Sevilla’s Iborra, centre, and his teammates have had plenty of reasons to smile during their Europa League campaign as they need just a draw on Thursday night against Rijeka to advance. Paco Puentes / EPA
Sevilla’s Iborra, centre, and his teammates have had plenty of reasons to smile during their Europa League campaign as they need just a draw on Thursday night against Rijeka to advance. Paco Puentes /Show more

Sevilla and surprise Qarabag of Azerbaijan among those seeking Europa League advancement



Trophy holders Sevilla are among the clubs looking to claim one of the 10 berths still up for grabs in the Europa League knockout stage in Thursday’s final round of group games.

The Spanish side, who beat Benfica on penalties in last season’s final in Turin, host Rijeka of Croatia needing just a point to progress, while their visitors have to win to advance from Group G alongside Dutch giants Feyenoord.

However, coach Unai Emery has urged his side, who are currently in fourth place in La Liga, to make sure they win the game.

“Our objective is to win the game and be in the hat for the last 32,” Emery wrote on his personal website.

“We feel that we are strong in our own stadium and we hope to maintain that by carefully preparing a game in which (Rijeka) can’t afford to settle for a draw.”

Elsewhere, Borussia Monchengladbach and Villarreal will advance from Group A by avoiding defeat in their games, while Qarabag can become the first club from Azerbaijan to survive in a major European competition into the spring if they can win at home to Italian giants Inter Milan, who are already certain to win Group F.

“We will be playing in front of our fans and this sometimes can add to the pressure,” Qarabag captain Rashad F Sadygov told Uefa’s website, mindful of the fact that a slip-up could see either Saint-Etienne or Dnipro of Ukraine take advantage.

“We have a huge responsibility and just can’t let them down. So we have to be patient and hope God will help us.”

Among the other decisive encounters, Lille welcome Bundesliga high-flyers Wolfsburg to northern France in a direct shoot-out to decide who progresses from Group H along with Everton.

While Wolfsburg can afford to settle for a draw, Lille have to win, something they have yet to do in the group.

Everton are already certain to progress as group winners, which means they will be seeded in next Monday’s draw for the last 32 along with the four third-placed teams with the best records in the Champions League group stage.

Given their current travails in the Premier League, that means manager Roberto Martinez will shuffle his pack when already-eliminated Krasnodar visit Goodison Park, and Ghanaian winger Christian Atsu is one of those looking to get a chance.

“It’s been quite difficult since I came here,” Atsu, who has started just three games since joining on loan from Chelsea, told evertontv.

“I’m working hard for the team and I believe the fans haven’t seen the best of me yet.”

Of the game, the 22-year-old added: “We have a very good team spirit and we want to win every game. We are not treating it like we have qualified – we are not going out to relax.”

Scottish champions Celtic are also already through, although Ronny Deila’s side know they will finish second in Group D to Red Bull Salzburg, rendering their trip to play Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia meaningless.

“The pressure will be off and the gaffer might change the team but we don’t want to let the fans down over there,” said Celtic’s Irish forward Anthony Stokes, scorer of his team’s winning goal in the weekend Premiership win at Motherwell.

Tottenham Hotspur are also through, although in their case first place in Group C is still up for grabs as they go to Istanbul to face Besiktas.

A draw will be enough for Spurs to clinch top spot, but a defeat would see them leapfrogged by the current Turkish league leaders, who reports suggest may be forced to do without leading scorer Demba Ba due to a toe injury.

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5pm Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige Dh110,000 1,400m

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The specs

Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre

Power: 325hp

Torque: 500Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh189,700

On sale: now

Match info:

Burnley 0

Manchester United 2
Lukaku (22', 44')

Red card: Marcus Rashford (Man United)

Man of the match: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro
Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books 

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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Meydan racecard:

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Plan to boost public schools

A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.

It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.

Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.

Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.

From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

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Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania ​​​​​​​
Verdict: 4 Stars

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Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.

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