The actor Abir Goswami, who most recently starred in the popular Indian television programmes Kkusum and Pyaar Ka Dard Hai, died in Mumbai on Friday due to cardiac arrest. He was 37. The actress Sayantani Ghosh, who was to work with Goswami in a Bengali film titled Sakkhat, said she had spoken to him over the phone at 1.15pm on Friday. "We were planning to go for a movie together, and around 3pm, I got a call about his death. He was quite healthy and that's what is more disturbing. It's truly shocking," she said. The actress Smita Singh, who worked with Goswami in Kkusum, said he was in a fitness centre when he suffered a heart attack. "He was working out in the gym and suddenly got a cardiac arrest," said Singh. "I am really shocked at the news." A day before his death, Goswami had taken to Twitter to mourn the sudden demise of the filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh, who at the age of 49 also suffered a cardiac arrest. - IANS
Najwa Karam talks surgery and show
Najwa Karam is against plastic surgery but doesn't mind collagen and Botox procedures. Speaking from the Mawazine Festival, the Lebanese singer and Arabs Got Talent judge said women have every right to feel good about themselves. "There is nothing wrong about wanting to look and feel beautiful," she said. "I am in favour of avoiding plastic surgery. But maintaining [looks] through Botox or collagen is not a problem for me. If you try too look like someone else, that is a mistake. You can improve your image but don't change it." Karam said she looks forward to returning to Arabs Got Talent after Ramadan. "It is all very exciting," she said. "Each episode and contestant has its own story. I am happy to be back again." - The National staff
Helani: give back with charity concerts
Assi Helani urges fellow performers to undertake charity concerts. As well as being a mentor on The Voice, the Lebanese pop star is also an ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme. He said the Arab world needs a bigger contribution from its music stars. "It is a sad time now, what is happening in Lebanon and Syria," Helani said at the Mawazine Festival. "But the Arab people are strong and will bounce back. Until then, we performers need to stand together and give back with concerts that will help raise funds for orphans and the sick." - The National staff
Karan Johar keen to adopt baby
The Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar, who is not married, says he wants to adopt a baby. Johar said in an interview with the Hindustan Times that adopting a child is "on top of my mind at present". The 41-year-old filmmaker said he had the full support of his mother, Hiroo Johar, with whom he lives. He said he was confident that he and his mum would bring up the child wonderfully. "Tell me, who does not want to have a family to extend himself or herself?" asked Johar, whose father is the late Bollywood producer Yash Johar. Karan Johar is known for directing and producing some of Bollywood's highest-grossing films, starting with his directorial debut hit Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Something Happens) in 1998. - AP
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20EduPloyment%3Cbr%3EDate%20started%3A%20March%202020%3Cbr%3ECo-Founders%3A%20Mazen%20Omair%20and%20Rana%20Batterjee%3Cbr%3EBase%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Recruitment%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2030%20employees%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20Pre-Seed%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Angel%20investors%20(investment%20amount%20undisclosed)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Saturday's schedule at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 race, 12:30pm
Formula 1 final practice, 2pm
Formula 1 qualifying, 5pm
Formula 2 race, 6:40pm
Performance: Sam Smith
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
ATP WORLD No 1
2004 Roger Federer
2005 Roger Federer
2006 Roger Federer
2007 Roger Federer
2008 Rafael Nadal
2009 Roger Federer
2010 Rafael Nadal
2011 Novak Djokovic
2012 Novak Djokovic
2013 Rafael Nadal
2014 Novak Djokovic
2015 Novak Djokovic
2016 Andy Murray
2017 Rafael Nadal
2018 Novak Djokovic
2019 Rafael Nadal
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
