The Dubai-based Al Wasl, characterised by their all-yellow colours on home turf, have made a mark on the international stage. Under a new coach, there is promise of further progress.
The Dubai-based Al Wasl, characterised by their all-yellow colours on home turf, have made a mark on the international stage. Under a new coach, there is promise of further progress.
The Dubai-based Al Wasl, characterised by their all-yellow colours on home turf, have made a mark on the international stage. Under a new coach, there is promise of further progress.
The Dubai-based Al Wasl, characterised by their all-yellow colours on home turf, have made a mark on the international stage. Under a new coach, there is promise of further progress.

New boss and a new direction


Paul Radley
  • English
  • Arabic

Even though they never threatened a repeat of the wonders of the 2006-07 double-winning campaign, Al Wasl did manage to make a mark on an international scale last term. Abdullah al Kamali was just a little known player making his way through the ranks at the club this time last year. Then, near the end of last season, the striker, 18, became the first ever Emirati footballer to be exported to Brazil when he signed a two-year deal with the former national champions Atletico Paranaense.

The skillful No10 was a prolific goalscorer in UAE youth football, but his switch to Brazil was still a surprise and he remains a relatively unknown quantity. The Wasl coach, Ze Mario, an enigmatic wanderer from Brazil who does not believe in staying at the same club for more than two or three seasons, has since left the UAE. He has headed back to Al Arabi, the Qatar club he first managed in 1992, for what, amazingly, will be his 24th new start in management.

Ze Mario, whose previous appointments include Brazil's most popular team, Flamengo, as well as Qatar and Saudi Arabia, led Wasl to the league and cup double in his first season. However, when he failed to get close to such success second time round, he parted company with the club, and now has been replaced by Miroslav Beranek. The new man served as the assistant to the Czech Republic national team boss Karel Bruckner between 2002-2006, and has arrived from the Hungarian league side Debreceni. Beranek has been used to working with players of the calibre of Pavel Nedved, Tomas Rosicky and Jan Koller in the recent past. He admits he still does not know what to make of the more humble resources he has to work with at Wasl.

"Czech players are at another level," said Beranek, who was the head coach of the Czech Republic when they won the 2002 European Championships. "The Czech team is usually around six or seven in the Fifa rankings - while the Emirates are between 100 and 105. So it is another level. "For me, it is a new experience. These players have a different mentality to what I am used to, and I must get to know that mentality."

Beranek admitted he still does not know his ideal starting XI, due to the feverish transfer activity which followed his arrival at the club on June 10. He added: "In Switzerland [where Wasl held a three-week summer training camp] we had 42 players, half of which were young players. We tried to give every player a chance, then after coming back to Dubai we have a better idea of our best line-up. "But, this [Thursday night's 2-2 draw with Hatta in their final pre-season friendly] was our last match before the competition starts - and still we had three new players. They need time to adapt. We have a new team, a young team, and I don't know the level of the other teams."

Wasl kick-off their Etisalat Pro League campaign against Ajman at the weekend. pradley@thenational.ae

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm

Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm

Transmission: CVT auto

Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km

On sale: now

Price: from Dh195,000 

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
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Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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A Kensington Palace Gardens house with 15 bedrooms is valued at more than £150 million.

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Company profile

Name: Dukkantek 

Started: January 2021 

Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani 

Based: UAE 

Number of employees: 140 

Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service) 

Investment: $5.2 million 

Funding stage: Seed round 

Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office  

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

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Kesari

Rating: 2.5/5 stars
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Directed by: Anubhav Singh
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Started: Soft launch in November, 2020

Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani

Based: Dubai

Industry: E-grocery

Initial investment: $150,000

Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year

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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
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What are the regulations?
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Meydan Racecourse racecard:

6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes Listed (PA) | Dh175,000 1,900m

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8.15pm: Maiden for 2-year-old colts (TB) Dh165,000 1,600m

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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.

It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.

It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.

It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.

Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.

The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.

Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

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Director: Simon Curtis

 

Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan

 

Rating: 4/5