DUBAI // The Manchester United and England football striker Wayne Rooney has arrived in Dubai with his wife Coleen. They checked into the Burj Al Arab hotel last night.
The player, who did not play in his team's 2-1 win at Stoke yesterday because of injury, has recently weathered a period of intense publicity with allegations that he solicited the services of a prostitute and then, last week, with a U-turn on an earlier decision to leaveManchester United.
Rooney, who joined Manchester United in 2004 from his hometown team Everton, announced last Friday that he would stay with the team until 2015. It has been reported in the British media that his new contract is worth £250,000 (Dh1.4m) a week.
The news came just days after Rooney shocked fans - as well as his manager Alex Ferguson - by saying he wanted to leave United, because, he said, the club had failed to match his personal ambitions.
After announcing the new contract, Rooney pledged his commitment to the team and fans.
"It might take time, but I'll be giving the same as I always do - 100 per cent - and try to build the relationship back," he told MUTV, the team's TV channel. "My message is: I care for this club, I want to be here and I want to continue being successful at this club."
Ferguson said: "I think Wayne's had second thoughts and realised the enormity of Manchester United. He realises he has made a mistake and apologised. I admire that."
Manchester United have struggled with massive debt and concerns that they can no longer afford the top players. Rooney also faced criticism this summer for a disappointing performance with England at the summer World Cup in South Africa. Despite high expectations, the team won just once.
Rooney had been planning to hold a party at his home in Cheshire, England, to celebrate his 25th birthday yesterday, according to British media reports. Instead, his wife reportedly called the 100 or so guests to cancel the event.
In recent weeks, the couple have been grappling with allegations in the British media that Rooney hired a prostitute while Coleen was pregnant with their first child, Kai, who was born in November.
Soon afterwards the couple headed to Prague for a "second honeymoon".
chuang@thenational.ae
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
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 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.
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
IF YOU GO
The flights
FlyDubai flies direct from Dubai to Skopje in five hours from Dh1,314 return including taxes. Hourly buses from Skopje to Ohrid take three hours.
The tours
English-speaking guided tours of Ohrid town and the surrounding area are organised by Cultura 365; these cost €90 (Dh386) for a one-day trip including driver and guide and €100 a day (Dh429) for two people.
The hotels
Villa St Sofija in the old town of Ohrid, twin room from $54 (Dh198) a night.
St Naum Monastery, on the lake 30km south of Ohrid town, has updated its pilgrims' quarters into a modern 3-star hotel, with rooms overlooking the monastery courtyard and lake. Double room from $60 (Dh 220) a night.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
Japan 30-10 Russia
Tries: Matsushima (3), Labuschange | Golosnitsky
Conversions: Tamura, Matsuda | Kushnarev
Penalties: Tamura (2) | Kushnarev
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