Felipe Massa waves the checkered flag as Jenson Button goes past the end of the Brazilian GP at Interlagos last year.
Felipe Massa waves the checkered flag as Jenson Button goes past the end of the Brazilian GP at Interlagos last year.
Felipe Massa waves the checkered flag as Jenson Button goes past the end of the Brazilian GP at Interlagos last year.
Felipe Massa waves the checkered flag as Jenson Button goes past the end of the Brazilian GP at Interlagos last year.

Where speed is king in Brazil


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Home to the Brazil Grand Prix, Interlagos has been a part of the Sao Paulo landscape since the 1920s, and continues to host the greatest names in Formula One. When Brazilians think of the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, the official name of Interlagos, they remember Ayrton Senna earning the first of his 41 career F1 victories there in 1991, propelling him to national sporting fame normally reserved for football greats.

In recent years, Interlagos has held several dramatic races, including the 2008 season-ending Brazil Grand Prix, which saw the Brazilian Felipe Massa win the race in front of his countrymen. Lewis Hamilton, however, won the championship by one point by finishing fifth. Other top drivers to win at Interlagos include Alain Prost (who won a record six Brazil GPs), Michael Schumacher, Juan Pablo Montoya and Fernando Alonso.

The track is considered one of the better runs in the current F1 circuit, but there have been complaints about poor amenities. In 2008, however, a deal was struck with the F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone which will keep Interlagos on the F1 schedule until 2015. With the deal, improvements are slated for the pit and paddock.

Dolittle

Director: Stephen Gaghan

Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen

One-and-a-half out of five stars

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

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.

Planes grounded by coronavirus

British Airways: Cancels all direct flights to and from mainland China 

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific: Cutting capacity to/from mainland China by 50 per cent from Jan. 30

Chicago-based United Airlines: Reducing flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong

Ai Seoul:  Suspended all flights to China

Finnair: Suspending flights to Nanjing and Beijing Daxing until the end of March

Indonesia's Lion Air: Suspending all flights to China from February

South Korea's Asiana Airlines,  Jeju Air  and Jin Air: Suspend all flights

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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