DUBAI // Fans of the Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan will have a chance to meet the actor when he visits Dubai this month for the world premiere of his new superhero action movie.
One of India's most popular actors, Khan will be in Dubai on October 24 for the premiere of his movie, Ra.One.
He will also hold a charity auction dinner open to the public, organisers said yesterday. The film will be released to the rest of the world two days later.
"Shah Rukh has a huge fan following in Dubai, not just among the Asian community but among UAE nationals and other Arabs who would love to meet him," said Rashid Saeed, the managing director of Dubai's Essar Events, which is organising Khan's visit.
"We naturally expect big crowds and have arranged for adequate security. The UAE is full of movie buffs who love Shah Rukh, and he is looking forward to meeting his fans in this part of the world."
Khan, 45, will hold a press conference on October 24, followed by an invitation-only premiere at Grand Cineplex and a charity auction dinner at the Grand Hyatt hotel for the Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre.
Details of the ticket prices for the charity dinner and the memorabilia for sale will be available this week.
Khan's followers can also send e-mails to essarevents@hotmail.com for more information.
A spokesman for Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre confirmed it would receive proceeds from the auction. The centre provides treatment for children with special needs.
Ra.One has been billed as the most expensive Bollywood film, with a budget of 1.5 billion rupees (Dh111.8 million). Khan stars as a superhero whose main weapon is his ability to shoot supercharged bolts of electricity.
Movie trailers show Khan in a fitted black, silver and blue costume, with electricity crackling around his right arm.
The hero, G.One, or the "Good one" leaps, bounds, flies faster than a train, and shares a bond with a boy who is an ace video game player.
The movie centres on G.One's fight to save the world from the villain Ra.One, played by the Indian actor Arjun Rampal.
rtalwar@thenational.ae
Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
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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).
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The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
