Sharman Joshi, left, and Boman Irani. Suhaimi Abdullah / Getty Images
Sharman Joshi, left, and Boman Irani. Suhaimi Abdullah / Getty Images
Sharman Joshi, left, and Boman Irani. Suhaimi Abdullah / Getty Images
Sharman Joshi, left, and Boman Irani. Suhaimi Abdullah / Getty Images

Sharman Joshi thankful for film success


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The actor Sharman Joshi, whose latest film Ferrari Ki Sawaari opened to rave reviews last week, says he's humbled by the praise being showered upon the movie. "We're very thankful to audiences and critics for their love. We're very humbled by the affection. I'm feeling so happy," he said. "In Mumbai, in the whole country, it's earning a huge collection in every cinema." The drama-comedy, produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and directed by the first-timer Rajesh Mapuskar, also stars Boman Irani, who says he has nothing but praise for Joshi's acting talent. "He's a fantastic actor. It would be unfair if our directors don't take notice and use a talent like him. I feel good to have worked with an actor like him." * IANS

Richa Chadda dislikes Bollywood label

The Gangs of Wasseypur star Richa Chadda says she takes objection to the word Bollywood and would like to be labelled as a Hindi film actress. "I don't want to be called a Bollywood actress. I don't mean to challenge Bollywood - I love it. But I don't think we should derive a name just because there's Hollywood," she said. The young actress, who debuted in the 2008 comedy Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, clarified she's proud to be part of the film industry. "We are the only industry in the world that has the guts to go against Hollywood. If you go to Europe or Japan or China, their cinema is suffering. But us, we have the guts to make big-budget films. We're in a good place." * IANS

Sonu Sood talks action star role

As he headlines the two forthcoming crime-thrillers, Maximum and Shootout at Wadala, the actor Sonu Sood says this is the year for action films in Indian cinema. "I feel that this is the time to do action in Bollywood," said Sood, who portrays the role of a police officer in the Kabeer Kaushik-directed Maximum, out in India next week. Talking about his role, he said: "When you play a cop, it's a different feeling altogether because it's based on real characters. I have been waiting for a film like this. I don't know if this will be my best performance as an actor, but yes, this one of my most special films - it's very close to my heart." Maximum also stars Naseeruddin Shah, Neha Dhupia and Vinay Pathak. * IANS

Sachin Parikh to transition to films

The television actor Sachin Parikh, who plays the villain in the Indian soap opera Kuch Toh Log Kahenge (People Will Say Some Things) hopes to move to the big screen this year. "I don't want to do much of television anymore. There are talks of a movie, which I might sign," he said. "It will be a Hindi feature film. I can't say any more about it right now." Parikh says he enjoys playing antagonist roles as he finds them more challenging: "Most TV shows feature goody-goody roles, so a villain character is always a challenge for an actor. I enjoy it." * IANS

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
While you're here
Why are you, you?

Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
From this question, a new destiny.
For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
To return the many to the one.
A great story unites us all,
beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
We reflect all cultures, all ways.
We are a twenty first century wonder.
Universal ideals, visions of art and truth.
Now is the turning point of cultures and hopes.
Come with questions, leave with visions.
We are the link between the past and the future.
Here, through art, new possibilities are born. And
new answers are given wings.

Why are you, you?
Because we are mirrors of each other.
Because together we create new worlds.
Together we are more powerful than we know.
We connect, we inspire, we multiply illuminations
with the unique light of art.

 Ben Okri,

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

Global Fungi Facts

• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil

Dubai Creek Open in numbers
  • The Dubai Creek Open is the 10th tournament on this year's Mena Tour
  • It is the first of five events before the season-concluding Mena Tour Championship
  • This week's field comprises 120 players, 21 of which are amateurs
  • 15 previous Mena Tour winners are competing at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club  
How it works

Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.

Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.

As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.

A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.

Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.

Correspondents

By Tim Murphy

(Grove Press)

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Essentials
The flights

Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing. 

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Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5