Players from Pakistan ruled out of league

Pakistan players will not be involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2010 because of a delay in obtaining visas. The five players - Umar Gul and Abdul Razzaq (Kolkata Knight Riders), Sohail Tanvir and Kamran Akmal (Rajasthan Royals) and Misbah-ul Haq (Bangalore Royal Challengers) - all have contracts in place with IPL teams.

IPL chairman Lalit Modi, who had last month extended the deadline to December 7 for Pakistan's players to get clearances in order, said the league could not permit more extensions ahead of the third season. "We have been informed by the PCB that they have not been able to obtain the visas as of now," Modi said. "December 7 was the absolute deadline for confirmation of Pakistan players. "We will not extend the deadline because we are handicapped because of the exchange window.

"Unfortunately, Pakistan's players are out and will not be allowed to take part in the next IPL. "We are informing the teams that they can now go for replacement of Pakistan players." This is the second season in a row that Pakistan players will not be featuring in the IPL. The Pakistan government had barred them from travelling to India earlier this year and they stayed at home even after the Twenty20 tournament was moved to South Africa.

The Pakistan Cricket Board were keen on their players participating in the IPL when they returned to India next year and, although the government have this time cleared the team to participate, the players have not yet been granted visas. Agreements for seven others, including former captain Younus Khan and fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, were ended prior to the second season of the league this year after the Pakistan government refused to sanction permission for players to participate because of security concerns arising from the terrorist attack in Mumbai.

Razzaq, who had missed the inaugural season of the IPL because of links with the unauthorised Indian Cricket League, was signed up by the Kolkata Knight Riders. Meanwhile, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt has indicated that former captain Younus is unlikely to feature on the forthcoming tour of Australia. Younus stood down as captain after last month's one-day international series defeat to New Zealand and announced he would be taking a break from the game.

He was expected to soon return to domestic action with Habib Bank but has not been seen since and those close to him were recently forced to deny reports of a foot injury. Butt said: "Younus should have played domestic matches to be a candidate for selection for the tour. However, a final decision in this regard will be taken after a meeting with the chief selector Iqbal Qasim." Mohammed Yousuf, leading Pakistan in the on-going Test series against New Zealand, has been retained as captain for the Test and one-day international series Down Under.

Pakistan are hoping to face India in a limited-overs series in a bid to claw back their financial deficits. "We lost some US$40 million [Dh147m] due to the cancellation of the India series last year and this huge loss can only be covered if we play India, even on neutral venues," said Butt. * With agencies

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World record transfers

1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m

Dates for the diary

To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:

September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.

What is dialysis?

Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.

It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.

There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.

In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.

In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.

It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.

The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.

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Plan to boost public schools

A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.

It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.

Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.

Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.