Follow the latest news on the 2024 Paris Olympics
The Paris 2024 Olympics kicked off over the weekend starting two weeks of competition across 32 different sports and events. The games this year return three years after the previous Olympics in Tokyo which had to be played behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fans are back to the stadiums and venues for this year’s games, which brings back a lot of the energy and support lacking in the previous event. Even watching from home, it’s clear that there’s a special feeling in the air at every event.
My personal relationship with the Olympics started in 2004 with the Athens Olympics when I was just 13 years old. With it taking place during the summer break, I was drawn to the spectacle and then to the games themselves, getting invested in sports I had no prior interest in watching.
Since then, for two weeks every four years, I become glued to the television to watch everything from archery to canoe slalom. Even as someone who enjoys the best of films and video games, often watching 400 films a year, it must be said that none are more gripping and entertaining than the Olympics.
I understand that for most people, the draw is following your own nations, and hoping they do well, cheering them on to victory. While I do that too, I have recognised that just about every event and sport will have athletes with incredible storylines of perseverance, effort and excellence.
Within the first five minutes of tuning into an event at the games, the commentators do a great job of keying you into who’s the best and who is the underdog, who has battled the odds to get there and who has the pressure to maintain their streak.
Using the graphics, broadcasting technology and the commentary, you also understand the rules and regulations of the sport, and how the scoring system works. Even if is a sport you have never been exposed to before, there is now enough knowledge to follow along and start picking a favourite.
Even if you didn't know anything about the sport five minutes earlier, you’re now hooked, invested and informed. Rarely does any form of entertainment do that.
And I’m not talking about just the track and field events here. While that remains the jewel in the crown of every Olympic Games, I think there’s so much to watch and enjoy during the first week before the track and field events even begin.
Take fencing for example – I don’t think I’ll ever be invested enough in fencing to even care who is the best at it or what are the techniques to achieve a win. But at the Olympics, I become fencing’s biggest fan. Because the stakes are so high for these athletes, you feel elated when they win and deeply sad when they lose.
The quality of the broadcasting has also made it so much easier to follow along and become invested. High definition 4K cameras, slow motion footage, information graphics and 3D mapping have all been used during this year’s Olympics, bringing viewers across the world closer to the events and athletes.
Writers can spend a lifetime attempting to write a good story, but few could rival the real stories of the athletes and their accomplishments at the Olympics. Other sporting events like the football World Cup or the Super Bowl might be bigger spectacles, but neither offers a chance to see the best of the best in multiple sports at one event.
There will always be star athletes that capture all the attention, the likes of Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, US gymnast Simone Biles and Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz. Following these athletes and seeing them push the boundaries and break records is an incredible sight, but there are inspiring and heartwarming stories to be found everywhere during the games.
The efforts to keep the games fresh and interesting, even to younger audiences, must be commended too. Skateboarding was introduced at the Tokyo Olympics, and it has already become a popular event, capturing the attention of new generations. This year, there is breakdancing, another event that will certainly introduce the Olympics to demographics that might not have been interested.
I’ve often considered going over to an Olympic host city during the games to watch in person, but I soon shirk the idea because attending one event is missing many others. At least from the comfort of my couch, I can jump from one to another and make sure I have a daily schedule of what to follow.
The strength and magic of the Olympic spirit is that it could affect you whether you’re there in the stands or watching at home.
THE SPECS
Cadillac XT6 2020 Premium Luxury
Engine: 3.6L V-6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 367Nm
Price: Dh280,000
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
SPECS
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US Industrial Market figures, Q1 2017
Vacancy Rate 5.4%
Markets With Positive Absorption 85.7 per cent
New Supply 55 million sq ft
New Supply to Inventory 0.4 per cent
Under Construction 198.2 million sq ft
(Source: Colliers)
Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Alan Rushbridger, Canongate
MATCH INFO
Al Jazira 3 (O Abdulrahman 43', Kenno 82', Mabkhout 90 4')
Al Ain 1 (Laba 39')
Red cards: Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain)
The Specs:
The Specs:
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 444bhp
Torque: 600Nm
Price: AED 356,580 incl VAT
On sale: now.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
'Ashkal'
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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Landfill in numbers
• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane
• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming
• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi
• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year
• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away
• 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste is from construction and demolition
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
Match info
Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')
Southampton 0
More on Quran memorisation:
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Australia
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About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
more from Janine di Giovanni
The five pillars of Islam
The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.
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
SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 20: 11am to 7pm - Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival and Para jiu-jitsu.
Sunday, April 21: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (female) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Monday, April 22: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (male) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Tuesday, April 23: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Wednesday, April 24: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Thursday, April 25: 11am-5pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Friday, April 26: 3pm to 6pm Finals of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Saturday, April 27: 4pm and 8pm awards ceremony.
