SHANGHAI // Ismail Matar will find whether he is the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) player of the year in tomorrow's ceremony held in Shanghai.
The tricky Al Wahda forward has done well in being named one of the final five nominee's for the award, a recognition that highlights just how far UAE football has progressed in recent years.
Matar, 25, faces some stiff competition particularly from the Japanese duo of Yasuhito Endo and Yuji Nakazawa.
The Uzbeki Server Djeparov, Sebastian Soria of Qatar make up the quintet.
The Gamba Osaka creative midfielder Endo is the front-runner after guiding his team to the AFC Champions League title who hopes that if he wins this distinction, it could lead to a possible move to European football.
"I'm more than willing to go to Europe but if I don't get an offer I can't go and I don't have an offer yet," said Endo, 28, whose ability to score from midfield has been a major factor in his success with club and country.
Winning the AFC player of the year award has shown previously that it can open doors with last year's victor Yasser al Qahtani being handed a trial with Manchester City.
The Saudi Arabia striker eventually turned down their offer, citing contractual issues. Wigan Athletic have since shown an interest in him.
The Yokohama Marinos defender Nakazawa has won almost every individual award available in Japanese football, and a stint in Europe would put the icing on the cake. "If there was a chance to play in Europe I'd love to play there," he said.
"I'm 30 but I want to prove that I can still be competitive even at my age."
Soria, born in Uruguay but now a Qatari national, almost moved to Spain last season from Qatar Sports Club and is again eyeing offers for 2009.
"For players, you have to have ambition and it is very important to have a chance to play in Europe," said Soria.
"Last season I had the opportunity to go to Spain but I'm still looking for the best option for my future. I'll go if the right offer is made."
*AFP
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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Stan%20Lee
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Baby Driver
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James
Three and a half stars
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Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
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Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) | US$95,000 | (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Meydan Classic Listed (TB) ) | $175,000) | (Turf) 1,600m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) ) | $135,000 ) | (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 3 (TB) ) | $300,000) | (T) 2,810m
8.50pm: Curlin Handicap Listed (TB)) | $160,000) | (D) 2,000m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB)) | $175,000) | (T) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap (TB) ) | $135,000 ) | (T) 2,000m
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
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Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Kandahar%20
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TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
