Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – Football
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2026 was already going to be a big year for Mohamed Salah, who will be leading Egypt at the World Cup this summer, eager to erase the difficult memories from the Pharaohs’ disappointing campaign at Russia 2018.
Currently on international duty with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where he scored in their two opening group games before being rested for Monday's dead-rubber, Salah has been tasked to end his nation’s continental drought by helping the Pharaohs to a first title in the competition since 2010.
But besides his Egypt commitments, Salah’s 2026 could come with upheaval, with his future at Liverpool uncertain. It remains to be seen whether he will still be a Red post-Afcon and his next move will likely be a hot topic over the next few months.
Mohamed Amoura (Algeria) – Football
Ten of Algeria’s 24 goals in their World Cup qualification campaign came courtesy of Mohamed Amoura.
The 25-year-old forward has netted six goals in 14 Bundesliga appearances for Wolfsburg so far this season and kicked off his Afcon campaign with Algeria by providing a fancy trivela assist to Riyad Mahrez in the Desert Foxes’ opening victory over Sudan.
In sizzling form lately and hungry for more, Amoura is definitely worth your attention in 2026, whether he’s playing for club or country.
Brahim Diaz (Morocco) – Football
It’s been a little under two years since the Spain-born Brahim Diaz made his debut for Morocco and judging by his form and demeanour in the Afcon so far, he seems to be building a real connection with his Atlas Lions teammates and their fervent home fans.
With 11 goals scored in 18 appearances for Morocco so far, the Real Madrid forward is proving to be a key figure on Walid Regragui’s stacked squad.
Morocco landed in a tough World Cup group alongside Brazil, Scotland and Haiti, and it will take a mighty effort for them to replicate their fourth-place showing at the last global finals in Qatar.
Diaz, 26, wasn’t part of the team that made history three years ago but has a chance to create some special new memories with Morocco this summer.
Ali Olwan (Jordan) – Football
Nine goals, including a crucial hat-trick against Oman, from Ali Olwan helped Jordan secure qualification for the Fifa World Cup for the first time in their history.
The 25-year-old’s heroics with Al Nashama didn’t stop there. In December, he was the Golden Boot winner at the Fifa Arab Cup, scoring twice in the final as Jordan came out the wrong side of a five-goal thriller. Olwan finished as the tournament's top scorer with six goals.
Primarily a forward who can play as a left winger, Olwan plies his trade at Iraq Stars League club Al Karma.
As Jordan step up to the global stage in North America next summer, where they’ve been grouped with defending champions Argentina, Algeria and Austria, Olwan will be keen to deliver for his home country once again.
Ahmed Hafnaoui (Tunisia) – Swimming
It’s been a roller-coaster ride for Ahmed Hafnaoui, ever since he stunned the world by taking gold from Lane 8 in the 400m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics four years ago.
With limited competitive appearances after Tokyo, Hafnaoui turned up to the World Aquatics Championships in 2023 and swam the second-fastest 1,500 free in history and became just the third man to pull off the 800 free and 1,500 free double, at the worlds.
The Tunisian spent time at Indiana University but couldn’t swim for the team until he got his grades up (he was learning English in the process). He left university and joined a training group in California at the end of 2023, but faced visa issues and had to leave the United States.
He was a no-show for the Paris 2024 Olympics and it was later revealed that he is serving a 21-month suspension for whereabouts violations (he missed three anti-doping tests in a 12-month period).
Hafnaoui’s suspension ends in January, after which he can officially return to competitive swimming. He has recently been spotted training in Doha and is believed to be joining a strong distance group at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he would become teammates with fellow Tunisian world champion Ahmed Jaouadi (another one to keep an eye on in 2026).
Can Hafnaoui get back to winning ways post-suspension? Time will tell.
Samer Tawk (Lebanon) – Cross-country skiing
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In 2018, Samer Tawk became the first Lebanese in history to compete in cross-country skiing at a Winter Olympics.
A year later, he survived a near-fatal 14-metre fall while skiing on Makmel mountain in Lebanon. Tawk was unconscious for nearly 20 minutes after the fall and spent nine days in intensive care. He was bleeding internally which saw his heart rate and blood pressure plummet. He sustained numerous injuries, including four different breaks in his pelvis, which was split in half, a torn urethral tract, a dislocated elbow, a broken arm, and a pinched sciatic nerve. He was bedridden for three months.
Tawk’s doctors told him to forget about competitive skiing, but even when he was confined to his bed, he was working with his sports psychologist, daily visualising being out there on his skis.
He couldn’t make it to the Beijing 2022 Olympics but found his way back to the mountains and has successfully qualified for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics after making a miraculous recovery.
If you’re looking for someone to root for at this February’s Olympics, look no further than the 27-year-old Tawk.
Moez Echargui (Tunisia) – Tennis
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So often in sport we are reminded that it’s never too late to make a change that could lead to accomplishing a lifelong dream. Moez Echargui’s 2025 season is a prime example of that.
After taking a conscious decision to focus on his mental training, Echargui broke through a series of barriers, capturing his first three Challenger titles, soaring from outside the top 500 to a career-high 135 in the world, and securing a place in Grand Slam qualifying for the first time in his career.
The 32-year-old Tunisian spent some time preparing for his Australian Open qualifying debut at the Ons Jabeur Academy in Dubai this month and will attempt to reach his first main draw at a major in Melbourne in January.
“Starting the season ranked outside the top 500 on the ATP Tour and finishing it by qualifying for my first Grand Slam, the Australian Open 2026, still feels unreal,” Echargui wrote on his Instagram page.
“This year showed me that nothing in life is out of reach, and nothing is impossible. The only limits are the ones we place on ourselves. It taught me resilience, belief, and the importance of staying committed to the process, no matter how long or challenging the road may seem. Consistent hard work, discipline, and belief truly are the foundation of progress and success.”
Rashid Al Dhaheri (UAE) – Motorsport
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Rashid Al Dhaheri’s first year competing in the Formula Regional European Championship with Prema Racing yielded three podiums, a pole position, and a P8 finish in the final 2025 standings.
The 17-year-old Emirati also made three podiums to secure P6 in the Formula Regional Middle East Championship with the Mumbai Falcons, and received a much-needed boost by joining the Mercedes Junior Team earlier this season.
Al Dhaheri, who was recently seen catching up with Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit, is getting ready for his second season of Formula Regional racing as he hopes to take another leap forward on the track.
Abdelrahman El Araby (Egypt) – Swimming
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Few swimmers are as entertaining to follow online as Abdelrahman El Araby, who documents his trials and tribulations in and out of the pool with humour, candour, insight, and relatability.
A former Youth Olympics bronze medallist, El Araby dreams of becoming Egypt’s first swimmer to medal at the Summer Olympics – a goal that was given a welcome boost this year with the announcement that his signature event, the 50m butterfly, will be included in the Olympic programme starting at the LA 2028 Games.
A finalist in the 50m fly at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, El Araby, nicknamed "Haridi", relocated from the United States to Egypt in 2025. Despite changing his training environment, he was able to lower his times this year, setting a new African record in the 50m fly by clocking 22.80 seconds at the Mare Nostrum meet in Monaco in May. His efforts saw him break Roland Schoeman’s longstanding super-suited African record of 22.90 set in 2009.
At the World Championships in Singapore in July, El Araby reached the semi-finals and placed 14th overall with a 23.12s.
With the World Short Course Championships taking place in December 2026, and plenty of meets on the calendar all season, El Araby’s campaign is not to be missed.
Hamad Mousa (Qatar) – Basketball
After an underwhelming freshman season playing Division I basketball at University of Dayton in Ohio, Qatar’s Hamad Mousa entered the transfer portal and has come to life at California Polytechnic State University this year.
The 6’8” guard has emerged as one of the smoothest scorers in the NCAA in his sophomore campaign, averaging an impressive 20.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, and has a 45.6 field goal percentage.
Mousa was getting just 7.8 minutes per game at Dayton but is averaging 29.5 minutes at Cal Poly, and is his team’s leading scorer and rebounder.
The 19-year-old is a former NBA Global Academy standout and is just the second Qatari to play Division I basketball in the United States.
If he keeps up his current form, he will no doubt soon earn himself some well-deserved NBA Draft buzz.
While you're here
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
While you're here
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Winners
**Ballon d’Or (Men’s)**Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
**Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)**Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
**Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)**Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s PlayerVicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
**Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)**Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s GoalkeeperHannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the YearLuis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the YearSarina Wiegman (England)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
Tomorrow 2021
Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
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How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
How to turn your property into a holiday home
Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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.
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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.
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5