York.

Kevin Durant added 28 points and nine rebounds for the Nets, who shot 57 percent from the floor. James Harden posted his fourth triple-double with the Nets and the 50th of his career by totalling 23 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds.

Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points for the Clippers, who saw a three-game winning streak stopped and lost for only the second time in their past 12 games. Paul George added 26 and Nicolas Batum contributed 21 for Los Angeles.

Utah Jazz 117 - Detroit Pistons 105

Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic. AP Photo
Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic. AP Photo

Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, Bojan Bogdanovic hit late back-to-back 3-pointers and Utah held on to defeat Detroit in Salt Lake City. The Pistons made a furious push to pull within four points late in the fourth quarter after trailing by as many as 28 points.

Bogdanovic's late 3-pointers gave the Jazz 16 on the night, helping them set an NBA record. Utah has now made at least 15 treys in 11 straight games, surpassing the mark set by the Houston Rockets (2018-19 and 2019-20). The Jazz's Mike Conley scored 20 points while had Bogdanovic 18.

Jerami Grant sparked the Pistons' late surge and finished with 27 points. Mason Plumlee contributed 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Josh Jackson fired in 22 points off the bench for Detroit, which is 1-9 in road games.

Portland Trail Blazers 132 - Washington Wizards 121

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard. AFP
Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard. AFP

Damian Lillard notched 32 points and eight assists to help Portland post a victory at Washington. Gary Trent Jr. matched his career high of seven 3-pointers while scoring 26 points for the Trail Blazers.

Portland's Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points off the bench and moved into 13th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 26,675 points. Anthony passed the legendary Dominique Wilkins (26,668).

Washington's Bradley Beal, the NBA scoring leader, made six 3-pointers and poured in 37 points to raise his average to 35. Rui Hachimura scored a season-high 24 points, and Russell Westbrook recorded 17 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his 151st career triple-double.

Indiana Pacers 134 - Memphis Grizzlies 116

Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis. AFP
Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis. AFP

Domantas Sabonis made 13 of 15 shots from the floor for a career-high-matching 32 points and Indiana led visiting Memphis wire to wire in Indianapolis.

The double-double was Sabonis' 19th on the season in 21 games. Myles Turner also posted a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds while Malcolm Brogdon finished with 23 points and seven assists. Jeremy Lamb shot 5-of-7 from 3-point range and scored 19 points.

Dillon Brooks finished with a team-high 25 points while Desmond Bane added 12 for the Grizzlies, whose seven-game winning streak ended.

Boston Celtics 111 - Golden State Warriors 107

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. Reuters
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. Reuters

Kemba Walker responded after one of the worst performances of his career with 19 points and Jayson Tatum had a team-high 27 as Boston outlasted Golden State in San Francisco.

In the opener of a five-game trip that followed a tough 96-95 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, the Celtics used a 15-2 fourth-quarter burst to turn a 94-91 deficit into a 10-point lead with four minutes remaining.

Jaylen Brown finished with 18 points, Williams 15 and Tristan Thompson 13 for the Celtics, who had lost two straight and were playing without Marcus Smart, who injured his calf in Saturday's loss. Stephen Curry hit seven 3-pointers on a 38-point night for the Warriors, who lost for the second time in their past three games.

The UN General Assembly President in quotes:

YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”

PALESTINE: “There is no easy fix. We need to find the political will and comply with the resolutions that we have agreed upon.”

OMAN: “It is a very important country in our system. They have a very important role to play in terms of the balance and peace process of that particular part of the world, in that their position is neutral. That is why it is very important to have a dialogue with the Omani authorities.”

REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: “This is complicated and it requires time. It is dependent on the effort that members want to put into the process. It is a process that has been going on for 25 years. That process is slow but the issue is huge. I really hope we will see some progress during my tenure.”

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Bidzi

● Started: 2024

● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid

● Based: Dubai, UAE

● Industry: M&A

● Funding size: Bootstrapped

● No of employees: Nine

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

AndhaDhun

Director: Sriram Raghavan

Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18

Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan

Rating: 3.5/5

Results

4.30pm Jebel Jais – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (Turf) 1,000m; Winner: MM Al Balqaa, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Qaiss Aboud (trainer)

5pm: Jabel Faya – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: AF Rasam, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

5.30pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Mukhrej, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

6pm: The President’s Cup Prep – Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mujeeb, Richard Mullen, Salem Al Ketbi

6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club – Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud

7pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Pat Dobbs, Ibrahim Aseel

7.30pm: Jebel Hafeet – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Nibraas, Richard Mullen, Nicholas Bachalard

Know before you go
  • Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
  • If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
  • By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
  • Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
  • Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.

 

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What is tokenisation?

Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets. 

Infobox

Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August

Results

UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets

Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets

Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets

Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs

Monday fixtures

UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

Without Remorse

Directed by: Stefano Sollima

Starring: Michael B Jordan

4/5

The%20specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E261hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E400Nm%20at%201%2C750-4%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.5L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C999%20(VX%20Luxury)%3B%20from%20Dh149%2C999%20(VX%20Black%20Gold)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters

The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.

 Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.

A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.

The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.

The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.

Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.

Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment

But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.

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.”