ATP Casablanca
Local wild card Lamine Ouahab continued a fantastical run at his home tournament the ATP Grand Prix Hassan II on Thursday, shocking top seed and world No 24 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in relatively simple fashion.
Ouahab, a 30-year-old veteran who has only once qualified for a grand slam, going out in the first round of the 2009 Australian Open, dismissed Garcia-Lopez in a straightforward 6-3, 6-3 match in Casablanca. Ouahab broke Garcia-Lopez in the fourth game of the first set and broke him three times in the second to run away into the tournament’s quarter-finals.
Ouahab, who reached a career high ranking of 114 in 2009, has never won an ATP title. His has in fact only played in 21 ATP level singles matches, compiling an 11-10 record. The Moroccan was a finalist at the 2002 junior Wimbledon and reacehd at least the quarter-finals of four other junior grand slams in 2001-02.
His senior career has been less than stellar, however, with just three ITF Challenger tour titles to his name. The most recent of those came at the Casablanca clay court tournament in January, which was his first since 2006.
Ouahab will now face world No 95 Daniel Gimeno-Traver in the quarters. By rankings, it will actually be his easiest challenge yet, after already beating world No 88 Robin Haase in the first round.
Gimeno-Traver advanced on Thursday himself when Mikhail Kukushkin retired down 1-6, 1-4.
Jiri Vesely, beating Mikhail Youzhny in straight sets, and Aljaz Bedene, also a straight sets winner over Arthur De Greef, round out Thursday’s other winners.
Second seed Martin Klizan and Nicolas Almagro and Andreas Haider-Maurer and Damir Dzumhur will vie in the other quarter-final matches on Friday.
ATP Houston
Unseeded American Jack Sock toppled second-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the ATP US Clay Court Championships in Houston.
Sock, ranked 46th in the world, notched his second victory over the 15th-ranked Spaniard in less than a month.
He also beat Bautista Agut in the round of 32 in the Indian Wells Masters in March.
Sock, who lifted the doubles title with Vasek Pospisil in Indian Wells and reached the final with the Canadian at Miami last weekend, saved both break points he faced in the 1hr 21 min clash.
He broke the Spaniard once in each set to secure the win and next faces fifth-seeded Colombian Santiago Giraldo who toppled unseeded Serbian Janko Tipsarevic 7-6 (7/2), 6-3.
Tipsarevic, once ranked as high as eighth in the world, is on the comeback trail after missing 17 months in the wake of multiple surgeries on his left foot.
On Tuesday the Serb saved two match points en route to a three-set win over Guilherme Clezar.
Also taking the court Thursday were two former tournament winners, including defending champ Fernando Verdasco who beat South Korean teen Chung Hyeon in straight sets, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2.
But John Isner, who won two years ago, failed to advance, losing 2-6, 6-7 (2/7) to Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili.
Verdasco blasted two aces, had just one double fault and broke the 18-year-old Chung twice in the 92-minute match.
He moves on to play Gabashvili in the quarters.
Chung was the sixth teenager to qualify for an ATP tour event in 2015. The world No 118 qualified for his first Masters level main draw in Miami, winning his first-round match before falling to his first top-10 opponent, Czech Tomas Berdych.
WTA Charleston
Defending champion Andrea Petkovic booked her quarter-final berth at the WTA Family Circle Cup in Charleston on Thursday, improving her perfect record in the event with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Madison Brengle.
The third-seeded German improved to 10-0 on the green clay of Charleston, avenging her first-round loss to Brengle at the Australian Open.
Petkovic, ranked 11th in the world, is the highest-seeded player left in the draw after the second-round exit of top-seeded Canadian Eugenie Bouchard and the withdrawal of second-seeded Ekaterina Makarova with a stomach ailment.
Petkovic will next face qualifier Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, who reached the quarters when former champion and sixth seed Jelena Jankovic withdrew from their scheduled third-round match with a right foot injury.
Lauren Davis, who stunned Bouchard in straight sets on Wednesday, moved into the quarter-finals with an abbreviated victory over ailing Mona Barthel.
Davis was leading the 15th-seeded German 6-4, 3-0 when Barthel retired because of dizziness.
Although she hasn’t spent all that much time on court, the 66th ranked Davis said she was finding her feet on Charleston’s clay courts.
“I feel really comfortable on the clay here,” she said. “I feel like I’m sliding well and that my game really suits it well.”
Davis next faces seventh-seeded American Madison Keys. Keys, an Australian Open semi-finalist, defeated Romanian Cristina-Andreea Mitu 6-2, 6-0.
Davis and Keys are familiar foes. With their career head-to-head record tied at two victories apiece.
“We know each other really well,” Davis said. “For about a year and a half we shared the same coach ... I think we know each other’s games like the back of our hands, so it will all come down to who’s more competitive.”
Fourth-seeded Italian Sara Errani reached the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Spain’s 18-year-old Sara Sorribes Tormo.
Errani will face Czech Lucie Hradecka, who toppled French eighth seed Caroline Garcia 5-7, 7-5, 6-4.
Fifth-seeded German Angelique Kerber eased past Spain’s Lara Arruabarrena 6-3, 6-0 to line up a quarter-final meeting with Romania Irina-Camelia Begu. Begu advanced by walkover thanks to Makarova’s decision to pull out.
WTA Katowice
Top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska continued an unimpeded march at her home tournament on Thursday, beating An-Sophie Mestach 6-3, 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the WTA Katowice Open.
Radwanska in two matches has only dropped eight games at the Poland tournament.
She was joined on Thursday in the quarter-finals by Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, Elizaveta Kulichkova, who upset fifth seed Kaia Kanepi and Kirsten Flipkens.
Radwanska will face Klara Koukalova in the last eight on Friday. Second-seeded Alize Cornet matches up with Schmiedlova and third-seeded Camila Giorgi takes on Kulichkova.
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Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Company%20profile
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Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
The biog
From: Upper Egypt
Age: 78
Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila
Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace
Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
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Results:
5pm: Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m | Winner: AF Tahoonah, Richard Mullen (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,400m | Winner: Ajwad, Gerald Avranche, Rashed Bouresly
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m | Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m | Winner: Duc De Faust, Szczepan Mazur, Younis Al Kalbani
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 2,200m | Winner: Shareef KB, Fabrice Veron, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,500m | Winner: Bainoona, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 290hp
Torque: 340Nm
Price: Dh155,800
On sale: now
Match info
Huddersfield Town 0
Chelsea 3
Kante (34'), Jorginho (45' pen), Pedro (80')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Bio
Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride
She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.
Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years
Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves
She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
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
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Sri Lanka v England
First Test, at Galle
England won by 211
Second Test, at Kandy
England won by 57 runs
Third Test, at Colombo
From Nov 23-27
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
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.”
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Company%20profile
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