The World Tennis League has announced the addition of American singer-songwriter Anastacia Lyn Newkirk to its lineup for the third season, scheduled to be held at the iconic Etihad Arena from December 19 to 22, 2024.

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The American pop diva will join legendary rock musician Bryan Adams, who is set to perform on the opening night of WTL 2024, creating a stellar lineup that will dazzle audiences on and off the court. She will take the stage on the second day (December 20) of the third edition of the World Tennis League.

Anastacia, renowned for her powerful voice and chart-topping hits like ‘I’m Outta Love’, ‘Not That Kind’, ‘Freak of Nature’, ‘Paid My Dues’, and ‘One Day in Your Life’, have captivated millions worldwide.

With over 30 million records sold globally, Anastacia has earned more than 225 awards across 31 countries and #1 hits in 19 countries. She became the World’s Best Selling New Female Pop Artist at the 2001 World Music Awards.

Having established itself as a premier event that combines elite tennis with electrifying musical performances, the World Tennis League season 3 is shaping up to be one of the biggest events of 2024.

Concert ticket holders can upgrade their WTL experience by securing a discounted add-on Tennis ticket for the Tennis matches for the day.

Tickets are available at etihadarena.ae   

Joby Aviation, Inc., a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, today announced it has taken the first step towards becoming a certified air taxi operator in the United Arab Emirates.

During the International Civil Aviation Organization’s inaugural Advanced Air Mobility Summit, taking place in Montreal, Canada this week, JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, met with His Excellency Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), and presented Joby’s Letter of Intent to initiate Joby’s Air Operator Certificate application.

In February 2024, Joby signed a definitive agreement with Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) to launch air taxi services in the Emirate of Dubai, positioning the city as a world leader in the next generation of fast, clean and quiet air mobility.

In April 2024, Joby expanded its partnership with the UAE through a multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Municipalities and Transport – Abu Dhabi (DMT), the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (DED) and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), paving the way for Joby to establish and scale air taxi services in Abu Dhabi and beyond.

Bevirt commented: “There is incredible momentum behind the adoption of clean flight across the UAE, and we’re excited to be working with a wide range of partners, including the GCAA, to lay the groundwork for one of the world’s first electric air taxi networks, delivering fast, clean and quiet journeys using our revolutionary aircraft.”

H.E Saif Al Suwaidi said: “The Letter of Intent for the operator certificate application from Joby Aviation marks a significant milestone in the UAE’s journey towards becoming a global leader in EVTOL operations. Our readiness to support these advanced technologies underscores our commitment to fostering advanced air mobility solutions that will be part of the future of transportation in the UAE and beyond. We are excited to work closely with Joby Aviation to ensure the highest standards of safety and efficiency as we advance towards the realization of commercial EVTOL operations in our skies.”

Issued by the GCAA, the Air Operator Certificate is required to operate commercial air transport in the UAE. Joby will follow a five-stage application process that will see the Company develop a full complement of air taxi operating manuals, undergo inspections of its UAE-based facilities, and complete GCAA observation of pilot and aircraft mechanic training as well as flight operations.
Joby completed a similar process to receive its U.S. Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration in May 2022 and has operated traditional aircraft in the U.S. for more than two years, refining aspects of the Company’s intended air taxi operations while using its proprietary ElevateOS software system.

Joby’s electric air taxi is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, with a journey from Dubai International Airport to Palm Jumeirah, which typically takes 45 minutes by car, expected to take just 10 minutes.

Preparations for the second season of Zim Afro T10 are well and truly on. The franchises have got their squads in place and the Harare Sports Club is all set for the tournament which begins on September 21 and will finish with the grand finale on 29 September.

Season 2 of the Zim Afro T10 will see the teams battle it out over the course of 9 days for the top prize. Each day will comprise three games, with the first scheduled for 3pm local time and 630pm IST. The second game of the day will be at 515pm local time and 845pm IST, while the third game of the day will see the players take the field at 730pm local time and 11pm IST.

A glittering opening ceremony is also scheduled for the opening day, and that is set to commence from 1pm local time. On September 29, after the final, which is scheduled to begin at 530pm local time, there will be a grand closing ceremony to round off the tournament.

The opening game of the tournament will see the Durban Wolves take on the Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers, after which, Cape Town Samp Army and the Harare Bolts will take centre stage. The final game for the day will pit the two remaining franchises, Bulawayo Brave Jaguars and the NYS Lagos.

The second match-day will see the Durban Wolves take on the Harare Bolts in the first game, after which NYS Lagos and Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers will play the second game. The final game of the day will pit the Bulawayo Brave Jaguars against Cape Town Samp Army.
Day 3 will kick off with Harare Bolts playing Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers, followed by the Bulawayo Brave Jaguars taking on Durban Wolves. The final game of the day will see Cape Town Samp Army play NYS Lagos.

NYS Lagos and Durban Wolves will commence the fourth day’s activities, with Harare Bolts and Bulawayo Brave Jaguars taking over the baton after that, and finally handing it over to Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers and Cape Town Samp Army for the final game of the day on the fourth day.

The Harare Bolts and the NYS Lagos will commence Day 5, before Durban Wolves and Cape Town Samp Army play the second game of the day. The final game of the day will see Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers play the Bulawayo Brave Jaguars.

The penultimate day of the league stage will kick off with Durban Wolves playing the Harare Bolts first, and then Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers take on Bulawayo Brave Jaguars, before Cape Town Samp Army and NYS Lagos play the third game of the day.

The final day of the league phase will see Bulawayo Brave Jaguars play Cape Town Samp Army first, and then NYS Lagos takes on Durban Wolves. The final league stage game will be between Harare Bolts and the Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers.

A total of 21 games will be played in the league stage for the Zim Afro T10, and after that the knockout phase will commence. The top 2 teams will square off in Qualifier 1, with the winner going through to the final. The third and fourth placed teams will then play the Eliminator, where the winner goes through to Qualifier 2, to face the runner-up of Qualifier 1. The team that wins Qualifier 2 will eventually play the winner of Qualifier 1 in the final.

Nawab Shaji Ul Mulk, T Ten Global Sports Founder and Chairman, said, “Season 2 of the Zim Afro T10 is definitely going to be bigger and better. The players and teams are all preparing very hard for the tournament, and it promises to be nothing less than a celebration of the sport. Each day has the potential for some great contests, and we hope the fans will also enjoy watching their favourite players go head-to-head.”