Brian O'Driscoll, the captain of Ireland's rugby union team, has turned down an invitation to the UK's royal wedding in order to prepare for Leinster's European Cup clash with Toulouse.
O'Driscoll told The Guardian that he had said no to an invite to Friday's wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey because of pre-match commitments in Dublin.
Leinster face Toulouse in the European Cup semi-finals at Lansdowne Road on Saturday aiming to avenge their defeat to the French giants at the same stage of the competition last season.
O'Driscoll said turning down his royal invite had been a straightforward decision.
"I have a captain's run on Friday and as big an honour as it was to be invited, I can't ask for team runs to be at half-six in the evening so I can go to the wedding," O'Driscoll said.
"The team ethos comes first, even after 12 years. I know [Prince] William and he's a nice, chatty, normal guy. On a conversational level with him and [Prince] Harry, it's extremely normal.
O'Driscoll said his wife, the actress Amy Huberman, would attend the royal nuptials. " ... Amy's going as we felt there was an element of our representing Ireland as well," O'Driscoll said. "It's going to be an incredible thing, with two billion watching, but I'll be at home, preparing for Toulouse."
O'Driscoll believes home advantage this weekend could tip the balance in Leinster's favour.
"We lost to them in the semi in Toulouse last year. But being at home is a big advantage. We'll have over 40,000 supporting us and they'll only have 4,000."
Elsewhere, Japan has been ordered to move five Pacific Nations Cup matches to Fiji following last month's deadly earthquake and tsunami and fears over a nuclear crisis.
The Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) said yesterday that only the July 2 curtain-raiser against Samoa had survived after the International Rugby Board (IRB) decided on the switch.
"It was an extremely difficult decision to take but it is one we must accept," Tatsuzo Yabe, the JRFU general secretary, told reporters. "We had put in so much work to organise a wonderful tournament. It's a great pity."
Apart from Japan's opener against Samoa in Tokyo, the remainder of the competition from July 9 to 13 will be held in Fiji, which hosted the 2009 Pacific Nations Cup.
Japan are also competing in the Asian Five Nations, in which the UAE are playing for the first time as a single nation, having previously taken part as the Arabian Gulf.
However, Japan will be playing all their games in the tournament away from home, including a match against the UAE at the Sevens in Dubai on May 13.
Sporting events have been thrown into chaos following the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami on March 11.
The huge tsunami wave triggered by the quake severely damaged a nuclear plant in Fukushima some 240km (150 miles) north of Tokyo, forcing the abandonment of major sports events across Japan.
Professional baseball and football, Japan's two biggest spectator sports, were forced to postpone the start of their seasons.
In Italy, Jacques Brunel will be named new national coach "in the coming days", according to the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR). Giancarlo Dondi, the FIR president, told AFP: "Jacques Brunel has not yet signed his contract but will be named as coach in the coming days."
Brunel, currently the coach of French Top 14 team Perpignan, will take up his duties after this year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, when the Italian side will be coached by incumbent Nick Mallett.
Mallett took over the role from Frenchman Pierre Berbizier following the last World Cup in France in 2007, being handed a four-year deal.
Italy won just three out of 20 Six Nations matches under Mallett including the historic 22-21 victory at home to France this season.
His record was marginally better than Italy's Six Nations record before he arrived - five wins and one draw in 40 matches - but that has not proved enough for the federation.
Mallett also oversaw November Test victories against Fiji and Samoa in the last two years while his tourists beat Argentina in Cordoba in June 2008.
Four reasons global stock markets are falling right now
There are many factors worrying investors right now and triggering a rush out of stock markets. Here are four of the biggest:
1. Rising US interest rates
The US Federal Reserve has increased interest rates three times this year in a bid to prevent its buoyant economy from overheating. They now stand at between 2 and 2.25 per cent and markets are pencilling in three more rises next year.
Kim Catechis, manager of the Legg Mason Martin Currie Global Emerging Markets Fund, says US inflation is rising and the Fed will continue to raise rates in 2019. “With inflationary pressures growing, an increasing number of corporates are guiding profitability expectations downwards for 2018 and 2019, citing the negative impact of rising costs.”
At the same time as rates are rising, central bankers in the US and Europe have been ending quantitative easing, bringing the era of cheap money to an end.
2. Stronger dollar
High US rates have driven up the value of the dollar and bond yields, and this is putting pressure on emerging market countries that took advantage of low interest rates to run up trillions in dollar-denominated debt. They have also suffered capital outflows as international investors have switched to the US, driving markets lower. Omar Negyal, portfolio manager of the JP Morgan Global Emerging Markets Income Trust, says this looks like a buying opportunity. “Despite short-term volatility we remain positive about long-term prospects and profitability for emerging markets.”
3. Global trade war
Ritu Vohora, investment director at fund manager M&G, says markets fear that US President Donald Trump’s spat with China will escalate into a full-blown global trade war, with both sides suffering. “The US economy is robust enough to absorb higher input costs now, but this may not be the case as tariffs escalate. However, with a host of factors hitting investor sentiment, this is becoming a stock picker’s market.”
4. Eurozone uncertainty
Europe faces two challenges right now in the shape of Brexit and the new populist government in eurozone member Italy.
Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, which has offices in Dubai, says the stand-off between between Rome and Brussels threatens to become much more serious. "As with Brexit, neither side appears willing to step back from the edge, threatening more trouble down the line.”
The European economy may also be slowing, Mr Beauchamp warns. “A four-year low in eurozone manufacturing confidence highlights the fact that producers see a bumpy road ahead, with US-EU trade talks remaining a major question-mark for exporters.”
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
More on Quran memorisation:
More coverage from the Future Forum
Medicus AI
Started: 2016
Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh
Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai
Sector: Health Tech
Staff: 119
Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
Scores
Oman 109-3 in 18.4 overs (Aqib Ilyas 45 not out, Aamir Kaleem 27) beat UAE 108-9 in 20 overs (Usman 27, Mustafa 24, Fayyaz 3-16, Bilal 3-23)
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Third-place play-off: New Zealand v Wales, Friday, 1pm
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
match details
Wales v Hungary
Cardiff City Stadium, kick-off 11.45pm
The biog
Name: Atheja Ali Busaibah
Date of birth: 15 November, 1951
Favourite books: Ihsan Abdel Quddous books, such as “The Sun will Never Set”
Hobbies: Reading and writing poetry
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
All or Nothing
Amazon Prime
Four stars
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Racecard
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m
8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections: 6.30pm: RM Lam Tara, 7.05pm: Al Mukhtar Star, 7.40pm: Bochart, 8.15pm: Magic Lily, 8.50pm: Roulston Scar, 9.25pm: Quip, 10pm: Jalmoud
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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Asia Cup Qualifier
Final
UAE v Hong Kong
TV:
Live on OSN Cricket HD. Coverage starts at 5.30am
Chatham House Rule
A mark of Chatham House’s influence 100 years on since its founding, was Moscow’s formal declaration last month that it was an “undesirable
organisation”.
The depth of knowledge and academics that it drew on
following the Ukraine invasion had broadcast Mr Putin’s chicanery.
The institute is more used to accommodating world leaders,
with Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher among those helping it provide
authoritative commentary on world events.
Chatham House was formally founded as the Royal Institute of
International Affairs following the peace conferences of World War One. Its
founder, Lionel Curtis, wanted a more scientific examination of international affairs
with a transparent exchange of information and ideas.
That arena of debate and analysis was enhanced by the “Chatham
House Rule” states that the contents of any meeting can be discussed outside Chatham
House but no mention can be made identifying individuals who commented.
This has enabled some candid exchanges on difficult subjects
allowing a greater degree of free speech from high-ranking figures.
These meetings are highly valued, so much so that
ambassadors reported them in secret diplomatic cables that – when they were
revealed in the Wikileaks reporting – were thus found to have broken the rule. However,
most speeches are held on the record.
Its research and debate has offered fresh ideas to
policymakers enabling them to more coherently address troubling issues from climate
change to health and food security.
