For Milovan Rajevac, it has been a disruptive week. Gathering together for the first time his squad of many talents in Algeria, the country’s new head coach sensed several players felt distracted.
One had no sooner answered the call-up than he was asking for leave. Islam Slimani, his leading striker, jetted back across the Mediterranean, for a medical in Bologna, carried out by doctors working for Leicester City.
Meanwhile, Yacine Brahimi, Algeria's enterprising playmaker, was in turmoil. Everton had seemed interested in paying a hefty €40 million (Dh163.9m) to take him, at the tail-end of the transfer window, from Porto to the richest league in the world. The deal fell through.
In short, more of the chatter around the Algerian national team, ahead of Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier has been about the new club circumstances many of the leading players face than about how Lesotho, the opposition, will line up in Blida for Rajevac’s first game as a manager.
Algeria at the 2014 World Cup
• 1-1, 2, 3 Viva l'Algerie: Islam Slimani heads Algeria on with Russia draw
• In pictures: Islam Slimani and Algeria make history with last-16 success
Right now, Algeria’s stars can afford to have their minds elsewhere. They have already secured their place, at a canter, for the Nations Cup finals in Gabon in January.
And Rajevac, the Serbian with wide experience coaching across Africa and the Middle East, can smile about the causes of his players’ daydreams.
The busy negotiating that many have been involved is an endorsement of the blessings he has at his disposal.
According to current market valuations, this Algeria must be the most valuable national team any Arabic-speaking country has ever had.
Leicester, the Premier League champions, set a new club record in prizing Slimani from Sporting Lisbon for around €29m.
His five-year contract will take him to the age of 33, and that sort of commitment has not been made by the club in expectation that the striker, who scored 27 times in 33 Portuguese Primeira Liga games last season and has an international strike-rate of better than a goal every two outings, is going to be just an understudy to Jamie Vardy.
Advice on the move was taken by Slimani from his compatriot, Riyad Mahrez. Leicester’s Mahrez was voted Footballer of the Year for the 2015/16 season by his peers in England, the first African to win that award.
Mahrez might very well have moved this summer, but Leicester renewed his contract with them, on sumptuous terms, and a salary very different from the one he was earning in the French second division with Le Havre only two and half seasons ago.
Should Slimani and Mahrez start to combine each weekend as effectively as Vardy and Mahrez, Algeria can only benefit. Rajevac hopes so, and that the stimulus of Uefa Champions League football at Leicester refines the relationship further.
He will have a close eye on one date above all in that competition: Leicester v Porto in Group G on September 27.
He hopes by then Brahimi, the abundantly gifted creator, has re-established himself in the Porto team’s hierarchy, the club’s coach Nuno Espirito Santo having apparently cooled on the player, which had opened the door to a possible transfer, albeit at a very high fee.
Come October, Rajevac will want no distractions within his squad. Algeria meet Cameroon in their opening 2018 World Cup qualifier at the beginning of next month. The group they share looks by far the toughest of the African pools, containing Nigeria and Zambia, 2013 and 2012 African champions respectively.
By the time Cameroon visit, Rajevac also hopes Sofiane Feghouli has regained fitness. The winger is another whose talent has earned a move to the Premier League, Feghouli having joined West Ham United from Valencia.
Like Leicester with Slimani, West Ham happily took on Feghouli’s salary in the knowledge he would miss up to two months of the season at the Cup of Nations.
Another of the Premier League contingent, Watford's Adlene Guedioura, has been pleased to see new compatriots coming to England. "I think they'll find they've made the right choice," he said of Slimani and Feghouli, whose hamstring problem has kept him out of Rajevac's first squad.
“But the main thing now is for us all to get know the new national coach.”
Rajevac’s task is clear: to make Algeria’s brilliant attack look at least the sum of its highly-valued parts.
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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.
South Africa v India schedule
Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg
ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion
T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5
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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 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
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
PRISCILLA
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What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Griselda
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If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes. Portland is a 260 km drive from Seattle and Emirates offers codeshare flights to Portland with its partner Alaska Airlines.
The car
Hertz (www.hertz.ae) offers compact car rental from about $300 per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.
Parks and accommodation
For information on Crater Lake National Park, visit www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm . Because of the altitude, large parts of the park are closed in winter due to snow. While the park’s summer season is May 22-October 31, typically, the full loop of the Rim Drive is only possible from late July until the end of October. Entry costs $25 per car for a day. For accommodation, see www.travelcraterlake.com. For information on Umpqua Hot Springs, see www.fs.usda.gov and https://soakoregon.com/umpqua-hot-springs/. For Bend, see https://www.visitbend.com/.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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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.
The Equaliser 2
Director Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Denzel Washington, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Ashton Sanders
Three stars
