Steve Luckings
highlights five events to watch, attend and buy tickets for in the UAE this week.
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FOOTBALL: Premier League, Tuesday and Wednesday, beIN Sports
Leicester City may be Premier League champions, Aston Villa may have said "goodbye" long ago, but there is still plenty to be decided in terms of who makes up the top four and which teams will be playing in the Championship next season. West Ham United's hopes of qualifying for the Uefa Champions League next term were dented by a humiliating 4-1 defeat at home to Swansea City on Saturday, while fifth-place Manchester United boosted their chances of usurping rivals Manchester City for the coveted fourth spot by beating Norwich City 1-0 away. West Ham and United clash on Tuesday at Upton Park in a 10.45pm UAE kick off. On Wednesday, Sunderland have the chance to secure their top-flight status if they can beat a horribly out-of-sorts Everton at the Stadium of Light (10.45pm), while Norwich City will be condemned to relegation if they fail to beat Watford at home (10.45pm).
BUY TICKETS: Etihad Airways Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, November 25-27
As if the action on the track for F1's season finale wasn't enough to entice you, Flash Entertainment's announcement last week that the Chemical Brothers (Friday) and Rihanna (Sunday) will perform at the after-race concerts should. The ninth staging of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix will take place on November 27 at Yas Marina Circuit.
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Buy tickets for the Etihad Airways Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
FOOTBALL: President's Cup quarter-finals, Thursday and Friday, AD Sports
With the Arabian Gulf League season playing its final round on Sunday, May 8, attention turns to the President's Cup, with the quarter-finals taking place on Thursday and Friday. Thursday's matches see Al Jazira take on Sharjah at Al Ain's Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, and Al Ain v Al Wasl at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Both kick off at 7.40pm. On Friday, Al Shaab take on recently crowned AGL champions Al Ahli at the Sharjah Stadium, and Emirates and Baniyas clash at Al Nasr's Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai. Both these matches begin at 7.35pm.
FOOTBALL: Championship play-offs, Friday and Saturday, beIN Sports
Aside from the prestige of playing in the Premier League, the monetary value of playing in England's top tier in 2016/17 is almost incalculable. With a new television deal set to boost all 20 clubs' coffers to new heights, every club will be desperate to become team No 20 next season. The first-round of the Championship play-offs to determine the identity of that club begin on Friday, with Sheffield Wednesday hosting Brighton & Hove Albion, who narrowly missed out on automatic promotion after Middlesbrough pipped them on goal difference. The match at Hillsborough kicks off at 10.45pm UAE, while Saturday's encounter between Derby County and Hull City begins at 3.30pm UAE.
BUY MORE TICKETS
Several live events will be held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai this month. Abu Dhabi Warriors, the Middle East's premier MMA fighting championship, returns to Abu Dhabi for an action packed, 10-fight card on May 24 at the Ipic Arena at Zayed Sports City; squash's PSA Dubai World Series Finals takes place at Burj Park, Downtown Dubai from May 24-28; and the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters runs May 26-27.
For more information and tickets visit:
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Abu Dhabi Warriors 4
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PSA Dubai World Series Finals
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Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters
WORLD CUP SQUAD
Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Angelo Mathews, Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Jeevan Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep
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
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe
Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
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
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
It's Monty Python's Crashing Rocket Circus
To the theme tune of the famous zany British comedy TV show, SpaceX has shown exactly what can go wrong when you try to land a rocket.
The two minute video posted on YouTube is a compilation of crashes and explosion as the company, created by billionaire Elon Musk, refined the technique of reusable space flight.
SpaceX is able to land its rockets on land once they have completed the first stage of their mission, and is able to resuse them multiple times - a first for space flight.
But as the video, How Not to Land an Orbital Rocket Booster, demonstrates, it was a case if you fail, try and try again.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Roll of honour
Who has won what so far in the West Asia Premiership season?
Western Clubs Champions League - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens - Winners: Dubai Exiles; Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Cup - Winners: Bahrain; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Trophy - Winners: Dubai Hurricanes; Runners up: DSC Eagles
Final West Asia Premiership standings - 1. Jebel Ali Dragons; 2. Abu Dhabi Harlequins; 3. Bahrain; 4. Dubai Exiles; 5. Dubai Hurricanes; 6. DSC Eagles; 7. Abu Dhabi Saracens
Fixture (UAE Premiership final) - Friday, April 13, Al Ain – Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium, Malayisa
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia on October 10
