Goalkeeper Mohammed Hamza and the UAE beach football team will host Belarus and Oman in a friendly tournament this week. Jeff Topping / The National
Goalkeeper Mohammed Hamza and the UAE beach football team will host Belarus and Oman in a friendly tournament this week. Jeff Topping / The National
Goalkeeper Mohammed Hamza and the UAE beach football team will host Belarus and Oman in a friendly tournament this week. Jeff Topping / The National
Goalkeeper Mohammed Hamza and the UAE beach football team will host Belarus and Oman in a friendly tournament this week. Jeff Topping / The National

UAE beach soccer team is knocking on the door


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

Marcelo Mendes, the UAE beach football team coach, is upbeat about his team's chances of reaching the knockout stage of the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup following Thursday's draw in Papeete, Tahiti.

The UAE were placed in Group A along with championship hosts Tahiti, USA, and Spain, the European champions.

"It is good draw for us, as I see Spain as the toughest team we meet," the Brazilian said. "We have previously won against Tahiti twice, in the Intercontinental Cup. We are hopeful against the USA.

"So the draw gives us an excellent opportunity to reach the knockout round.

"Group C and D look very, very tough, with some of the strongest teams battling for the top two spots to reach the knockout round. So we are quite fortunate to have a good draw."

The UAE's match against the hosts will open the tournament, set for September 18-28. The team has met Tahiti twice in the Intercontinental Cup.

"We know them quite well as an opponent," Mendes said. "Spain would be the team that we all have to beat in this group."

Russia, the defending champions, were drawn alongside Japan, Paraguay and Ivory Coast in Group D.

Brazil, the four-time champions, have a tougher challenge after being pitted alongside Iran, Senegal and Ukraine in Group C.

"I don't think we will ever have a better opportunity to reach the knockout round," Mendes said.

"Yet, we will have to keep working hard and take one game at a time. The players are ready and they now have a lot of experience. We also have a bigger squad to choose from.

"We started a UAE league this year and have received very good support from the Dubai Sports Council and the federation. We have good schedule in the lead-up for the World Cup. It is a matter of preparing from now."

Mendes's team kick off their preparation with a friendly tournament between the UAE A and B teams, Belarus and Oman, from June 6-13 in Dubai.

They travel to Belarus for an international tournament that includes Turkey, Holland, Ukraine, Iran and the host Belarus.

They then head to China for their Asian Football Confederation Cup defence July 12-14, before participating in a four-team friendly tournament between Ukraine, Iran and the hosts, Hungary, on August 15-21.

"We will travel to Tahiti one week early to play two friendly games before our first match in the competition against the championship host," Mendes said.

The Brazilian is in his sixth year as coach of the national team. The UAE made their debut in the World Cup in Brazil in 2007 and were winless in a group that consisted Argentina, France and Nigeria.

In France in 2008, they beat Cameroon 10-4, but lost their other group games to Argentina and Russia.

The UAE hosted the championship in 2009. They registered a solitary win over the Solomon Islands 7-1, but went down to Portugal 5-7 and Uruguay 0-4. However, 2011 saw the team fail to qualify for the tournament in Rome.

UAE friendly tournament fixtures
at Mamzar Beach Park, Dubai

Saturday
UAE B v Belarus, 5.30pm
UAE v Oman, 6.30pm

Sunday
UAE B v Oman, 5.30pm

Tuesday
UAE v Belarus, 5.30pm
UAE B v Oman, 6.30pm

Wednesday
UAE v Oman, 6.30pm

World Cup information
in Papeete, Tahiti, from September 18 to 28. The top two teams in each group make the quarter-finals.

Group A Tahiti, United Arab Emirates, Spain, USA
Group B Holland, OFC qualifier, Argentina, El Salvador
Group C Brazil, Iran, Senegal, Ukraine
Group D Russia, Japan, Paraguay, Ivory Coast

The remaining qualifier will be the Oceania (OFC) qualifying tournament winner in August.

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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

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3.

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5

Norway

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Canada

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Singapore

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Australia

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How does ToTok work?

The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store

To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.

The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.

Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.

 

Tips for used car buyers
  • Choose cars with GCC specifications
  • Get a service history for cars less than five years old
  • Don’t go cheap on the inspection
  • Check for oil leaks
  • Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
  • Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
  • Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
  • Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
  • If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell

Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com

Soldier F

“I was in complete disgust at the fact that only one person was to be charged for Bloody Sunday.

“Somebody later said to me, 'you just watch - they'll drop the charge against him'. And sure enough, the charges against Soldier F would go on to be dropped.

“It's pretty hard to think that 50 years on, the State is still covering up for what happened on Bloody Sunday.”

Jimmy Duddy, nephew of John Johnson

How to vote

Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.

They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi

Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday) 

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

RESULTS

6.30pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,200m

Winner Canvassed, Par Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)

7.05pm Meydan Cup – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,810m

Winner Dubai Future, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor

7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas – Group 3 (TB) $125,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner Mouheeb, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard

8.15pm Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar

9.50pm Meydan Classic – Conditions (TB) $$50,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

9.25pm Dubai Sprint – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,200m

Winner Man Of Promise, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

Trump v Khan

2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US

2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks

2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit

2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”

2022:  Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”

Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.

Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”

ILT20%20UAE%20stars
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

MATCH INFO

Inter Milan v Juventus
Saturday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Watch the match on BeIN Sports

No_One Ever Really Dies

N*E*R*D

(I Am Other/Columbia)

THE SPECS

Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6

Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm

Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km

Price: Dh375,000 

On sale: now 

Five expert hiking tips
    Always check the weather forecast before setting off Make sure you have plenty of water Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon Wear appropriate clothing and footwear Take your litter home with you
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Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin

Results

1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix - 3:45:47

2. David Dekker (NED) Jumbo-Visma - same time

3. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep   

4. Emils Liepins (LAT) Trek-Segafredo

5. Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis

6. Tadej Pogacar (SLO UAE Team Emirates

7. Anthony Roux (FRA) Groupama-FDJ

8. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:00:03

9. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep         

10. Fausto Masnada (ITA) Deceuninck-QuickStep

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Company profile

Company name: Nestrom

Started: 2017

Co-founders: Yousef Wadi, Kanaan Manasrah and Shadi Shalabi

Based: Jordan

Sector: Technology

Initial investment: Close to $100,000

Investors: Propeller, 500 Startups, Wamda Capital, Agrimatico, Techstars and some angel investors

In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Fiona Sampson
Profile

The biog

Favourite food: Fish and seafood

Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends

Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!

Favourite country to visit: Italy

Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

Family: We all have one!

TOUCH RULES

Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.

Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.

Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.

A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.

After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.

At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.

A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 258hp from 5,000-6,500rpm

Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,000rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km

Price: from Dh362,500

On sale: now

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5
Tips for taking the metro

- set out well ahead of time

- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines

- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on

- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers

Emergency phone numbers in the UAE

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

THE SPECS

Engine: 4.4-litre V8

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 523hp

Torque: 750Nm

Price: Dh469,000

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets