Australia has lined up friendlies against Belgium, the UAE and Qatar to build on its progress at the World Cup and prepare for the 2015 Asian Cup, officials said Tuesday.
The Socceroos will play World Cup quarter-finalists Belgium away on September 4 before taking on the UAE on October 10 and Qatar four days later, with both matches in the Middle East.
Read more: Mapping UAE’s path to 2018 World Cup in Russia
Football Federation Australia said it was in negotiations for the team to play a second match in Europe during the September FIFA international window and two matches in Australia in November.
“We have confirmed three opponents and hope to have three more games between now and the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, which gives us good preparation for what will be a challenging tournament on Australian soil in January,” coach Ange Postecoglou said.
“Belgium will give us a good post-World Cup indication of how we are progressing and then we will get some good hit outs against Asian opposition to help us prepare tactically for the Asian Cup.”
The Socceroos lost all three of their games in Brazil, to Spain, the Netherlands and Chile, but Postecoglou said it had been a step in the right direction for his young team.
“Our performances in Brazil at the World Cup reaffirmed that we are moving in the right direction but it also showed we need to improve if we want to be regarded as one of the leading football nations, which is our ultimate target,” he said.
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UK
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
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The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
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.
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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.
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