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Dubai’s 10-day mourning period and UAE-born Kaziah Liz Mejo’s Miss Universe bid lead the stories drawing attention this week. Also making headlines: how a stranger and ChatGPT helped a lost pilgrim travel 1,200km back home, an Emirates passenger’s LEGO gift that moved a cabin crew member, cancer survivor Sahara Shah landing her first lead film role, Vikrant Massey’s plans for two Musafir Cafe-inspired venues, and Mohamed Salah receiving a six-month driving ban in England.
Here’s a closer look at the stories you may have missed this week:
Dubai announces 10 days of mourning for Sheikh Ahmed
Dubai: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the younger brother of Dubai’s Ruler, died on Monday morning, the Ruler’s Court announced, declaring 10 days of official mourning across the emirate.
Flags will fly at half-mast throughout the mourning period, which begins on Monday, the Court said.
UAE-born Kaziah Liz Mejo eyes 4th Miss Universe title
UAE-born Kaziah Liz Mejo, who was crowned Miss Universe India 2026 last month, is preparing to represent India at the global Miss Universe pageant, with the 19-year-old hoping to bring the country its fourth crown.
Kaziah won the national title at the grand finale in Jaipur on August 23. She will represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November.
Speaking about her journey in Thiruvananthapuram and the upcoming international competition, Kaziah said she was grateful for the support she had received from Kerala and across India.
1,200km away, stranger and ChatGPT help pilgrim return
Dubai: When an elderly Punjab pilgrim who struggled with memory lost his way in Amritsar and somehow ended up more than 1,200km away in Bihar, he had little to help him find his way home.
He could barely explain where he came from. He spoke only Punjabi. But he remembered one crucial detail — the name of his village.
That fragment of information, the kindness of a stranger and some help from ChatGPT eventually brought him home.
Emirates crew member emotional over passenger’s LEGO
Dubai: A simple LEGO creation turned into an unexpected and emotional moment aboard an Emirates flight after a passenger decided to gift her handmade creation to a cabin crew member.
The heartwarming moment was captured in a video shared on Instagram by user Alyna Jude. The clip shows the passenger working on a LEGO creation while seated during the flight.
A member of the Emirates cabin crew notices what she is doing and appears to encourage her to continue. Later, the passenger decides to surprise the crew member by handing over the creation as a gift.
Cancer survivor Sahara Shah signs her first lead role
Dubai: Vivek Oberoi was in tears on a Mumbai stage this week, watching a young woman he first met in a hospital ward sign her first film as a leading actor.
Sahara Shah, 22, was a small child undergoing chemotherapy when Oberoi came into her life through the Cancer Patients Aid Association. She is now cancer-free, has completed her aviation training, and has just signed a Nepali film called 26 Crore.
The announcement came on Tuesday evening at the CPAA’s Cancer Rose Day event at Taj Lands End in Mumbai, where she made it as a surprise.
Vikrant Massey to open two cafes after Musafir Cafe
A café from a Vikrant Massey series could soon have a life beyond the screen.
According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, Massey is developing two cafés inspired by Musafir Cafe, his Netflix series, with locations planned in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Construction is reportedly already underway at both sites.
The project is being developed through Massey’s production house, Homemade Stories. According to the report, the cafés are being designed to resemble the one seen in the series, rather than simply using the Musafir Cafe name. Each location is also expected to have around 20 rooms for artist residencies, bringing another part of the show’s fictional world into the real one.
Bollywood gathers at Rani Mukerji’s mother’s funeral
Krishna Mukerji, playback singer and mother of actor Rani Mukerji, died on Tuesday afternoon. She was 75.
Following the news, several members of the Hindi film industry visited the Mukerji family to offer their condolences.
What does official mourning mean in the UAE?
Dubai: When official mourning is declared in Dubai or across the UAE, the most visible sign is the lowering of the UAE flag to half-mast.
But the declaration does not, by itself, mean that government offices, schools, businesses or everyday life automatically come to a halt.
From Sushmita to Kaziah: India’s Miss Universe journey
Three crowns. Three generations. And now, a new chapter begins with Kaziah Liz Mejo.
Mohamed Salah banned for six months by UK authorities
Dubai: Mohamed Salah has been away from England for a while. However, the Egyptian’s name has returned to make headlines in the country for the wrong reasons.
According to The Sun, Salah was handed a six-month driving ban in England after a Rolls-Royce registered in his name was caught speeding in Cheshire.
The former Liverpool star was convicted in his absence by Warrington Magistrates’ Court in August after failing to identify who was driving the luxury vehicle when it was detected by a speed camera in March 2026. The Rolls-Royce Spectre is reportedly worth more than €466,000 (Dh 1.96 million).
