Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, putting a miserable World Cup behind him, on Tuesday declared himself fit and ready to go as he chases trophies at Real Madrid.
“I’ll try my best all the season like I do it every year. I’ll try to be the best, try to help my team, try to score goals and try to win titles,” the 29-year-old striker told a sponsor’s event in Tokyo, adding he would like to play “six, seven more years” at the top level of club competition.
Portugal failed to make the World Cup knockout round in Brazil last month with one win, one loss and one draw in their group as an injury-hit Ronaldo squandered plenty of chances and notched up just one goal.
He had been hampered by a left leg injury since just before the global tournament.
“I’m really focused. My injury is gone. I feel very, very good,” Ronaldo said, adding he wanted to kick off and begin the La Liga season “in good shape.”
Without referring to his World Cup diaster in Brazil, the striker described last season as “amazing”. He listed several individual trophies while Real Madrid won a 10th Champions League title and the Copa del Rey, the oldest Spanish football competition.
Ronaldo was the top scorer in La Liga and the Champions League and won his second Ballon d’Or as well as the European Golden Shoe, among other honours.
Ronaldo was in Japan to promote a series of fitness products, including an airplane-shaped device meant to shape up facial muscles, after posting an online photo of himself wearing a black mask that went viral.
Ronaldo added that he hoped for a repeat of last season’s glory, saying he will have an, “opportunity to win five, six titles this year – so fantastic. I’m really focused”.
“This is my goal for every season – to prepare myself 100 per cent. And for me every season is a challenge so I want to be good again.
“I dedicate myself 100 per cent and I want to carry on like that until I finish my career.”
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Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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New Zealand 7 (Try: Savea; Con: Mo'unga)
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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
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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
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- 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
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Dubai World Cup nominations
UAE: Thunder Snow/Saeed bin Suroor (trainer), North America/Satish Seemar, Drafted/Doug Watson, New Trails/Ahmad bin Harmash, Capezzano, Gronkowski, Axelrod, all trained by Salem bin Ghadayer
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Director Ashutosh Gowariker
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Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
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Sunday
Espanyol v Leganes (8.15pm)
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To be taxed:
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Not taxed
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Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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