DOHA // The UAE's Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi missed out on victory as Qatar's Nasser Al Attiyah emerged triumphant after one of the closest battles in the history of the Qatar International Rally.
Driving his Autotek-run Ford Fiesta RRC in the traditional opening round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship, the Qatari was made to work harder than even before for his record-breaking 10th Qatar International Rally victory and his 46th career MERC win.
Sheikh Khalid, in his Abu Dhabi Citroen Total Team DS3 car, and British navigator Scott Martin pushed Al Attiyah all the way until they suffered a flat tyre on the 10th stage.
The Qatari then pushed home his advantage over the closing kilometres to seal victory by the margin of 55.7 seconds and a maximum points' haul at the start of a new season of Middle East rallying.
"All credit to Khalid for the way he drove this week but it is fantastic for me to win," said Al Attiyah. "Winning in Qatar is always a special feeling and to take my 10th win here is superb."
Al Qassimi said: "Overall it was a fantastic event. Yes it was rough, very difficult, and I had to drive with my head. The first day I led the rally. The second day it was still a battle, and I lost first place it because of one flat tyre towards the end.
"But this is a fantastic team, a fantastic car, the atmosphere was good and I really enjoyed it. It was a good start to the year. The problem with the tyre was the only problem we had in the whole rally.
"To come here and win quite a lot of the stages [four] is very good for me. For most of the last 12 months I didn't have much time in the car after my knee operation so overall I'm pleased with the performance."
Qatar's Abdulaziz Al Kuwari and Khalid Al Suwaidi traded stage times in their Ford Fiesta RRCs and Al Kuwari, last year's winner, managed to hold his overnight lead to the finish and take the final podium position.
Sheikh Abdullah Al Qassimi set consistent stage times during the course of the two days and reached the finish in fifth position with British co-driver Steve Lancaster.
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.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Summer special
PLAY-OFF%20DRAW
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old
Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school
Honeymoonish
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