DUBAI // This month's UAE Badminton Open, the most lucrative in the region, will be restricted to residents for the first time in the event's 25-year history.
Boasting a Dh50,000 prize fund, the three-week tournament, which will start on May 31 at Dubai's India Club, has traditionally been open to overseas professionals who have enjoyed a monopoly on the silverware and prize money. But the event organisers have changed the entry rules in a bid to create a level playing field and increase participation in the sport.
"We are trying to encourage participation among UAE residents," explained Bhatra Chachara, the India Club general manager. "What we've seen in previous years is professionals entering and walking away with the top prizes. When locals residents come to know that the professionals will dominate, they stop participating.
"So we're encouraging local players to join in which will help us build up the game within the country. We're open to any nationality, just as long as you're a UAE resident."
Chachara's sentiments were echoed by Raman Nair, of Western Union Finance Services, the Open's chief sponsors.
"We are trying to take this event to communities outside of the Indian community," said Nair. "Specifically the Chinese, Filipino and Indonesians who share the same passion for the game we do."
The tournament has enjoyed a steady increase in entrants over the past three years and with the competition boasting 25 categories - covering age groups ranging from Under 10s to Over 55s [senior veteran doubles] - Chachara is expecting another record number of participants for this year's edition.
"This tournament has been going from strength-to-strength," he said. "In 2007, we had 290 participants; in 2008 we went up to 320 entries and last year we had a record 360 entries.We had 336 matches played over a period of three weeks last year, and we hope to break that record."
The majority of the Dh50,000 prize will be allocated to the respective winners of the men's and women's singles and doubles categories. Meanwhile, Sunil Singh, the India Club chairman, highlighted the tournament's significance in growing the game in the region.
"In spite of the challenging economic times we are maintaining our prize money, which is the richest badminton competition anywhere in the Gulf," said Singh. "For many years we have been the UAE's major supporter of badminton and have set the trend. I believe it is only now that other clubs are coming up with badminton tournaments of their own. We need to keep promoting the game because our role is very important for UAE badminton."
The club's grassroots ethos was further evidenced with the announcement of a new category for children with special needs.
"Last year we had a couple of exhibition matches for special needs kids," said Chachara. "We've expanded that by incorporating a separate category and we've already had confirmations of participation from the SNF School, as well as the Dubai Autism Centre.
"We'll look at the capabilities of each special needs child individually. If they can compete with children from the mainstream events, then we will organise the matches."
In addition to the special needs segment, AK Prakashan, a member of the India Club's board of directors for sport, revealed two other new fields for the 2010 event.
"This year we have added two categories because of popular demand from players and parents," said Prakashan. "We have introduced Under 16 singles categories for both boys and girls, taking our total number of categories to 25 across all age groups."
emegson@thenational.ae
What: UAE Badminton Open
When: May 31-June 18
Where: India Club, Dubai
Entry fees: Dh25-Dh50
Information: www.indiaclubdubai.com
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
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.
Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Company%20profile
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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.
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Rajasthan Royals 153-5 (17.5 ov)
Delhi Daredevils 60-4 (6 ov)
Rajasthan won by 10 runs (D/L method)
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Austrian Grand Prix race timings
Weekend schedule for Austrian Grand Prix - all timings UAE
Friday
Noon-1.30pm First practice
4-5.30pm Second practice
Saturday
1-2pm Final practice
4pm Qualifying
Sunday
4pm Austrian Grand Prix (71 laps)
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How do Sim card scams work?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
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