Khabib Nurmagomedov, right, beat Conor McGregor, left, with a fourth round submission in October 2018.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, right, beat Conor McGregor, left, with a fourth round submission in October 2018.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, right, beat Conor McGregor, left, with a fourth round submission in October 2018.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, right, beat Conor McGregor, left, with a fourth round submission in October 2018.

Dana White exclusive: It's my job to make Khabib-McGregor II happen ... if Conor beats Poirier at UFC 257


John McAuley
  • English
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Dana White says if Conor McGregor wins on comeback in Abu Dhabi on Sunday then it’s “his job” to make the rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov, while the UFC president targets the summer for the promotion’s return to the capital “with something big”.

The world’s leading mixed martial arts organisation brings to a close its third Fight Island series with UFC 257, where McGregor enters the octagon for the first time in more than a year when he takes on Dustin Poirier at Etihad Arena.

The former two-division champion is regarded as one of several potential opponents that may tease Nurmagomedov out of retirement. The current lightweight belt-holder, 32, called time on his career in October, immediately after defeating Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi to move to 29-0, but he continues to be linked with a return to the octagon.

Nurmagomedov met with White last Friday, where he apparently said that "something spectacular" from McGregor-Poirier or the co-main event between Michael Chandler and Dan Hooker could tempt him back into competition for one more fight. He reportedly cited also Charles Oliveira as a possible final opponent.

However, despite the wealth of elite talent in the division, a rematch of Nurmagomedov’s money-spinning 2018 clash with McGregor remains the bout that holds most worldwide appeal, with White saying a second encounter between the pair would be the biggest in UFC history.

"Let's see how this goes [Sunday]," White told The National. "It's going to depend on what happens then. If Conor goes in there and puts on an unbelievable performance, I'm probably going to have to go get it done.

“Everybody thinks that Khabib doesn’t want to fight Conor. Khabib hates Conor and Conor hates Khabib. If that’s the fight to make that’s my job to get it done.”

McGregor and Nurmagomedov are not only long-term rivals, but they remain the two most prominent athletes in the sport. Their initial match-up little more than three years ago at UFC 229, which Nurmagomedov won by fourth-round submission, set the promotion's record for the highest pay-per-view event, with 2.4 million buys in the United States.

While White said the fact both fighters are “insanely rich” makes booking a rematch more difficult, he said: “You said it yourself: it’s a massive money fight; both these guys are going to make a lot of money. Call that No 1.

“No 2: it’s an important fight to make, for both their legacies. Because, if you’re Conor, you want to avenge that loss against Khabib. If you’re Khabib, you want to beat him twice, to prove, you know?”

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov (left) in conversation with UFC president Dana White at the UAE Warriors 15 cage side at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021
    Khabib Nurmagomedov (left) in conversation with UFC president Dana White at the UAE Warriors 15 cage side at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021
  • Khabib Nurmagomedov and Abdulmunam Al Hashemi, chairman of Palms Sports during the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021.
    Khabib Nurmagomedov and Abdulmunam Al Hashemi, chairman of Palms Sports during the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021.
  • Bruno Machado lands one on Mickael Lebout in the Lightweight title fight at the UAE Warriors 15 on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
    Bruno Machado lands one on Mickael Lebout in the Lightweight title fight at the UAE Warriors 15 on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
  • Bruno Machado has Mickael Lebout cornered in the Lightweight title fight in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
    Bruno Machado has Mickael Lebout cornered in the Lightweight title fight in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
  • Russian Rinat Fakhretdinov took just 57 seconds to knock out Canadian Eric Spicely with this stunning right hander in the UAE Warriors 15 Middleweight bout at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
    Russian Rinat Fakhretdinov took just 57 seconds to knock out Canadian Eric Spicely with this stunning right hander in the UAE Warriors 15 Middleweight bout at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
  • Carlston Harris of Guyana has Russian Saygid Izagakhmaev in a submissive choke in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
    Carlston Harris of Guyana has Russian Saygid Izagakhmaev in a submissive choke in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
  • Canadian Jesse Arnett on the attack against Algerian Elias Boudegzdame in the Catchweight 64kg in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
    Canadian Jesse Arnett on the attack against Algerian Elias Boudegzdame in the Catchweight 64kg in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
  • Bruno Machado receives his award from chairman of Palms Sports Abdulmunam Al Hashemi in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
    Bruno Machado receives his award from chairman of Palms Sports Abdulmunam Al Hashemi in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
  • Muin Gafurov of Tajikistan lands a flying knee on Walter Zamora of Costa Rica in the featherweight in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
    Muin Gafurov of Tajikistan lands a flying knee on Walter Zamora of Costa Rica in the featherweight in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
  • Portuguese Leandro Gomes receives his award from Palms Sports managing director Fouad Darwish after his win against Moroccan Mohamed Karim in the Catchweight 64kg in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors
    Portuguese Leandro Gomes receives his award from Palms Sports managing director Fouad Darwish after his win against Moroccan Mohamed Karim in the Catchweight 64kg in the UAE Warriors 15 at the Jiu-Jitsu Arena on Friday, January 15, 2021. Courtesy UAE Warriors

White plans to meet with Nurmagomedov - "one of the best guys to deal with in the sport" - next week in Las Vegas, where he expects to have a definitive answer on the champion's future.

“He’s the same always,” White said. “If it was he’s never going to fight again or he might fight after this weekend, he always acts the same. He’s very levelheaded and even keel. And like I said, the guy doesn’t have to worry about the financial, in any way shape or form.”

Asked about the likelihood of Nurmagomedov’s final fight taking place in Abu Dhabi, given his affinity to the emirate and his popularity throughout the region, White said: “I don’t know. It depends on where the world is at that time."

  • Michael Chiesa and Neil Magny face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Michael Chiesa and Neil Magny face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Michael Chiesa poses on the scale during the UFC weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Michael Chiesa poses on the scale during the UFC weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Neil Magny poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Neil Magny poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Lerone Murphy poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Lerone Murphy poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Lerone Murphy and Douglas Silva de Andrade face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Lerone Murphy and Douglas Silva de Andrade face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Tyson Nam poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Tyson Nam poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Omari Akhmedov and Tom Breese face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Omari Akhmedov and Tom Breese face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Dalcha Lungiambula and Markus Perez face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Dalcha Lungiambula and Markus Perez face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Warlley Alves of Brazil and Mounir Lazzez face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Warlley Alves of Brazil and Mounir Lazzez face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Mounir Lazzez poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Mounir Lazzez poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Manon Fiorot and Victoria Leonardo face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Manon Fiorot and Victoria Leonardo face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Ike Villanueva poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Ike Villanueva poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Francisco Figueiredo and Jerome Rivera face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Francisco Figueiredo and Jerome Rivera face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Ricky Simon and Gaetano Pirrello face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Ricky Simon and Gaetano Pirrello face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Sumudaerji and Zarrukh Adashev face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Sumudaerji and Zarrukh Adashev face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Roxanne Modafferi and Viviane Araujo face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Roxanne Modafferi and Viviane Araujo face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Douglas Silva de Andrade poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Douglas Silva de Andrade poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Roxanne Modafferi poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Roxanne Modafferi poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Warlley Alves poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Warlley Alves poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Mike Davis and Mason Jones face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Mike Davis and Mason Jones face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Vinicius Moreira poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Vinicius Moreira poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Umar Nurmagomedov and Sergey Morozov face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Umar Nurmagomedov and Sergey Morozov face off during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Viviane Araujo poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Viviane Araujo poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
  • Matt Schnell poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC
    Matt Schnell poses on the scale during the weigh-in at Etihad Arena. Zuffa LLC

More immediately, White ruled out a March return to Abu Dhabi for the UFC. There had been speculation that the promotion had settled on a fourth Fight Island series for then, but White said he was aiming more for June or July – and most probably another three-event stint.

“Let’s just say this: I have a meeting on Friday with the powers that be here,” White said. “I’ve had an incredible relationship with these guys for many years and I’m working on something big right now."

Pressed on what that might be, White added: “A fight. A big fight. Listen, if I get this deal done on Friday, I believe that if we come back here again, no matter who the fight is or whatever it is, we’ll probably be able to have full fans again. You know how the Covid thing is, it kind of dies down in the summertime, so it should be the perfect storm.

“I just don’t need to [do another Fight Island] in March. I probably need to by summer. But we’re still working on them; I’m still putting my plan together. I’ll have it dialed in by Friday before my meeting.”

Although White has previously stated the UFC was looking at events in other parts of Asia, he said the recent track record in Abu Dhabi means he does not need to take the promotion anywhere else.

The UFC signed a five-year deal with Abu Dhabi in April 2019, which guaranteed a title fight once every September or October. Fight Island was born from the need to provide international athletes the opportunity to compete during the coronavirus pandemic, with the UFC alternating between their own facility in Las Vegas and Fight Island. The Etihad Arena opened last Saturday, with UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs Kattar. Welcoming a limited amount of fans, it marked the first time the promotion hosted spectators since last March.

“I could stay right at home at the Apex and come to Abu Dhabi,” White said. “I like the set-up that we have, and now these guys built the Etihad Arena out here, I can do this for ever.

"I love this place so much we can do every fight here. We can do every fight for ever, for the rest of my life here in Abu Dhabi.

“Wait until it opens up and we can really bring fans back in and pack that arena. There’s so many cool things that we could do here in Abu Dhabi and I’m looking forward to it. The fans have to experience this.”

Looking ahead to Sunday, and McGregor's confident mindset going into his rematch with Poirier at UFC 257 – the Irishman has predicted victory inside the first minute, White said: "This kid's on. He's ready to go. When you've got the Conor saying I'm going to knock Dustin Poirier out in 60 seconds, you know you got the guy that you fell in love with as a fan.

“The kid’s special anyway. But when you can go in and predict what you’re going to do against a guy like Dustin Poirier, against a guy like Jose Aldo, against a guy like Eddie Alvarez, when you go in and tell people before it happens about exactly what you’re going to do, I don’t know if it’s been done since [Muhammad] Ali.

When’s that been done? I don’t ever remember a time where a fighter would call exactly what he was going to do and how he was going to do it.

“Conor has that thing, he has that superstar quality about him that you can’t teach. You either have it or you don’t.”

The specs

Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder

Power: 220 and 280 horsepower

Torque: 350 and 360Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT 

On sale: now

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

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

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

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Pathaan
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Panipat

Director Ashutosh Gowariker

Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment

Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman

Rating 3 /stars

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

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Maestro
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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Saturday (UAE kick-off times)

Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)

Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)

West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)

Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)

Sunday

Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)

Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)

Everton v Liverpool (10pm)

Monday

Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

The specs

Engine 60kwh FWD

Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry

Power 204hp Torque 360Nm

Price, base / as tested Dh174,500 

Our legal advisor

Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation. 

Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.

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.”

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
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Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat

Barbara J King, University of Chicago Press 

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

While you're here
Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

The specs

A4 35 TFSI

Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder

Transmission: seven-speed S-tronic automatic

Power: 150bhp

Torque: 270Nm

Price: Dh150,000 (estimate)

On sale: First Q 2020

A4 S4 TDI

Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel

Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic

Power: 350bhp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: Dh165,000 (estimate)

On sale: First Q 2020

The permutations for UAE going to the 2018 World Cup finals

To qualify automatically

UAE must beat Iraq.

Australia must lose in Japan and at home to Thailand, with their losing margins and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.

Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.

 

To finish third and go into a play-off with the other third-placed AFC side for a chance to reach the inter-confederation play-off match

UAE must beat Iraq.

Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.

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WandaVision

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany

Directed by: Matt Shakman

Rating: Four stars

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

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

Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

The Cockroach

 (Vintage)

Ian McEwan 
 

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Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?

The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.

The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.

He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.

He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.

He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.