ABU DHABI // Jiu-jitsu competitors from schools across the emirate of Abu Dhabi have graduated through university and on to the worldwide stage.
The sport is now on the curriculum at 47 government schools in the emirate and 60 pupils from the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Schools Programme were among 210 participants in an international competition at Zayed University's sports hall in Khalifa City B at the weekend.
They had earlier qualified from preliminary competitions involving 10,000 pupils from Grades 6 an 7 to reach the finals of the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Cup.
The youngsters represented 15 schools in the Abu Dhabi region, 17 from Al Ain and six from Al Gharbia.
At the end of the first day of the cup competition on Friday, Abu Dhabi schools had won five gold medals, Al Ain took four and Al Gharbia claimed one.
After the schools' competition the tournament was opened to fighters from all over the world, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and Morocco represented at regional level; and the UK, Brazil, USA, Philippines, Canada, France, Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Australia at international level.
The second day was "No Gi" and involved submission fighting or grappling.
The highlight was the UAE's five gold medals through Saoud Al Hammadi in the Under 74kg White Belt Division, Shamis Al Shamsi in the Under 68kg Blue Belt Division, Hammad Al Dhuhouri in the Under 92kg Blue Belt Division, Mohammed Nasser Al Qubaisi in the Open Weight Purple Belt Division, and Abdullah Hamad Al Ketbi in the Under 92kg Senior (40+) Blue Belt Division.
This part of the competition also underlined the dominance of Russian mixed martial arts fighters who compete in this form of jiu-jitsu using their experience of sambo and wrestling in their native country.
The third and final day of competition on Sunday featured Gi bouts, the traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) competition and rules.
The UAE again did well with six gold medals through Saoud Al Hammadi in the Under 76kg White Belt Division (his 2nd of the competition), Ahmed Moussa Al Nuaimi in the Under 100kg White Belt Division, Khalid Al Nakhi in the Under 70kg Blue Belt Division, Khalifa Al Qubaisi in the Under 76kg Blue Belt Division, Hammad Al Dhuhouri in the Under 94kg Blue Belt Division (his 2nd of the competition), and UAE's female fighter Shamsa Hassan, who won the Under 56kg White/Blue Belt Division beating a Brazilian Blue Belt with more experience, resulting in a huge upset and a new chapter in the UAE's women's Jiu-Jitsu storyline.
The next major jiu-jitsu competition to be staged in the country is the sport's main event, the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Cup in Abu Dhabi from April 12 to 14.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
ICC T20 Team of 2021
Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman, Shaheen Afridi
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Top goalscorers in Europe
34 goals - Robert Lewandowski (68 points)
34 - Ciro Immobile (68)
31 - Cristiano Ronaldo (62)
28 - Timo Werner (56)
25 - Lionel Messi (50)
*29 - Erling Haaland (50)
23 - Romelu Lukaku (46)
23 - Jamie Vardy (46)
*NOTE: Haaland's goals for Salzburg count for 1.5 points per goal. Goals for Dortmund count for two points per goal.
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Get Out
Director: Jordan Peele
Stars: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener, Bradley Whitford
Four stars
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company%20profile
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BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
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Second Test
In Dubai
Pakistan 418-5 (declared)
New Zealand 90 and 131-2 (follow on)
Day 3: New Zealand trail by 197 runs with 8 wickets remaining
Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
The biog
From: Upper Egypt
Age: 78
Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila
Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace
Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
