ABU DHABI // The Fifa Fan Zone on the Corniche drew scores of families on Friday night.
At the Public and Family Beach, it gives visitors the chance to watch Fifa Under 17 World Cup matches if they cannot get to stadiums to see them in person.
“This is very good,” said Emirati Yasser Zaid, who had just watched Croatia’s match against Morocco at the venue.
The father of three said he was excited to have the chance to see some of the world’s finest young players in action in Abu Dhabi and would be rooting for the UAE, Ghana and Brazil.
For friends Ahmad Al Mosuti, 18, and Mustafa Khaled, 16, the visit was about more than just watching their favourite game.
The teenagers – from Syria and Egypt respectively – joined others in front of an interactive screen the size of a goal.
Participants could aim the ball at several different spots along the goal with the screen displaying the strength of their shot the moment the ball hit the screen.
“It is nice,” said Ahmad, a few seconds after the screen flashed 31.9 miles per hour (51.4kph) for his effort.
Also joining in the fun was Sowrica Sai, from India, who was there with her husband and two children, Aahladani, 8, and Aprameya, 5.
“We have been enjoying ourselves since 6pm,” she said. “We played all the games.”
For Samar and Matthias Templin, it was the Fussball – a kind of table football – that was the main draw.
“How much does it look like?” they asked, smiling – their response to a question about how much they were enjoying themselves at the venue.
Iman El Tabie, from Egypt, was hoping the event could entertain her children and give her family – husband, Mahmoud, and children Yara, 3, and Yousif, 8 – the chance to enter a prize draw.
The Fan Zone will be open from 4pm to 11pm from Saturday to Wednesday, and 4pm to midnight on Thursday and Friday, until the tournament closes on November 8. Those who want to be at the matches can obtain free tickets to any of them, three days before each kick-off.
The UAE is competing in Group A of the championship, alongside Honduras and Slovakia and three-time champions Brazil.
The host country is playing Brazil on Sunday at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in the capital.
This is one of the world’s biggest international tournaments, with 52 matches being played by the 24 national teams.
The competition is taking place at six UAE venues – Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Emirates Stadium in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah Stadium, Sharjah Stadium, Rashid Stadium in Dubai and Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.
The tickets are also available at Hallmark stores across the UAE and online at www.fifa.com/u17worldcup.
vtodorova@thenational.ae
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
FIGHT%20CARD
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Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
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SPECS
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Sly%20Cooper%20and%20the%20Thievius%20Raccoonus
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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)
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
The Gandhi Murder
- 71 - Years since the death of MK Gandhi, also christened India's Father of the Nation
- 34 - Nationalities featured in the film The Gandhi Murder
- 7 - million dollars, the film's budget
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
ABU DHABI CARD
5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions; Dh90,000; 2,200m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap; Dh70,000; 1,400m
6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden; Dh80,000; 1,600m
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige; Dh100,000; 1,600m
7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige; Dh125,000; 1,600m
8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1; Dh5,000,000; 1,600m
Kill%20
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