Sting is due to play in Dubai at the Meydan racetrack in March.
Sting is due to play in Dubai at the Meydan racetrack in March.
Sting is due to play in Dubai at the Meydan racetrack in March.
Sting is due to play in Dubai at the Meydan racetrack in March.

Sting to play Meydan race track


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DUBAI // Sting, the British pop artist, will rock Dubai next month, with the first concert to be held at the Meydan Racecourse, which has a capacity of 17,000, it was announced yesterday. The singer's performance on March 4 will be part of the Dubai International Racing Carnival, said a spokesman for the racecourse, which opened last week. He will play on 'Super Thursday', a precursor to the Dubai World Cup, which begins on March 27, and will also be held at the Meydan Racecourse.

Fans will welcome the news after the artist cancelled a Dubai gig in December 2008 at which he was due to swap his bass guitar to play a lute, a stringed Renaissance instrument and close relative of the Arabian oud, from which it derives its name - "al oud" becoming "lute". He was due to be the headline act, inaugurating a series of five concerts with a performance in front of 3,000 for the Season of Stars, but the organiser, Live Nation, cancelled his show without giving any reason. Sting, 58, whose main hits include Englishman in New York and I'll be Missing You, will be joined by other artists who are yet to be confirmed. The former member of the rock band The Police, has received multiple Grammy Awards and is also an actor and activist. He transcended genres with the memorable hit Desert Rose, a collaboration with the Algerian raï artist Cheb Mami.

Mohammed Khayat, the commercial director of Meydan Racecourse, said: "Sting is not only one of the best in his field, a perennial performer who has seen not only international success but also longevity in his career span. He appeals to both young and old and is a true citizen of the world who cares about the people and the environment around him." Sting is due to take to the stage at 11 pm and gates will open at 6pm for those who wish to watch horse races ahead of the concert. Ticket prices range from Dh150 and Dh275 for standing and rise to Dh555 and Dh735 dirhams for the most expensive seated areas.

Tickets are available at Virgin, Box Office and Time Out Tickets. Frank Gabriel Jr, the head of the Dubai Racing Club, said: "The concert is the perfect complement to an exciting evening at the races." asafdar@thenational.ae

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Director: Eli Roth

Rating: 0/5

Key facilities
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  • Premier League-standard football pitch
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LA LIGA FIXTURES

Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)

Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)

Friday

Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)

Valencia v Levante (midnight)

Saturday

Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)

Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)

Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)

Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)

Sunday

Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)

Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)

Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)

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WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS

England v New Zealand

(Saturday, 12pm UAE)

Wales v South Africa

(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)

 

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RESULT

Fifth ODI, at Headingley

England 351/9
Pakistan 297
England win by 54 runs (win series 4-0)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Transmission: seven-speed auto

Power: 420 bhp

Torque: 624Nm

Price: from Dh293,200

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Virtual banks explained

What is a virtual bank?

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority defines it as a bank that delivers services through the internet or other electronic channels instead of physical branches. That means not only facilitating payments but accepting deposits and making loans, just like traditional ones. Other terms used interchangeably include digital or digital-only banks or neobanks. By contrast, so-called digital wallets or e-wallets such as Apple Pay, PayPal or Google Pay usually serve as intermediaries between a consumer’s traditional account or credit card and a merchant, usually via a smartphone or computer.

What’s the draw in Asia?

Hundreds of millions of people under-served by traditional institutions, for one thing. In China, India and elsewhere, digital wallets such as Alipay, WeChat Pay and Paytm have already become ubiquitous, offering millions of people an easy way to store and spend their money via mobile phone. Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are also among the world’s biggest under-banked countries; together they have almost half a billion people.

Is Hong Kong short of banks?

No, but the city is among the most cash-reliant major economies, leaving room for newcomers to disrupt the entrenched industry. Ant Financial, an Alibaba Group Holding affiliate that runs Alipay and MYBank, and Tencent Holdings, the company behind WeBank and WeChat Pay, are among the owners of the eight ventures licensed to create virtual banks in Hong Kong, with operations expected to start as early as the end of the year. 

How to get there

Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
 

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

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South Korea

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Name: buybackbazaar.com

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Based: Dubai

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Welterweight

Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)

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Catchweight 75kg

Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)

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Flyweight (female)

Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)

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Featherweight

Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki

(Disqualification)

Lightweight

Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)

(Unanimous points)

Featherweight

Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)

(TKO first round)

Catchweight 69kg

Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)

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Catchweight 71kg

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Lightweight title (5 rounds)

Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)

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Winner: Dahess D’Arabie, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi
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Winner: Fertile De Croate, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel

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Transmission: seven-speed automatic

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