Yahya Al Ghassani, centre, has been impressive in such a short span in the Arabian Gulf League. Al Wahda
Yahya Al Ghassani, centre, has been impressive in such a short span in the Arabian Gulf League. Al Wahda
Yahya Al Ghassani, centre, has been impressive in such a short span in the Arabian Gulf League. Al Wahda
Yahya Al Ghassani, centre, has been impressive in such a short span in the Arabian Gulf League. Al Wahda

Al Wahda's Yahya Al Ghassani determined to make history with UAE


Amith Passela
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  • Arabic

Yahya Al Ghassani's bio

Date of birth: April 18, 1998

Playing position: Winger

Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda

Yahya Al Ghassani hopes a recent Presidential decree will help him realise his dream of playing for the UAE one day – perhaps as early as in the Asian Cup next year.

President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed issued a decree last November allowing children of men married to Emirati women, as well as those born in the UAE, to register to play for sports clubs and – potentially – represent the country.

Al Ghassani, 20, has already made history by becoming the first son of a non-Emirati father to play in the Arabian Gulf League outside the quota reserved for foreigners, after he signed a five-year contract with Al Wahda on Saturday.

He had initially signed a one-year deal, but after appearing in three games for the Abu Dhabi club, he was awarded a fresh contract that potentially keeps him in the side until 2023.

Born to an Emirati mother and a father who holds Tanzanian and Omani passports, he hopes his early success at Wahda will get him through the national team door.

The winger has Adrian Mutu, the club's Under 23 manager, and Laurentiu Reghecampf, the first-team manager, to thank for his rapid progress.

Reghecampf brought him off the bench in the season-opening Arabian Gulf Super Cup game against Al Ain in Cairo. Al Ghassani quickly made his mark in the AGL, too, scoring against Kalba and Shabab Al Ahli Dubai.

He was given his first start in a cup game against Al Wasl, and did not disappoint, scoring in a 3-0 win.

“I couldn’t have wished for a better start to my professional career,” he said. “Everyone at the club has supported me from the very first day. I’ll be loyal to Wahda forever.”

He already has an admirer in another Wahda loyalist, UAE superstar Ismail Matar.

Yahya Al Ghassani joined Al Wahda on a one-year contract, which later got extended to five. Al Wahda
Yahya Al Ghassani joined Al Wahda on a one-year contract, which later got extended to five. Al Wahda

“There is no doubt of his abilities, but we shouldn’t jump into any conclusions,” Matar said, however. “Yahya is in the first team because our technical staff has seen that he has good potential.

“He’s got a good future, but he should continue to work hard and gain more experience at the top flight. If he can do that, I’m sure he’s going he’ll achieve his goals – both short and long term.”

Al Ghassani has certainly done the hard yards to get to where he is. He first joined Dubai club Al Ahli when he was 15, but left after it was merged with two other sides to form Shabab Al Ahli Dubai at the start of 2017/18.

Considered at one point by Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain and Spanish clubs Malaga and Leganes, Al Ghassani joined Ligue 2 outfit Paris FC on a three-month contract.

Then he returned to his country of birth to gain more time on the pitch. “I tried to get into a local club following the Presidential decree,” he said.

But Al Ghassani’s comeback was far from straight-forward. He was offered to train with the merged Dubai club, but did not hear from them thereafter. Al Nasr invited him to train with their U21 side, but “it didn’t go well for whatever reasons”.

That was when he received a call from Abdul Basit, former Al Wahda goalkeeper and current team manager, who linked him with the youth side.

“After training for two days with Adrian Mutu, he recommended me to the club management,” Al Ghassani said. “And then suddenly, everything changed for me. I realised my dream had come true.”

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Read more:

'They feel they belong here': Judo and ice hockey federations welcome the Presidential decree

UAE FA: Decree to allow expats to represent sports teams a 'wise and very welcome decision'

UAE cricket: players hopeful of changing perceptions after President Sheikh Khalifa's decree

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UAE superstar Ismail Matar, one of Al Wahda's most important players, thinks highly of Yahya Al Ghassani. Chris Whiteoak / The National
UAE superstar Ismail Matar, one of Al Wahda's most important players, thinks highly of Yahya Al Ghassani. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A keen footballer from the age of six, Al Ghassani had played handball and “a lot of tennis” to improve his agility.

His talent was first spotted by the Manchester United Academy. Just 14 years old then, he was one of 10 players taken to Old Trafford to partake in a two-week camp.

They were so impressed by his work ethic, they asked him to stay for two more months.

Al Ghassani has emerged as a UAE prospect.

He is expected to be fast-tracked into the Olympic side, whose bid to qualify for Tokyo 2020 begins in March. But he has an eye on a more immediate prize.

“I wish I get a call-up for the Asian Cup,” he said, referring to the continental championship, to be held in the country from January 5-February 1.

“If not, I will keep trying.”

Jordan cabinet changes

In

  • Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
  • Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
  • Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
  • Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
  • Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
  • Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
  • Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
  • Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
  • Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth

Out

  • Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
  • Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
  • Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
  • Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
  • Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
  • Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
  • Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
  • Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
  • Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
  • Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
  • Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
  • Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

Ads on social media can 'normalise' drugs

A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.

The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.

Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.

Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.

The 12 breakaway clubs

England

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur

Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus

Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is an FTO Designation?

FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes. 

It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.

Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.

Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.

Source: US Department of State

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

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Price: From Dh149,900

Biog

Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara

He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada

Father of two sons, grandfather of six

Plays golf once a week

Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family

Walks for an hour every morning

Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India

2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business

 

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

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F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

The Specs

Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now

Florence and the Machine – High as Hope
Three stars

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
if you go

The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow. 
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes). 

Profile of Tamatem

Date started: March 2013

Founder: Hussam Hammo

Based: Amman, Jordan

Employees: 55

Funding: $6m

Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

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Yahya Al Ghassani's bio

Date of birth: April 18, 1998

Playing position: Winger

Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda