The Tokyo Paralympics is under way and there is a lot more action in store on the second day of the Games.
Below are all the Mena athletes who will be fighting it out on Thursday.
Equestrian
Equestrian Park
Saudi Arabia’s Ahmed Sharbatly will be looking for a top eight finish in the Dressage Individual Test - Grade 5, and qualify for the Individual Freestyle Test. Sharbatly will no doubt be wanting to put the disappointment of Rio 2016 behind him, when he was forced to withdraw from the competition due to an injury to his horse.
Goalball
Makuhari Messe Hall
In the second day of the Goalball, Algeria’s men will be wanting to bounce back from their disappointing defeat against Japan, when they take on Lithuania.
Meanwhile, Israel’s women will want to carry forward the momentum from their opening win against Australia when they take on the team from Canada.
Egypt’s women will have their first match against Turkey.
Powerlifting
Tokyo International Forum
Mena para-athletes in every competition on the opening day of the powerlifting.
Double silver medallist, Omar Sami Qarada from Jordan will undoubtedly be seeking the top prize in the men’s -49kg final where he will be lifting against Hadj Ahmed Beyour of Algeria in a strong field.
Taha Abdelmajid of Egypt is back at the games after missing Rio. The London 2012 bronze medalist will be looking to make up for lost time when he lifts in the men’s -54kg final. Ali Al Darraji from Iraq will be among the contenders.
Noura Baddour from Syria, came in fourth in Rio, and so will absolutely be aiming for a place on the podium in her third Paralympic outing in the women’s -41kg final.
Algeria’s Samira Guerioua wasn’t far off a podium spot in Rio either, and she will be hoping to take home a medal in the final of the women’s -45kg class.
Swimming
Tokyo Aquatics Centre
Israel’s Ariel Malyar and Ami Dadaon will both be swimming in the same heat of the men’s 100m freestyle S4 class.
Table tennis
Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium
Jordan’s veteran ping-pong player Khetam Abu Awad will be taking on Israel’s Caroline Tabib in women’s singles class 5.
Egyptian Hanaa Hammad opens up her campaign against Maryna Lytovchecnko of Ukraine in the singles class 6.
Faten Elelimat of Jordan will be taking on Joyce de Oliviera of Brazil in the women’s single class 4.
Meanwhile in the men’s tournaments, Egypt's Ayman Zenaty's opener will be against Ali Ozturk of Turkey in single class 5, while compatriot Sayed Youssef will play Brazilian Israel Pereira Stroh in the single class 7.
Wheelchair Basketball
Various venues
Algeria and Iran are in the same preliminary group in the men’s wheelchair basketball. Algeria will be up against Great Britain, while the Iranians take on Australia.
Wheelchair Fencing
Makuhari Messe
Two great Iraqis to watch out for in the wheelchair fencing.
Rio silver medallist Ammar Ali will be aiming to go one better in the men’s epee individual - Category B, while compatriot, three-time world championship bronze medalist and fourth place finisher in Rio 2016, Zainulabdeen Al Madkhoori, has his eyes on the podium in the men’s epee individual - Category A.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Scoreline
UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia
UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’
Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’
Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)
Five healthy carbs and how to eat them
Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat
Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar
Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices
Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants
Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
