A dramatic fourth quarter comeback saw Kuwait defeat the UAE 65-61 in the 11-12th play-off at the Fiba Asia Championships for Men yesterday. The UAE had led their GCC rivals for most of the game, up 17-15 at the end of the first quarter, 28-27 at half-time and 51-43 at the end of the third. But after chasing shadows for most of the match, Kuwait - 13 points behind with nine minutes to go - suddenly found their range and rallied in the final quarter.
Fourteen of top-scoring Mohammed Ashkanani's 20 points came in the second half as the lead changed hands with only 1min 30secs left on the clock. A shell-shocked UAE, looking to force the game into over-time, upped the tempo. However, Ibrahim Alsari missed two crucial free throws and a two-pointer in a frantic final minute and the game was lost, the UAE settling for 12th place overall. A tournament record of one win and six losses still sees the UAE register a four position improvement on their 2007 Fiba Asia Championship finish, while Kuwait's 11th place sees them climb three places in two years.
Younis Ibrahim was the highest scorer for the UAE with 15 points, while Emirati Talal Al Nuaimi, heavily marked throughout, weighed in with 12. The defending champions Iran will meet hosts China in today's final. The Iranians remained unbeaten in eight games with a 77-75 victory over Jordanyesterday, Samad Nikkhah top-scoring with 23 points. China later followed suit with a nervous 72-68 win over Lebanon on the back of 20 points from former NBA centre Wang Zhizhi and 18 from New Jersey Nets forward Yi Jianlian. The top three teams qualify for next year's world championship in Turkey.
emegson@thenational.ae
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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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.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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COMPANY PROFILE
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
• Remittance charges will be tackled by blockchain
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• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it
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The%20specs
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
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
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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War on waste
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
