Big Ticket hosts Richard Isaac and Bouchra deliver the good news to another winner of the mega-prize. Photo: Abu Dhabi Big Ticket
Big Ticket hosts Richard Isaac and Bouchra deliver the good news to another winner of the mega-prize. Photo: Abu Dhabi Big Ticket
Big Ticket hosts Richard Isaac and Bouchra deliver the good news to another winner of the mega-prize. Photo: Abu Dhabi Big Ticket
Big Ticket hosts Richard Isaac and Bouchra deliver the good news to another winner of the mega-prize. Photo: Abu Dhabi Big Ticket

Big Ticket winner: Bangladeshi driver in Al Ain scoops Dh35 million in first draw of 2023


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A Bangladeshi driver has scooped the largest Big Ticket draw and will walk away with Dh35 million after claiming the Series 247 prize in Abu Dhabi.

Mohammed Rayful from Al Ain won the grand prize after nine years of buying tickets.

He bought the winning ticket number 043678 on December 10.

The pick-up driver will be sharing his winnings with a group of 20 friends. The top prize of Dh35 million was the largest in the competition’s history, with tickets costing Dh500 each.

Established in 1992, Big Ticket has an initial first prize of Dh1 million.

Meanwhile, another competition winner of the weekly prize draw of gold has been announced.

A lucky Indian engineer claimed the first weekly Big Ticket draw of 2023 by winning one kilogram of 24-carat gold.

Karamangattil Krishnakumar, who lives in Ras Al Khaimah, has been in the UAE since 1994 and bought tickets for the competition for three years.

The electronic prize draw made in Abu Dhabi announced the first prize winners of the New Year, after weekly e-draws throughout December offered an opportunity to win a kilogram of gold every week.

Mr Krishnakumar won the prize with the winning ticket number of 545021.

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Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

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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.

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Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

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On sale: Available for preorder now

Medicus AI

Started: 2016

Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh

Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai

Sector: Health Tech

Staff: 119

Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)

 

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Director: Monika Mitchell

Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler

Rating: 3/5

Updated: June 23, 2023, 3:27 PM