Barcelona´s Lionel Messi is congratulated by Celta's Gustavo Cabral after his record-breaking goal.
Barcelona´s Lionel Messi is congratulated by Celta's Gustavo Cabral after his record-breaking goal.
Barcelona´s Lionel Messi is congratulated by Celta's Gustavo Cabral after his record-breaking goal.
Barcelona´s Lionel Messi is congratulated by Celta's Gustavo Cabral after his record-breaking goal.

European football round-up: Lionel Messi claims another scoring record despite Barcelona stumble


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SPAIN

Lionel Messi claimed another record to add to his already star-making season, but found his goal was not enough to earn Barcelona a win over relegation-threatened Celta Vigo as the teams shared a 2-2 draw.

The Argentina international is no stranger to treading new ground and his 73rd-minute goal meant he has scored in 19 successive Primera Division matches.

In doing so he has found the net against every other side in the Spanish top flight - the first player to ever do that in consecutive matches - and he has 29 goals from his last 19.

The goal would not be the winner, though, with Borja Oubina`s late header earning Celta a point, with Naxto Insa`s opener having been earlier scrubbed out by Cristian Tello`s goal.

"I don't want to point out individual errors," said Jordi Roura, whose team are still 13 points ahead at the top of La Liga after Real Madrid were held 1-1 by Real Zaragoza.

"We had done the most difficult bit which was to score. In the final few minutes we lacked the collective intensity needed and they have equalised."

Despite his disappointment at the outcome though, Roura did take time to laud another incredible individual achievement by Messi.

"It is a unheard of record that no one has ever achieved. This shows how great this player is. With time, what this player is doing will be valued even more."

It was a good day for Barca, however, with Messi`s latest record being set and Eric Abidal on the bench for the first time since a liver transplant over a year ago.

The France defender did not make it on to the field but his return is a significant one, as is that of coach Tito Vilanova who was not at the game but is back in the country after undergoing chemotherapy in America.

Second-placed Real Madrid missed the chance to make things slightly less comfortable for Barcelona as they were too were held by a team fighting the drop, fourth-bottom Real Zaragoza.

Madrid could have trimmed their arch rivals' lead to 11 points if they could beat Zaragoza and claim a seventh successive league victory.

However, like Barca, they had to settle for just a point with Rodri putting Zaragoza ahead early on before Cristiano Ronaldo levelled things up just before the break with his 28th La Liga goal of the campaign.

Neither side could go on to force a winner in the second half, with Marcelo hitting the post for Madrid and both goalkeepers making a number of vital interventions.

"For some time our ambition has not been to win the title again," Jose Mourinho, the Real Madrid coach, said afterwards.

"We already knew that it is a question of points, not of winning it. With the draw today we have lost second place. If Atletico in tomorrow, they will go one point ahead and this is the most important thing."

The Portuguese also stressed that his side's league form should not affect their return to Champions League action on Wednesday.

"This result will not affect us. Our objectives are the final of the cup and the Champions League.

"In the league we have already achieved finishing amongst the top three and our objective is to finish second and win every game. It will not have any influence looking ahead to Wednesday."

Malaga reclaimed fourth spot with a 3-1 victory at Rayo Vallecano.

Weligton gave Manuel Pellegrini's side the lead but Piti levelled for the hosts from the penalty spot.

Former Real Madrid forward Julio Baptista scored his first goal in 18 months to restore Malaga's lead early in the second half before Pedro Morales secured all three points with a wonderful goal.

In the evening's late game Levante won their first league match since January with a 1-0 home triumph over Sevilla.

Ruben struck the winner five minutes before half-time as Levante leapfrogged above Sevilla into 10th.

PORTUGAL

Lima scored a hat-trick as Benfica thrashed Rio Ave 6-1 to maintain their four-point lead over Porto in the race for the Liga title.

Early goals from Lorenzo Melgarejo and Nemanja Matic put Benfica in charge and Lima doubled the home side's lead with two strikes either side of half-time.

Rio Ave pulled a goal back in the 51st minute through Koka but the visitors then suffered a huge double setback as they had both Wires and Edimar sent off within 12 minutes of each other.

Benfica quickly took advantage with Lima completing his hat-trick in the 76th minute and Enzo Perez adding a sixth eight minutes from time, before the hosts also had a player sent off when Melgarejo saw red in the 90th minute.

Benfica, who have now scored 15 goals in their last three league games, remain clear of reigning champions Porto, who bounced back from their draw with Maritimo last time out with a 3-0 triumph at Academica.

Eliaquim Mangala's 15th-minute goal put Porto ahead and second-half strikes from Danilo and Andre Castro sealed the triumph.

Maritimo followed up their credible draw against Porto with a 4-2 victory over Vitoria Setúbal that moves them into fifth.

The game was as good as over inside the opening hour with Maritimo netting through Artur (sixth minute), Heldon (25), Suk Hyun-jun (36) and Leocisio Sami (57), and Vitoria could only respond with a late brace from Jose Pedro.

Maritimo climb above Estoril, who salvaged a 1-1 draw at third-bottom Moreirense thanks to a last-minute equaliser from Tony Taylor.

Moreirense had taken a seventh-minute lead through Nabil Ghilas while Estoril finished with 10 men following Steven Vitoria's late sending off.

Elsewhere Olhanense beat bottom club Beira Mar 1-0 with an 80th-minute winner from Lucas Quintino de Souza.

FRANCE

Struggling Troyes held St Etienne to a 2-2 draw, preventing their opponents from moving up to third in Ligue 1.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Brandao twice put visiting St Etienne in front, but they were pegged back by strikes from Julien Faussurier and Benjamin Nivet

Despite the nature of the draw, a point does little to improve Troyes' hopes of survival, as they are four points off fourth-bottom Brest, who take on Lille on Sunday.

Clarck N'Sikulu grabbed a last-gasp leveller for Evian as they also drew 2-2 against relegation rivals Reims.

The attacker scored in the 93rd minute for the home side as they recovered from two goals down at the Parc des Sports.

Floyd Ayite put the visitors ahead after 12 minutes before he saw red three minutes later for a dangerous tackle.

Despite that setback the 10 men of Reims still managed to double their lead in the 67th minute through Gaetan Courtet.

They could not hold on though as Yannick Sagbo pulled a goal back for the home side a minute later before N'Sikulu struck deep into stoppage time.

Bastia twice came from behind to complete a 4-3 win at Valenciennes that boosts the Corsicans' chances of staying in Ligue 1.

Remi Gomis briefly set Valenciennes on their way towards a first win in six outings but Toifilou Maoulida soon scored his first goal of a brace to level the tie.

A Gael Danic penalty sent VA into half-time with a 2-1 lead but Bastia came roaring back after the break, with Maoulida equalising before substitute Florian Thauvin settled the match with a double inside the last six minutes - his first goal coming from the spot.

Gregory Pujol squeezed in a third for the hosts in stoppage time but it was too little, too late for Daniel Sanchez's men, who remain in 12th place while both sides are eight points clear of the drop zone.

Improving Nancy claimed their second win in a week as a 2-0 victory over Rennes saw them move off the foot of Ligue 1.

Thomas Ayasse put them ahead 12 minutes from time with a stunning volley before Djamel Bakar secured all three points with a minute remaining.

Etienne Capoue scored twice to earn mid-table Toulouse a narrow 3-2 victory at Ajaccio.

The hosts led through Jonathan Zebina's own goal but Capoue levelled and Franck Tabanou put Toulouse ahead.

Adrian Mutu then made it 2-2 before the break, but Capoue grabbed the winner from the penalty spot 11 minutes from time.

Ludovic Obraniak's late strike rescued a 1-1 draw for Bordeaux after Jeremie Aliadiere had put Lorient ahead.

HOLLAND

Feyenoord missed the chance to go top of the Eredivisie after going down 2-0 at Heerenveen.

Ronald Koeman's men could have temporarily moved above Ajax and PSV Eindhoven with victory and even a point would have seen them go second.

But Alfred Finnbogason gave Heerenveen an 85th-minute lead before Yassine El Ghanassy ensured there was no way back for Feyenoord a minute from time.

Wout Brama's 83rd-minute strike rescued a 1-1 draw for FC Twente against NAC, who took the lead just after half-time through Kenny van der Weg.

Bottom club Willem II let a one-goal lead slip as their hopes of beating the drop took another blow with a 2-1 defeat at home to FC Groningen.

The hosts looked set for a rare win following Rob Haemhouts' strike in the 27th minute but a penalty after 66 minutes from Leandro Bacuna levelled matters before David Texeira sealed victory for Groningen shortly afterwards.

Two goals in 16 minutes set FC Utrecht on the way to a 2-1 victory over VVV.

Edouard Duplan opened the scoring in the fifth minute before Leon de Kogel doubled the hosts' lead, with Brian Linssen's effort before half-time proving mere consolation.

GERMANY

Brutal Bayern Munich produced a nine-goal annihilation of Hamburg to move to within one win of wrapping up the Bundesliga title.

Bayern smashed their opponents 9-2 at the Allianz Arena with Claudio Pizarro scoring four times and Arjen Robben twice.

Xherdan Shaqiri, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Franck Ribery were also on target for the rampant hosts, who led 5-0 at the break and refused to let up.

They did it all without leading scorer Mario Mandzukic, who was left on the bench ahead of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final meeting with Juventus.

Hamburg's goals, from Jeffrey Bruma and Heiko Westermann, made it 8-1 and then 9-2 and did nothing to ease the misery.

The win moved Bayern 20 points clear of Borussia Dortmund with seven games to go and victory at Eintracht Frankfurt next Saturday will wrap up the title.

Jupp Heynckes is now on the verge of a glorious send-off as the veteran coach prepares to give way to former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola.

"Of course it was important to underpin our confidence and at times we were playing textbook football," said Heynckes.

"But Tuesday against Juventus it will be another match as they will be far more aggressive."

Dortmund kept Bayern waiting for another week at least by winning 2-1 at Stuttgart

Lukasz Piszczek gave Dortmund the lead in the 29th minute, but Alexandru Maxim's first Bundesliga goal brought the Swabians level before a red card to Georg Niedermeier tipped the scales back in Dortmund's favour.

Robert Lewandowski grabbed the winner eight minutes from time.

Bayer Leverkusen kept a strong hold on third with a 4-1 win at Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Two goals apiece for Stefan Kiessling and Andre Schurrle ensured Leverkusen maintained a six-point cushion over Schalke.

The fifth goal in the game also came from a visiting player, Daniel Schwaab's own goal all Fortuna had to show for their efforts.

Schalke scored three times in the final 20 minutes to beat relegation-threatened Hoffenheim 3-0.

Marco Hoger broke the deadlock in the 71st minute before two substitutes, Raffael and Teemu Pukki, wrapped up the victory.

Mainz dropped three points behind Schalke as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Werder Bremen, despite going ahead after 12 seconds.

Adam Szalai gave Mainz a flying start, but Aaron Hunt earned Bremen a point.

Max Kruse scored twice as Freiburg moved ahead of Borussia Monchengladbach in the race for Europa League qualification with a 2-0 win.

Third-bottom Augsburg failed to improve their chances of avoiding the drop as they lost 2-0 at home to Hannover.

Konstantin Rausch scored both goals in the second half.

SCOTLAND

Motherwell remained on course to secure second place in the Scottish Premier League with a 3-0 away win over rock-bottom Dundee.

Michael Higdon opened the scoring in the ninth minute and Nicky Law sealed the triumph with a second-half brace as Motherwell moved to within 12 points of Celtic, who play St Mirren later today.

More importantly though they remain three points above third-placed Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who beat Hibernian 2-1 at Easter Road.

Second-half goals from Ross Draper and Andrew Shinnie, either side of Leigh Griffiths' 23rd goal of the season, were enough to earn Caley Thistle the victory.

Inverness are now five points clear of Ross County in fourth after Derek Adams' side lost 1-0 at home to Kilmarnock.

James Fowler's second-minute goal was enough to secure the points for Kilmarnock as Ross suffered only their third SPL defeat of the season at Global Energy Stadium despite having dominated much of the match.

In the day's other match Aberdeen kept their hopes of a top-six finish alive with a 2-0 win over Hearts.

Niall McGinn scored both goals, netting 10 minutes into each half to give Craig Brown victory in his final home match as manager in front of 10,175 fans at Pittodrie.

ITALY

Juventus overcame the first major obstacle on the home straight of their Serie A title defence by beating 10-man Inter Milan 2-1.

League leaders Juve were also eager to avenge November's 3-1 home defeat to the Nerazzurri and Fabio Quagliarella drew first blood within the opening three minutes.

Despite Rodrigo Palacio's second-half equaliser, Inter could not break down a resilient Juventus defence and Alessandro Matri found a winner 30 minutes from time.

Esteban Cambiasso was then dismissed for a foul on Sebastian Giovinco with Inter slumping to seventh.

Napoli are still nine points behind Juve, however, after the Azzurri came out on top in a 5-3 thriller at Torino.

Blerim Dzemaili saw the first of his two hat-trick goals at the Stadio Olimpico cancelled out by Paulo Barreto and then Jonathas from the penalty spot.

Marek Hamsik had missed his first-half spot-kick and it looked like Napoli would live to regret it as Riccardo Meggiorini gave Torino the lead midway through the second half.

But the introduction of Edinson Cavani from the bench inspired Dzemaili to a third goal before the Uruguayan striker notched twice in the last six minutes to keep his side firmly in the title race.

Meanwhile, Riccardo Montolivo's first-half goal was enough for third-placed AC Milan to claim a 1-0 win over Chievo.

Montolivo decided the game in the 25th minute as the Rossoneri responded to Juve's win over Inter before Napoli kicked off.

There was then a red card for Dario Dainelli as Chievo ended the day nine points above the drop zone.

A Nicola Legrottaglie own goal and a late Antonio Candreva strike earned Lazio a dramatic 2-1 win over top-three rivals Catania.

Catania looked set to jump from eighth to fifth when Mariano Isco put them ahead after the break.

However, Lazio scored twice in two second-half minutes to snatch what could be a vital win as they moved onto 50 points.

A brace from Mauricio Pinilla saw Cagliari seal a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina.

It was a third straight win behind closed doors at the Stadio Is Arenas with Pinilla beating Emiliano Viviano early on before firing the winner from the penalty spot.

Juan Cuadrado's second-half response gave Fiorentina brief hope they could make up ground on the top three, but they remain fourth while Cagliari climb to 11th.

At the bottom of the table, Palermo closed to within three points of safety with a shock 2-0 win over Roma.

A 15-match winless streak had seen the Rosanero sliding towards relegation but an early goal from Josip Ilicic gave the home faithful reason to believe.

Fabrizio Miccoli then rubber-stamped all three points against an under-par Roma side who never really got going.

Palermo are now three points shy of 17th-placed Genoa, who drew 2-2 against Siena, while Roma drop to sixth.

Genoa and Siena eventually shared the spoils after a topsy-turvy game at the Luigi Ferraris.

Marco Borriello gave the hosts an early lead but Siena turned the game around with goals either side of half-time from Innocent Emeghara and Alessandro Rosina, the latter from the penalty spot.

But Bosko Jankovic's equaliser dumped them back into the final relegation place, one point and one place below Genoa.

Pescara are now bottom of the pile as goals from Yohan Benalouane, Gabriel Paletta and Amauri fired Parma into 10th place with a one-sided 3-0 victory at the Ennio Tardini.

Elsewhere, Antonio Di Natale missed a penalty in Udinese's goalless draw against Bologna, with mid-table Sampdoria also drawing a blank at Atalanta despite Pedro Mba Obiang going close at the death.

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?

The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.

Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.

New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.

“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.

The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.

The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.

Bloomberg

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E77kWh%202%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E178bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E410Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E402km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh%2C150%2C000%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETBC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Analysis

Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more

Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

The most expensive investment mistake you will ever make

When is the best time to start saving in a pension? The answer is simple – at the earliest possible moment. The first pound, euro, dollar or dirham you invest is the most valuable, as it has so much longer to grow in value. If you start in your twenties, it could be invested for 40 years or more, which means you have decades for compound interest to work its magic.

“You get growth upon growth upon growth, followed by more growth. The earlier you start the process, the more it will all roll up,” says Chris Davies, chartered financial planner at The Fry Group in Dubai.

This table shows how much you would have in your pension at age 65, depending on when you start and how much you pay in (it assumes your investments grow 7 per cent a year after charges and you have no other savings).

Age

$250 a month

$500 a month

$1,000 a month

25

$640,829

$1,281,657

$2,563,315

35

$303,219

$606,439

$1,212,877

45

$131,596

$263,191

$526,382

55

$44,351

$88,702

$177,403

 

The biog

Fatima Al Darmaki is an Emirati widow with three children

She has received 46 certificates of appreciation and excellence throughout her career

She won the 'ideal mother' category at the Minister of Interior Awards for Excellence

Her favourite food is Harees, a slow-cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled wheat berries mixed with chicken

Tank warfare

Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks. 

“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.

“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”

Batti Gul Meter Chalu

Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5

MATCH INFO

England 241-3 (20 ovs)

Malan 130 no, Morgan 91

New Zealand 165 all out (16.5ovs)

Southee 39, Parkinson 4-47

England win by 76 runs

Series level at 2-2

The Dark Blue Winter Overcoat & Other Stories From the North
Edited and Introduced by Sjón and Ted Hodgkinson
Pushkin Press 

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs: McLaren 600LT

Price, base: Dh914,000

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm

Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm

Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km

Brief scoreline:

Manchester United 2

Rashford 28', Martial 72'

Watford 1

Doucoure 90'

EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

How green is the expo nursery?

Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery

An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo

Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery

Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape

The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides

All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality

Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country

Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow

Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site

Green waste is recycled as compost

Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs

Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers

About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer

Main themes of expo is  ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.

Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months

Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha

Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar

Director: Neeraj Pandey

Rating: 2.5/5

Last-16 Europa League fixtures

Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)

FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm

Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm

Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm

Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm 

Thursday

Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm

Sevilla v Roma  (one leg only)  8.55pm

FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm 

Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm 

The biog

Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages

Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”  

Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”

Favourite film:  “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”

Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”

Meydan Racecourse racecard:

6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes Listed (PA) | Dh175,000 1,900m

7.05pm: Maiden for 2-year-old fillies (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m

7.40pm: The Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) Dh265,000 1,600m

8.15pm: Maiden for 2-year-old colts (TB) Dh165,000 1,600m

8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) Dh265,000 2,000m

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,200m

10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,600m.

'The Sky is Everywhere'

Director:Josephine Decker

Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon

Rating:2/5

RESULTS

5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: Yas Xmnsor, Sean Kirrane (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)

5.30pm: Falaj Hazza – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Arim W’Rsan, Dane O’Neill, Jaci Wickham

6pm: Al Basrah – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Kalifano De Ghazal, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi

6.30pm: Oud Al Touba – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Pharitz Oubai, Sean Kirrane, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

7pm: Sieh bin Amaar – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Oxord, Richard Mullen, Abdalla Al Hammadi

7.30pm: Jebel Hafeet – Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: AF Ramz, Sean Kirrane, Khalifa Al Neyadi

8pm: Al Saad – Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Sea Skimmer, Gabriele Malune, Kareem Ramadan

HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT

1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 1:39:46.713
2. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 00:00.908
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 00:12.462
4. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 00:12.885
5. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 00:13.276
6. Fernando Alonso, McLaren 01:11.223
7. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 1 lap
8. Sergio Perez, Force India 1 lap
9. Esteban Ocon, Force India  1 lap
10. Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren 1 lap
11. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso 1 lap
12. Jolyon Palmer, Renault 1 lap
13. Kevin Magnussen, Haas 1 lap
14. Lance Stroll, Williams 1 lap
15. Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber 2 laps
16. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber 2 laps
17r. Nico Huelkenberg, Renault 3 laps
r. Paul Di Resta, Williams 10 laps
r. Romain Grosjean, Haas 50 laps
r. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 70 laps

No Shame

Lily Allen

(Parlophone)

The biog

Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."

Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell 

Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Tabby%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%20August%202019%3B%20platform%20went%20live%20in%20February%202020%3Cbr%3EFounder%2FCEO%3A%20Hosam%20Arab%2C%20co-founder%3A%20Daniil%20Barkalov%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Payments%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2040-50%20employees%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Series%20A%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Arbor%20Ventures%2C%20Mubadala%20Capital%2C%20Wamda%20Capital%2C%20STV%2C%20Raed%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Founders%20Capital%2C%20JIMCO%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Outliers%20VC%2C%20MSA%20Capital%2C%20HOF%20and%20AB%20Accelerator.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Defending champions

World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack

Tips on buying property during a pandemic

Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.

While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.

While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar. 

Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.

Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities. 

Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong. 

Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.

Roger Federer's record at Wimbledon

Roger Federer's record at Wimbledon

1999 - 1st round

2000 - 1st round

2001 - Quarter-finalist

2002 - 1st round

2003 - Winner

2004 - Winner

2005 - Winner

2006 - Winner

2007 - Winner

2008 - Finalist

2009 - Winner

2010 - Quarter-finalist

2011 - Quarter-finalist

2012 - Winner

2013 - 2nd round

2014 - Finalist

2015 - Finalist

2016 - Semi-finalist

Scoreline:

Manchester City 1

Jesus 4'

Brighton 0

Astroworld
Travis Scott
Grand Hustle/Epic/Cactus Jack

The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm

Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km

The%C2%A0specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.4-litre%2C%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeight-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E617hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E750Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh630%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Norwich City 0 Southampton 3 (Ings 49', Armstrong 54', Redmond 79')

Fight card

1. Featherweight 66kg: Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)

2. Lightweight 70kg: Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)

3. Welterweight 77kg:Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)

4. Lightweight 70kg: Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)

5. Featherweight 66kg: Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)

6. Catchweight 85kg: Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)

7. Featherweight 66kg: Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)

8. Catchweight 73kg: Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Ahmed Abdelraouf of Egypt (EGY)

9.  Featherweight 66kg: Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)

10. Catchweight 90kg: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)