With cardboard cutouts replacing the crowd – but real cheerleaders on the sidelines – Taiwan swung into a new baseball season, bucking the global trend for scrapping sport during the coronavirus.
Despite its proximity and trade links with China, Taiwan has so far managed to keep a lid on the pandemic.
And on Sunday the island's 31st baseball season got under way with Chinatrust Brothers taking on the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions in Taichung.
The games are being played to empty stadiums with fans being told to stay away.
But players are still travelling across the island for fixtures that are broadcast live.
On Saturday, Rakuten Monkeys unveiled robotic mannequins and cardboard cut-outs of fans dressed in home colours and caps at their stadium in northern Taoyuan county.
Some of the robots even banged on drums from the empty stands.
The mechanical stand-ins were ready to cheer Rakuten against Chinatrust Brothers for what would have been the first game of the season on Saturday, but heavy rain led to its cancellation.
Baseball is the most popular sport in Taiwan with about 240 games scheduled for the coming season.
"We are the first pro-baseball league to start playing in the world," during the pandemic, the league said in a statement.
"We welcome everyone to follow the new 2020 season and to relax from their tense lives because of the outbreak."
Unlike most other places, Taiwan's national basketball and football leagues have also continued to play, albeit behind closed doors.
Some fans have expressed concerns about the safety of those on the field.
"How can the players keep social distancing? What can we do in the event of cluster infections? Please stop this farce," read one post on the baseball league's Facebook page.
"Why are they still holding the games without audiences? The US Major League Baseball and even the Olympics have been postponed," read another.
Others were happy the games can go on, even in closed stadiums.
"It's great we have baseball games to watch," read one social media comment.
"We can probably set a precedent for professional baseball leagues abroad," read another.
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
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Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
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Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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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
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Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
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From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
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Dos
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