Breakdancers throw down their thoughts on Olympics debut
UAE police on patrol through Paris
Palestinian swimmer fights for her country through sport
Imane Khelif calls for end to 'bullying' over gender row
Meet the 16-year-old Egyptian diver competing in Paris
Eiffel Tower lights up to mark opening ceremony of Olympic Games
Meet the athletes representing the UAE at the Olympics
France's biggest fan zone prepares to open for Olympics
Palestinian Olympic delegation arrives in Paris
Paris Olympics Games closing ceremony
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Actor Tom Cruise holds the flag during the Paris Olympics closing ceremony. Reuters -

A fireworks display during the closing ceremony at Stade de France. Getty images -

Cruise was part of the star-studded event. AFP -

The actor left the stadium with the Olympic flag on a motorbike. AFP -

Dancers perform during the event at Stade de France. Getty Images -

American singer Her sang the USA's national anthem. Getty Images -

French singer-songwriter Yseult was one of the performers of the night. AFP -

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, left, and World Athletics president Sebastian Coe presented the medals for the women's marathon. AFP -

Athletes arrive for the closing ceremony. PA -

French President Emmanuel Macron was also in attendance. EPA -
French athletes pass one of their host down the line at the ceremony. Reuters -

Women's marathon gold medallist, Sifan Hassan from Netherlands. AFP -

Flagbearers parade at the ceremony. AP -

Angolan canoeist Benilson Sanda at the ceremony. AFP -
French athletes bid farewell to the rest of the world. Reuters -

Nigerian athletes at the closing ceremony. AFP -

Saudi athletes join in the festivities. EPA -
India's flagbearers, shooter Manu Bhaker, right, and field hockey player Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran, at the closing ceremony. Reuters -
China's contingent of athletes enters the arena. Reuters -

Canada's athletes celebrate. AFP -
A huge Stade de France crowd watches as the athletes parade. Reuters -

French singer Zaho de Sagazan performs Under the Paris Sky at the ceremony. Getty Images -
The athletes gather in the stadium for the closing ceremony. Reuters -

The Japanese contingent waves to the crowds. AP -

Team Algeria joins the celebrations. Getty Images -

French swimmer Leon Marchand carries the Olympic flame. Getty Images -

Athletes enter the stadium en masse, instead of being separated by countries for the closing ceremony. AFP -
A performance by an orchestra at the event. Reuters -

Sharon Van Rouwendaal from the Netherlands won a gold medal for the swimming marathon. AFP -

Saudi athletes at the event. AFP -

President Macron and his wife Brigitte were among the spectators of the ceremony. PA
A selection of the best photos from the 2024 Olympics
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Fireworks go off during the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Stade de France. AFP -

Tom Cruise is lowered from the roof of Stade de France during the Closing Ceremony. Getty Images -

Manav Vikash Thakkar of Team India competes during the Men's Team Round of 16 match between Team People’s Republic of China and Team India. Getty Images -

Silver medalist Simone Biles, of the United States, left, and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles, of the United States, right, bow to gold medalist Rebeca Andrade, of Brazil, during the medal ceremony for the women's artistic gymnastics individual floor finals. AP -
Kim Yeji of Team Republic of Korea prepares to shoot during the Women's 10m Air Pistol Final. Getty Images -

A composite image of Noah Lyles of Team United States winning the Men's 100m Final on day nine. Getty Images -

A composite image of the Wrestling Women's and Wrestling Men's Greco-Roman final Matches on day thirteen. Getty Images -

Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan competes in the Men Javelin Throw final event. EPA -

Algeria's Imane Khelif, right, defeated Italy's Angela Carini in their women's 66kg preliminary boxing match. AP -

Snoop Dogg (R) attends the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Qualification on day two. Getty Images -

Brazil's Gabriel Medina reacts after getting a large wave in the 5th heat of the men's surfing round 3. AFP -

Bahrain's Winfred Mutile Yavi celebrates winning the women's 3,000m steeplechase final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis on August 6. AFP -

South Korea's Yi Jae-gyeong competes in the men's 3m springboard diving semi-final the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 7. AFP -

Cuba's Liadagmis Povea in the women's triple jump qualification at the Stade de France on August 2. AFP -

Taiwan's Wang Chi-lin and Lee Yang after winning the men's doubles badminton final match against China at Porte de la Chapelle Arena on August 4. AFP -

Petra Sicakova, of Czechia, prepares to hurl the javelin in women's qualification in Saint-Denis, France. AP -

Hungary's Andras Szatmari, left competes against South Korea's Gu Bon-gil in the men's sabre team gold medal bout at the Grand Palais in Paris, on July 31. AFP -
French surfer Kauli Vaast reacts after riding a wave during the men's gold medal match in Tahiti. Reuters -

France's Marie-Julie Bonnin has a soft landing in the women's pole vault final on August 7. AFP -

Stiliana Nikolova of Bulgaria performs in the rhythmic gymnastics individuals all-round qualification round, at La Chapelle Arena, Paris. AP -
Alain Kortabitarte of Spain in action in the men's park preliminaries skateboarding at La Concorde 4, Paris, on August 7. Reuters -

Jiaqi Zhong of China, centre, guards the ball from Australia's Kaitlin Nobbs in the women's quarter-final field hockey match at the Stade Yves du Manoir in Colombes, France, on August 5. EPA -
Gold medallist Kellie Harrington of Ireland celebrates on the podium after her win in the women's 60kg boxing division at Roland-Garros Stadium, Paris, on August 6. Reuters -
Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade in action in the balance beam final at the Bercy Arena, Paris, on August 5. Reuters -

Britain's Lina Nielsen shows her disappointment after the women's 400m hurdles semi-final at the Stade de France on August 6. Getty Images -

Turkey's Merve Kavurat, right, and Italy's Ilenia Matonti compete in the taekwondo women's 49kg round of 16 bout at the Grand Palais on August 7. AFP -

Happy feet ... Mariajo Uribe of Colombia on the 18th green during the first round of the women's individual stroke play golf at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, France, on August 7. EPA -

Brazil's Almir dos Santos competes in the men's triple jump qualification at the Stade de France on August 7. AFP -

Sweden's Christina Kallberg plays Hong Kong's Doo Hoi Kem during the women's teams round of 16 table tennis match in Paris. AP -
Quincy Hall of the US crosses the line to win gold in the final of the men's 400m at the Stade de France on August 7. Reuters -

Brazil's Gabriel Dos Santos reacts after running in the men's 4x100m relay heat at the Stade de France on August 8. AFP -
The men's 5,000m heat one at the Stade de France on August 7. Reuters -
Paris 2024 Olympics - Volleyball - Women's Quarterfinals- Brazil vs Dominican Republic - South Paris Arena 1, Paris, France - August 06, 2024. Gabriela Braga Guimaraes of Brazil and Niverka Dharlenis Marte Frica of the Dominican Republic in action. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY -

Katarina Johnson-Thompson, of Britain, reacts after an attempt in the heptathlon high jump at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner) -

Iran's Mobina Nematzadeh celebrates beating Saudi Arabia's Dunya Ali M Abutaleb in the taekwondo women's -49kg bronze medal bout of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Grand Palais in Paris on August 7, 2024. (Photo by David GRAY / AFP) -

Alysha Newman, of Canada, celebrates a successful vault as she competes in the women's pole vault final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Heartbreak for Morocco in men's football semi-final
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Morocco's players, including Hakim Ziyech, right, react after losing their Paris Olympics semi-final against Spain 2-1 at the Marseille Stadium on August 5, 2024. Reuters -

Juanlu Sanchez, centre, of Spain celebrates after scoring their winner against Morocco. EPA -

Morocco players after losing the match. AP -

Juanlu Sanchez of Spain celebrates their victory. Getty Images -

Spain players celebrate after beating Morocco in Marseille. AP -

Spain's Fermin Lopez celebrates after scoring their equaliser. AP -

Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi celebrates scoring his side's opening goal from the penalty spot. AP -

Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi celebrates with teammates scoring their opener from a penalty. AP -

Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi celebrates with teammates scoring a penalty in the 34th minute. AP -

Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi scores a penalty for their opening goal. AP -

Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi scores from the penalty spot. AP -

Fermin Lopez of Spain shoots as Morocco's Oussama Targhalline and Amir Richardson try to close him down. Getty Images -

Achraf Hakimi of Morocco during the game. Getty Images -

Morocco's Achraf Hakimi fights for the ball with Spain's Adrian Bernabe. AP -

Spain's Aimar Oroz battles for the ball with Morocco's Ilias Akhomach. AP -

Morroco fans light flares before the match. AP -

Morocco fans hold Palestinian flags. AP
Novak Djokovic adds Olympic gold to medal collection
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Gold medal winner Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates on the podium after beating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz 7-6, 7-6 in the men's singles final at the Paris 2024 Olympics at Roland Garros on August 4, 2024. EPA -

Silver medal winner Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, gold medal winner Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, and bronze medal winner Lorenzo Musetti of Italy. EPA -

Gold medal winner Novak Djokovic of Serbia. EPA -

Silver medallist Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, with gold medal winner Novak Djokovic and bronze medallist Lorenzo Musetti. EPA -

Novak Djokovic celebrates with a Serbian flag after beating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. AFP -

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz after his defeat against Serbia's Novak Djokovi. AFP -

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates with his family after winning against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain. EPA -

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after winning match point. Getty Images -

Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates with his family after beating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz. AFP
Imane Khelif caught in gender row
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Imane Khelif, left, of Algeria is declared the winner after Angela Carini of Italy abandoned their bout. EPA -

Algeria's Imane Khelif arrives for her women's 66kg preliminaries bout. AFP -

Fans of Team Algeria show their support. Getty Images -

Algeria's Imane Khelif, left, and Italy's Angela Carini in action. AFP -

Imane Khelif of Team Algeria prepares to hit Angela Carini. Getty Images -

Angela Carini of Italy abandons the bout. -

Algeria's Imane Khelif after her victory. AFP -

Angela Carini of Italy kneels in the ring after the bout. EPA -

Angela Carini of Italy is checked by the doctor. EPA
Beaugrand and Yee win triathlon gold
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France's Cassandre Beaugrand after winning gold in the triathlon at the Paris Olympics 2024. Getty Images -

Race winner Cassandre Beaugrand with Julie Derron of Switzerland, left, who took silver and British bronze medallist Beth Potter, right. PA -

Race winner Cassandre Beaugrand collapses after crossing the finish line as Julie Derron celebrates winning silver. AP -

Competitors dive into the Seine at the start of the women's triathlon swimming leg. Getty Images -

Left to right: Cassandre Beaugrand, Julie Derron and Beth Potter. AP -

Cassandre Beaugrand in the race's cycling stage. AP -

Britain's Alex Yee after winning the men's individual triathlon. AP -

Alex Yee alongside silver medal winner Hayden Wilde of New Zealand, left, and France's Leo Bergere, right, who took bronze. Getty Images -

Hayden Wilde with Alex Yee after the race. AP -

An exhausted Alex Yee after the race. PA
Mena athletes in action
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UAE's Aram Grigorian reacts after losing in the judo men's -90kg repechage. AFP -

Greece's Theodoros Tselidis and UAE's Aram Grigorian in action. AFP -

Greece's Theodoros Tselidis and UAE's Aram Grigorian in action. AFP -

Greece's Theodoros Tselidis and UAE's Aram Grigorian embrace after the match. AFP -

Zeyad Ishaish of Team Jordan celebrates after winning the Men's 71kg preliminary round match against Sewon Okazawa of Team Japan. Getty Images -

Zeyad Ishaish, left, and Sewon Okazawa of Team Japan. Getty Images -

Zeyad Ishaish, right, and Sewon Okazawa of Team Japan. Getty Images -

Zeyad Ishaish, left, and Sewon Okazawa of Team Japan. Getty Images -

Chantelle Jordan Reid of Great Britain (red) and Khadija Mardi of Morocco (blue) react after their Women's 75kg round of 16 bout. EPA -

Khadija Mardi of Morocco celebrates her win. EPA -

Chantelle Jordan Reid of Great Britain (red) and Khadija Mardi of Morocco (blue) in action. EPA
Djokovic and Alcaraz in action on the clay court
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Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates his 7-5, 6-3 victory over Germany's Dominik Koepfer in their Paris 2024 Olympics men's singles third-round match at the Roland Garros stadium on Wednesday, July 31. AP -

Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates his win over Dominik Koepfer of Germany. Getty Images -

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain celebrates after winning his third-round match against Roman Safiullin. EPA -

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain leaps to make a return. AP -

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain reacts during his match against Roman Safiullin. AP -

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz shakes hands with Roman Safiullin after his 6-4, 6-2 third-round victory. AFP -

Dominik Koepfer of Germany shakes hands with Novak Djokovic of Serbia after their match. Getty Images -

Novak Djokovic celebrates his victory. AP -

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball against Germany's Dominik Koepfer. AP -

Novak Djokovic celebrates after his victory against Dominik Koepfer. Reuters
Egypt in shock victory over Spain
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Egypt's Mohamed Elneny, Ahmed Zizo, Ibrahim Adel and Ahmed Atef celebrate their 2-1 win against Spain in their Group C match at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bordeaux Stadium on July 30, 2024. AFP -

Egypt's Ibrahim Adel celebrates scoring his side's opening goal. AP -

Spain's Samu Omorodion scores their goal. AFP -

Spain's Samu Omorodion celebrates after scoring. AFP -

Elneny Mohamed of Egypt celebrates after winning the match. Getty Images -

Fermin Lopez of Spain looks dejected during the game. Getty Images -

Adel Ibrahim celebrates with teammates after scoring Egypt's opener. Getty Images -

Adel Ibrahim of Team Egypt celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal. Getty Images -

Egypt's Ahmed Atef misses a chance. AFP -

Egypt's Mahmoud Saber and Spain's Fermin Lopez battle for the ball. AFP
Teams from the Middle East and North Africa at the opening ceremony
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Athletes from the UAE aboard their boat in the floating parade on the Seine during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony. Reuters -

Members of the Saudi delegation during the opening ceremony. Getty Images -

Team Algeria wave flags in Paris. AP -

Team Bahrain on the Seine. Getty Images -

Athletes from Egypt aboard their boat. Reuters -

Members of Team Iran. AP -

Members of the Iraqi team wave their flags. EPA -

Athletes from Jordan pose for a photo. AP -

Athletes from Team Kuwait. Getty Images -

The Lebanese team parades along the Seine. AP -

Libya's delegation sails down the river. AFP -

Athletes from Morocco wave flags. Reuters -

Team Oman are seen waving their flag. Getty Images -

Team Palestine during the ceremony. Getty Images -

Athletes from Syria. EPA -

Team Tunisia and Team Turkey during the opening ceremony. PA

Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
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Where to donate in the UAE
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Match info:
Wolves 1
Boly (57')
Manchester City 1
Laporte (69')
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
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Sheikh Zayed's poem
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
You are like the Ajeed Al-reem [leader of the gazelle herd] for my country, the source of all of its knowledge
You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
Oh, who wishes to deprive me of sleep, the night has ended and I still have not seen you
You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
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Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile
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WITHIN%20SAND
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