BENGUELA// The tension that hung over Omdurman in Sudan 70 days ago has now settled on Benguela as Egypt and Algeria prepare to reprise their World Cup qualifying play-off in today's African Cup of Nations semi-final.
Algeria, as though they cannot bear even to be in the same town as their north African rivals, have set up camp in Lobito, about 25km along the coast.
It was, presumably, coincidence that Egypt took a stroll along a nearby beach there on Tuesday, but in the fevered atmosphere in which conspiracy and skulduggery are alleged at every turn, it felt like a shot across the bows.
There are reports of hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of Egyptian and Algerian fans descending on Benguela.
Algeria's foreign affairs minister Mourad Medcli has even suggested hundreds of fans could be airlifted in and out again without the need for formal visas.
Nobody seems quite sure, though, how they could negotiate Angola's Byzantine visa regulations so quickly, or even how the airport at either Benguela or the neighbouring town of Catumbela could cope with more than the handful of planes they process at the moment.
A mood of intense suspicion has descended, with Egypt refusing to speak to the media until after the game.
In any other confederational competition, pre-match press conferences would be mandatory, but the Confederation of African Football has neither the inclination, the will or the means to impose the global standard, and stood idly by while journalists, who had been told two hours earlier that they could attend Egypt's training on Tuesday evening, were ejected by the Angolan police.
It later turned out they were acting, with their usual characteristic aggression and lack of charm, on the instructions of Hassan Shehata, Egypt's coach, who was so unnerved by the fact that an Algerian journalist had made it as far as the lobby of the Benguela hotel in which his team are based that he imposed a 48-hour blanket ban on all media.
Earlier in the tournament, the Egypt forward Mohamed Zidan described him as a father figure who is always laughing and joking with his team, but that is not the face he presents to the rest of the world.
In Ghana two years ago, as Egypt successfully defended their title, he imposed a similar lockdown in the final stages, and his paranoia seems only to have been exacerbated by the opposition.
It was in 1989 that rivalry became antipathy, as Algeria reacted furiously to defeat in a crucial World Cup qualifier in Cairo that has since been dubbed "the hate match".
Potted plants were thrown as players and officials brawled on the pitch, while the Algeria striker Lakhdar Belloumi allegedly blinded the Egypt team doctor by hitting him in the eye with a bottle. An international arrest warrant against him was only dropped last year.
Relations were hardly improved by the two games in November. First Algeria claimed their team bus had been stoned in Cairo, as Egypt won 2-0 to force the play-off, and then around the game in the neutral venue of Sudan, both countries reported attacks on their citizens in the other's capital.
Antar Yahia's goal settled the game in Algeria's favour, again denying Egypt a place at the World Cup, and it is clear they are driven by the desire for revenge.
Algeria, of course, have their own point to make. Amid all the posturing, it is easy to forget that there is a place in the final at stake.
"It's great to play Egypt again," insisted the forward Hameur Bouazza.
"It gives us a chance to prove that we beat them fairly and not through luck.
"We won because of hard work and because we have talented players.
"We have great character and spirit and that is our greatest quality. In this tournament we are getting better and better."
@Email:sports@thenational.ae
Algeria v Egypt, 11.30pm, Aljazeera Sport 2 and +9
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Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
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Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
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.
UAE - India ties
The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner after the US and China
Annual bilateral trade between India and the UAE has crossed US$ 60 billion
The UAE is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India
Indians comprise the largest community with 3.3 million residents in the UAE
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visited the UAE in August 2015
His visit on August 23-24 will be the third in four years
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited India in February 2016
Sheikh Mohamed was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2017
Modi will visit Bahrain on August 24-25
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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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.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
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2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar
Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Results
6.30pm Madjani Stakes Rated Conditions (PA) I Dh160,000 I 1,900m I Winner: Mawahib, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
7.05pm Maiden Dh150,000 I 1,400m I Winner One Season, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Maiden Dh150,000 I 2,000m I Winner Street Of Dreams, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.15pm Dubai Creek Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,600m I Winner Heavy Metal, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm The Entisar Listed I Dh250,000 I 2,000m I Winner Etijaah, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
9.25pm The Garhoud Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,200m I Winner Muarrab, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
10pm Handicap I Dh160,000 I 1,600m I Winner Sea Skimmer, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi