Brazil's Robinho jump to control the ball against Bolivia during Wednesday's World Cup qualifier.
Brazil's Robinho jump to control the ball against Bolivia during Wednesday's World Cup qualifier.

Hughes waiting on Robinho



MANCHESTER // The Manchester City manager Mark Hughes says he is fully prepared for what is being billed by the English media as the "Abu Dhabi Derby". His Manchester City side, set to be bought in a Shiekh Mansour bin Zayed-led takeover, face Etihad-sponsored Chelsea on Saturday.

And Hughes cannot wait to face one of his former clubs, who are owned by the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich City were flying British record signing Robinho, who cost £32.5million (Dh209m) from Real Madrid, in a private jet back from Brazil, where he was part of the team who could only draw 0-0 with Bolivia on Wednesday night. He is expected to take part in training tomorrow, but it was thought that he may not be in the team who kick-off against the club he was desperate to join during the summer.

Hughes has nothing but praise for Sheikh Mansour's group, who are finalising the club's takeover. "I suppose people are referring to it as the 'clash of the cash' and that's a bit of fun," he said. "But I have been really pleased with the positive attitude of the people who are coming in to Manchester City. They are really focused on what they want to do. They are the type of people who listen to people with the expertise of what they need and then they make decisions based on that knowledge."

City showed their intent by buying Robinho, but Hughes is wary of speculating about any possible future signings. "I think that you will find that some of the hype that surrounded the initial takeover will be dampened somewhat and then we will move forward in a more considered way," he said. The City of Manchester Stadium encounter is not the only major match in England on Saturday, with champions Manchester United visiting arch-rivals Liverpool.

The Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa is desperate for his team to make amends for last season's 1-0 defeat at home to the champions. "That was a really bad experience," the Spanish full-back said. Meanwhile, West Ham have confirmed the appointment of Gianfranco Zola as their new manager on a three-year deal. Zola said: "I'm delighted to be here. It is a great honour for me." mwalker@thenational.ae

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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989

Director: Goran Hugo Olsson

Rating: 5/5

Company%20Profile
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The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Power: 268bhp / 536bhp
Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
On sale: Later this year
The Buckingham Murders

Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu

Director: Hansal Mehta

Rating: 4 / 5

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Company profile

Company name: Suraasa

Started: 2018

Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker

Based: India, UAE and the UK

Industry: EdTech

Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding

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Usain Bolt's World Championships record

2007 Osaka

200m Silver

4x100m relay Silver

 

2009 Berlin

100m Gold

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

2011 Daegu

100m Disqualified in final for false start

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

2013 Moscow

100m Gold

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

2015 Beijing

100m Gold

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

Match info

Australia 580
Pakistan 240 and 335

Result: Australia win by an innings and five runs

War

Director: Siddharth Anand

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor

Rating: Two out of five stars 

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
RESULT

Brazil 2 Croatia 0
Brazil: 
Neymar (69'), Firmino (90' 3)    

Everybody%20Loves%20Touda
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE

Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega

Director: Tim Burton

Rating: 3/5

Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

In Praise of Zayed

A thousand grains of Sand whirl in the sky
To mark the journey of one passer-by
If then a Cavalcade disturbs the scene,
Shall such grains sing before they start to fly?

What man of Honour, and to Honour bred
Will fear to go wherever Truth has led?
For though a Thousand urge him to retreat
He'll laugh, until such counsellors have fled.

Stands always One, defiant and alone
Against the Many, when all Hope has flown.
Then comes the Test; and only then the time
Of reckoning what each can call his own.

History will not forget: that one small Seed
Sufficed to tip the Scales in time of need.
More than a debt, the Emirates owe to Zayed
Their very Souls, from outside influence freed.
No praise from Roderic can increase his Fame.
Steadfastness was the Essence of his name.
The changing years grow Gardens in the Sand
And build new Roads to Sand which stays the same.
But Hearts are not rebuilt, nor Seed resown.
What was, remains, essentially Alone.
Until the Golden Messenger, all-wise,
Calls out: "Come now, my Friend!" - and All is known

- Roderic Fenwick Owen

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The specs

  Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

The biog

Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives. 

The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast. 

As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau

He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker. 

If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah

 

The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km


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