Japan's Saori Kimura vies with with Brazi'ls Sheilla Castro, Fabiana Claudino and Marianne Steinbrecher during their women's quarter-final volleyball match.
Japan's Saori Kimura vies with with Brazi'ls Sheilla Castro, Fabiana Claudino and Marianne Steinbrecher during their women's quarter-final volleyball match.

Cuba and Brazil thorugh to semi-finals



BEIJING // Brazil, the top-ranked women's volleyball team in the world, easily defeated Japan in three sets (25-12, 25-20, 25-16) today to advance to the semi-finals. The Brazilians, who went undefeated in preliminary pool play, will face the winner of the quarter-final match between China and Russia. "I think we are playing good technically, physically and mentally," Brazil's Sheilla Castro said. "We are doing our best all around." Japan simply could not keep up with the taller and faster Brazilians, who won the first set when Erika Araki's spike fell out. Paula Pequeno's block sealed the second set for the Brazilians. When Japan took a 7-5 lead in the final set, Sheilla, as she is known, made a statement with a spike that knocked Yuko Sano over. Fabiana Claudino's spike was the match winner. Cuba also advanced to the semi-finals with a three-set victory over Serbia (26-24, 25-19, 26-24). Cuba, who are also yet to lose a match in Beijing, will play the winner of the game between the USA and Italy in the semi-finals on Thursday. Cuba, who use two setters and four attackers, are ranked third in the world. Tied at 24 all in the first set, captain Yumilka Ruiz's spike gave Cuba the advantage. The Serbian team complained to the referee when captain Vesna Citakovic's fault on a block proved to be set point. Serbia kept making key mistakes, and Cuba won the second set on Jelena Nikolic's serve error. Despite mounting a comeback in the third to go ahead 23-21, Cuba went ahead in the end on Rosir Calderon's spike and won it on Nancy Carillo's block. "We fought, we gave it our best, but we also made some stupid mistakes," Citakovic said. Jovana Brakocevic led Serbia with 16 points. Carillo had 12 for Cuba.

*AP

What is graphene?

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.

It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.

Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.

By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.

At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.

It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.

But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.

In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties. 

 

How to vote in the UAE

1) Download your ballot https://www.fvap.gov/

2) Take it to the US Embassy

3) Deadline is October 15

4) The embassy will ensure all ballots reach the US in time for the November 3 poll

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.

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Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson

Rating: 4/5

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Sustainable Development Goals

1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation

10. Reduce inequality  within and among countries

11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects

14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development

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