Nakheel bribery verdict postponed for two weeks



DUBAI // A Nakheel project manager accused of accepting bribes from contractors will learn his fate in two weeks, a court ruled today.
IK, 41, from Jordan was charged in the Criminal Court of First Instance with taking bribes while working as a public official.
Prosecutors told the court that IK flaunted the flashy cars purchased for him, which led to a Dubai World Anti Fraud administration investigation. IK has denied the charges.
He is accused of asking a contractor to purchase for him a new Audi A8 in September 2008 while he was the project manager of the Jumeirah Circle. The car, prosecutors say, is worth Dh350,000.
The director of the Dubai World Anti Fraud administration, Abdullah Abdullah, 55, told prosecutors that the agency's inquiry revealed that IK owned a new Cadillac Escalade worth Dh300,000, the Audi A8 and a Toyota Land Cruiser.
A contractor presented documents showing that his company purchased the Audi and handed gave it to IK after he awarded them a Dh110 million contract, Mr Abdullah said.
During the internal investigation, IK was ordered to hand over the car to the company per the Dubai World internal policies regarding gifts and was asked to transfer ownership to Dubai World.
Mr Abdullah said IK did not return spare keys and refused to transfer the car. After two months, he added, IK took the car back from where it was being held.
Judge Hamad Abdel Latif postponed judgement until January 23.
amustafa@thenational.ae

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Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania ​​​​​​​
Verdict: 4 Stars

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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.

A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.

Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.

A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.

On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.

The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.

Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.

The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later. 

BULKWHIZ PROFILE

Date started: February 2017

Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce 

Size: 50 employees

Funding: approximately $6m

Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait

Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction

Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.

Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.

Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.

Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.

Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.

What are the guidelines?

Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.

Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.

Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.

Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.

Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.

Source: American Paediatric Association
Temple numbers

Expected completion: 2022

Height: 24 meters

Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people

Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people

First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time

First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres  

Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres

Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor 

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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia