Arab stars have offered their condolences after Wadih Wassouf, the eldest son of well-known Lebanese-Syrian singer George Wassouf, died on Friday.
His death, reportedly caused by complications after gastric bypass surgery, was confirmed by his family.
The official Facebook account of George, who is widely known as Sultan El Tarab, announced a funeral will be held on Sunday morning at the Church of St Nicholas of the Greek Orthodox in Achrafieh, a suburb in Beirut.
“Then his body will be transferred to his hometown of Kfarum, where an incense prayer will be held for his comfort at five o’clock in the afternoon in the church of Meter Elias; Kafroun, then he will be buried in the family cemetery," the post read.
Several Arabic-language publications have also reported that George has since been admitted to hospital.
Some of today's biggest celebrities in the Arab world rallied around George, to offer their condolences and support.
"I cannot believe it," wrote Lebanese superstar Nancy Ajram on Twitter. "Death is so harsh!! My heart is with the dear and beloved Abu Wadih. May God grant you and your family patience. What a loss. Wadih was a young man whose life was worth the world's attention."
Fellow Lebanese singer Elissa added "my heart is with you, Abu Wadih ... May god give you strength".
"What a heartbreaking news," said Jad Shwery, a Lebanese producer, singer and director. "May God have mercy on your sweet soul, Wadih. May God grant patience to your father who is very dear to my heart, to everyone, to your mother Shlimar, to your family and your loved ones."
"May God have mercy," wrote Lebanese singer Najwa Karam. "Give patience to the heart of Abu Wadih and Umm Wadih."
Lebanese singers Nawal El Zoghbi, Carole Samaha and Diana Haddad, and Egyptian singers Angham and Hany Shaker also paid tribute.
“There is no power or strength except with God," wrote Angham. "My sincere condolences on the death of Wadih George Wassouf. We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return."
George's career spans more than four decades and he's released over 30 albums, becoming one of the biggest-selling Arab singers of modern times. He's known for hits such as Sehert El Leil and El Hawa Sultan.
Wadih is the son of George and his first wife Shalimar, who he married aged 21 and also had sons Hatem and George Jr.
The couple separated in 2009 and then George married Qatar rally champion Nada Zeidan, who gave birth to a daughter in 2015, before they divorced in 2016.
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
Fifa Club World Cup:
When: December 6-16
Where: Games to take place at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi and Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain
Defending champions: Real Madrid
The specs
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The five types of long-term residential visas
Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:
Investors:
A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.
Entrepreneurs:
A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.
Specialists
Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.
Outstanding students:
A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university.
Retirees:
Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.
Jawan
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
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