World number five Rafael Nadal has been knocked out of the Australian Open first round by fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco. The epic five-set match ended 7-6, 4-6, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 in four hours, 41 minutes. It’s only Nadal’s second ever opening round defeat at a major tournament. Meanwhile, in the women’s competition, former world number one Ana Ivanovic beat the unseeded Tammi Patterson 6-2, 6-3.
Red Bull consultant Marko to leave F1 team
Red Bull announced the departure on Tuesday of veteran motorsport consultant Helmut Marko, a major ally and supporter of four-times Formula One world champion Max Verstappen.
Dubai Basketball continues strong form across Europe
Dubai Basketball closed a demanding week on two fronts with a statement win in the ABA League and a narrow, hard-fought EuroLeague battle in Bologna, underscoring the team’s rising profile across Europe’s top competitions.
Fabrizio Romano reflects on independent media’s impact at BRIDGE
Football journalist Fabrizio Romano, whose rapid-fire exclusives helped build one of the world’s most influential news platforms, highlighted the importance of independent journalism on redefining global influence at the BRIDGE Summit on Monday.
Desert Vipers down Gulf Giants to secure win in Super Over thriller
The Desert Vipers have held their nerves to prevail in the first-ever Super Over of the DP World ILT20, beating the Gulf Giants at the Dubai International Stadium on Monday.
Fernandes double helps Man United to win as Wolves' misery continues
Manchester United has climbed to sixth in the Premier League on Monday as captain Bruno Fernandes scored twice to help them claim acomfortable 4-1 victory at bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers whose calamitous season gets bleaker by the week.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, announced on Tuesday the citywide introduction of a one-time contactless hotel guest check-in solution.
The UAE will implement a nationwide change to the timing of Friday prayers beginning January 2, 2026, according to an announcement from the country’s religious authorities.
A high-level UNESCO diplomatic session at the BRIDGE Summit 2025 in Abu Dhabi has warned that the erosion of trust in information, fuelled by AI, algorithms and online manipulation, is now a major global challenge affecting governance, democracy and social stability.
