DUBAI // Encouraged by the presence of his friend Boris Kabi in the team, the Ivory Coast international Bakari Kone has signed on at Ajman until the end of the season, and said he is ready for battle in the team’s quest for survival in the Arabian Gulf League.
Kone, 32, was the second newcomer to the Ajman squad over the weekend with the bottom-placed side making a late entry into the transfer market in a bid to strengthen the squad.
Iraq defender Ahmed Ibrahim had already joined the ranks on Friday to replace Kuwaiti striker Yousuf Nasser, while Kone comes in from Qatari club Umm Salal to take the place of the injured Moroccan playmaker Driss Fettouhi.
“I have been following the Ajman team due to the presence of my friend Boris Kabi in the side,” Kone said after his move.
“I spoke to him as well and he had a lot of good things to say about the club and the way they treat their players.”
Kone, 32, the 2004/05 Player of the Year in France’s Ligue 2 while at Lorient, has also turned out for French sides Nice and Marseille during his career and has played in Qatar for the past three years for Lekhwiya and Qatar SC, before joining Umm Salal in 2013.
“I want to help the team stay in the professional league,” Kone said. “I know that the task is extremely difficult, but the team has the elements and the ability to move away from this ordeal.”
Fellow new arrival Ibrahim, who spent six months on loan at Al Wasl last season, is determined to help his new employers beat the drop.
“We know how many points we need to ensure our survival and we have the team that can do it,” the 21-year-old defender said.
In other transfers over the weekend, Al Nasr defender Ismail Al Jasmi, who has been playing on loan at Ajman for the past 18 months, has moved to Al Jazira on a three-and-a-half-year deal along with Hassan Ameen, in an exchange deal that saw Ali Al Ameri move to the Dubai club.
Nasr, meanwhile, have brought defender Talal Hamad back into the fold as he nears the end of his two-year ban for a failed dope test.
Hamad’s suspension comes to an end in March and Nasr have allowed him to start training with the club’s reserve team.
Defender Thamer Mohammed, 29, has left Baniyas for Al Ahli on a three-and-a-half-year deal. He is serving a three-month ban, which ends on March 22, after failing a dope test in November.
Al Wahda have re-registered Hussain Fadel after medical reports confirmed the injured 29-year-old Kuwaiti defender can resume training next week.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Almouneer
Started: 2017
Founders: Dr Noha Khater and Rania Kadry
Based: Egypt
Number of staff: 120
Investment: Bootstrapped, with support from Insead and Egyptian government, seed round of
$3.6 million led by Global Ventures
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
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Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Roll of Honour, men’s domestic rugby season
West Asia Premiership
Champions: Dubai Tigers
Runners up: Bahrain
UAE Premiership
Champions: Jebel Ali Dragons
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division 1
Champions: Dubai Sharks
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins II
UAE Division 2
Champions: Dubai Tigers III
Runners up: Dubai Sharks II
Dubai Sevens
Champions: Dubai Tigers
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier, in Bangkok
UAE fixtures Mon Nov 20, v China; Tue Nov 21, v Thailand; Thu Nov 23, v Nepal; Fri Nov 24, v Hong Kong; Sun Nov 26, v Malaysia; Mon Nov 27, Final
(The winners will progress to the Global Qualifier)
Results
4pm: Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
4.35pm: Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m; Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
5.10pm: Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Canvassed, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Lord Glitters, Daniel Tudhope, David O’Meara
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
7.30pm: Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Final Song, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
UAE set for Scotland series
The UAE will host Scotland for a three-match T20I series at the Dubai International Stadium next month.
The two sides will start their Cricket World Cup League 2 campaigns with a tri-series also involving Canada, starting on January 29.
That series will be followed by a bilateral T20 series on March 11, 13 and 14.
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
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ANATOMY OF A FALL
Director: Justine Triet
Starring: Sandra Huller, Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado-Graner
Rating: 5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kinetic 7
Started: 2018
Founder: Rick Parish
Based: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Industry: Clean cooking
Funding: $10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
RESULT
Valencia 3
Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'
Ferran Torres 67'
Atlanta 4
Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'
A QUIET PLACE
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Djimon Hounsou
Director: Michael Sarnoski
Rating: 4/5
