A private chef in Dubai who has dreams of opening his own restaurant has won a share of a Dh1 million prize from Abu Dhabi’s Big Ticket draw.
Rafeek Mohammed, a 26-year-old from India, was the latest winner of the draw. He will share the prize equally with nine other people who purchased the Dh500 ticket with him.
With his share of the money, Mr Mohammed plans to pay off his debts, help the needy and explore the possibility of opening his own restaurant in the UAE.
I would be able to take better care of my parents now
Rafeek Mohammed,
26
For the past year, he has been working as a private chef for an Emirati family in Dubai. Before that, he worked as a cook for a hotel for five years.
“I couldn’t believe it when they called to tell me. I thought they were joking. I’m very happy about it because this money will help me a lot,” Mr Mohammed said.
“I’m going to pay off the loan I took from my friend for my sister’s wedding, I will help some workers here and I will look at opening my own restaurant.
“I’ve always loved cooking. I really enjoy it and it’s what I want to do, but I’ve always dreamed of opening my own restaurant and have even more people try my food.”
Mr Mohammed can cook everything, from Indian and Indo-Chinese dishes to Emirati cuisine.
He said he also supports his parents and wants to give them a more comfortable lifestyle.
“I would be able to take better care of my parents now,” he said.
The Abu Dhabi Big Ticket draw began in 1992 and is the UAE’s longest-running lottery. It offers cash prizes and luxury cars.
Many people have become millionaires overnight through the draw.
Earlier this year, Indian taxi driver Renjith Somarajan won Dh20m in the same draw.
He split the funds equally with nine of his friends who purchased the ticket with him.
“I was earning about Dh5,000 as a taxi driver for eight years. Then the salary was reduced when I started another job. It was always difficult to meet all of our needs, but now things will get better,” he said at the time.
Although many people buy the ticket with their friends, some who purchase it on their own have also hit the jackpot.
Shivamurthy Gali Krishnappa, a mechanical engineer for a stainless steel production company, won Dh12m from a ticket he bought on his own.
“I want to continue life as it was for now and plan properly. The most important thing is to save for my children’s education,” he said.
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
Company Profile
Name: JustClean
Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries
Launch year: 2016
Number of employees: 130
Sector: online laundry service
Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding
Other key dates
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Finals draw: December 2
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Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Match info
Manchester City 3 (Jesus 22', 50', Sterling 69')
Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 65')
Uefa Nations League
League A:
Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands
League B:
Austria, Wales, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey
League C:
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Norway, Montenegro, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania
League D:
Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Malta, Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino, Gibraltar
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESteven%20Knight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMark%20Ruffalo%2C%20Hugh%20Laurie%2C%20Aria%20Mia%20Loberti%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
