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.
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
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
Baby Driver
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James
Three and a half stars
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
PRISCILLA
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Company%C2%A0profile
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The%20specs
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SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
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Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Day 1 fixtures (Saturday)
Men 1.45pm, Malaysia v Australia (Court 1); Singapore v India (Court 2); UAE v New Zealand (Court 3); South Africa v Sri Lanka (Court 4)
Women Noon, New Zealand v South Africa (Court 3); England v UAE (Court 4); 5.15pm, Australia v UAE (Court 3); England v New Zealand (Court 4)
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet
Price, base: Dh429,090
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 510hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
About Seez
Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017
Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer
Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
Sector: Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing
Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed
Stage of funding: $1.8 million in seed funding; followed by another $1.5m bridge round - in the process of closing Series A
Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds
Company%20profile
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Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
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
The years Ramadan fell in May
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The results of the first round are as follows:
Qais Saied (Independent): 18.4 per cent
Nabil Karoui (Qalb Tounes): 15.58 per cent
Abdelfattah Mourou (Ennahdha party): 12.88 per cent
Abdelkarim Zbidi (two-time defence minister backed by Nidaa Tounes party): 10.7 per cent
Youssef Chahed (former prime minister, leader of Long Live Tunisia): 7.3 per cent
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
'Will%20of%20the%20People'
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