• Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi take part in a training session. Getty Images
    Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi take part in a training session. Getty Images
  • Barcelona manager Quique Setien oversees a training session. Getty Images
    Barcelona manager Quique Setien oversees a training session. Getty Images
  • Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Junior Firpo, right, Arturo Vidal and Gerard Pique, left, during a training session in Barcelona. Getty Images
    Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, Junior Firpo, right, Arturo Vidal and Gerard Pique, left, during a training session in Barcelona. Getty Images
  • Frenkie de Jong, Antoine Griezmann, Nelson Semedo, Clement Lenglet, Ivan Rakitic and Martin Braithwite during a training session. EPA
    Frenkie de Jong, Antoine Griezmann, Nelson Semedo, Clement Lenglet, Ivan Rakitic and Martin Braithwite during a training session. EPA
  • Frankie de Jong and Arthur Melo and defender Clement Lenglet during a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City. EPA
    Frankie de Jong and Arthur Melo and defender Clement Lenglet during a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City. EPA
  • Antoine Griezmann and midfielder Ivan Rakitic during a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City. EPA
    Antoine Griezmann and midfielder Ivan Rakitic during a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City. EPA
  • Leo Messi and midfielder Arturo Vidal during a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City. EPA
    Leo Messi and midfielder Arturo Vidal during a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City. EPA
  • Leo Messi during a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City in Barcelona. EPA
    Leo Messi during a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City in Barcelona. EPA
  • Barcelona head coach, Quique Setien (C), leads a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City in Barcelona. EPA
    Barcelona head coach, Quique Setien (C), leads a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City in Barcelona. EPA
  • Leo Messi and Luis Suarez during a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City. EPA
    Leo Messi and Luis Suarez during a training session at Joan Gamper Sports City. EPA

Lionel Messi and Barcelona teammates work up a sweat in training as La Liga restart fast approaches - in pictures


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So far, so good it seems with La Liga's plans to resume the season on June 8 as players across Spain stay hard at work to be ready for the restart.

That was evident at Joan Gamper Sports City on Monday afternoon as La Liga leaders and defending champions Barcelona continued their preparations for  the resumption of the campaign.

Barca manager Quique Setien, wearing a face mask, led the training session as the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Antoine Griezmann, and Frenkie De Jong worked up a sweat on a warm Barcelona day.

Players have been able to train in groups since last week, having previously been restricted to individual sessions, as Spanish football authorities work to ensure professional football can return in less than two weeks time under strict health and safety measures.

La Liga has been halted since mid March following the coronavirus outbreak, while Spain - one of the countries hit hardest by the pandemic - imposed some of the strictest lockdown measures anywhere in the world.

However, under the guidance of the Spanish government, the nation is gradually easing measures, which has allowed La Liga to return.

Barcelona will want to hit the ground running when the season restarts and currently hold a two-point lead over fierce rivals Real Madrid with nine games to play.

To view the best pictures from Barca's latest training session, browse the photo gallery above. To move on to the next slide, click on the arrows, or if using a mobile device simply swipe.

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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.

What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

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Villains
Queens of the Stone Age
Matador

Draw:

Group A: Egypt, DR Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe

Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi

Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania

Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia

Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola

Group F: Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau

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Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature
By Marion Rankine
Melville House

Stree

Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5

The biog

Name: Abeer Al Bah

Born: 1972

Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992

Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old

Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school

 

Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?

Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.

They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.

“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.

He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.

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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

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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.