Football's biggest names, including Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, turned out in Milan for a night of glitz and glamour at the Fifa Best Awards on Monday night.
But there was one very obvious absentee - Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Juventus star was shortlisted for the Player of the Year award, along with Messi and Virgil van Dijk, but ended up coming second to the Barcelona striker.
Ronaldo was named in the Fifa Fifpro Men's Team of the Year. However, there was an awkward moment when the list was read out and the ten other players were all present on stage. Ronaldo's name was then missed off.
So where was he?
The answer appears to have been revealed on his Instagram account where he posted a picture for his 184 million followers showing him sat at home on the sofa reading a book.
The caption to the image read: "Patience and persistence are two characteristics that differentiate the professional from the amateur. Everything that is big today has started small. You can't do everything, but do everything you can to make your dreams come true. And keep in mind that after night always comes dawn."
Ronaldo won the best player award in 2016 and 2017 and did receive a vote from Messi this year, though the Argentine's first choice was Liverpool's Sadio Mane, with Barcelona teammate Frenkie de Jong receiving his third-placed vote.
Ronaldo meanwhile ignored Messi and placed Juventus teammate Matthijs de Ligt in first, De Jong in second and Mbappe in third.
It is understandable that the Portuguese may have wanted to put his feet up ahead of Juventus's match at Brescia this evening. He has been suffering from muscle fatigue, according to manager Maurizio Sarri, having played three games in seven days.
However, teammate De Ligt made the journey, and Milan is actually on-route to Brescia. Messi is also in action on Tuesday, as Barcelona host Villarreal.
Ronaldo has scored two goals in five games for Juventus this season, and has also netted five times in two European Championship qualifiers for Portugal.
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
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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Favourite things
Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery
Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount
University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China
Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai
Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China
Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs
In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Fiona Sampson
Profile
SECRET%20INVASION
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich 1
Kimmich (27')
Real Madrid 2
Marcelo (43'), Asensio (56')
