The UAE is experiencing partly cloudy to cloudy weather with a chance of rain, particularly in coastal and northern areas. 

Night and Friday morning will be humid in some internal areas, accompanied by light to moderate winds causing blowing dust. The sea conditions will be rough in the Arabian Gulf and moderate to rough in the Oman Sea. 

Temperatures range between 16°C and 25°C in Abu Dhabi, 18°C and 26°C in Dubai, with mountainous regions dropping to 8°C. 

The milder winter is noted, with December’s average temperature higher than in previous years, according to the National Centre of Meteorology.

Dubai Taxi Company (DTC) has joined forces with Tabby to introduce a “ride now, pay later” service for taxi fares in Dubai. This strategic partnership aims to offer flexible payment solutions, including post-payment options, for a variety of services such as taxi rides, limousine services, and delivery services.

With this collaboration, customers will have access to Tabby’s successful postpaid model, known for its smooth payment processes, convenience, and flexibility through a comprehensive multi-channel system. This includes providing interest-free credit balances and short-term installment programs, empowering customers to fully enjoy Dubai Taxi’s wide array of services while effectively managing their expenses.

To avail of this service, passengers can download the Tabby app, create a profile, and select the ‘Tabby’ option when making payments through the DTC app. The new payment option is set to roll out in January, offering users the convenience of splitting the cost of their purchases into four interest-free installments. Initially, customers only need to pay the initial installment, equivalent to 25 percent of the total amount, with the remaining three installments billed on a monthly basis. Stay tuned for this exciting update on the DTC and Tabby apps.

Harvard University President Claudine Gay resigned amid plagiarism accusations and controversy over her testimony at a congressional hearing regarding calls for the genocide of Jews on campus.

Gay’s resignation came just months into her tenure, and her departure follows criticism for her responses during the hearing, where she was unable to definitively state whether such calls would violate the school’s conduct policy.

Gay later apologized for her remarks, acknowledging her failure to properly denounce threats of violence against Jewish students. The incident marred her early tenure at Harvard, prompting a House committee investigation into the university’s policies and disciplinary procedures, along with separate federal civil rights investigations.

An Air India pilot has been removed from duty after a hard landing in Dubai on a flight from Kochi. The incident occurred on December 20, and while the aircraft came to a safe stop, the less-than-smooth landing prompted an investigation.

The pilot will not be allowed to fly until the investigation, following Directorate General of Civil Aviation rules, is completed. The aircraft, a relatively new A320, underwent extensive checks in Dubai for a week before being cleared to fly back to India.

Flight tracking sites indicate that the plane has not flown since the incident.

The UAE officially joined the Brics alliance on January 1, along with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, and Ethiopia, doubling the alliance and creating an economic force with a combined GDP of $28.5 trillion.

The decision to join reflects the UAE’s commitment to multilateralism and aims to enhance its international partnership portfolio, implement development plans, and empower its economic model. Analysts believe that the membership will allow the UAE to diversify its strategic options, partnerships, and trade portfolios, positioning it to engage dynamically with emerging economies.

The move underscores the UAE’s belief in the importance of strong multilateral partnerships for global security and prosperity.

The UAE had previously joined the New Development Bank in October 2021 and actively participated in the Friends of the Brics forum in June 2023.

Air India is set to launch commercial service for its Airbus A350, the first of its kind in India, starting January 22, 2024. The state-of-the-art A350 will initially be deployed on domestic routes connecting major cities, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.

Passengers can book flights to experience the A350’s comfort and cutting-edge technology. The schedule includes multiple routes for passengers to explore the new aircraft’s features.

The A350-900, ordered as part of Air India’s transformation journey, boasts a three-class cabin configuration with 316 seats, featuring private Business suites, Premium Economy, and Economy seats. The introduction aligns with the airline’s commitment to sustainability, with the A350 designed to be 20% more fuel-efficient.

Air India aims to become a world-class airline with ongoing transformations, including a new global brand identity and uniforms designed by Manish Malhotra.

Muhammad Jawadullah, a Pakistani-born cricketer, has undergone a remarkable transformation from working as an electrician to becoming a pivotal player in the UAE’s national cricket team. His incredible journey began just four years ago, where he was primarily engaged in playing tennis ball cricket. The turning point came when Jawadullah, now 24, arrived in the UAE in January 2020, seeking employment as an electrician.

Initially stationed in Khor Fakkan, he juggled work with cricket, participating in local matches. However, his dream was to play hard-ball cricket, and this aspiration materialized when a friend introduced him to a hard-ball match in Al Ain. In that game, he managed to take three wickets, marking the start of his journey into the realm of hard-ball cricket.

Jawadullah’s proficiency in taking wickets with the hard ball quickly gained attention from UAE cricket authorities. He began playing club-level cricket matches in Ajman, showcasing impressive performances that led to an opportunity in the star-studded UAE franchise league, the ILT20. His remarkable debut against cricket legend Joe Root further solidified his place in the cricketing scene.

The left-arm pace bowler’s journey reached new heights when he earned his first UAE cap on February 16 last year. Since then, Jawadullah has picked up 26 wickets in 19 international matches for the UAE, contributing significantly to the team’s success. Notably, he played a crucial role in the New York Strikers’ recent victory in the Abu Dhabi T10, where he was honored with the UAE Player of the Tournament award.

Jawadullah, who cites Wasim Akram and Mohammed Amir as his cricketing heroes, expressed his gratitude for the support from the Emirates Cricket Board. He now has a contract with them, allowing him to focus on cricket without having to work as an electrician. The young cricketer dreams of achieving more victories for the UAE against formidable teams and harbors ambitions of bowling against cricket giants like Virat Kohli and Babar Azam.

Back in Pakistan, Jawadullah’s family takes immense pride in his cricketing achievements. His success story is also intertwined with the support of a friend named Salik Anees, who played a crucial role in helping him navigate challenges during his journey. With ambitions to bowl against some of the best batsmen globally, Muhammad Jawadullah is a testament to the transformative power of dedication and passion in the world of sports.

A collision at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport involving a coast guard plane and a Japan Airlines Airbus resulted in five deaths. The coast guard plane, carrying aid to an earthquake zone, crashed during landing.

All 379 passengers and crew escaped before the airliner caught fire. The captain of the coast guard plane survived with serious injuries. Footage showed flames erupting after the front landing gear failed.

Government officials pledged to investigate the incident, and airline executives claim the Japan Airlines flight had landing permission. France’s Airbus will assist in the investigation.

The incident occurred in a country without a serious commercial aviation accident for decades.

India has witnessed a slight increase in COVID-19 cases, with 692 new infections reported in the last 24 hours. This brings the total active caseload to 4,097, a rise of four cases, according to the latest data from the Union Health Ministry.

The country also recorded six new deaths due to the virus, bringing the total fatalities to 5,33,346. These recent deaths were distributed across several states: two in Maharashtra, and one each in Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, and West Bengal.

The total count of coronavirus cases in India since January 2020 has now reached 4,50,10,944, marking an increase of 702 cases in the past day.

In a significant development, Delhi reported its first case of the COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1, a descendant of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.86, also known as Pirola. Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj stated, “Out of the three samples sent for Genome Sequencing, one is JN.1, and two are Omicron.”

To date, India has detected a total of 109 cases of the JN.1 sub-variant. Despite this, the World Health Organisation has indicated that the overall risk posed by JN.1 remains low based on current evidence.

Following the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has released new guidelines for the management of suspected or confirmed cases. AIIMS Director conducted a meeting with department heads to discuss COVID-19 contingency measures, including testing policies, designated areas for positive patients, and hospitalization protocols.

Three Filipino expatriates in the UAE collectively won AED 300,000 in the recent Mahzooz weekly raffle draw, with each securing AED 100,000.

Oliver, a 46-year-old planning engineer currently on vacation in the Philippines, plans to use the money for his children’s education and investments.

Arnold, a 60-year-old senior team leader at an automotive company in the UAE, with 15 years of participation in Mahzooz, intends to invest his winnings in a new business for his daughter in Abu Dhabi.

Rommel, a 37-year-old quality manager based in Qatar, aims to fulfill his travel dreams with the prize money during his Christmas vacation in the Philippines.

As the year concludes, Mahzooz is offering an additional AED 1,295,000 in prizes for its final draw on December 30, featuring a grand prize of AED 20,000,000. Customers buying three or more lines have a chance to triple their winning opportunities in the raffle. The draw will include various cash prizes for multiple winners.