The Eisenhower Trophy tees off tomorrow in Argentina with the UAE hoping its brightest young golf talent can combine quickly enough to impress in the biennial world amateur team golf championship.
Khalid Mubarak, the UAE national coach, is well aware that individually his players have the capability to shine, but he also realises that, like in the Ryder Cup, players must perform for each other when representing a team. "They need to gel as a unit if we aim to improve our results," he said.
Fortunately for Mubarak, two of his three players will need little time to learn each others' games: they are brothers.
Abdullah and Ahmed al Musharrekh have been playing golf together since as far back as they can remember and, like the Molinaris - Edoardo and Francesco - they will be confident their special relationship can help them in Buenos Aires this weekend.
Such was Edoardo's belief in the bond with his brother that before last month's Ryder Cup took place, he promised Colin Montgomerie, the European captain, that he could guarantee a 4-0 success in foursomes and fourballs at Celtic Manor.
His claims turned out to be incorrect, but it was understandable why the Italian would be so confident having combined with Francesco to win golf's World Cup in Shanghai the previous year.
And the Molinaris were not the first siblings to compete at the biennial matchplay event. Remarkably, it had earlier occurred on four separate occasions, involving two different sets of brothers. Charles and Ernest Whitcombe, the Englishmen, represented Great Britain in 1929 and 1931 and were, in 1935, joined by younger brother Reginald to complete a triumvirate of Ryder Cup representatives from the same family.
Then, 28 years later, Geoffrey and Bernard Hunt, also from England, were chosen to play in the tournament. Only in 1935, however, were two brothers - Charles and Ernest - paired together like the Molinaris were in Wales.
Earlier this year, the Italians also became the first set of siblings for 10 years to play at the Masters, joining an impressively long list of 26 other brothers to have competed together at Augusta National.
So, from golf's Molinaris to the Emirati equivalent, the al Musharrekhs, from the Williams sisters in tennis to the Chappell brothers in cricket, to the countless Khalils and Nevilles and Toures in football, what is the secret behind siblings sharing such sporting prowess?
Abdullah al Musharrekh admits his family rivalry is very strong, but is quick to add that playing with each other has helped the younger brothers develop quicker.
"[Hassan's] game has improved quickly because he spends so much time training with us and the national team," said Abdullah. "To play at our level he has to push himself and he's done it, he's almost at our level. It's helped him to play with us all the time."
Andy Murray, the world No 4 tennis player who has reached two grand slam finals in the past two years, is joined on the ATP Tour by elder brother Jamie, a Wimbledon mixed doubles champion.
The younger Murray shares al Musharrekh's sentiments and certainly knows what he believes pushed him - the weaker, more temperamental of the two siblings - to the upper echelons of the tennis rankings.
"Right from the moment we started playing tennis, we had this incredible rivalry," Andy Murray told The Independent in 2006. "There was a court about two minutes from our home in Dunblane [Scotland] and we would play there regularly. He beat me every time. Then he would brag about it all week, which used to drive me crazy.
"He was bigger and stronger than me, but I just worked and worked and pushed myself. All the time my dream was to beat him, and that has just made me more competitive."
In cricket, courtesy of sledging, the opportunity to verbally - and legally - antagonise an opponent is almost unrivalled.
Ian and Greg Chappell, Australian siblings who would both go on to captain their country, were renowned for their slanging matches on the field, even during Test matches. They had grown up together playing fiercely fought games in their back garden with younger brother Trevor also getting involved, and it was a trait that never left the trio. Trevor also grew up to represent his country at national level.
Evidently, rivalry undoubtedly plays a part in motivating some siblings to excel, but not all relationships revolve around fierce familial competition.
The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, were brought up in a loving, religious family and the two continue to express their emotion and strong family ties on court.
"The Bible talks of two kinds of jealousy, a good jealousy and a bad jealousy," said Serena last year, when talking to The Sunday Times.
"I think I had a healthy jealousy of Venus. I wanted what she had, but I didn't want to take it away from her. I just wanted to work hard to reach the place she had reached."
Serena achieved her goal and has since won 13 grand slams in women's singles, while combining with sister Venus - herself a seven-time major winner - to collect 12 grand slam titles in women's doubles.
The understanding the two share on court, at times, appears telepathic.
Few other sports allow such internal understanding to flourish. For instance, the Klitschko brothers, Vitali and Wladimir, may hold several world boxing championship belts, but one can do little for the other if he meets his match in the ring, as Vitali did in 2003 when he suffered only the second defeat of his career, to Lennox Lewis.
And so far the brothers have refused to fight each other.
Likewise in American football where Peyton Manning, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Indianapolis Colts, could in 2008 do nothing but applaud as he sat in the stands watching little brother Eli collect the MVP award for the New York Giants in their Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.
Naturally, there will almost always be one sibling whose success appears relatively minor when compared to his relative.
Ralf Schumacher, the German former Formula One driver who made 180 starts on motorsport's grandest stage and finished fastest on the Sunday six times, pales in comparison when juxtaposed against brother Michael, a seven-time world champion and widely recognised as the greatest F1 driver of all time.
Meanwhile, Bobby Pacquiao, the 29-year-old southpaw boxer from General Santos City in the Philippines, has fought at Madison Square Garden in New York as well as lavish venues in Las Vegas, yet it is not him that sports fans think of when they hear his surname.
Brother Manny is a seven-division world champion and recognised by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. There is very little Bobby could do that would make him the dominant sibling when it comes to name recognition.
Unlike Bobby, who has at times shown frustration at having an inferior profile, some sportsmen are glad to be given an opportunity to make a decision that will differentiate their career paths from their brother's.
Phil Neville, having struggled to hold down a position in Manchester United's midfield as brother Gary secured the right-back slot for himself, decided his career would benefit from a transfer.
Phil joined Everton where he later became captain; Gary remained at United where he later became captain. Both Nevilles continue to play today, some 16 years after Phil joined his brother for the first time in the United line-up.
The Nevilles are probably the most high profile footballing brothers of the past two decades, but it seems when it comes to having pairs of brothers on the books at Manchester United it is a trait that is embedded in the club's genes.
The Nevilles are already well on their way to being eclipsed at Old Trafford by the Brazilian duo of Rafael and Fabio Da Silva, and the Evans brothers, Jonny and Corry, are not far behind.
Yet were it not for the fact United's finances would not stretch to a bid in the early 1960s, all three sets of brothers would have been joined in the annals of United family history by possibly the most famous pair of footballing siblings in England history.
Bobby Charlton, the United midfielder, came close to being joined in Manchester by his elder brother Jack, but a fee could not be agreed and they had to wait until England's victorious 1966 World Cup campaign before lifting a trophy together.
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
Brief scores
Toss India, chose to bat
India 281-7 in 50 ov (Pandya 83, Dhoni 79; Coulter-Nile 3-44)
Australia 137-9 in 21 ov (Maxwell 39, Warner 25; Chahal 3-30)
India won by 26 runs on Duckworth-Lewis Method
England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
Book%20Details
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Copa del Rey
Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
Ponti
Sharlene Teo, Pan Macmillan
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Team Angel Wolf Beach Blast takes place every Wednesday between 4:30pm and 5:30pm
Tour de France Stage 16:
165km run from Le Puy-en-Velay to Romans-sur-Isère
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday Stuttgart v Cologne (Kick-off 10.30pm UAE)
Saturday RB Leipzig v Hertha Berlin (5.30pm)
Mainz v Borussia Monchengladbach (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v SC Freiburg (5.30pm)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (5.30pm)
Sunday Wolfsburg v Arminia (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Hoffenheim (9pm)
Bayer Leverkusen v Augsburg (11.30pm)
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
The Energy Research Centre
Founded 50 years ago as a nuclear research institute, scientists at the centre believed nuclear would be the “solution for everything”.
Although they still do, they discovered in 1955 that the Netherlands had a lot of natural gas. “We still had the idea that, by 2000, it would all be nuclear,” said Harm Jeeninga, director of business and programme development at the centre.
"In the 1990s, we found out about global warming so we focused on energy savings and tackling the greenhouse gas effect.”
The energy centre’s research focuses on biomass, energy efficiency, the environment, wind and solar, as well as energy engineering and socio-economic research.
New Zealand T20 squad
New Zealand T20 squad: Tim Southee (captain), Finn Allen, Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wicketkeeper), Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Ish Sodhi, Will Young
liverpool youngsters
Ki-Jana Hoever
The only one of this squad to have scored for Liverpool, the versatile Dutchman impressed on his debut at Wolves in January. He can play right-back, centre-back or in midfield.
Herbie Kane
Not the most prominent H Kane in English football but a 21-year-old Bristolian who had a fine season on loan at Doncaster last year. He is an all-action midfielder.
Luis Longstaff
Signed from Newcastle but no relation to United’s brothers Sean and Matty, Luis is a winger. An England Under-16 international, he helped Liverpool win the FA Youth Cup last season.
Yasser Larouci
An 18-year-old Algerian-born winger who can also play as a left-back, Larouci did well on Liverpool’s pre-season tour until an awful tackle by a Sevilla player injured him.
Adam Lewis
Steven Gerrard is a fan of his fellow Scouser, who has been on Liverpool’s books since he was in the Under-6s, Lewis was a midfielder, but has been converted into a left-back.
T20 World Cup Qualifier
Final: Netherlands beat PNG by seven wickets
Qualified teams
1. Netherlands
2. PNG
3. Ireland
4. Namibia
5. Scotland
6. Oman
T20 World Cup 2020, Australia
Group A: Sri Lanka, PNG, Ireland, Oman
Group B: Bangladesh, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland
The specs: 2018 Genesis G70
Price, base / as tested: Dh155,000 / Dh205,000
Engine: 3.3-litre, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 370hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 510Nm @ 1,300rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.6L / 100km
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US' most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was first created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out projectiles, namely ballistic missiles, as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles both inside and outside of the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 93 miles above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then deployed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
INFO
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?