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Book by young South Korean girl covers travels of Italy and UAE

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Bored? What do you do to find a way out of it? You could go on a travel, draw something or make yourself a quick snack. Or you could write a book and publish it with elements around all of the forementioned, as 11-year-old Grace Joo-eun Choi has done.

Grace has published her first book The Way Out Of Boredom, and she made an appearance as a mini-celebrity in her own right at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival at the emirate’s Expo Centre. The 14th edition of the SCRF concluded on Sunday after more than 1,700 events with 68 prominent authors, writers and literary figures as guests, a Cookery Corner with 12 chefs from nine countries, plenty of entertainment, engaging skills workshops, fun and games.

Not only has Grace written the book, she has even drawn the comic characters and illustrations that serve the graphic elements on the 40-page square size book. She started writing the book during the pandemic days when her father’s work took them to Italy as a South Korean diplomat.

“It is about our travels to the country’s various iconic places which we visited, seen through the character The Fluff ball,” says Grace on the sidelines of the SCRF at the stand of her book publisher, Austin Macauley. Written in poetry fashion with rhyming lines wherever possible character, Grace traces her travels through Fluff across 10 cities in 10 days in the book.

Grace Choi’s book about her UAE experiences is to be published towards the end of the year. Supplied

“I never thought much about my travels. In fact, I used to get bored at times. But when Covid-19 happened, you realised the importance of going out. So now I want others to experience the realisation I had through this book.”

The next natural question and answer to it is prompt  – the focus of Part 2 of The Way Out Of Boredom is the UAE, because her father Choi Young-joon has been posted as the Deputy Consul General in Dubai. And her best place in the country is? “This is not an answer on the expected lines, but I like the malls here the most, especially the Dubai Mall. I love skating and it amazes me to see a skating rink that big at the Dubai Mall,” she said.

The skating may be off the beaten track, but the writing, drawing and a passion for cooking is genetics. Grace’s mother is an author herself, who has written two books around art and cooking in the Korean language.

Grace displays remarkable poise as an experienced writer would, though her female lead in the book is named The Fluff. The naming process was also a bit random, the Harry Potter fan recalls. “For both my books, I have taken inspiration by characters from my digital drawing gallery. Still, me and my brother took help from a random generator to short-list three characters. I went with The Fluff.”

Grace’s favourite hero is Spiderman. The Marvel follower acknowledges she gets help as a writer from the friendly neighbourhood, but starting with her home. “There is no method when I write. Whenever I get an idea, I pen it down. Then usually my first draft is ready within six months. My mother helps me with the design process and the final revisions before my work is commissioned to a publisher.”

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More SCRF coverage:

Sudha Murty enthralls audience with Grandma tales

5 things children can do to save nature

Pakistan social media star makes theatre debut

 

 

 

Education

CBSE announces new date for answer sheet verification portal

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The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed the launch of its online portal for verification, photocopy requests and re-evaluation of answer sheets related to the 2026 board examinations.

The board announced that the Post-Result Activities portal will now go live on June 1 instead of the previously expected schedule.

According to CBSE, the delay is intended to ensure a smoother and more transparent experience for students applying for post-result services following the declaration of board exam results.

In an official statement, the education board said the additional preparation time would help strengthen evaluation protocols and minimise technical issues during the application process.

CBSE added that the revised timeline is aimed at maintaining accuracy and ensuring the system operates efficiently for lakhs of students expected to access the portal for answer book verification and re-evaluation requests.

Students seeking assistance or clarification regarding the process can contact the CBSE Tele-Counselling Helpline or submit queries through the board’s official support email.

The post-result services allow students to apply for answer sheet verification, obtain photocopies of evaluated answer books and request re-evaluation of specific responses after board results are announced.

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Norway Chess 2026: Magnus Carlsen defeats world champion Gukesh in crucial clash

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Round 4 of Norway Chess 2026 produced another dramatic day of elite competition in Oslo, with Magnus Carlsen claiming a crucial victory over reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju in the marquee matchup of the day.

Playing with the black pieces, Carlsen navigated a tense, strategically rich encounter before gradually taking control in the middlegame. Although the position remained balanced for long stretches, mounting pressure and severe time trouble eventually pushed Gukesh into inaccuracies that allowed the Norwegian star to convert his advantage into a full classical win.

The victory marks an important turnaround for Carlsen after a difficult opening phase of the tournament and significantly improves his standing before the home crowd.

Tournament leader Alireza Firouzja was held to a classical draw by Wesley So following a cautious positional battle in which neither player managed to create decisive winning chances. Wesley So later secured victory in the Armageddon tiebreak, earning the additional points.

In another closely fought encounter, Vincent Keymer and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu shared the points after a balanced contest featuring opportunities for both players. Praggnanandhaa later triumphed in Armageddon to collect the bonus points.

Despite the Armageddon loss, Firouzja remains at the top of the standings after four rounds, while Carlsen’s classical victory has reignited his challenge near the top of the leaderboard.

The women’s section of the tournament also delivered another intense round, with all three classical games ending in draws before being decided in Armageddon playoffs.

Humpy Koneru and Zhu Jiner fought a tense encounter that remained level throughout, before Zhu Jiner emerged victorious in the Armageddon decider.

Defending women’s world champion Ju Wenjun managed to hold a difficult position against tournament leader Bibisara Assaubayeva in classical play. Assaubayeva later won the Armageddon game to strengthen her lead in the standings.

Meanwhile, Divya Deshmukh pushed strongly for victory against Anna Muzychuk during a complex middlegame battle, but Muzychuk defended resiliently before going on to win the Armageddon tiebreak.

After four rounds, Assaubayeva continues to lead Norway Chess Women, with Muzychuk, Divya and Zhu Jiner remaining firmly in contention as the tournament heads deeper into its decisive stages.

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Crime

Dubai Police issue cybercrime warning over fake banking websites

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Dubai Police has warned residents against purchasing or attempting to use stolen credit cards and banking data being illegally promoted through suspicious websites and social media platforms, stressing that offenders could face severe legal penalties under the UAE’s cybercrime laws.

According to police officials, organised fraud networks operating outside the UAE are increasingly using fake online platforms to advertise stolen financial information, including compromised credit card details and unauthorised banking access.

Officials said criminals were targeting internet users through deceptive websites and online pages designed to lure buyers seeking illegal financial services or discounted payment methods.

Authorities stressed that anyone found purchasing, sharing or using stolen banking information could face imprisonment, in addition to financial penalties reaching up to Dh2 million under federal cybercrime legislation.

Officials explained that many victims unknowingly compromise their own financial information after entering banking details on fake websites carefully designed to imitate trusted companies, online stores or service providers. Cybercriminals also frequently use fraudulent payment links sent through messages, emails or social media platforms to steal card information from unsuspecting users.

Police said stolen banking data is often circulated through organised cybercrime networks, where compromised card details are bought and sold before being used in fraudulent transactions. Authorities noted that the misuse of stolen information may occur days or even weeks after the original breach, making it harder for victims to trace exactly when or where their financial data was exposed.

Dubai Police also urged residents to closely monitor bank accounts and credit card statements and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions immediately. Officials explained that quick reporting significantly improves the chances of freezing fraudulent activity, tracing transactions and recovering stolen funds before larger financial losses occur.

The warning comes as cybercrime and online financial fraud continue to evolve across digital platforms, with authorities repeatedly advising the public to avoid dealing with unverified websites, suspicious online advertisements or unknown payment channels.

Police further encouraged residents to rely only on secure banking applications and official payment platforms when conducting financial transactions online.

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