The Emirates Dubai Sevens will return to its traditional place on the sporting calendar when it is played over three days of the National Day weekend.
The event was cancelled for the first time in its history last year because of the pandemic.
Rugby’s abridged format has actually already returned to the city. Dubai hosted the first leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2022 behind closed doors on Friday and Saturday.
South Africa dominated the men’s tournament, as they beat United States 42-7 in the final. Australia’s women were similarly emphatic, and they beat Fiji 22-7 in their final.
Now the gates are set to open again to spectators this weekend.
What are the Covid rules?
As per the latest guidance from the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management, there will not be a need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test to attend the Sevens.
The organisers stipulate that face mask must be worn unless the person is seated at a table, eating or drinking, or exempt for medical reasons. Physical distancing will also be in place.
“Any spectators who refuse or fail to comply with such conditions may have their tickets cancelled, be refused entry or be removed from the event,” the organisers say.
What is new?
There will be 12 teams in the men’s World Series event, down from the usual 16. For the first time in Dubai, expatriates and travelling supporters from the UK will not be able to cheer on their own individual nations.
Four-time Dubai Sevens winners England, Scotland, and Wales – who won the World Cup Sevens in 2009 in Dubai – will not be present in those guises.
Instead, players from each will be playing as Great Britain. Robbie Fergusson is due to captain the men’s team, with Abbie Brown leading the women’s side.
The women’s World Series tournament will comprise 10 teams.
Multiple invitational tournaments in rugby and netball will take place as per usual, while for the first time a seven-a-side cricket tournament will also be running on the neighbouring cricket ovals.
Who will be here?
Although various Covid travel restrictions around the world have precluded some regulars from making it, there will still be a number of familiar faces.
As per usual, many of the most recognisable will be seen in the International Vets 10s event.
Mike Phillips, the former Wales and British & Irish Lions scrum half, is set to turn out for HGB Legends.
Former England full back Delon Armitage is due to play for 100 World Legends, as is sevens great Ben Gollings.
Who will not be here?
Six-time Emirates International Trophy winners New Zealand will be absent. Both their men’s and women’s teams, who won the respective series titles in 2020 are unable to participate due to travel restrictions from their homeland.
Samoa, who won in Dubai in 2012 and were runners up in the 2009 World Cup Sevens in the city, have also been unable to travel.
Pools
Men’s World Series
A – South Africa, Great Britain, Ireland, Japan
B – United States, Australia, Kenya, Canada
C – Fiji, Argentina, France, Spain
Women’s World Series
A – Australia, Canada, Spain, Russia, Brazil
B – Fiji, United States, Great Britain, France, Ireland
Tickets
General admission tickets remain available for all three days. Prices range from Dh375 for a day pass for adults to Dh475 for a season pass.
Tickets are available online here.
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Specs
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The specs: 2019 Lincoln MKC
Price, base / as tested: Dh169,995 / Dh192,045
Engine: Turbocharged, 2.0-litre, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 253hp @ 5,500rpm
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Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
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The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Paris Can Wait
Dir: Eleanor Coppola
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard
Two stars
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
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BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
About Tenderd
Started: May 2018
Founder: Arjun Mohan
Based: Dubai
Size: 23 employees
Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
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The specs
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