Anthony and his girlfriend, Katherine, had been dating for about 2 years when he decided it was finally time to pop the question.

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Believe it or not, but getting a driving license is becoming cheaper. Well, if you are able to track down the bargains, at least.

It is one of the challenges that almost every new resident in Dubai faces, in addition to the many new adults eager to obtain a driving license when their legal age allowed them so. Although most people will agree that it is a must to be able to drive in Dubai, it is similarly agreed that the costs are high, and often get even higher due to the chances of failing.

It seems that there is a little sign of relief on the driving school market. Although driving schools only weigh out each other with minor price differences, every now and then schools promote their services on one of the group-buying websites, offering 50% and more discount on the class prices.

What does this indicate?

The deal might look something like this: “Learn to drive for Dh499 instead of Dh1100 with 20 light motor vehicle classes.”

Considering you already have a driving license in your home country, and you pass for the first time, this is a good deal indeed.

However, one should not forget the additional costs, which are roughly the same for every school. An indication:

- Opening traffic file: Dh210

- Assessment test: Dh100

- Knowledge test: Dh230

- License fee: Dh160

- Lecture program: Dh320

- Learning permit: Dh110

- Internal test: Dh100

- Road test: Dh230

-  Passing certification and license issuing: Dh100

- Driving manual book: Dh60

- Opening training file: Dh400

- Knowledge test room: Dh50

- Test vehicle fees: Dh75

The sum of all these costs together would be Dh2,200. Add to that the discounted driving classes for Dh499, and you come to a Dh2,699, instead of Dh3300. Not bad.

Simon Pugh, marketing and PR manager of Groupon, tells that that two driving schools have advertised on their site in the past. “We have featured the following driving schools; Al Ahli Driving Centre and Galadari Motor Driving Center. We have featured both light motor vehicle and motorcycle lessons with both of these schools,” he added.

“Galadari offered the largest discount at 55%, but there was a very small difference from the Al Ahli deal at 54%,” says Simon.

However, the lowest account of a set of 20 driving classes is Dh499, offered by Al Ahli.

The 55% discount offered by Galadari led to a price of Dh540 instead of Dh1,200. 

On another group-buying website a third school could be found promoting similar discounts. With a discount of 51%, Belhasa offered 20 light motor vehicles classes for Dh588 instead of Dh1200.
 
In some cases the discount deals work for the 40 classes schedule too, and additional discounts may be found for additional classes or registration prices.

For those residents who are hinting at getting the driving license soon, the news is good. “The deals will definitely be featured again. We have plans to feature them in the near future,” says Simon.

(Image courtesy Shutterstock)

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A two-year-old Syrian boy accidentally shot dead his father by his own gun the man has just used in a wedding before the Arab country was rocked by a civil war.

A brief YouTube film released this week showed the Mohammed Tabba has just finished shooting in the air and put his gun on the table during the wedding in the northern city of Aleppo.

The film showed the boy picked the loaded gun, aimed at his father and fired. Newspapers said the father was killed by the bullet which hit his left side and pierced into his heart. “He was rushed to hospital but died there,” an eye witness said.

Wife teams up with boyfriend to kill former hubby

Police of Al Buhaira governorate of Egypt found a body floating in Al Khairy canal, reported Al Tahrir newspaper.

The person was strangled to death by a woman’s scarf  and the legs and hands were tied with a rope.

It was identified as Abdul Maqsoud. A, a 46-year old person with a criminal record.

Al Delinjat police received a tip about the body in the canal. Their investigations indicated that the perpetrators of the crime were his 33-year old ex-wife identified as Sabah-M and her boyfriend, 28-year old Juma-H-A.

After ex-husband discovered that his wife was involved in an illicit relationship with Juma-A, he divorced his wife and tried to return her but she refused and started defaming him and announced among the inhabitants that he divorced her because of her bad reputation.

The investigation showed that the victim informed one of his neighbors that he had received  a phone call from the accused who threatened him with death.

The police arrested the two accused where they admitted to committing the crime to take revenge from the victim and as well to be able to marry.

The police referred the case to the prosecution to complete the investigations.

Woman kills lover for losing money in casino

Philippines: Ernesto Chaves Mateo, a 54-year-old retired special police officer 1, was shot dead before dawn Saturday by his live-in partner, who got pissed off when he lost a big amount of money in a casino in Metro Manila’s Pasay City.

The suspect, Cynthia Baybayon, 48, is now detained at the Homicide Section of Manila Police District (MPD) while awaiting formal charges of homicide to be filed against her.

The tabloid ‘Pilipino Star Ngayon’, quoting police reports, today said neighbours of the couple called in the police after they heard four shots fired at Mateo’s place at 1911 Campillo Street, in Manila’s Malate district, at around 4am yesterday.

Police said they found the bloodied body of Mateo, who was shot fatally by Baybayon, an area supervisor in a carpark who resides on Lourdes Street, Pasay City, minutes after they arrived at his house following a bad night at the casino.

MPD Police Officer 3 Rommel del Rosario said the money lost got the couple into a heated argument, where the victim took his .22-calibre pistol from its holster and tried to scare the suspect. But Baybayon managed to grab the firearm from Mateo and shot him.

Mateo, who used to be a member of the Pasay City Police District, had availed of an early-retirement programme offered by government, and had since been leading a life of leisure. (Correspondent)
 

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If you are a good UAE resident, it’s time you get yourself certified.

Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai Police issue ​‘Certificates of Good Conduct’ (also called Police Clearance Certificates), which certify that you have a clear record and fall under the category of a ‘good resident’.

The Police Clearance Certificate is becoming an important document as an increasing number of employers in the country are asking resident candidates to furnish one to ensure that the individual has had no trouble with the law.

This certificate is also required if you are looking to immigrate. For example, a UAE certificate of good conduct/police clearance is required for Canadian immigration purposes.

The authorities have put in place a simple process to get this certificate. Both UAE nationals and residents can apply for this.

Except in special circumstances that require personal presence, all segments of society may avail these services without having to visit one of the service centers.

Of course, the most important requirement is to have no criminal record(s), but to apply this certificate, you will need the following documents:

(1)    A valid Emirates ID

(2)    An active email address

(3)    2 recent passport-size photographs

(4)    A copy of your passport

In Dubai, the certificate can be applied either through the Dubai Police website or its app.

To apply through the website, you need to access your user profile through MYID link or apply directly by completing the form.

The confirmation screen will send you an activation code through a (SMS) message. You must enter the activation code in the code box.

After this, you will be directed to the payment screen, through which you can evaluate the service then follow up on the payment process by clicking on the payment button. You will then be directed to Smart Government Payment Screen to complete the payment process.

The service fee to obtain this certificate for a UAE National is Dh100 whereas for residents it is Dh200. If you are applying it from outside the country, the fee is Dh300.

For those applying from another country:

(1)    You will need to get a fingerprint card approved by the UAE or any GCC council

(2)    2 recent passport-sized photographs

(3)    Valid passport copy

(4)    UAE visa copy, if possible, and

(5)    Purpose for applying.

This can be done either online or through the Dubai Police GHQ website.

If you are in Abu Dhabi, you can submit the application along with the required documents at the customer service section in the police station.

You can pay the fees by e-Dirham or visa card and receive the certificate by Empost or immediately in case of submitting the urgent application.

A Dh50 by e-Dirham or visa card is payable along with a Dh15 Empost charge. If you want the certificate urgently, the fee will double.

For those outside the country, you will have to get fingerprints taken at any police station within the country of residence. After this, you will have to attest the fingerprint card by the UAE embassy in the country of residence.

Once the attestation has been done, you can send the application along with the required documents to the General Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police.

The total fee for those applying outside the UAE is Dh533. This includes good conduct certificate (Dh53), translation to English (Dh100), accreditation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Dh300), accreditation by the Ministry of Interior (Dh50) and an Empost charge of (Dh30).

Documents that you will require to apply include:

(1)    Emirates ID

(2)    Passport (original and a copy)

(3)    Letter requesting the certificate

(4)    One photograph

(5)    A UAE residency visa is needed in case the applicant is outside the country.

The UAE’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) announced last year that residents may apply for the certificate through the Ministry’s website (www.moi.gov.ae) and their smartphone application, UAE-MOI.

“The UAE Government strives to provide advanced smart services for citizens, residents and visitors alike through quick and easy steps that are accessible wherever they are,” said Brigadier Sheikh Mohammed bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Director General of Security and Ports Affairs at Abu Dhabi Police.

The Police Clearance Certificate can also be downloaded through the UAE-MOI application via smartphone, or printed via the ministry’s website.

An application for electronic Police Clearance Certificate in Arabic costs Dh50, and certificates in English cost Dh100. An additional Dh13 are charged for the certificate to be delivered by email.

Verification

For those within the UAE wishing to verify the authenticity of a Police Clearance Certificate, recipients may access the Ministry’s website, www.moi.gov.ae, to confirm that the certificate has been issued by the Ministry of Interior.

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Gold rates for Saturday, December 16, 2017

Get retail Gold and Forex rates with Emirates 24|7 

Emirates 24|7 brings you the daily Dubai gold rate (22k, 24k, 21k and 18k), as well as currency exchange rates, including the Indian rupee, Pakistani rupee, Philippine peso, Sri Lankan rupee, sterling pound, euro and may more against the UAE dirham (US dollar).

The rates for 24 carat, 22 carat, 21 carat, 18 carat and Ten Tola (TT) Bar (11.6638038 gram) will be updated four times a day to keep them fresh and relevant for buyers of gold bars and gold jewellery in the UAE.

The update times for Retail Gold Rate in Dubai will be at 9.30am, 2.30pm, 5pm and 8pm (unless there is drastic fall or rise in the international rate).

On Saturdays, the gold rates will be updated at 9.30am and this rate will stay static through Saturday and Sunday until the international market reopens on Monday.

Please note that the retailers add making charges separately to the quoted rate of gold.

The Retail Gold Rate in Dubai is being supplied by the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group.

Foreign Exchange Rates

The Foreign Exchange Rates of major currencies will be updated twice each working day at around 8:30am and 3:30pm.

These will cover both the Remittance Rates [for sending money] and the Currency Notes Rates [for buying and selling of currency notes].

The Foreign Exchange Rates are being supplied by UAE Exchange.

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Water and electricity bills in the UAE will be subject to the 5 percent value added tax from January 1.

Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) has instructed its Abu Dhabi and Al Ain distribution affiliates to address consumers on the starting date of VAT application.

ADWEA said that it has taken all necessary measures to add the tax to January bills in line with Federal Law No 8 for the year 2017, which stipulates that water and electricity are among the commodities and services subject to the levy.

A 5 percent VAT is set to come into force in the UAE and Saudi Arabia on January 1st, with the rest of the GCC states following by the beginning of the following year.

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The UAE and China have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to exempt UAE nationals carrying regular passports from obtaining pre-entry visas, with the possibility of staying for up to 30 days on each visit, starting from 16th January, 2018.

The MoU was signed on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi by Ahmed Saeed Elham Al Dhaheri, Assistant Under-Secretary for Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for UAE, and Ni Jian, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the UAE.

Al Dhaheri said that from 16th January, 2018, UAE citizens can visit China without getting a pre-entry visa and stay for up to 30 days per visit.

Al Dhaheri added that the move by the Chinese Government reflects the stature attained by the UAE and contributes to strengthening bilateral relations and opening new avenues for growing tourism and trade between the two friendly countries.

"The UAE has become a model for good governance, moderation and peaceful co-existence and a symbol for achievement and excellence at the international levels," he said.

He also noted that the welfare of the UAE citizens features as a priority in the wise leadership's vision.

The UAE and China established diplomatic relations in November 1984. The UAE opened its embassy in Beijing on 19th March, 1987. It also opened consulates in Hong Kong on April 2000, Shanghai on 6th July, 2006, and in Guangzhou on 13th June, 2016.

China opened its embassy in Abu Dhabi in April 1985 and its consulate in Dubai in November 1988.

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Etihad Airways announced the suspension of its Abu Dhabi – Tehran route, effective 24 January 2018.

The airline said in a statement today that between 25 December 2017 and 23 January 2018, frequency will be adjusted from five flights a week to two services each week.

"The airline regrets any inconvenience that this change will cause to guests with existing bookings," the statement said.

Guests holding bookings for travel up to 23 January 2018 and who are impacted by the schedule change will be rebooked with an alternative travel date (subject to availability) or offered the choice of a full refund. Guests with bookings from 24 January 2018 will be offered a full refund.

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Dubai Safari, home to the most diverse array of animals in the country, on Tuesday announced that since opening its doors to the public last week, the number of visitors to the park has crossed the 100,000-mark.

Continuing with its commitment to providing visitors of all ages a seamless and unique experience, effective Thursday, 21st December, entrance to Dubai Safari will be ticketed.

"Starting Thursday, Dubai Safari will introduce its entry fee for all visitors, having reached its goal of 100,000 visitors during the soft opening period. We expect to welcome two million visitors during the park’s first year of operation," said Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality.

He added, "The response from the public was overwhelming and during this testing phase it gave us the opportunity to monitor and assess the overall operations of the park while also gathering valuable feedback from visitors about their experience. This will contribute immensely towards further enhancing the overall offering of Dubai Safari."

The Department of Customers and Partners Relations at Dubai Municipality surveyed visitors about their experience and perception of the various offerings of the park including the animal enclosures and the recreational areas. The efforts of Dubai Municipality in ensuring that the highest standards and best global practices in relation to animal care and safety are implemented at Dubai Safari were highly appreciated and commended by the visitors.

Mohammed Mubarak Al Mutaiwei, Assistant Director-General of the Communication and Community Sector and official spokesperson of Dubai Municipality, said, "Conducted with approximately 50,000 visitors to Dubai Safari, the survey found that the ethnicities of the visitors comprised 39 percent Arabs, 29 percent Asians, 23 percent Emiratis and 9 percent Europeans. Males accounted for 64 percent of the visitors while females accounted for the remaining 36 percent. In terms of age, a majority, 54 percent were between the ages 30-40, while 25 percent were between the ages 19-29, 13 percent were between the ages 41-51, 6 percent were below 18 years, and 2 percent were 51 years or older."

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Instagram: Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone and Hollywood actor Vin Diesel sent fans in a tizzy soon after the actress shared a photo of them on social media in December.

Now 'xXx: The Return of Xander Cage' director DJ Caruso confirmed the news in a tweet during a chat session with his fans.

In December, the filmmaker had tweeted a picture and wrote: "Xander will travel this road #xandercagereturnsxxx #VinDiesel #Dominicanfiliming #DeepikaPadukone."

Vin Diesel/Instagram

He tweeted when a fan asked him about Deepika's shooting schedule: "@CyrineZanaib @6eyf__ we start in january. She (Deepika) starts sometime in February."

Jet Li, Deepika Padukone and Tony Jaa are joining the cast of Vin Diesel's xXx sequel. They'll join a cast that already includes UFC fighter Conor McGregor and Samuel L. Jackson.

Karisma Kapoor's divorce gets murky

Sanskriti Media and Entertainment

Adding to their long drawn divorce, actress Karisma Kapoor's husband Sunjay Kapur has filed an application at the family court for the custody of their children.

Just last month, the estranged couple's petition of divorce on the grounds of mutual consent was disposed, after both of them withdrew their consent.

The two children, daughter Samiera and son Kiaan Raj who are currently staying with Karisma.

File

Sunjay had filed the same application in the past, but later withdrew it as both the parties filed for divorce on mutual consent, which included the terms and conditions regarding the custody of the children.

But the same divorce petition on the grounds of mutual consent was disposed of last month after Karisma and Sunjay withdrew their consent to the petition.

The couple got married in 2003.

Karan Johar to launch Shah Rukh Khan's son?

Looks like filmmaker Karan Johar has set his eyes on Shah Rukh Khan's son, Aryan Khan.

Karan, who has launched talents like Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra, is keen on mentoring Aryan.

The director and Shah Rukh have worked extensively together and share great equations for over two decades now.

And Shah Rukh's 17-year-old son, who has off-late been in the party circuit surely has got all the makings of a Bollywood super star.

According to an interview with a leading daily, Karan stated that Aryan shall venture into the massive B-town only though his movie. While elaborating on his equation with SRK, the director said, "Working with SRK was and is something that I always cherish. I feel whenever there are two people who are strong and close to each other, there is a section of people who are never happy with their closeness."

He further said, "Shah Rukh is beyond family to me. In fact, my equation with him has moved from him to his kids now. I always tell him, "I am going to maintain my youth quotient only because I want to launch Aryan. No one else can launch Aryan but me."

Aryan is currently pursuing his studies in London and is often spotted partying.

Katrina trying to work things out with Ranbir

Sanskriti Media and Entertainment

There have been rumours doing the rounds about Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif's relationship being on rocky ground.

Her recent tell-all interview about not being happy with Ranbir working with Deepika, about not being close to his parents didn't help dwindle these rumours.

But a source close to the couple has actually told a website in India that there isn't really an issue between the two.

It seems all the issues hasn't affected Ranbir and Katrina's relationship. The reports of their break-up apparently didn't affect them since they don't pay too much attention to stories written about them.

While the rumours of their break-up may have worked for 'Tamasha's' publicity, it hasn’t damaged Ranbir and Katrina's relationship.

The actress is willing to iron out any possible friction. Katrina will be taking off to London for Christmas and New Year and she is taking Ranbir with her.

The couple sure need this vacation!

Katrina Kaif's 'Fitoor' intimate scenes

Twitter: @KatrinaAtCannes

'Fitoor', starring Aditya Roy Kapoor and Katrina Kaif has been embroiled in controversies since its inception.

Director Abhishek Kapoor is not entirely happy with the way things are going.

Twitter: @LOrealParisIn

He is disappointed with the way the film is shaping up and called for a re-shoot of a lovemaking scene between the film's lead pair Aditya and Katrina, which he believed wasn't good enough.

The passionate scene is just one of the scenes that will be redone, as per the report. 

Abhishek didn't like what he saw in the edit and has now decided to take out more time to do-over a few scenes which is normal.

Twitter: @KatrinaAtCannes

But all this has left Katrina miffed.

Katrina is angry with the director and strongly disagreed on the point of re-shooting the entire sequence.

Twitter: @KatrinaAtCannes

In fact, till the last moment, the crew had no clue if the shoot was happening at all. Eventually, the producers calmed the actress down and got her to agree to the scene again. But not before she threw a major fit.

'Fitoor' has already been delayed by months after Rekha decided to walk out of the project midway after shooting a few scenes. Tabu was then brought in and Abhishek resumed shooting.

When Ranveer Singh fell for Deepika Padukone

Sanskriti Media and Entertainment

Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone may never have confirmed the many rumours of the two being in a relationship with each other, but the two never hesitate when it comes to supporting or praising each other.

Ranveer has finally revealed when he fell for his ladylove for the first time and also said that he can not forget that first sight.

Sanskriti Media and Entertainment

In an recent interview, Ranveer and Deepika were asked what they thought about each other when they saw each other for the first time.

Ranveer revealed that he saw Deepika during the Zee Cine Awards which were held in Macau. He also said, "The first time I saw her, I almost went flat!"

File

The actor recalls that Deepika was wearing a silver dress at the event which happened in 2012 and when a fan asked him about how does he remember it so well. Here's what Ranveer tweeted: "how can one possibly forget that sight!?"

Genelia Deshmukh pregnant again?

Twitter

Riteish Deshmukh and wife Genelia Deshmukh are enjoying their parenthood with adorable little baby Riaan Deshmukh.

Riaan turned one this November when his parents threw a sailor-themed birthday party for him.

Twitter

However, buzz is that little Riaan will soon have a sweet little sibling to play with.

Bollywood circuits are abuzz that Genelia is pregnant with her second baby.

Twitter

The actress, who was planning to take on work after a long break, has put a stop to these new projects now that she is in the family way again.

Salman, Iulia Vantur caught in one frame

File

Salman Khan is one of the most good looking men in Bollywood and fans are aware of his string of affairs which never culminated into marriage.

The latest in the list is Romanian model Iulia Vantur. Rumours have been rife for a long time now that Salman and Iulia are going strong.

There have been buzzes of an engagement and a wedding too. However, Salman has never admitted to the relationship and has always laughed it off.

Recently, a source close to Salman mentioned that Iulia is busy with her work assignments abroad and therefore there is no question of them getting engaged or married.

Now few pictures have surfaced which shows Salman and Iulia driving away. While Salman is seated in the front, Iulia is seen sitting at the back.

Both Salman and Iulia are clicked in one frame and the two seemed aware of camera presence.

While it might still be some time before Salman Khan's relationship status is revealed to the world at large, these photos have added an all new dimension to the Salman-Iulia saga.

Katrina unhappy with Ranbir, Deepika

Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone during a promotion of upcoming movie 'Tamasha' at Hotel Holiday, Punchkula. (Getty Images)

Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone make a perfect couple on-screen. They have been the talk of the town and their chemistry on and off screen is way too palpable.

The two hottest co-stars of Bollywood were in the news during their aggressive promotional events and their movie 'Tamasha'.

Sanskriti Media and Entertainment

The movie itself was an intense, romantic and pathfinding story that even involved a passionate lip-lock between the two ex-lovers.

So what does Ranbir's current girlfriend Katrina Kaif think about all this?

Ranbir and Deepika Padukone dance during a promotion of their film 'Tamasha'. (AP)

Katrina said that 'Tamasha' is an outstanding movie and that Ranbir was superb in it. However, in a recent interview with GQ, Katrina put forward her actual thoughts on her handsome boyfriend working with his ex-girlfriend, Deepika.

Katrina said when asked about Ranbir working with Deepika, "I can't enforce my will on the people in my life. Their choices are their own. I may not be happy with them but I hope that as they mature or as they evolve, their choices will change!"

Well, that says it all, doesn't it?

Kareena Kapoor says no to Hrithik?

AFP

Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor Khan make a good Bollywood on-screen couple, despite that they have never worked together after Subhash Ghai's film 'Yaadein' in 2003.

It was their rumoured affair during the movie that saw the two actors walk away in different directions.

Reports suggested that Kareena and Hrithik might come together for Sanjay Gupta's next.

Sanskriti Media

The makers had approached Kareena but Hrithik's father Rakesh Roshan clearly said that Kareena is not in the film.

A popular entertainment tabloid recently reported that Hrithik will be working with his director father Rakesh Roshan once again and the film is set to kick start in February. It doesn’t have a title yet but the daily reports that it will be love story cum revenge drama directed by Sanjay Gupta.

AFP

Sanjay Gupta tweeted: "Ok guys its true that I am working on my next with Hrithik and Rakeshji. But we have not confirmed the lead actress as yet. We will soon :-)."

He continued, "It would be any director's dream come true to get Hrithik and Kareena together for a film. But we have not finalised our heroine yet."

Karisma Kapoor's divorce getting messy?

Actress Karisma Kapoor and estranged husband Sunjay Kapur had filed a mutual consent divorce petition in Mumbai's Family Court and were to end their 12 year old marriage before the end of 2014.

And since, they are unable to reach a consensus, both the parties decided to withdraw the joint petition for divorce.

The court will decide after speaking to Sunjay. Karisma, who was present in the court went through a long counselling session behind closed doors.

Mid Day reports that Karisma and Sunjay have been arguing about is the terms of a Trust being set up for the welfare of their two children, Samaira and Kiaan Raj Kapoor.

Sunjay doesn't want to handover the control of the Trust to Karisma. As a result, Karisma is not giving Sunjay access to their children.

Karisma and Sunjay tied the knot in September 2003.

Preity Zinta getting married... soon?

Sanskriti Media and Entertainment

In the latest wedding buzz, Bollywood's dimpled girl Preity Zinta is all set to marry, according to the reports.

Though the actress herself has denied the news, Times Of India has reported that sources close enough to the actress have confirmed that she's about to fly to USA in January 2016.

AFP

There, she'll be getting married to her American boyfriend, Gene Goodenough at a small and intimate ceremony.

The two have been going steady for a while now and it was Gene who stood by Preity throughout her problems with her ex-boyfriend Ness Wadia.

Katrina doesn't like talking about Salman

Salman and Katrina promote 'Ek Tha Tiger'. (Supplied)

Katrina Kaif, who is Ranbir Kapoor's girlfriend, feels that it would be disrespecting her 'existing relationship' if she talks in public about her ex-boyfriend Salman Khan.

During an appearance on Niranjan Iyengar's talk show 'Look Who's Talking with Niranjan', Katrina was asked about her relationship with the 'Dabangg' actor.

AFP

Katrina replied: "He is an amazing person and everyone in and out of the industry knows that. His parents and family treated me like a daughter always. But it does not seem respectful to my existing relationship if I talk about Salman or his family in the media; hence I choose not to mostly."

On being asked about her 'existing relationship' and her marriage plans with Ranbir, she said: 'Ranbir is my all-time friend'.

Shah Rukh to bring Parineeti, Alia together?

According to rumours Shah Rukh Khan is going to produce a female oriented flick starring Alia Bhatt and Parineeti Chopra in the lead.

The film is said to be directed by Farah Khan, who has been holed out in Goa for some time now working on her script.

 Farah is considering Parineeti and Alia to star in her two heroine drama flick.

Farah has also revealed that Shah Rukh will be producing her next project.

Parineeti had a rough 2014 with back to back flops like 'Daawat-e-Ishq' and 'Kill Dil' while Alia has been giving one hit after another until 'Shaandaar'.

The two girls have been often pitted against each other and it will be interesting to see how things work out in this chick-flick.

Salman talks about rumoured girlfriend Iulia

AFP

The grapevine has always been abuzz with talks of Salman Khan and Romanian TV personality Iulia Vantur being in a relationship.

And some time back, there was a rumour doing the rounds that Salman is secretly engaged to Iulia.

AFP

But later the actor rubbished all the rumours by saying, "There is a lot of buzz about a lot of things about me, which is never true. Yes, I read what is written, hear what is said, and my right answer to your question would be that I am indifferent to all of it. The small things don't bother me at all, but they bother my parents. And that really bothers me."

Salman has always been linked to leading ladies such as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Katrina Kaif.

But the actor is still unmarried and always laughs it off when he is asked about his marriage.

Yuvraj Singh, Hazel ready for marriage?

(AFP)

Before the dust could settle around the big fat Indian wedding of cricketer Harbhajan Singh and actress Geeta Basra, cricketer Yuvraj Singh and actress Hazel Keech's marriage rumours is creating a buzz in the gossip columns.

It is an open secret that Yuvraj and Hazel are a couple and the two attended Harbhajan's wedding together.

Indian media also reported that the couple will be formally engaged by the end of November and wedding will be held in February 2016.

Facebook

The cricketer's tongue-in-cheek reply to these rumours has put all speculations to an end.

The all-rounder took to Twitter to deny reports about his 'impending wedding'. He wrote, "So now my dear media has decided the venue and month of my marriage can u also tell me the dates so I can get ready well in time!"

Yuvraj had previously dated Bollywood actress Kim Sharma and was also linked with Deepika Padukone.

Shah Rukh Khan shows his 'love bite'

Twitter

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is back on the sets of Rohit Shetty's 'Dilwale' after his birthday celebrations and apparently the actor got into a bit of trouble.

The actor got in a 'pub brawl' which resulted in a bruise on his arm.

Shah Rukh posted a picture of his 'pretty and pink love-bite' explaining that since he is the 'romantic hero' and all that, even his injuries reflect the same.

Looks like the actor shot for a bar fight scene for 'Dilwale' and got this bruise.

He tweeted, "My love bite from a bar fight. Being a romantic hero even my injuries look…well…pretty & pink! From sets of #Dilwale."

Are Hrithik, Kangana avoiding each other?

Sanskriti

Rumours of a fling between Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut was the talk of the town till they decided to part ways.

The 'Queen' actress was rumoured to have ended the relationship as Hrithik was not ready to take it forward.

It was also speculated that perhaps they had a bitter break-up.

Sanskriti

The two actors, who worked together in 'Krrish 3', are till conscious of prying eyes. During the opening ceremony of ongoing MAMI film festival they avoided each other like the plague.

Though they had a common group of friends at the event, the two stars never mingled with them together.

Sanskriti

They did pose for a group picture and maintained a distance between them - much to their relief.

While Hrithik was seen chatting up with Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif and Aditya Roy Kapoor, Kangana was seated far away. However, as soon as Hrithik left the gang, Kangana joined the others and chatted away.

Deepika trying to follow Priyanka Chopra?

In this file photograph taken on April 28, 2015, Indian Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone poses during a promotional event ahead of the forthcoming Hindi film ‘Piku’ in Mumbai. AFP

Deepika Padukone is keen on doing Hollywood films and wants to explore to work in the West.

During the ongoing Jio MAMI festival the actress said that she is interested in doing Hollywood films and is ready to explore work opportunities.

Deepika was earlier offered a role in 'Furious 7' which she had to decline due to her commitment to 'Ram Leela' promotions.

Priyanka Chopra poses for a photograph during the 'Star Guild Awards 2015'. (AFP)

As she gears up for two back-to-back releases, Deepika said if something interesting comes her way she will definitely take it up.

Actors like Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have made appearances in Hollywood projects.

Priyanka is the first female actor from India to play lead in a US TV series. The actor is playing the role of Alex Parrish, a rookie FBI recruit with a mysterious past in 'Quantico'.

Anushka not ready to marry Virat

Last weekend, Anushka Sharma was spotted out with boyfriend Virat Kohli and her father on what was rumoured to be a house-hunting spree.

A report in mid-day quotes a source as saying, "Anushka and Virat have been open about their relationship because they are sure about taking it to the marriage altar. Their families will meet soon and decide the wedding date. In all likelihood, they will get hitched early next year."

But the actress isn't getting married any time soon, insists a statement on behalf of the 'Dil Dhadakne Do' star, seemingly impelled by reports in the press of a possible 2016 wedding to cricketer Virat Kohli.

The statement reads: "There is no truth to the stories/rumours about Anushka Sharma's impending wedding. Currently she is busy and happy with her work commitments. She has always been open about her life and would appreciate it and request everyone to wait for her to make announcements about her life instead of speculating."

Deepika, Ranbir's chemistry made Katrina insecure?

Actress Katrina Kaif has not asked filmmaker Anurag Basu to 'fire up' her chemistry with boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor in their upcoming comedy-drama film 'Jagga Jasoos', said her spokesperson.

(AFP)

Katrina is reportedly worried about Ranbir's chemistry with his former girlfriend, actress Deepika Padukone's in upcoming film 'Tamasha'.

"These rumours are clearly someone's imagination running wild. Though this makes fodder for gossip, it is categorically and entirely untrue. These stories are misleading to the audience and fans in general. Such idle gossip is really avoidable and childish," Katrina's spokesperson said in a statement.

Deepika and Ranbir are returning on the silver screen together after two years in filmmaker Imtiaz Ali's 'Tamasha', which is slated to release on November 26 in UAE.

Meanwhile, 'Jagga Jasoos', which is slated to release in June next year, will feature the couple after 2010's 'Raajneeti'.

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Saif Ali Khan snapped shooting in the high seas for the movie Bazaar.

Saif Ali Khan and Chitrangada Singh snapped shooting in the high seas for the movie Bazaar.

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Karisma Kapoor Photo: Instagram

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Karan Johar Photo: Instagram

Malaika Arora’s pre-Christmas bash. Photo: Instagram

Kiran Rao snapped post dinner at Ambani House

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai snapped post dinner at Ambani House.

Taimur Ali Khan snapped playing on the swing.

Kareena Kapoor snapped at the gym.

Shahid Kapoor and cutie Misha snapped post play time at a park in Mumbai

Newly weds Bharti Singh and Harsh Limbachiyaa

Shahid Kapoor with mon Neelima Azeem at Reebok Fit To Fight Awards

Kareena Kapoor snapped post an AD shoot in Bandra

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A bus carrying tourists from US cruise ships to an archeological site in Mexico crashed Tuesday after running off the road, killing at least 12 people including several foreigners, state authorities said.

The crash, which left another 18 injured, happened on a highway in the state of Quintana Roo, located on the eastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula and well known as home to the Caribbean resort city of Cancun.

The dead and injured included "citizens of the United States, Sweden and Brazil," a brief statement said without further information on numbers from each country, or their ages.

The bus was carrying 31 passengers on a straight stretch of road with little traffic. The cause of the accident was not immediately known.

Twenty-three of the passengers had arrived on the ships Celebrity Equinox and Serenade of the Seas, cruise owner Royal Caribbean Cruises told AFP.

Mexican authorities said that they did not have further details of the nationalities of those killed.

A civil defense source told AFP privately however that most of the dead were Americans. Among the injured were eight Americans, three Brazilian and two Swedes, the source added.

The bus was headed for a resort town called Mahahual that features archeological ruins.

Quintana Roo is the Mexican state that receives the greatest number of international visitors, with many headed for Cancun's beaches and legendary Maya ruins.

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Recently, Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli were spotted on a dinner date at an upscale restaurant in Bengaluru.

It seems that they are trying to give their relationship another chance. According to reports, Virat and Anushka will not be talking about each other in public and will keep their relationship a private affair.

But they threw caution to the wind and showed some public display of their love - which the media was witness to.

Anushka was on her way to Budapest for 'Sultan' schedule on June 3 and beau Virat came to drop her at Mumbai airport. The two lovebirds sat in the car and spoke for some time and shared a hug before Anushka took her leave.

A smiling Anushka also posed for the waiting photographers before disappearing inside the airport.

[video]

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“This February cannot come in your lifetime again. Because this year February has 4 Sundays, 4 Mondays, 4 Tuesdays, 4 Wednesdays, 4 Thursdays, 4 Fridays and 4 Saturdays. This happens once every 823 years. This is called money bags.”

This message that we received last week through a WhatsApp forward caught our attention – and got us a little ticklish.

First, let’s get the facts right: 2016 is a leap year, and February has 29 days, which means that one day will repeat 5 times. In this case, it’s Monday – there are 5 Mondays in February 2016 (and not four as claimed in the ‘viral’ message).

And even if this wasn’t a leap year (it is), February would still have 28 days in it, meaning exactly 4 weeks. Which means that, leap year or no leap year, there is no way any February won’t have 4 Sundays, 4 Mondays, 4 Tuesdays… you get the drift, right?

In fact, what we did realise was that the month that just ended – January 2016 – was special, but not once-in-823-years special.

The month of January had five weekends – it had 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays.

Calendar for January 2016

Sadly, though, there is nothing spectacularly unusual about that. And you certainly won’t have to wait another 823 years for the next time this happens.

July 2016 will boast of the same phenomenon of 5 weekends – 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays.

The next time a January has the same feat will be just six years later – January 2021 will also have 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, and 5 Sundays.

In fact, get this – the first three weekdays of any 31-day month are repeated 5 times within that month. So, any month that has 31 days and begins on a Friday will have 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, and 5 Sundays.

Similarly, any 31-day month that begins on a Tuesday, will have 5 Tuesdays, 5 Wednesdays and 5 Thursdays.

And every January and July in a leap year, and every January and October in a non-leap year – will have exactly the same date-day combination. It isn’t rocket science.

So, that message you got through e-mail or social media... WhatsApp, Facebook, whatever... is a hoax. No wonder it ended with: “Send to at least 5 people or 5 groups and money will arrive within 4 days.”

Yeah, right.

But trust us, this is not a hoax: ‘Like’ this article and tweet it to your followers from the links below – they will appreciate it!

(Image via Shutterstock)

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His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, received on Monday Harjit Sajjan, the visiting Canadian Minister of National Defence, at his Majlis in Al Bahr Palace.

H.H. Sheikh Mohamed and Sajjan discussed ways of enhancing cooperation ties to the best interest of the two sides. They also reviewed coordination in military and defence affairs between the two countries. They exchanged views on the latest developments in the region, and the two countries' efforts to ensure security, peace and stability.

Among those who attended the meeting were H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler`s Representative in Al Ain Region, H.H. Sheikh Surour bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, H.H. Sheikh Saeed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler`s Representative, H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, H.H. Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care & Special Needs, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, and a number of Sheikhs and top officials.

The meeting was also attended by Fahad Al Raqbani, Ambassador of the UAE to Canada and Masud Husain, Ambassador of Canada to the UAE.

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Gold rates for Saturday, December 16, 2017

Get retail Gold and Forex rates with Emirates 24|7 

Emirates 24|7 brings you the daily Dubai gold rate (22k, 24k, 21k and 18k), as well as currency exchange rates, including the Indian rupee, Pakistani rupee, Philippine peso, Sri Lankan rupee, sterling pound, euro and may more against the UAE dirham (US dollar).

The rates for 24 carat, 22 carat, 21 carat, 18 carat and Ten Tola (TT) Bar (11.6638038 gram) will be updated four times a day to keep them fresh and relevant for buyers of gold bars and gold jewellery in the UAE.

The update times for Retail Gold Rate in Dubai will be at 9.30am, 2.30pm, 5pm and 8pm (unless there is drastic fall or rise in the international rate).

On Saturdays, the gold rates will be updated at 9.30am and this rate will stay static through Saturday and Sunday until the international market reopens on Monday.

Please note that the retailers add making charges separately to the quoted rate of gold.

The Retail Gold Rate in Dubai is being supplied by the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group.

Foreign Exchange Rates

The Foreign Exchange Rates of major currencies will be updated twice each working day at around 8:30am and 3:30pm.

These will cover both the Remittance Rates [for sending money] and the Currency Notes Rates [for buying and selling of currency notes].

The Foreign Exchange Rates are being supplied by UAE Exchange.

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A two-year-old Syrian boy accidentally shot dead his father by his own gun the man has just used in a wedding before the Arab country was rocked by a civil war.

A brief YouTube film released this week showed the Mohammed Tabba has just finished shooting in the air and put his gun on the table during the wedding in the northern city of Aleppo.

The film showed the boy picked the loaded gun, aimed at his father and fired. Newspapers said the father was killed by the bullet which hit his left side and pierced into his heart. “He was rushed to hospital but died there,” an eye witness said.

Wife teams up with boyfriend to kill former hubby

Police of Al Buhaira governorate of Egypt found a body floating in Al Khairy canal, reported Al Tahrir newspaper.

The person was strangled to death by a woman’s scarf  and the legs and hands were tied with a rope.

It was identified as Abdul Maqsoud. A, a 46-year old person with a criminal record.

Al Delinjat police received a tip about the body in the canal. Their investigations indicated that the perpetrators of the crime were his 33-year old ex-wife identified as Sabah-M and her boyfriend, 28-year old Juma-H-A.

After ex-husband discovered that his wife was involved in an illicit relationship with Juma-A, he divorced his wife and tried to return her but she refused and started defaming him and announced among the inhabitants that he divorced her because of her bad reputation.

The investigation showed that the victim informed one of his neighbors that he had received  a phone call from the accused who threatened him with death.

The police arrested the two accused where they admitted to committing the crime to take revenge from the victim and as well to be able to marry.

The police referred the case to the prosecution to complete the investigations.

Woman kills lover for losing money in casino

Philippines: Ernesto Chaves Mateo, a 54-year-old retired special police officer 1, was shot dead before dawn Saturday by his live-in partner, who got pissed off when he lost a big amount of money in a casino in Metro Manila’s Pasay City.

The suspect, Cynthia Baybayon, 48, is now detained at the Homicide Section of Manila Police District (MPD) while awaiting formal charges of homicide to be filed against her.

The tabloid ‘Pilipino Star Ngayon’, quoting police reports, today said neighbours of the couple called in the police after they heard four shots fired at Mateo’s place at 1911 Campillo Street, in Manila’s Malate district, at around 4am yesterday.

Police said they found the bloodied body of Mateo, who was shot fatally by Baybayon, an area supervisor in a carpark who resides on Lourdes Street, Pasay City, minutes after they arrived at his house following a bad night at the casino.

MPD Police Officer 3 Rommel del Rosario said the money lost got the couple into a heated argument, where the victim took his .22-calibre pistol from its holster and tried to scare the suspect. But Baybayon managed to grab the firearm from Mateo and shot him.

Mateo, who used to be a member of the Pasay City Police District, had availed of an early-retirement programme offered by government, and had since been leading a life of leisure. (Correspondent)
 

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Afghan farmer Abdul Jalil Gulzar sits by a pile of raisins in the squat mud brick shed where generations of his family have dried their grape harvest.

Such traditional huts have long been used to hang and desiccate the fruit, but now the keshmesh khanas -- the Dari term for raisin houses -- are getting a facelift as Afghanistan looks to improve its yield.

The country once accounted for 10 percent of the global raisin market, but nearly four decades of conflict have driven its share of the world market down to just 2-3 percent.

In a bid to boost productivity and earnings, the agriculture ministry and aid groups are financing new modern khanas.

"The new raisin house has much more capacity and they have a single purpose (to dry the grapes)," Gulzar told AFP inside the rustic khana built by his father in Dhi Sabz district near Kabul.

The Afghan agricultural sector, is the main driver of the economy and biggest employer.

Hajji Malek Zabet shows off his new brick raisin house near the Afghan capital. Inside the cement-floored room are neat rows of metal hanging racks where grapes drape down like vines in a jungle.

Afghanistan boasts nearly 100 varieties of grapes which are grown across the country and celebrated in popular poetry, nursery rhymes and proverbs.

In the absence of a winemaking industry, which is prohibited in the Islamic country, many farmers turn their grapes into raisins which are easier to conserve and bring a higher price.

Fresh grapes sell for an average of 300 afghanis (about $4.50) for seven kilogrammes, while just one kilogramme of raisins fetches more than 1,000 afghanis.

Though the profits are nothing compared to the amount farmers can reap from what is now Afghanistan's biggest export: opium, the lifeblood of the Taliban insurgency and an economic lynchpin for many Afghans.

A recent UN report showed that the area under poppy cultivation has hit a record high, underscoring the importance of providing farmers with successful alternatives.

- Holding to the old ways -

Afghanistan produced nearly 900,000 tonnes of grapes last year. However it only exported a fraction -- 111,000 tonnes of fresh grapes and 15,000 tonnes of raisins, according to government data.  

A lack of cold storage facilities and strict import requirements in many overseas markets means the bulk of Afghanistan's grape crop ends up being sold in local bazaars at harvest time, causing a glut and driving down prices.

"Basically these new keshmesh khanas have three effects: they remove fresh grapes from the market and improve the quality of the process and product, and support prices," said Abdul Samad Kamawi, national horticulture coordinator at the agriculture ministry.

But even with the improvements, Afghanistan's rudimentary growing and processing methods means accessing export markets beyond Pakistan, India, the UAE and Russia is difficult.

"Despite their know-how Afghans are still struggling to meet European criteria which are increasingly stringent," a Western importer told AFP.

Some companies are going hi-tech to lift the quality of their raisins.

Tabasom, a major exporter, has two production lines in Kabul equipped with X-ray machines and metal detectors to ensure only the best raisins are packed and sent abroad.

The drying process in the new brick and cement khanas is quicker and cleaner, but Gulzar is stubbornly keeping his earthen raisin house where his family often seeks shelter during the hot summer months.

"They are cooler," he said, sitting happily on the dirt floor surrounded by hay and bunches of garlic.

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Emirates airline will launch a new daily service from Dubai, DXB, to London Stansted, STN, starting 8th June 2018.

With its strategic position close to the tech and pharma hubs of Cambridge and Peterborough, Emirates will be the first Middle Eastern airline to operate out of the popular North East London airport.

The daily route will be operated by the airline’s new three-class Boeing 777-300ER offering customers six seats in First Class, 42 in Business Class and 306 in Economy Class.

Outbound, flight EK33 will depart Dubai at 09:30hrs, and will arrive in London Stansted at 14:10hrs. On its return, flight EK34 will depart London Stansted at 21:10hrs and arrive in Dubai at 07:05 the following day.

Opening the London Stansted gateway was a strategic decision by Emirates to serve the thriving business community in London’s north east and the wider 7.5 million population that fall within its catchment area.

With the introduction of the London Stansted daily service, there will be ten Emirates flights daily, connecting Dubai and London.

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates, said, "The introduction of the new London Stansted-Dubai service underscores our commitment to serve London, with operations soon to three different airports in the city. There is a clear demand for this service from both business and leisure travellers and we anticipate that this news will be warmly received both across our global network, as well as by the business community based in the Stansted catchment area. We look forward to facilitating even more tourism and commerce opportunities to and from London with these new air transport links, and to providing our customers with the award-winning Emirates experience."

Ken O’Toole, London Stansted’s Chief Executive, said, "We’re delighted that Emirates has recognised the strength of London Stansted’s catchment and the opportunity that our available runway capacity gives them to continue growing in the South East of England over the next decade.

"At this crucial time, the new Emirates services will provide an important boost to the UK economy by strengthening international connectivity and offering greater choice and convenience for passengers travelling to long haul destinations. London Stansted has seen significant capital investment and growth since its acquisition by MAG in 2013 and we’re looking forward to working with Emirates as we move forward with the next phase of development of the airport and its network of destinations."

Stansted airport will also be vital for Emirates’ SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates, due to its large cargo handling capabilities. The carrier connects cargo customers to over 154 cities across 84 countries in six continents and flies 140,000 tonnes of cargo in and out of the UK in an average year.

The new gateway will be the seventh UK airport that Emirates operates out of in the UK; other locations include London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester and Glasgow.

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The National Search and Rescue Centre, NSRC, has saved a young girl onboard the Italian cruise ship, Costa Mediterranea, near the island of Sir Abu Nu’ayr, arriving from Muscat.

The emergency medical evacuation was under taken by the centre after receiving a distress call from the ship's captain. A rescue helicopter was then dispatched to evacuate the critically ill 14-year-old girl of Croatian origin, along with her father.

The girl was shifted to Khalifa Hospital for medical care in coordination with the Abu Dhabi Health Authority, SEHA.

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