• Cardboard cutouts of fans prior to the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers. Getty
    Cardboard cutouts of fans prior to the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers. Getty
  • Taiwan's 2020 baseball season kicks off behind closed doors. Only 30 reporters were allowed to cover the game between the Chinatrust Brothers and Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions which was broadcasted live. EPA
    Taiwan's 2020 baseball season kicks off behind closed doors. Only 30 reporters were allowed to cover the game between the Chinatrust Brothers and Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions which was broadcasted live. EPA
  • Cheerleaders dance during the opening match of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) at the Taichung International Baseball Stadium. AFP
    Cheerleaders dance during the opening match of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) at the Taichung International Baseball Stadium. AFP
  • A broadcaster operates a camera during the match between Uni President Lions against Chinatrust Brothers. AFP
    A broadcaster operates a camera during the match between Uni President Lions against Chinatrust Brothers. AFP
  • Cheerleaders dance during the opening match of the Chinese Professional Baseball League at the Taichung International Baseball Stadium. AFP
    Cheerleaders dance during the opening match of the Chinese Professional Baseball League at the Taichung International Baseball Stadium. AFP
  • Press can only interview players from behind the red line. Getty
    Press can only interview players from behind the red line. Getty
  • Cardboard cutouts of fans prior to the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers. Getty
    Cardboard cutouts of fans prior to the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers. Getty
  • Cardboard cutouts of fans prior to the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers in Taoyuan, Taiwan. Getty
    Cardboard cutouts of fans prior to the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers in Taoyuan, Taiwan. Getty
  • Cardboard cutouts of fans, and a dog, before the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers at Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium in Taoyuan, Taiwan. Getty
    Cardboard cutouts of fans, and a dog, before the CPBL season opening game between Rakuten Monkeys and CTBC Brothers at Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium in Taoyuan, Taiwan. Getty
  • Staff work on one of a dummy replacing fans at the first professional baseball league game of the season at Taoyuan International baseball stadium in Taoyuan city, Taiwan. Reuters
    Staff work on one of a dummy replacing fans at the first professional baseball league game of the season at Taoyuan International baseball stadium in Taoyuan city, Taiwan. Reuters
  • Dummies replaced fans. Reuters
    Dummies replaced fans. Reuters

Mannequins banging drums, cut-out crowds (including dogs), but real cheerleaders ... Taiwan baseball season is up and running - in pictures


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With cardboard cutouts replacing the crowd – but real cheerleaders on the sidelines – Taiwan swung into a new baseball season, bucking the global trend for scrapping sport during the coronavirus.

Despite its proximity and trade links with China, Taiwan has so far managed to keep a lid on the pandemic.

And on Sunday the island's 31st baseball season got under way with Chinatrust Brothers taking on the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions in Taichung.

The games are being played to empty stadiums with fans being told to stay away.

But players are still travelling across the island for fixtures that are broadcast live.

On Saturday, Rakuten Monkeys unveiled robotic mannequins and cardboard cut-outs of fans dressed in home colours and caps at their stadium in northern Taoyuan county.

Some of the robots even banged on drums from the empty stands.

The mechanical stand-ins were ready to cheer Rakuten against Chinatrust Brothers for what would have been the first game of the season on Saturday, but heavy rain led to its cancellation.

Baseball is the most popular sport in Taiwan with about 240 games scheduled for the coming season.

"We are the first pro-baseball league to start playing in the world," during the pandemic, the league said in a statement.

"We welcome everyone to follow the new 2020 season and to relax from their tense lives because of the outbreak."

Unlike most other places, Taiwan's national basketball and football leagues have also continued to play, albeit behind closed doors.

Some fans have expressed concerns about the safety of those on the field.

"How can the players keep social distancing? What can we do in the event of cluster infections? Please stop this farce," read one post on the baseball league's Facebook page.

"Why are they still holding the games without audiences? The US Major League Baseball and even the Olympics have been postponed," read another.

Others were happy the games can go on, even in closed stadiums.

"It's great we have baseball games to watch," read one social media comment.

"We can probably set a precedent for professional baseball leagues abroad," read another.

What is a robo-adviser?

Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.

These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.

Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.

Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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

Washmen Profile

Date Started: May 2015

Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Laundry

Employees: 170

Funding: about $8m

Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures

Karwaan

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala

Director: Akarsh Khurana

Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar

Rating: 4/5

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
De De Pyaar De

Produced: Luv Films, YRF Films
Directed: Akiv Ali
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Rakul Preet Singh, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jaaved Jaffrey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

The Bio

Amal likes watching Japanese animation movies and Manga - her favourite is The Ancient Magus Bride

She is the eldest of 11 children, and has four brothers and six sisters.

Her dream is to meet with all of her friends online from around the world who supported her work throughout the years

Her favourite meal is pizza and stuffed vine leaves

She ams to improve her English and learn Japanese, which many animated programmes originate in

The biog

Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer

Favourite superhero: Batman

Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.

Favourite car: Lamborghini

Five healthy carbs and how to eat them

Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand

Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat  

Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar

Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices

Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants

Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique

THE SPECS

      

 

Engine: 1.5-litre

 

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

 

Power: 110 horsepower 

 

Torque: 147Nm 

 

Price: From Dh59,700 

 

On sale: now  

 

Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates 

 

Tips from the expert

Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.

  1. Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
  2. It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
  3. Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
  4. Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
While you're here
Health Valley

Founded in 2002 and set up as a foundation in 2006, Health Valley has been an innovation in healthcare for more than 10 years in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
It serves as a place where companies, businesses, universities, healthcare providers and government agencies can collaborate, offering a platform where they can connect and work together on healthcare innovation.
Its partners work on technological innovation, new forms of diagnostics and other methods to make a difference in healthcare.
Its agency consists of eight people, four innovation managers and office managers, two communication advisers and one director. It gives innovation support to businesses and other parties in its network like a broker, connecting people with the right organisation to help them further

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

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STAR%20WARS%20JEDI%3A%20SURVIVOR
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