The sport
Born in Copacabana, Brazil, beach football is played all across the world, even countries with barely a coastline in insight.
It relies on extreme skills, and often keeping the ball off the bouncy pitch. Expect spectacular volleyed goals to be the order of day. Each team is made up of four outfield players and one goalkeeper, with unlimited substitutions. Each match consists of three periods of 12 minutes.
The tournament
This is the fourth staging of the Beach Soccer International Cup in Dubai. Russia won the first two competitions before Iran were the victors 12 months ago.
Over the past five years, Dubai has become a natural destination for big beach football events after the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup was held there in 2009 as well as several World Cup continental qualifiers.
Player to watch
For Joao Victor Saraiva, better known as Madjer, the tournament will feel like a home away from home. Nicknamed after his hero, Algerian legend Rabah Madjer, he plays for Al Ahli in the UAE Beach Soccer League.
The 37-year-old Portuguese striker’s remarkable skills have already brought him Golden Boot awards for most goals at the Beach Soccer World Cups in 2005, 2006 and 2008.
With the next World Cup to be held in his home country, he will be eager to show the crowds here that he has not lost his touch.
Favourites
As ever, Brazil will be one of the favourites to win the competition. They clearly relish Dubai as a playing environment and won the most recent of their 13 world titles in the city in 2009.
Portugal, the 2001 world champions, are preparing to host the 2015 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup and will also feel confident of their chances.
The favourites again, though, will be Russia, the winner of the past two World Cups and holders of the Euro Beach Soccer league.
Last year, they were shocked by Iran as they lost 4-3 in the final, so they will not take anything for granted.
Intercontinental Cup fixtures
All games at Dubai International Marine Club
Tuesday
USA v Brazil, 4.15pm
Russia v Japan, 5.30pm
UAE v Morocco, 6.45pm
Iran v Portugal, 8pm
Wednesday
Portugal v Morocco, 4.15pm
Russia v USA, 6.45pm
UAE v Iran, 8pm
Thursday
Japan v USA, 4.15pm
Brazil v Russia, 5.30pm
Portugal v UAE, 6.45pm
Morocco v Iran, 8pm
Friday
3rd Group B v 4th Group A, 4.15pm
3rd Group A v 4th Group B, 5.30pm
Semi-final 1: 1st Group B v 2nd Group A, 6.45pm
Semi-final 2: 1st Group A v 2nd Group B, 8pm
Saturday
7th Place play-off, 4.15pm
5th Place play-off, 5.30pm
3rd Place play-off, 6.45pm
Final, 8pm
akhaled@thenational.ae
Follow our sports coverage on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
Naga
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Scoreline
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 17
Jebel Ali Dragons 20
Harlequins Tries: Kinivilliame, Stevenson; Cons: Stevenson 2; Pen: Stevenson
Dragons Tries: Naisau, Fourie; Cons: Love 2; Pens: Love 2
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
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Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
