DUBAI // Rugby players and fans were out in force yesterday for a tournament to raise awareness of the victims of the recent tsunami that devastated parts of Samoa.
The former New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns, who recently moved to Dubai, and the dual code rugby international Apollo Perelini, who coaches at the Elite Sporting Academy, Repton School, joined about 100 residents, including expatriate Samoans and South Pacific islanders, at The Sevens ground.
The touch rugby event was held to highlight the plight of those trying to rebuild their lives.
Tui Raeli, 35, a former professional player from New Zealand, whose wife and parents are from Samoa, said the tournament gave him an opportunity to do something constructive.
"My immediate family are OK but, unfortunately, we had friends and extended family who were not as lucky," he said.
"My in-laws there have been helping with the relief effort and that has been awful. My father-in-law has found it very difficult. He has recovered bodies of young children still in their school uniforms."
Mr Raeli said the tournament was about gathering together as a community and helping the people of Samoa.
The tsunami on September 30 killed 143 people. Seven remain missing and 60 are in hospital.
Villages along the southern coast of Upolu island were flattened. Cars remain crushed against trees and power poles have been uprooted.
Netia Goode, 30, a native of Samoa who moved to Dubai with her husband two years ago, said almost everyone back home knew someone affected by the disaster.
"My mum's friend died and so did my aunt's half-sister," she said.
"It was horrible. She was swept away by a wave. They had got into a truck, her mother was in the front with her husband and she was sat in the back. A wave knocked her back and she was lost.
"When I heard the news I had to go and stay with my friend. You feel so helpless, you can't get in a car and take water or clothing.
"I grew up on those beaches, I went there with my family, later my friends as a teenager. I got married and went with my husband."
Cairns, considered to be one of the world's best all-round cricketers, said while he was only a "very social" rugby player, on hearing about the event from friends in the Dubai Hurricanes team, he felt compelled to join in.
"I'm from that part of the world and so I'm here to support the Samoan people in need during such a tragedy," he said.
"Anything I can do to help, really. When you're from that part of the world you feel an affiliation and association, when you live in such a small community."
The tournament was the first of two. The second will take place in London next Saturday.
Yesterday's event was organised by the Samoan coaches at the Elite academy. Supporters took along non-food items to kick off a month-long donation drive.
The academy's John Mamea-Wilson recently returned from Samoa, where he and a team of coaches held scholarship trials.
He said: "When we heard, the first thing I did was to ring the boy we are bringing over, Jason, to check that he was safe. That was a bit of a concern for us. He was OK, and the good thing is that he is still keen to come here to Dubai."
Mrs Goode is helping to organise a stall at next weekend's flea market at Al Mamzar Park. Another event is being planned for Al Ain before the end of the month.
On Friday, a mass funeral was held in the Samoan capital Apia as the clean-up operation continued.
loatway@thenational.ae
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
RESULT
Australia 3 (0) Honduras 1 (0)
Australia: Jedinak (53', 72' pen, 85' pen)
Honduras: Elis (90 4)
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
Mubadala World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
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