Argentina's Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez celebrate during the 3-0 World Cup semi-final win against Croatia at the Lusail Stadium on December 13, 2022. AP
Argentina's Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez celebrate during the 3-0 World Cup semi-final win against Croatia at the Lusail Stadium on December 13, 2022. AP
Lionel Messi celebrates Argentina's win with Rodrigo De Paul, Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes and Alejandro Gomez after the match. Reuters
Lionel Messi celebrates Argentina's win with Rodrigo De Paul, Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes and Alejandro Gomez after the match. Reuters
Argentina's Lionel Messi and teammates celebrate their victory. AP
Argentina's Lionel Messi and teammates celebrate their victory. AP
Lionel Messi of Argentina after the team's win over Croatia. Getty
Lionel Messi of Argentina after the team's win over Croatia. Getty
Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after the game. Getty
Lionel Messi of Argentina celebrates after the game. Getty
Julian Alvarez celebrates with teammates after scoring the third goal. Getty
Julian Alvarez celebrates with teammates after scoring the third goal. Getty
Argentina's Julian Alvarez scores the third goal of the game. PA
Argentina's Julian Alvarez scores the third goal of the game. PA
Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring the second goal with Lionel Messi and teammates. EPA
Julian Alvarez celebrates scoring the second goal with Lionel Messi and teammates. EPA
Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring the first goal. Getty
Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring the first goal. Getty
Argentina's Julian Alvarez celebrates with teammates after scoring the second goal. Getty
Argentina's Julian Alvarez celebrates with teammates after scoring the second goal. Getty
Argentina's Julian Alvarez scores the second goal. PA
Argentina's Julian Alvarez scores the second goal. PA
Julian Alvarez celebrates after scoring. Getty
Julian Alvarez celebrates after scoring. Getty
Croatia's Dominik Livakovic fouls Julian Alvarez, leading to the penalty. Getty
Croatia's Dominik Livakovic fouls Julian Alvarez, leading to the penalty. Getty
Croatia's goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic lies on the ground after fouling Argentina's Julian Alvarez to concede a penalty. AFP
Croatia's goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic lies on the ground after fouling Argentina's Julian Alvarez to concede a penalty. AFP
Lionel Messi scores his penalty. Getty
Lionel Messi scores his penalty. Getty
Lionel Messi after scoring Argntina's first goal from the penalty spot. Getty
Lionel Messi after scoring Argntina's first goal from the penalty spot. Getty
Lionel Messi in action with Croatia's Mateo Kovacic. Reuters
Lionel Messi in action with Croatia's Mateo Kovacic. Reuters

World Cup

Lionel Messi stands on the brink of matching the magic of Maradona

Argentine maestro is one game away from emulating the great Diego at World Cup 2022

Ian Hawkey
Ian Hawkey

December 15, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

The best goal Diego Maradona scored at a World Cup started its journey with a pirouette in his own half.

He carried on past the attempted challenges of four England players down the inside-right channel and then won his duel with Peter Shilton, the goalkeeper. That virtuoso run put Argentina into the semi-final of the 1986 tournament, the event commonly remembered as The Maradona World Cup.

That goal, and that year’s gold medal, set a towering standard for Argentina for all nine World Cups since, and, for the last four of them, for Lionel Messi, whose moments of brilliance are routinely judged against the great Maradona’s.

So too the dazzling run that on Tuesday sealed Argentina’s place in the final of Qatar 2022. It started near the halfway line. It covered most of the right flank. It featured a pirouette. Poor Josko Gvardiol, the Croatia defender, endured all on his own, again and again, the same dispiriting frustrations as England’s Peter Beardsley, Peter Reid, Terry Butcher and Terry Fenwick 34 years ago, in trying and failing to dispossess a dribbling genius.

A key difference is that at the Lusail Stadium, Messi’s epic run gathered steam without teammates feeling momentarily irritated. During Maradona’s legendary slalom, colleagues anxiously waited for a pass.

Jorge Valdano and Jorge Burruchaga, who both scored in the winning final against West Germany a week later, had made runs to anticipate a Maradona cross. The midfielder Ricardo Guisti later recalled: “I wanted him to give the ball to Valdano and thought: ‘He’s not going to pass it!’.”

Against Croatia, with Gvardiol twisted this way and that and left trailing in Messi’s wake, the PSG star delivered a perfect pass, a cutback from just in front of the goal-line. Julian Alvarez was his grateful Burruchaga or Valdano, steering in his second goal of the semi-final.

Alvarez had also contributed decisively to Argentina’s opener, fouled to earn the penalty emphatically converted by Messi in the first half.

Argentina v Croatia ratings

ARGENTINA RATINGS: Emi Martinez - 7. Untested in a cagey start as Croatia had possession but few opportunities. Comfortable save from Perisic on 72. Reuters
ARGENTINA RATINGS: Emi Martinez - 7. Untested in a cagey start as Croatia had possession but few opportunities. Comfortable save from Perisic on 72. Reuters
Nahuel Molina - 8. Right-back who made a fine run to support Argentina’s second goal. AP
Nahuel Molina - 8. Right-back who made a fine run to support Argentina’s second goal. AP
Cristian Romero - 8. Hard, not always fair, the Spurs central defender is loved by Argentina’s massive travelling support. Booked in front of the 88,966 crowd. AP
Cristian Romero - 8. Hard, not always fair, the Spurs central defender is loved by Argentina’s massive travelling support. Booked in front of the 88,966 crowd. AP
Nicolas Otamendi - 8. The old master, the foil to the younger Romero, he took a ball to the face in a Croatia attack. Argentina only had 40 per cent of possession, but let Croatia play in front of their defence. EPA
Nicolas Otamendi - 8. The old master, the foil to the younger Romero, he took a ball to the face in a Croatia attack. Argentina only had 40 per cent of possession, but let Croatia play in front of their defence. EPA
Nicolas Tagliafico - 8. Brought down in a stiff early challenge but stood strong throughout. Best moment was when he won the ball on 63 to turn defence into an attack - which he supported. Then did the same two minutes later. Getty
Nicolas Tagliafico - 8. Brought down in a stiff early challenge but stood strong throughout. Best moment was when he won the ball on 63 to turn defence into an attack - which he supported. Then did the same two minutes later. Getty
Rodrigo De Paul - 8. As Argentina played the same 4-4-2 system that hadn’t convinced against Mexico. Hit a shot that was deflected wide on 41. AFP
Rodrigo De Paul - 8. As Argentina played the same 4-4-2 system that hadn’t convinced against Mexico. Hit a shot that was deflected wide on 41. AFP
Leandro Paredes - 8. A first start since the opening game and initially up against it as Croatia dominated in the middle. Shot on target after 47. Solid alongside Fernandez. AP
Leandro Paredes - 8. A first start since the opening game and initially up against it as Croatia dominated in the middle. Shot on target after 47. Solid alongside Fernandez. AP
Enzo Fernandez - 8. Very comfortable against some of the best midfielders in the world. Superb tournament for the Benfica midfielder, 21. He only moved to Europe this year. He won’t be playing in Portugal in a few years. Getty
Enzo Fernandez - 8. Very comfortable against some of the best midfielders in the world. Superb tournament for the Benfica midfielder, 21. He only moved to Europe this year. He won’t be playing in Portugal in a few years. Getty
Alexis Mac Allister - 8. Headed a 42nd-minute corner towards goal that was saved. Volleyed wide on 82 as Argentina dominated. Grown throughout the tournament. Getty
Alexis Mac Allister - 8. Headed a 42nd-minute corner towards goal that was saved. Volleyed wide on 82 as Argentina dominated. Grown throughout the tournament. Getty
Lionel Messi - 10. Scored the penalty that put Argentina ahead. Supporting role in the second. Evaded defenders to make a super run on goal on 57 to almost make it three. Equalled Lothar Matthaus’s World Cup appearance record. Sensational for the third, winning ball on halfway line, beating his men and setting up Alvarez. Genius. AFP
Lionel Messi - 10. Scored the penalty that put Argentina ahead. Supporting role in the second. Evaded defenders to make a super run on goal on 57 to almost make it three. Equalled Lothar Matthaus’s World Cup appearance record. Sensational for the third, winning ball on halfway line, beating his men and setting up Alvarez. Genius. AFP
Julian Alvarez - 9. Won the penalty having been brought down by the goalkeeper, which led to Argentina going ahead. Brilliant individual goal to put Argentina two up on 39 – his third goal of these finals. Made it 3-0, sweeping in Messi’s ball on 69. Four goals puts him behind only Messi and Mbappe. AFP
Julian Alvarez - 9. Won the penalty having been brought down by the goalkeeper, which led to Argentina going ahead. Brilliant individual goal to put Argentina two up on 39 – his third goal of these finals. Made it 3-0, sweeping in Messi’s ball on 69. Four goals puts him behind only Messi and Mbappe. AFP
SUBS: Lisandro Martinez - 7. On for Paredes on 61. A bit of bite as he helped Argentina reach a sixth World Cup final, including two of the past three - the Messi era. Reuters
SUBS: Lisandro Martinez - 7. On for Paredes on 61. A bit of bite as he helped Argentina reach a sixth World Cup final, including two of the past three - the Messi era. Reuters
Exequiel Palacios - 7. On for De Paul on 73 and straight into the middle. AP
Exequiel Palacios - 7. On for De Paul on 73 and straight into the middle. AP
Paulo Dybala - 6. On for Alvarez on 74 for his first minutes in these World Cup finals. Top player. EPA
Paulo Dybala - 6. On for Alvarez on 74 for his first minutes in these World Cup finals. Top player. EPA
Angel Correa - N/A. On for Mac Allister on 86 as Argentina’s wise coach Scaloni used as many players as possible. Getty
Angel Correa - N/A. On for Mac Allister on 86 as Argentina’s wise coach Scaloni used as many players as possible. Getty
Juan Foyth - N/A. On for Molina on 86 and straight to right- back to help see out the game. AFP
Juan Foyth - N/A. On for Molina on 86 and straight to right- back to help see out the game. AFP
CROATIA RATINGS: Dominik Livakovic - 5. After conceding the penalty that led to Messi opening the scoring, Livakovic was never the same outside of a few decent saves. Getty
CROATIA RATINGS: Dominik Livakovic - 5. After conceding the penalty that led to Messi opening the scoring, Livakovic was never the same outside of a few decent saves. Getty
Josip Juranovic - 7. Fought harder than most to get Croatia into positive positions and rarely put a foot wrong at the back, other than the second goal. EPA
Josip Juranovic - 7. Fought harder than most to get Croatia into positive positions and rarely put a foot wrong at the back, other than the second goal. EPA
Dejan Lovren - 4. The former Liverpool man was way too deep ahead of the opener and looked lost more often than not. Getty
Dejan Lovren - 4. The former Liverpool man was way too deep ahead of the opener and looked lost more often than not. Getty
Josko Gvardiol - 5. Inconsistency was the key here as Gvardiol went from looking unbelievably nervous to composed and back again. PA
Josko Gvardiol - 5. Inconsistency was the key here as Gvardiol went from looking unbelievably nervous to composed and back again. PA
Borna Sosa - 5. The defender just couldn’t get his final ball right with the cherry on top being a fluffed clearance for the 2nd goal. EPA
Borna Sosa - 5. The defender just couldn’t get his final ball right with the cherry on top being a fluffed clearance for the 2nd goal. EPA
Luka Modric - 7. Croatia’s talisman put on a typically impressive and controlled display, but it just wasn’t enough to overcome the Argentines. Reuters
Luka Modric - 7. Croatia’s talisman put on a typically impressive and controlled display, but it just wasn’t enough to overcome the Argentines. Reuters
Marcelo Brozovic - 6. Showcased a strong presence in the middle of the park, only to fade away once Argentina began to step on the gas. AP
Marcelo Brozovic - 6. Showcased a strong presence in the middle of the park, only to fade away once Argentina began to step on the gas. AP
Mateo Kovacic - 7. The midfield maestro was aggressive and persistent but didn’t show enough of an attacking edge for his teammates. PA
Mateo Kovacic - 7. The midfield maestro was aggressive and persistent but didn’t show enough of an attacking edge for his teammates. PA
Mario Pasalic - 5. Not quick enough to the ball, too slow to react in the final third and generally pretty useless for the underdogs. EPA
Mario Pasalic - 5. Not quick enough to the ball, too slow to react in the final third and generally pretty useless for the underdogs. EPA
Andrej Kramaric - 6. Outside of some solid determination to get forward, Kramaric was too erratic both in and out of possession. EPA
Andrej Kramaric - 6. Outside of some solid determination to get forward, Kramaric was too erratic both in and out of possession. EPA
Ivan Perisic - 5. The veteran simply couldn’t find his way into the semi-final and was marked out of the match throughout. AP
Ivan Perisic - 5. The veteran simply couldn’t find his way into the semi-final and was marked out of the match throughout. AP
SUBS: Nikola Vlasic - 6. Was slow to the ball for the third goal, which is a shame, given that his early work showed promise through his build-up. Getty
SUBS: Nikola Vlasic - 6. Was slow to the ball for the third goal, which is a shame, given that his early work showed promise through his build-up. Getty
Mislav Orsic - 7. Zagreb’s finest had some nice movement, even if it ultimately didn’t lead to anything substantial for Croatia. AP
Mislav Orsic - 7. Zagreb’s finest had some nice movement, even if it ultimately didn’t lead to anything substantial for Croatia. AP
Bruno Petkovic - 6. Held play up well in the box but didn’t possess the killer instinct necessary to get his side back in the game. Getty
Bruno Petkovic - 6. Held play up well in the box but didn’t possess the killer instinct necessary to get his side back in the game. Getty
Marko Livaja - N/A. Worked hard but wasn’t able to get much going in what proved to be an uneventful cameo. Getty
Marko Livaja - N/A. Worked hard but wasn’t able to get much going in what proved to be an uneventful cameo. Getty
Lovro Majer - N/A. Held a firm position in midfield as the minutes ticked by en route to his nation’s defeat. AFP
Lovro Majer - N/A. Held a firm position in midfield as the minutes ticked by en route to his nation’s defeat. AFP

It has been quite a year for Alvarez. Twelve months ago he was preparing himself for a far less glamorous final, the equivalent of the Argentinian Super Cup. It was his last match as an employee of River Plate ahead of the announcement of his signing for Manchester City, who promptly told him he was not needed in their first team for six months and could continue on loan at River.

Enzo Fernandez, now of Benfica, was in River’s midfield that day. The pair of them, 22 and 21, have come a long way fast. In the past three weeks, both have established themselves as trusted starters for Argentina, now on the threshold of the most desired medal a football career can deliver.

Argentina’s supporting cast often talk of Messi as their “leader”, and for several, the elevation into his orbit has felt sudden and exhilarating.

Alvarez has made a good impression at City since August but is still the understudy to Erling Haaland. Fernandez only made his international debut in September. Alexis Mac Allister, of Brighton, won his first competitive cap in March.

Fernandez and Mac Allister’s companions in the midfield picked by coach Lionel Scaloni against Croatia were Rodrigo De Paul, who tends to be on the bench for his club, Atletico Madrid’s European Champions League matches, and Leandro Paredes, who in August was told by Messi’s Paris Saint-Germain he should leave if he wanted more chance of regular first-team minutes. He joined Juventus, who have had a very poor autumn, on loan.

On paper, that quartet are not a world-beating midfield. Scan the Argentina squad and it contains probably fewer stars than any of those that accompanied Messi to his previous four World Cups, from which his best finish was the losing final of 2014.

Yet Scaloni, reacting to the setback of an opening group-stage loss to Saudi Arabia, has developed a strong unit to complement his megastar.

While Messi can roll back the years with surges like the one that tortured Gvardiol, he also needs, at 35, his moments of pause. The energy and stamina of Mac Allister, 23, Fernandez and Alvarez compensate.

They are steadily eclipsing older allies, too. Fernandez is delivering the sort of through-balls that Angel Di Maria, in Qatar but restricted by fitness issues, has been directing at Messi for the best part of 15 years in the national jersey.

Alvarez is keeping Inter's Lautaro Martinez, a strike partner of Messi’s through almost 40 internationals, on the bench.

Which may be reassuring for Argentinians as they look beyond Sunday’s final, the game Messi says will be his last for his country.

Bravehearts for the next generation are emerging. None will ever be comparable to Messi but they have gained from being alongside him, guided by him in the month he honoured comparisons with Maradona in 1986, and, perhaps, the month when he finally matches Maradona’s status as World Cup-winning leader.

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Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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

5.30pm Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m

6pm Abu Dhabi Championship Listed | Dh180,000 | 1,600m

6.30pm Maiden | Dh80,000 | 1,600m

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7.30pm Handicap (TB) |Dh100,000 | 2,400m

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High profile Al Shabab attacks
  • 2010: A restaurant attack in Kampala Uganda kills 74 people watching a Fifa World Cup final football match.
  • 2013: The Westgate shopping mall attack, 62 civilians, five Kenyan soldiers and four gunmen are killed.
  • 2014: A series of bombings and shootings across Kenya sees scores of civilians killed.
  • 2015: Four gunmen attack Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya and take over 700 students hostage, killing those who identified as Christian; 148 die and 79 more are injured.
  • 2016: An attack on a Kenyan military base in El Adde Somalia kills 180 soldiers.
  • 2017: A suicide truck bombing outside the Safari Hotel in Mogadishu kills 587 people and destroys several city blocks, making it the deadliest attack by the group and the worst in Somalia’s history.
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On sale: Now

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Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

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Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space

Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)

Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)

Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi 

Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution) 

Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space  

Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019

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Get inspired

Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).

Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.  

Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?). 

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Norwich 0

Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')

Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)

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Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

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Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra

Director: Anu Menon

Rating: Three out of five stars

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Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Yahya Al Ghassani's bio

Date of birth: April 18, 1998

Playing position: Winger

Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda

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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

While you're here
FIGHT CARD

Sara El Bakkali v Anisha Kadka (Lightweight, female)
Mohammed Adil Al Debi v Moaz Abdelgawad (Bantamweight)
Amir Boureslan v Mahmoud Zanouny (Welterweight)
Abrorbek Madaminbekov v Mohammed Al Katheeri (Featherweight)
Ibrahem Bilal v Emad Arafa (Super featherweight)
Ahmed Abdolaziz v Imad Essassi (Middleweight)
Milena Martinou v Ilham Bourakkadi (Bantamweight, female)
Noureddine El Agouti v Mohamed Mardi (Welterweight)
Nabil Ouach v Ymad Atrous (Middleweight)
Nouredin Samir v Zainalabid Dadachev (Lightweight)
Marlon Ribeiro v Mehdi Oubahammou (Welterweight)
Brad Stanton v Mohamed El Boukhari (Super welterweight

Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
War and the virus
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
War on waste
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Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELeap%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ziad%20Toqan%20and%20Jamil%20Khammu%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Gehraiyaan'
Director:Shakun Batra

Stars:Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Dhairya Karwa

Rating: 4/5

The biog

Name: Mariam Ketait

Emirate: Dubai

Hobbies: I enjoy travelling, experiencing new things, painting, reading, flying, and the French language

Favourite quote: "Be the change you wish to see" - unknown

Favourite activity: Connecting with different cultures

KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
While you're here
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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EPL's youngest
  • Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
    15 years, 181 days old
  • Max Dowman (Arsenal)
    15 years, 235 days old
  • Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
    15 years, 271 days old
  • Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
    16 years, 30 days old
  • Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
    16 years, 68 days old
Changing visa rules

For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.

Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.

It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.

The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.

The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.

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On Women's Day
Updated: December 15, 2022, 4:56 AM`
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