Manchester United’s international players returned to pre-season training on Monday morning ahead of flying to Bangkok on Friday for the first stage of a pre-season tour taking in games in Thailand, Australia and Norway.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah are the main images used to promote United’s game against Liverpool in Bangkok next Tuesday, the biggest stars of England’s two biggest clubs.
Salah has signed a new contract to settle his future while Ronaldo was not at training and told the club it was for a family reason. The club accepted his explanation, but his absence only fuels rumours of his departure after sources close to the player said he wanted to leave United on Saturday.
United are adamant that they have no intention of selling their No 7 and that their best-paid player still has a year left on his contract, but in the smoke and mirrors world of football, where there are often at least two versions of the truth, fans sense something is amiss.
Ronaldo leaving will not hurt fans like it did in 2009, but then the club is nothing like as powerful as they were then, when United were the reigning world champions.
Ronaldo is 37 and, while still effective as a top-level footballer, the man who provided United’s greatest moments last season when he was by a distance the club’s top scorer, the majority of United fans would not be too concerned if he departed.
Ronaldo is both a blessing and a curse for United, easily the biggest name at the club, one who made his own rules on issues like when he wanted to speak to the media, one managers indulge, but his recruitment was also typical of United’s under the previous leading executive Ed Woodward.
In April 2021, United were linked to Ronaldo – which was news to United who thought that all the speculation was being driven by one C Ronaldo who wanted out of Juventus and knew there were few suitors for his vast wages.
On August 31, 2021, just before the summer transfer window closed, United signed Ronaldo. This was not a long-planned signing, more a piece of spontaneous opportunism based on his commercial as much as his football numbers.
The signing was news to all those on the football side of United who’d have to work with him every day. Woodward knew United could get the player and worked those numbers to show the owning Glazer family it would make commercial sense.
He had support: Sir Alex Ferguson no less felt it would be a travesty if he went to Manchester City, who were also being linked to him, just as they’d been linked to several players United ended up signing from Alexis Sanchez to Fred and Harry Maguire.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was happy to accept another striker option – one of the greatest ever players whose statistics were still phenomenal.
Fans embraced the signing, tickets for Ronaldo’s home return against Newcastle United in September were the hardest to come by for the whole season and fans loudly sang Viva Ronaldo, the iconic terrace song that took off in Rome in 2008 when he was on his way to becoming United’s first Ballon d’Or winner since George Best 40 years earlier.
Fans hoped he would be the harbinger of a brighter future after the storm of the post-Ferguson years, the talisman who could help United move up from second to first. He justified the hype that day with two goals, but his side had still looked rocky for large parts of a 4-1 win and Solskjaer’s system changed.
United went from having 55.6 per cent of possession in games in 20-21 to 52.1 per cent last season, but for a few short weeks, Ronaldo-mania took over Planet United.
Away fans wanted to see him, United fans too. United won four and drew one of their opening five games, shirts with Ronaldo’s name on eclipsed those of every other player put together and he started off on a path towards an impressive 24 goals in all competitions.
There were times in the season when you felt that United’s Twitter account had a daily obligation to tweet about Ronaldo, however mundane the subject, because it would attract huge levels of interaction, but on the pitch he delivered when so few of his teammates did.
On the football side, Ronaldo’s arrival meant United’s coaches felt they had to rip up their plan for the season when it was already under way to accommodate Ronaldo, but he was worth it.
He scored in all five of the Champions League group games he played in, including late, great winners against Villarreal and Atalanta. Without them, it’s doubtful United would have got out of the group, but would United have looked so poor in those games without a near static centre forward?
One opposing manager whose side played United’s last season opined in private that they were easier to plan against with Ronaldo, but that he was also capable of things no other player on the pitch was. Ronaldo scored against his team.
When United did and played an Atletico Madrid side he’d been so effective against with Real Madrid, he was ineffective, just as United were ineffective as a functioning team last season, far less than the sum of their parts. United’s future is about better management, coaching and not only individual names and stellar transfers to sate transfer obsessives and commercial objectives.
Despite thinking that Ronaldo was a major issue for United’s future development as a side, interim manager Ralf Rangnick did not want to be the one to start the downfall of one of football’s greatest players and continued to select him, even when he only scored one goal and made no assists in his first ten games of 2022.
Rangnick, who was not popular among players, gave up making suggestions and rode the season out, yet Ronaldo’s two hat-tricks in consecutive home league games against Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich started a strong finish to the season for him personally – if not his team, who lost their last six away games and failed to qualify for the Champions League, where Ronaldo made his mark so many times in a stellar career.
Like Rangnick, new manager Erik ten Hag diplomatically accentuated the positives publicly and said he wanted to work with Ronaldo, but his sides, like Rangnick’s, do not usually have a 37-year-old centre forward.
His teams press from the forward line and as veteran manager Neil Warnock opined on Monday: “While the manager won’t admit it publicly, I don’t think he’s going to mind too much if Ronaldo leaves the club. Great player but United need to support Ten Hag with the players he wants, let him build his own team and get that spirit of togetherness back in the dressing room.”
And the other side? If Ronaldo is unhappy with the United team then he’s not the only one. If he is unhappy with the recruitment so far, which is set to see a first signing in Dutch left-back Tyrell Malacia confirmed, then he’s also not the only one. Playing Europa League football is not where Ronaldo sees himself – and not where United should see themselves. It represents failure.
If footballers want to leave they usually do, though United did stand firm with Wayne Rooney in 2013. The timing from Ronaldo does not help United, but he started last season at Juventus and only left on the final day of the window, but United have known they need a striker for months after the departure of Edinson Cavani.
Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial will get chances again, but they’ve been out of form for years, while Mason Greenwood is suspended from playing. From having too many strikers when Ronaldo arrived, the club have too few, but having too many hardly served United well.
Ten Hag doesn’t want a slimmed down squad either and he’s learning every day: none of the youth strikers are ready for first-team football, United have money to buy.
If Ronaldo leaves, he’ll free up the budget and while proven No 9s are scarce, United have a record of bringing in ageing, proven centre forwards from Radamel Falcao to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani to Sanchez – with a catalogue of injuries and uneven results.
Ronaldo’s status as a United legend is secure. He’s the best player many United fans have ever seen, the best his teammates have played alongside, too. He will be cheered if he stays and continues to score, but do not expect protests for him to stay.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
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
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- 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
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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 bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
What is an FTO Designation?
FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes.
It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.
Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.
Source: US Department of State
Stage result
1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 4:42:34
2. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe
3. Elia Viviani (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers
4. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) BikeExchange-Jayco
5. Emils Liepins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo
6. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
7. Max Kanter (Ger) Movistar Team
8. Olav Kooij (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
9. Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
10. Pascal Ackermann (Ger) UAE Team Emirate
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Asia Cup Qualifier
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6: Final
Asia Cup
Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Schedule: Sep 15-28
Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
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.
The Intruder
Director: Deon Taylor
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good
One star
WHAT ARE NFTs?
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are tokens that represent ownership of unique items. They allow the tokenisation of things such as art, collectibles and even real estate.
An NFT can have only one official owner at one time. And since they're minted and secured on the Ethereum blockchain, no one can modify the record of ownership, not even copy-paste it into a new one.
This means NFTs are not interchangeable and cannot be exchanged with other items. In contrast, fungible items, such as fiat currencies, can be exchanged because their value defines them rather than their unique properties.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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READ MORE ABOUT CORONAVIRUS
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What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
