Real Madrid's Sami Khedira has been linked back to a move to his native Germany. Behrouz Mehri / AFP
Real Madrid's Sami Khedira has been linked back to a move to his native Germany. Behrouz Mehri / AFP
Real Madrid's Sami Khedira has been linked back to a move to his native Germany. Behrouz Mehri / AFP
Real Madrid's Sami Khedira has been linked back to a move to his native Germany. Behrouz Mehri / AFP

Transfer talk: Khedira says ‘part of me has already left’ Real Madrid; QPR confident in keeping Remy


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Real Madrid

Want-away Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira has said that part of him has “already left” the Spanish club, German newspaper Bild reported Saturday.

Khedira, a member of Germany’s World Cup-winning side, faces renewed competition for a first-team place at Madrid following the arrivals of compatriot Toni Kroos and Colombia star James Rodriguez and there have been rumours of an impending transfer in recent weeks.

He has been linked with a return to his homeland with Bayern Munich and has rejected an offer of a new Real contract, with his current deal set to expire in 2015.

“Part of me has already left Real,” Bild quoted Khedira as saying during a visit to Leipzig to watch his brother play in a second-division match on Friday.

“Until August 31, anything is possible.”

In choosing to travel to Germany on Friday, Khedira will no doubt cause considerable controversy among Real fans, with the La Liga team in action in the Supercopa de Espana (Spanish Super Cup) at the same time, losing 2-1 on aggregate to Atletico Madrid.

“I gave him permission (to go),” Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said, adding however that he did not know where Khedira had gone.

Queens Park Rangers

Harry Redknapp returns to Tottenham on Sunday hoping his summer transfer dealings can prove enough to lead QPR to a famous win.

The 67-year-old Englishman goes back to White Hart Lane for the first time on Sunday since he was sacked in 2012, with a Rangers squad he feels can mix it with the best the Premier League has to offer.

Having signed Rio Ferdinand, Steven Caulker, Jordon Mutch and Leroy Fer, as well as bringing in Chile international pair Mauricio Isla and Eduardo Vargas on loan – it appears business is slowing down at Loftus Road

With several players shipped out in the summer and plenty of loanees returning to their parent clubs after gaining promotion through the play-offs, the west London club has seen plenty of comings and goings.

Fer and Vargas were the last players added to his ranks and, despite rumours of more potential arrivals, Redknapp has assembled a squad he believes is good enough to achieve his aim of top-flight survival.

“They are two good signings for us, I’m really pleased,” he said of his latest duo.

“The club have been great, I have been pleased with the players we have brought in, it has made a big difference.

“We came back in pre-season and we were really, really short of numbers and we have brought some quality players in. It is up to us now to get on and do the job, if there is another one to come in then great – if not then we will see.”

With the purse-strings now much tighter than under previous manager Mark Hughes, any further additions are likely to be on temporary deals as Redknapp has no qualms with once again making the most of the loan market – with Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha one name linked to QPR.

“We were the loan Rangers in the Championship last season,” Redknapp joked.

“We’ve still got two loans that we can use from the Premier League if we want to. If they were to loan him (Zaha), if he did become available I’m sure he would be a player a lot of clubs would be interested in. If we thought he was available he would certainly be of interest.”

Loic Remy started in attack for QPR last weekend as they lost 1-0 at home to Hull City, with the France international looking increasingly likely to stay.

Having looked certain to leave following a loan spell at Newcastle last season, a move to Liverpool fell through and now Redknapp feels he will have the 27-year-old available to lead the line after denying Sunday’s opponents Spurs had made their interest known.

“I’m confident he’ll be here,” he said.

“I’ve spoken with Loic, he’s been excellent in training and his attitude has been world class. Unless a top six club comes in, I think he’ll be happy to stay here. He’s seen we’ve brought some good players in.

“There’s been no Tottenham enquiry – there’s been talk of the chairman talking to Daniel, but certainly I’ve not been involved.”

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Key recommendations
  • Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
  • Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
  • Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
  • More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances

All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.

Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.

Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.

Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.

Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.

Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?

Some facts about bees:

The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer

The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days

A queen bee lives for 3-5 years

This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony

About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive

Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.

Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen 

Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids

Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments

Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive,  protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts

Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain

Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities

The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes

Is beekeeping dangerous?

As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.

“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”

 

 

Six large-scale objects on show
  • Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
  • The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
  • A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
  • Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
  • A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
  • Torrijos Palace dome
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
While you're here
'I Want You Back'

Director:Jason Orley

Stars:Jenny Slate, Charlie Day

Rating:4/5

Who has been sanctioned?

Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.

Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.

Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.

Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.

Honeymoonish
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THE BIO

Bio Box

Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader

Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Favorite food: seafood

Favorite place to travel: Lebanon

Favorite movie: Braveheart

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
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  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives 
How to vote

Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.

They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi

Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday)