Walsh-Branagh are winners



DUBAI // Kerri Walsh and Nicole Branagh won the United States' 76th women's Swatch FIVB World Tour gold medal with their triumph at the Dubai Open. The Dutch pair of Reinder Nummerdor and Richard Schuil fought from a set down to beat the Germans Mischa Urbatzka and Jonas Reckermann in the men's final at the Jumeirah Beach Park on Saturday night.

Walsh and Branagh scored a 21-18, 21-19 win in 46 minutes over the third-seeded American duo of Jen Boss and April Ross. "It is good to finish the season with a gold medal while having the opportunity to play with Kerri," Branagh said. "I felt we got stronger as a team with each match. "The final featured two teams with big and physical players. We just made the plays at the right time." It was the 38th international gold medal for Walsh. She has won 35 FIVB titles with Misty May-Treanor, including the Atlanta and Beijing Olympics and three world championship gold medals. She also claimed two crowns in 2004 with Rachel Wacholder.

Nummerdor and Schuil have now combined for 20 straight wins on the World, the European and the Dutch tours. arizvi@thenational.ae

Company profile

Name: The Concept

Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal

Based: Abu Dhabi

Founded: 2017

Number of employees: 7

Sector: Aviation and space industry

Funding: $250,000

Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products

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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
Election pledges on migration

CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections" 

SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom" 

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

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The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

RESULTS

6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200
Winner: Miqyaas, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).

7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Untold Secret, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.

7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Shanty Star, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.

8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Alkaamel, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.

8.50pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 1,400m​​​​​​​
Winner: Speedy Move, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

9.25pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m​​​​​​​
Winner: Quartier Francois, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

Januzaj's club record

Manchester United 50 appearances, 5 goals

Borussia Dortmund (loan) 6 appearances, 0 goals

Sunderland (loan) 25 appearances, 0 goals

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At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances