Traditional and international water sports will be on show at the third Abu Dhabi Beach Games Festival, which starts on Sunday.
Beachgoers will have an opportunity to participate in amateur beach games and pit themselves against stars of international watersports between Sunday and April 27 at events at the Corniche.
The festival, organised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yacht Club, Abu Dhabi Municipality and Abu Dhabi Police Department, will this year include sailing competitions for children with special needs.
Sailing and yacht activities will be held between April 4 and 6, with 24 international competitors and 100 amateurs participating.
The first Stand Up Paddling-All Stars Invitational will bring 18 of the best stand-up paddle boarders from around the world.
The Emirates Diving Foundation will organise kayak, optimist and laser boat racing.
From April 6 until 27, families can take part in football, volleyball and basketball on the beach.
The traditional Emirati boat race, Bawaneesh, has also been added to the line-up of activities at the festival this year.
More than 7,000 people participated in last year's event.
Fadi Ali Al Shamssi, director of marketing and communications at the sports council, said the aim is to get the community active.
"We need to encourage all segments of the society to take part and engage strongly in practising sporting activities," Mr Al Shamssi said.
Residents can pick up registration forms from Gates 3 and 4 of the Corniche.
aahmed@thenational.ae
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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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.
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
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.
Ahmed Raza
UAE cricket captain
Age: 31
Born: Sharjah
Role: Left-arm spinner
One-day internationals: 31 matches, 35 wickets, average 31.4, economy rate 3.95
T20 internationals: 41 matches, 29 wickets, average 30.3, economy rate 6.28
