DUBAI // Renier Els, the former UAE captain, will return to the Abu Dhabi Harlequins line-up for just the third time in the calendar year to aid their Gulf Men’s League title defence.
The defending champions will run out on Pitch 2 on Thrusday afternoon with a side much changed from that which won the Khanjar Trophy 12 months ago.
Jeremy Manning, the player-coach back then, is absent with a hip injury. Iziq Foa’i is working his way back from a knee complaint, while Ed Lewsey, the veteran of that team, will be playing for Conquistadors in the Gulf Social instead.
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With a raft of other injuries to contend with, they are grateful for the chance to recall one of the outstanding players of the club’s recent past.
Mike McFarlane, the Quins coach, had hoped to be able to call on Els for XVs duty as well this season, but the South African has only managed to play twice after being sent to work abroad instead.
Els, an abrasive loose-forward who has been a UAE national team regular when fit and available, was conspicuous in Quins’ warm-up friendly against Fiji on Sunday.
The fixture has become a regular part of both sides’ preparations for the Dubai Sevens over the past three years, but this was the first time the match involved tackling. Previously, the matches were played in the touch format.
Podcast: Paul Radley and Jonathan Raymond discuss the upcoming 2015 edition of the Dubai Rugby Sevens
With a pool that also includes Jebel Ali Dragons, the dominant force in Gulf sevens over the past decade, the Fiji match was ideal preparation, according to McFarlane.
“Having a run out against Fiji is pretty much perfect,” McFarlane said. “Playing the Dragons, it is good to get a fixture against a top side out of the way in the group stage.
“The players are buzzing for it, especially the new boys who have been around and maybe only watched it.
“The rugby we have been trying to play in XVs, hopefully some of the structures will just fall in to our sevens play.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30, December 1-2
International Vets
Christina Noble Children’s Foundation fixtures
Thursday, November 30:
10.20am, Pitch 3, v 100 World Legends Project
1.20pm, Pitch 4, v Malta Marauders
Friday, December 1:
9am, Pitch 4, v SBA Pirates
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Scoreline:
Cardiff City 0
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum 57', Milner 81' (pen)
What's in my pazhamkootan?
Add:
Parippu – moong dal and coconut curry
Sambar – vegetable-infused toor dal curry
Aviyal – mixed vegetables in thick coconut paste
Thoran – beans and other dry veggies with spiced coconut
Khichdi – lentil and rice porridge
Optional:
Kootukari – stew of black chickpeas, raw banana, yam and coconut paste
Olan – ash gourd curry with coconut milk
Pulissery – spiced buttermilk curry
Rasam – spice-infused soup with a tamarind base
Avoid:
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Company name: Fasset
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Founders: Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Daniel Ahmed
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Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $2.45 million
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COMPANY PROFILE
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Scoreline
Liverpool 4
Oxlade-Chamberlain 9', Firmino 59', Mane 61', Salah 68'
Manchester City 3
Sane 40', Bernardo Silva 84', Gundogan 90'+1
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: SmartCrowd
Started: 2018
Founder: Siddiq Farid and Musfique Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech / PropTech
Initial investment: $650,000
Current number of staff: 35
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Various institutional investors and notable angel investors (500 MENA, Shurooq, Mada, Seedstar, Tricap)
Structural weaknesses facing Israel economy
1. Labour productivity is lower than the average of the developed economies, particularly in the non-tradable industries.
2. The low level of basic skills among workers and the high level of inequality between those with various skills.
3. Low employment rates, particularly among Arab women and Ultra-Othodox Jewish men.
4. A lack of basic knowledge required for integration into the labour force, due to the lack of core curriculum studies in schools for Ultra-Othodox Jews.
5. A need to upgrade and expand physical infrastructure, particularly mass transit infrastructure.
6. The poverty rate at more than double the OECD average.
7. Population growth of about 2 per cent per year, compared to 0.6 per cent OECD average posing challenge for fiscal policy and underpinning pressure on education, health care, welfare housing and physical infrastructure, which will increase in the coming years.