Yousuf Al Serkal's campaign to become president of the Asian Football Confederation is set to receive a major boost after it emerged that Sepp Blatter, the head of the game's governing body, Fifa, should be willing to endorse his candidacy.
Al Serkal, the president of the UAE Football Association, is one of three nominees from the region seeking to replace Zhang Jilong, the acting president of the AFC since Mohamed bin Hammam's removal two years ago.
The Emirati faces competition from Bahrain's Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and Hafez Al Medlej, although the Saudi Arabian is expected to rescind his application and throw his backing behind Al Serkal. Worawi Makudi, of Thailand, is also in the running for the May 2 election.
Al Serkal seems to have a stolen a march on his rivals, though, as he is scheduled to fly to Fifa's headquarters in Zurich on March 27 to meet Blatter and outline his mandate for the presidency.
Also on the agenda will be the strengthening of relationships among the Asian Confederation, proposals to support Fifa's stance on anti-corruption and Al Serkal's advocacy of Blatter's bid for another term as Fifa president.
The two men are said to enjoy a healthy relationship, and Al Serkal's stance on Blatter's continuation in his current role could hold particular sway, especially as Sheikh Salman has indicated a preference for Michel Platini, the current Uefa president.
Following his consultation with Blatter, Al Serkal will visit a number of federations within Asia to confirm the support they promised during last week's AFC meeting in Malaysia.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
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From Zero
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COMPANY PROFILE
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Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
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The 10 Questions
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SQUADS
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (capt), Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Sami Aslam, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Asghar, Bilal Asif, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Wahab Riaz
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ICC match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
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Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
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Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
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Rating: 3.5/5
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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.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
