MOSCOW // Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt's bid to regain the 100-metres world title, which he relinquished when he false-started in the 2011 final, began in gentle fashion yesterday when he cruised into today's semi-finals.
Ironically, the 26-year-old world record holder's campaign began with a false start but fortunately for him it was Kemar Hyman of the Cayman Islands who saw his competition come to an early end.
After that, Bolt, the six-time Olympic gold medallist, got down to business and sauntered over the line in 10.07 seconds.
A small round of applause from him and a look at the giant television screen proved sufficient before leaving the track.
He said he had not been anxious that the false start would be called against him.
"I saw him [Hyman] move. I knew it was him, so I wasn't worried," he said. "I am confident for tomorrow. I'm always confident."
With the second fastest man of all-time, Tyson Gay, barred after failing dope tests, Bolt's main rival is another American, former drugs cheat Justin Gatlin.
The 31-year-old sprinter looked in superb shape as he won his heat from in 9.99s, edging out Trinidadian Keston Bledman. British veteran Dwain Chambers, like Gatlin, no stranger to a doping ban, took third.
Gatlin, who was double sprint world champion in 2005, was delighted with his outing.
"I'm happy with my performance. Now I need to see what my coach makes of it, as he's the really critical one," said Gatlin, who came back to win Olympic bronze last year after ending a four-year drug ban in 2010. "I was calm and in control. I think I have a great chance to win here."
Chambers, a three-time world 100m finalist, said that despite his years of top-level experience he still found the experience at this level nerve-jangling.
"It's always nerve-racking in the first round. You would think I'd be used to it, but the competition gets stiffer and stiffer," said the 35-year-old Briton. "I have the spirit. I wish I had youth on my side but I have the experience."
Gatlin's teammate, Mike Rodgers, who served a nine-month doping ban from July 2011 to March 2012, ran an even faster heat, winning in a time of 9.98.
For Rodgers it is a bonus appearing in the individual event as he only got in because of Gay's failed dope tests.
Bolt's training partner, Kemar Bailey-Cole - a 21-year-old Olympic 4x100m relay gold medallist having run the heats last year - joined his illustrious training partner in the semi-finals after winning his heat in 10.02.
Another of the Jamaicans, two-time Olympic relay gold medallist, Nesta Carter, also cruised in his heat, timing 10.11 to see off Dutch sprinter Churandy Martina, who along with Bolt are the only two competing in Moscow who reached both sprint finals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
The highly rated 17-year-old Japanese athlete Yoshihide Kiryu was edged out of the third and final automatic qualifying spot by Canadian Gavin Smellie and also lost out as one of the three fastest losers.
China, however, will be doubly represented as China's Zhang Palmeng won his heat in 10.19, beating Trinidad's 2008 Olympic 100m silver medallist Richard Thompson.
Zhang's teammate, Su Bingtian, went through later as a fastest loser.
Once again one of the newer faces on the scene at the top level, James Dasaolu, who has run 9.91 this season, showed his inexperience as he eased up before the line to finish fourth in Zhang's heat to give himself a nervous wait.
"I didn't do too much in the build-up, I glanced over at the line," said the 25-year-old Briton, who did not take the sport up until he was 18.
However, Dasaolu's wait had a happy ending as he got in as a fastest loser.
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The Saudi Cup race card
1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000
2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000
3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000
4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000
5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000
6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000
7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000
8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
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Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
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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
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yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
Profile of VoucherSkout
Date of launch: November 2016
Founder: David Tobias
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers
Sector: Technology
Size: 18 employees
Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake
Investors: Seed round was self-funded with “millions of dollars”
