PETROL PRICES GOING UP IN FEB!

If you're thinking you will have some cash to splurge on Valentine’s day...think again! Petrol prices are going up next month February 2023 :(

Super 98 petrol will cost Dh3.05 a litre, compared to Dh2.78 a litre in January, while Special 95 will cost Dh2.93 a litre, compared to Dh2.67 a litre the previous month.

E-Plus category petrol will be available for Dh2.86 a litre, compared to Dh2.59 a litre in January.

Diesel will now cost Dh3.38 a litre, compared to Dh3.29 a litre the previous month.

THE JONAS BROTHERS GET A STAR!

Five albums and nearly two decades later, the Jonas Brothers finally get their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!

They were joined by their wives Priyanka Chopra, Sofie Turner, Danielle Jonas, and kids at the ceremony.  

During the ceremony, Nick Jonas surprised fans with the announcement of their next album, titled The Album, which will be released on May 5, followed by a tour! 

Congrats Jonas Brothers, and we will be patiently waiting for the album!! 

WORLD FUTURE ENERGY SUMMIT

The World Future Energy Summit is the leading international event accelerating sustainability and the global transition to clean energy.

Energy industry leaders and policymakers from around the world will participate in the three-day event at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from January 16 to January 18. 

The summit is the centrepiece of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, a global initiative by the UAE & Abu Dhabi's clean energy company Masdar to push sustainable development and advance economic, social, and environmental progress.

Exhibition, technology showcase, investment incubator and business forum all rolled into one event, the summit convenes leaders, innovators and global thinkers to share ideas that are creating the blueprints for a sustainable future.

To register go to www.worldfutureenergysummit.com

THE 80th GOLDEN GLOBES AWARDS 2023!

The Golden Globes are back after much controversy! 

Here are the biggest highlights of the night:

• The Banshees of Inisherin was the biggest winner on the night, winning Best Motion Picture — Musical / Comedy, Colin Farrell a Best Actor — Motion Picture — Musical / Comedy and another for Martin McDonagh, for Best Screenplay — Motion Picture.
• Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans took home two awards, for Best Director — Motion Picture and Best Picture — Drama.
• Everything Everywhere All At Once also bagged two awards, one each for actors Ke Huy Quan and Michelle Yeoh, who made history as the first Malaysian actor to win the Golden Globe!
• Telugu-language film RRR also made Globes history as the first Indian tune to take Best Song — Motion Picture.

The full list of winners:

Best Picture (Drama) - WINNER: The Fabelmans

Best Picture — Comedy /Musical - WINNER: The Banshees of Inisherin

Best Picture — Animated - WINNER: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio 

Best Picture — Non-English Language - WINNER: Argentina, 1985, Argentina

Best Actor — Motion Picture — Drama - WINNER: Austin Butler, Elvis

Best Actor — Motion Picture — Musical/Comedy - WINNER: Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin

Best Actress — Motion Picture — Drama - WINNER: Cate Blanchett, Tar

Best Actress — Motion Picture — Musical/Comedy - WINNER: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Supporting Actor — Motion Picture - WINNER: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Supporting Actress — Motion Picture - WINNER: Angela Bassett, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 

Best Director — Motion Picture - WINNER: Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans

Best Screenplay — Motion Picture - WINNER: The Banshees of Inisherin, Martin McDonagh

Best Score — Motion Picture - WINNER: Justin Hurwitz, Babylon

Best Song — Motion Picture - WINNER: Naatu Naatu by Kala Bhairava, M M Keeravani, Rahul Sipligunj, from RRR

Best Drama Series - WINNER: House of the Dragon 

Best Musical/Comedy - WINNER: Abbott Elementary

Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture - WINNER: The White Lotus

Best Television Actor — Drama Series - WINNER: Kevin Costner, Yellowstone 

Best Television Actor — Musical/Comedy Series - WINNER: Jeremy Allen White, The Bear

Best Actor — Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture - WINNER: Evan Peters, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

Best Television Actress — Drama Series - WINNER: Zendaya, Euphoria 

Best Television Actress — Musical/Comedy Series - WINNER: Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary

Best Actress — Limited Series, Anthology Series or Television Motion Picture - WINNER: Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout

Best Supporting Actor — Television Series - WINNER: Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary

Best Supporting Actor — Television Limited Series/Motion Picture - WINNER: Paul Walter Hauser, Black Bird

Best Supporting Actress — Television Series - WINNER: Julia Garner, Ozark

Best Supporting Actress — Television Limited Series/Motion Picture - WINNER: Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus

RONALDO AL NASSR UNVEILING

Cristiano Ronaldo last night described himself as a "unique player" at his Al Nassr unveiling.  He insisted his career was not over, in fact he ‘’wants to break records’’ while at his new club in Saudi

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid & Juventus player has signed a 2 ½ year contract, which is rumoured to be worth more than $200 million a year once commercial & sponsorship tie-ins are factored in

Ronaldo added "I had many offers in Europe, many in Brazil, Australia, the US, even in Portugal.  I'm coming here to win, to play, to enjoy, to be part of the success of the country & culture of the country"

IT'S GETTING BUSY IN DUBAI!

Dubai Airports have released that traffic of nearly 2 MILLION passengers is expected over the next few days. Monday, Jan 2nd, is believed to be the busiest day, with traffic exceeding 257,000 passengers! Wow! 

Will tourism hit an all-time high in 2023? We will find out soon. 

With perfect weather conditions now and in the next few months, Dubai will definitely be the ultimate winter escape! 

UAE UNEMPLOYMENT SCHEME

Enroll for the Involuntary Loss of Employment before June 30 or face a fine

The Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) Scheme is a form of social security that will provide workers with up to 3 months of compensation if they lose their jobs. The compensation is calculated at up to 60 per cent of the employee’s salary.

It came into effect on Jan 1, but there is a grace period of 6 months (until June 30).  Failing to subscribe before then, could land you with a fine from the Ministry of Dhs400

Workers with a basic salary of AED 16K or less will need to pay a monthly insurance premium of AED 5 (AED 60 annually)

Those with a basic salary over AED 16K will need to pay AED 10 per month (AED 120 annually)

This can be paid on a monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or annual basis, but to claim the benefits, the monthly premium must have been paid for at least 12 consecutive months.

For more info check out iloe.ae

BRIDGERTON PREQUEL SERIES

The popular Netflix "Bridgerton" series has released the first look at young Lady Agatha Danbury in the prequel series, "Queen Charlotte." 

Centered on Queen Charlotte’s rise to prominence and power, this Bridgerton-verse prequel tells the story of how the young Queen’s marriage to King George sparked both a great love story and a societal shift, creating the world of the Ton inherited by the characters in Bridgerton,” reads the limited series’ logline.

Executive producer Shonda Rhimes invested in Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) on a larger scale. She teased the first look via Instagram in March 2022. While the series does not have a confirmed title just yet, the first episode is called, “Queen to Be.” Rhimes penned the script. 

In an interview, Rosheuvel revealed that there will be lots of DRAMA  - "You're going to see young Queen Charlotte, young Lady Danbury, young Violet [Bridgerton], young Brimsley. It's gonna be in the world of Bridgerton, so you're gonna see how they got to where they are now."

We can't wait to see what unfolds! Stay tuned for updates. 

WORLD RECORD-BREAKING FIREWORKS!

The UAE has done it again! 

Ras Al Khaimah welcomed the New Year with impressive fireworks displays to musical rhythms. 

They used more than 600 drones to break two Guinness World Record titles:

• Largest number of operated multi-rotors/drones with a simultaneous fireworks display
• Largest aerial sentence formed by multirotors/Drones. The message was ‘HAPPY NEW YEAR 2023’

The fireworks display covered a 4.7km stretch along the waterfront between Al Marjan Island and Al Hamra Village, with a 12-minute pyro musical fireworks display at a height of 1,100 metres. 

MESSI MOST LIKED IG POST

Lionel Messi now has the most-liked Instagram post of all time, Guinness World Records confirmed.  

The series of photos celebrating Argentina’s World Cup win posted by the soccer star having reached 68 million likes and counting.

Within a day of Messi putting up the photos, the post surpassed the previous recordholder, an account called @world_record_egg whose photograph of a single egg has received 57 million likes since a 2019 campaign to make it the most-liked post on the platform went viral.

Messi also has gained 25.8 million Instagram followers in the past 30 days since the World Cup tournament kicked off! That’s a 200% jump over the previous month!

Messi now has 405 million Instagram followers, and surpassed Kylie Jenner to become the second most-followed user on the platform.

Messi also became the soccer player with the most FIFA World Cup matches player (26), the most matches as a team captain (19), most Man of the Match awards at the World Cup (11) and most tournament appearances (five) and became the first player to make an assist at five different World Cup tournaments.

Wow, congrats Messi on all these incredible accomplishments!! You are truly the ‘GOAT’!