Tragedy leaves two dead at Asamoah Gyan’s party


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Asamoah Gyan, the Al Ain striker and Ghana captain, has been left in shock, according to his club, after a get together with his friends ended in tragedy on Sunday.

Gyan’s childhood friend and one of the country’s top musicians, Theophilus Tagoe, popularly known as Castro, and an unnamed female friend drowned.

“We have spoken to Gyan shortly after the news broke out, and he said he was fine and wasn’t involved in the incident,” an Al Ain club spokesman said. “We were made to understand they had a beach party and his friend drowned while trying to save a female friend in the water. Of course, it is a difficult time for him and he was in a state of grief.

“Gyan is on holiday. He was granted permission from the coach [Zlatko Dalic] to take a break after the World Cup until the squad returned from their training camp in Italy on July 20.”

According to vibeghana.com, Gyan and his elder brother, Baffour, were with Castro, Samuel Anim Addo (his business manager) and other female friends when the incident occurred.

The Hiplife artiste and a female friend hired a jet ski and took to the water, while Gyan and a friend played volleyball at a nearby court.

Eyewitnesses have said Castro’s friend, who was behind the musician on the jet ski, fell into the lagoon and, in an attempt to rescue her, both of them drowned.

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.