The title chase is red-hot in Spain where Real Madrid now lead Barcelona, but all is not well for every superstar in Real's ranks. Elsewhere, it's been a big week for Manchester City as their European ban was overturned, and they enjoyed a Premier League goal rout.
Here's the best of social media this week:
Gareth Bale caught napping
There's an element of sadness when seeing Gareth Bale sat in the stands while Real Madrid march on towards the La Liga title. It feels like such a waste for a talent such as his to not go to use - if not at Real then somewhere else.
At least he's been putting his time on the sidelines while the likes of Karim Benzema bang in the goals to some kind of use - by showing a rarely seen sense of humour.
First Bale was spotted pretending to nap on the subs bench with his protective mask covering his face, a move which led to outcry in Spain. And then he was caught peering into the distance with fake binoculars. Fun or foul? Make your own mind up.
Erling Haaland shows a cutting edge
The Borussia Dortmund striker was sharp all season as he enjoyed a prolific campaign. And now he's showed his cutting edge away from the pitch with some time out and about in the great outdoors with his father, former Leeds United player Alf Inge Haaland.
The pair of them have been big talk on Twitter all week, with Haaland junior on video being allegedly removed from a nightclub, and then there was this follow up tweet from his father...
Whatever you do, don't step on the badge
Atletico defender Renan Lodi isn't just a protector of his team's goal, he also a protector of the club's badge, as seen here during (or possibly after) their 1-0 win over Real Betis.
It may have been more interesting to have seen the consequences of an opponent actually stepping foot on the badge.
Raheem Sterling shows it doesn't matter how they go in
Manchester City's Raheem Sterling is a player of supreme talents - including being the master of the no-look header, which capped his hat-trick in the recent 5-0 drubbing of Brighton & Hove Albion.
His teammates, including Kyle Walker, were quick to praise his exceptional technique, which means he is able to head the ball while a) not looking, and b) while on the ground, and c) nutmegs the keeper too.
Statistics deep dive
Crikey. How deep did one have to dig to find this statistic?
Meanwhile, is it possible for another current Premier League duo with the surname prefix 'Mc' to score in the same game? Answers on a postcard please.
_____________
More best of the week:
Lionel Messi's incredible 7% of all Barcelona goals, another Neville signs for Manchester United
Marcus Rashford's breakfast club, 'God-like' Zlatan and his students
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
THE%C2%A0SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.4-litre%20four-cylinder%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20210hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Starting%20from%20Dh89%2C900%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
