Steve Luckings highlights five things to do watch and experience in the UAE this week.
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FOOTBALL: Real Madrid v Manchester City, Uefa Champions League semi-final second leg, Tuesday, 10.45pm
Following last week's goalless encounter at Etihad Stadium, Real Madrid host a Manchester City side bidding to reach the final of the Uefa Champions League for the first time. Madrid face an anxious wait over the fitness of Cristiano Ronaldo. This season's top scorer in the Champions League with 16 goals in 10 games was ruled out of last week's encounter by a thigh injury and it remains to be seen whether the Portuguese forward will take his place in the Madrid line-up at the Bernabeu.
BUY TICKETS
Several live events will be held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai this month. Abu Dhabi Warriors, the Middle East’s premier MMA fighting championship, returns to Abu Dhabi for an action packed, 10-fight card on May 24 at the Ipic Arena at Zayed Sports City; squash’s PSA Dubai World Series Finals takes place at Burj Park, Downtown Dubai from May 24-28; and the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters runs May 26-27.
For more information and tickets visit:
• Abu Dhabi Warriors 4
• PSA Dubai World Series Finals
• Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters
FOOTBALL: Al Ain v Nasaf, Asian Champions League, Tuesday, 8.30pm
Such is the complexity of Group D, any one of the remaining three teams can still join El Jaish in qualifying for the knockout stages. Second-place Al Ain are in prime position, with the Garden City club on seven points, one ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli and two ahead of Nasaf, their opponents on Tuesday. Beat the Uzbek team at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium and Al Ain are assured of qualification, whereas a defeat for Zlatko Dalic’s side coupled with an Al Ahli victory over the Qatari club El Jaish, and they are out. Al Jazira, bottom of Group C, play a dead-rubber against Pakhtakor at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, kick off at 6.30pm.
FOOTBALL: Lokomotiv v Al Nasr, Asian Champions League, Wednesday, 7pm
Al Nasr travel to Uzbekistan on Wednesday with their qualification fate still in their own hands: beat Lokomotiv and progress to the last 16. Ivan Jovanovic’s side have amassed eight points from their five games so far but face their sternest examination yet as they travel to face the Group A leaders. A defeat for Nasr leaves the door open for Al Ittihad, currently third on six points, two behind Nasr, to leapfrog them into second place in the group if they beat Iran’s Sepahan.
FOOTBALL: Arabian Gulf League, Sunday, matches kick off at 7.35pm
While the destination of the Arabian Gulf League title was decided on Thursday, with Al Ahli clinching it without even kicking a ball following Al Ain’s defeat to Fujairah on Thursday, there is still plenty to be decided in the final two rounds of the 2015/16 campaign. Just three points separate sixth-placed Al Shabab and Al Wahda in third, the final spot to secure participation in next year’s Asian Champions League. Al Wahda host Baniyas at Al Nahyan Stadium, fourth-place Al Wasl travel across town to take on Shabab and Al Nasr, currently fifth, host second-bottom Fujairah, who are also looking to bolster their survival hopes. Fujairah are level on 26 points with Emirates but have an inferior head-to-head record.
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
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)
Charles 57, Amla 47
Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)
Fletcher 40, Moores 28 no, Lamichhane 2-9
Bangla Tiger win by five wickets
Ways to control drones
Countries have been coming up with ways to restrict and monitor the use of non-commercial drones to keep them from trespassing on controlled areas such as airports.
"Drones vary in size and some can be as big as a small city car - so imagine the impact of one hitting an airplane. It's a huge risk, especially when commercial airliners are not designed to make or take sudden evasive manoeuvres like drones can" says Saj Ahmed, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research.
New measures have now been taken to monitor drone activity, Geo-fencing technology is one.
It's a method designed to prevent drones from drifting into banned areas. The technology uses GPS location signals to stop its machines flying close to airports and other restricted zones.
The European commission has recently announced a blueprint to make drone use in low-level airspace safe, secure and environmentally friendly. This process is called “U-Space” – it covers altitudes of up to 150 metres. It is also noteworthy that that UK Civil Aviation Authority recommends drones to be flown at no higher than 400ft. “U-Space” technology will be governed by a system similar to air traffic control management, which will be automated using tools like geo-fencing.
The UAE has drawn serious measures to ensure users register their devices under strict new laws. Authorities have urged that users must obtain approval in advance before flying the drones, non registered drone use in Dubai will result in a fine of up to twenty thousand dirhams under a new resolution approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Mr Ahmad suggest that "Hefty fines running into hundreds of thousands of dollars need to compensate for the cost of airport disruption and flight diversions to lengthy jail spells, confiscation of travel rights and use of drones for a lengthy period" must be enforced in order to reduce airport intrusion.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)
Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)
Overview
What: The Arab Women’s Sports Tournament is a biennial multisport event exclusively for Arab women athletes.
When: From Sunday, February 2, to Wednesday, February 12.
Where: At 13 different centres across Sharjah.
Disciplines: Athletics, archery, basketball, fencing, Karate, table tennis, shooting (rifle and pistol), show jumping and volleyball.
Participating countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar and UAE.
More on Turkey's Syria offence
Essentials
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Seattle from Dh6,755 return in economy and Dh24,775 in business class.
The cruise
UnCruise Adventures offers a variety of small-ship cruises in Alaska and around the world. A 14-day Alaska’s Inside Passage and San Juans Cruise from Seattle to Juneau or reverse costs from $4,695 (Dh17,246), including accommodation, food and most activities. Trips in 2019 start in April and run until September.
Ponti
Sharlene Teo, Pan Macmillan
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
SQUAD
Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammed Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Saeed Ahmed, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Muhammed Jumah, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
