Mohanad Salem, left, and Omar Abdulrahman pose with their third-place medals at the 2015 Asian Cup. Saeed Khan / AFP
Mohanad Salem, left, and Omar Abdulrahman pose with their third-place medals at the 2015 Asian Cup. Saeed Khan / AFP

UAE sign official AFC agreement to rubber-stamp role as Asian Cup 2019 hosts



ABU DHABI // Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), is confident the UAE will be a strong host when the Asian Cup expands to 24 teams in 2019.

The UAE was announced in March as host for the 2019 tournament and that was rubber-stamped after Thursday’s signing of an Organising Association Agreement with the AFC at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

The only other time the UAE hosted the event was in 1996, when they finished runners-up to Saudi Arabia.

This year’s tournament in Australia was a success, and Sheikh Salman said the UAE can build on that as the format moves from 16 to 24 teams.

“The AFC is looking forward to a successful organisation and an exceptional edition following the great success we had in Australia last January,” Sheikh Salman said. “It is big challenge hosting such an event, but I’m confident that the higher organising committee in the UAE will live up to the high expectations and provide the highest standards in hosting this championship.”

The UAE receive automatic qualification for the tournament, while 45 national teams going through qualifying until March 2018 to fill out the other slots.

“We had a successful staging of the championship at that time (in 1996), but this time around it’s going to be a new landmark in the history of the UAE sport and a new line to be scripted in the country’s football,” said Football Association president Yousef Al Serkal, who took part in the signing ceremony with Sheikh Salman.

Mohammed bin Thaloob Al Derei, head of the organising committee, said AFC inspectors were impressed with the UAE’s facilities, which include a new 60,000-seater stadium to be built in Dubai.

“We are ready to host a championship that features 60 teams and not just 24 teams only thanks to the first-class and integrated infrastructure including main venues and training facilities,” he said.

“It’s a challenge. We don’t have an intensive population like Australia and China, but we will work hard in order to ensure good attendance for the championship.”

apassela@thenational.ae

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One in nine do not have enough to eat

Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.

One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.

The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.

Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.

It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.

On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.

Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.

 

The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)

Engine 5.2-litre V10

Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch

Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm

Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est) 

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6pm: The Pointe - Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m

6.35pm: Palm West Beach - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (T) 1,800m

7.10pm: The View at the Palm - Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

7.45pm: Nakeel Graduate Stakes - Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m

8.20pm: Club Vista Mare - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,900m

8.55pm: The Palm Fountain - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m

9.30pm: The Palm Tower - Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m

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Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
The alternatives

• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.

• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.

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Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Jimmy Sheirgill, Mahie Gill, Chitrangda Singh, Kabir Bedi

Rating: 3 star

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
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Based: Gaza
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5
The bio

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France

Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines

Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.

Favourite Author: My father for sure

Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst

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Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Rating: 2/5
 
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Install an air filter in your home.

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Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

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From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

The%20National%20selections
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Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs

Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo

Gearbox: 7-speed automatic

Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 350Nm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km

Price: Dh235,000