A spectacular fireworks display on the Corniche to mark the UAE's Golden Jubilee year in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Down below was a wonder that seemed to defy the laws of physics: a lake floating on a lake — the man-made stage for the hour-long show. Everyone in the UAE could watch the live show broadcast on all local TV channels, as well as on the National Day’s official website. Victor Besa/TheNational.
The Golden Jubilee show opened with the sound of drums rolling across the waters and reverberating through the peaks. From high in the hills came the sound of the nadba, the ancient cry of greeting of the Shihuh, the tribe whose home is the mountains of the Northern Emirates. Victor Besa/TheNational.
Live screenings were also organised in all seven emirates, in cinemas, cultural spaces, and public places. Victor Besa/TheNational
Broadcast live from Hatta Lake, the 50th National Day Celebration was a fitting extravaganza for a country that often goes above and beyond. Victor Besa/TheNational.
The UAE flag displayed on Burj Khalifa. Pawan Singh/The National.
Children enjoying the joy rides outside the Dubai Mall. Pawan Singh/The National.
ADNOC lit up with different images of the leaders to mark the year of the Golden Jubilee occasion, in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari/The National
A young boy waves the UAE flag from the dhow monument along the Corniche for the 50th National Day in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari/The National
Children waiting for the airshow display along the Corniche. Khushnum Bhandari/ The National
Proud Emirati children waiving the UAE flag along the Corniche. Khushnum Bhandari/ The National
Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah, and Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, attend the Federal Supreme Council meeting, at the Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Palace. Photo: Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
The Al Fursan Air Display at Expo 2020 Dubai. Victor Besa / The National
A spectacular aerial display at Expo 2020 Dubai. Victor Besa / The National
Water Feature area at Expo 2020 Dubai during the 50th UAE National Day. Victor Besa/The National.
Rola Saheb from Dubai at the flag garden near Kite Beach. Pawan Singh / The National
A girl and a boy with UAE flag colours at Kite Beach, on Jumeirah Beach Road. Ruel Pableo / The National
Families spend time at Kite Beach on UAE National Day. Ruel Pableo / The National
A flag-carrying family cycle along Kite Beach. Ruel Pableo / The National
Young women on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi fly the country's flag for the 50th National Day. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Emirati families celebrate the UAE's National Day on the Corniche. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Emirati boys enjoy National Day in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
A young man's headgear is straightened for National Day. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Proud siblings wave the national flag on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai prepare to celebrate the UAE's 50th National Day. Victor Besa / The National
Brothers spend the country's anniversary at the world's fair. Victor Besa / The National
Festivities get under way with a colourful parade. Victor Besa / The National
The parade is a sea of colour and sound. Victor Besa / The National
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said the country had overcome huge challenges over the past 50 years. Victor Besa / The National
Live music adds to the party atmosphere. Victor Besa / The National
(L-R) Anju Jacob, Evelyn and Sebin Dcruz at the flag garden near Dubai's kite beach on the UAE’s 50th National Day. Pawan Singh / The National
Rola Saheb from Dubai at the flag garden. Pawan Singh / The National
Visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai on UAE National Day. Victor Besa / The National
Young Emiratis in costume for UAE National Day. Victor Besa / The National
A photograph is taken to mark the memorable occasion. Victor Besa / The National
Young people enjoy the special events. Victor Besa / The National
A series of events was held to mark National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai. Victor Besa / The National
This little girl points the way forward. Victor Besa/The National
Servhub treated its employees to a National Day celebration at their accommodation in Jebel Ali. Ruel Pableo for The National
Servhub staff enjoy the occasion. Ruel Pableo for The National
The flag-raising ceremony gets under way. Victor Besa / The National
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and commissioner general of Expo 2020 Dubai, speaks after the flag-raising ceremony at Al Wasl Plaza. Victor Besa / The National
An Al Azi performance takes place. Victor Besa / The National
Visitors arrive at the world's fair – with masks on. Victor Besa / The National
People dressed to celebrate the UAE's special day arrive at Expo 2020 Dubai. Victor Besa / The National
Aircraft fly over The Founder's Memorial – a national tribute to the Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed – on the UAE's 50th National Day. Photo: Wam
Sadique Ahamed ran 50 kilometres in Abu Dhabi on National Day to show his appreciation and loyalty to the UAE. Photo: Wam
The UAE has said that January 2 will be an official holiday next year, giving federal employees a three-day weekend to start the new year.
As of January 1, 2022, the weekend will fall on Saturday and Sunday, with Sunday, January 2 an official holiday for government workers.
It was announced as part of the weekend changes being brought in for next year.
Private company employees will also benefit from the long weekend, as long as their employer is also changing to the new work week.
January 1 remains an official holiday for both the private and the government sectors.
The UAE had enjoyed a bumper long weekend for the country's 50th National Day celebrations but before the latest announcement the next public holiday was not to have been for five months.
Children enjoy the water feature at Expo 2020 Dubai. Victor Besa / The National
An air display by the Al Fursan team wows the crowds at Expo 2020 Dubai. Victor Besa / The National
The UAE's 50th National Day show in Hatta. Photo: Dubai Media Office
Hatta's Golden Jubilee show reflected the country's 'early dreamers' who began the story of the Emirates. Victor Besa / The National
Burj Khalifa in Dubai illuminated in the colours of the national flag. Pawan Singh / The National
A group of children celebrate National Day at the dhow monument on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Colours of the World Parade during Golden Jubilee celebrations at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
A visitor to Al Wasl Plaza, Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai
(L-R) Anju Jacob, Evelyn and Sebin Dcruz in the flag garden near Kite Beach, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
Fireworks light up the night sky at the UAE's 50th National Day celebrations in Hatta. Photo: Ministry of Presidential Affairs
The UAE flag is illuminated in Hatta. Photo: Ministry of Presidential Affairs
Part of the UAE's 50th National Day extravaganza in Hatta. Photo: Ministry of Presidential Affairs
Golden Jubilee show which reflects on the country's "early dreamers" who began the story of the Emirates. Victor Besa / The National
Artists perform during the celebration of the 50th UAE National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai. EPA
Adnoc's headquarters in Abu Dhabi displays an image of the UAE's Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
Proud Emirati children wave the UAE flag from a sunroof in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari/ The National
The Al Fursan team put on a dazzling display. Victor Besa / The National.
From left: Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah and Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, attend the Federal Supreme Council meeting, at the Sheikh Rashid Palace in Hatta, Dubai, on Thursday. Photo: Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
A lerge crowd watched a spectacular fireworks display over the Abu Dhabi Corniche. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
People soaking up the atmosphere on the Abu Dhabi Corniche on National Day. Khushnum Bhandari/ The National
The next public holiday after January is a five-day break which will mark the end of Ramadan in 2022, most likely to fall on May 1, depending on which night the new crescent moon is sighted.
The decision to adapt the working week "will better align the Emirates with global markets, reflecting the country’s strategic status on the global economic map", the UAE Government Media Office said. The new long weekend will "boost productivity and improve work-life balance", it said.
The country's working week last changed in 2006, when the weekend was moved from Thursday-Friday to the current Friday-Saturday pattern. The move brought the Emirates in line with global markets at a time when the economy was growing rapidly.
The private sector, public and private schools shifted their working pattern on the same day in September 2006.
Between 1971 and 1999, the country had an official six-day working week, with only Friday as a government-mandated day off.
Thursday was added to create a two-day weekend in 1999.
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
UAE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Salem Rashid, Mohammed Al Attas, Alhassan Saleh
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Yahya Nader, Ahmed Barman, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah, Yahya Al Ghassani
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
2019 Asian Cup final
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Name: Thndr Started: 2019 Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr Sector: FinTech Headquarters: Egypt UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi Current number of staff: More than 150 Funds raised: $22 million
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Other IPL batting records
Most sixes: 292 – Chris Gayle
Most fours: 491 – Gautam Gambhir
Highest individual score: 175 not out – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Highest strike-rate: 177.29 – Andre Russell
Highest strike-rate in an innings: 422.22 – Chris Morris (for Delhi Daredevils against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017)
Highest average: 52.16 – Vijay Shankar
Most centuries: 6 – Chris Gayle
Most fifties: 36 – Gautam Gambhir
Fastest hundred (balls faced): 30 – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Fastest fifty (balls faced): 14 – Lokesh Rahul (for Kings XI Punjab against Delhi Daredevils in 2018)
Results
Catchweight 60kg: Mohammed Al Katheeri (UAE) beat Mostafa El Hamy (EGY) TKO round 3
Light Heavyweight: Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) no contest Kevin Oumar (COM) Unintentional knee by Oumer
Catchweight 73kg: Yazid Chouchane (ALG) beat Ahmad Al Boussairy (KUW) Unanimous decision
Featherweight: Faris Khaleel Asha (JOR) beat Yousef Al Housani (UAE) TKO in round 2 through foot injury
Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
not be younger than 25 years old
not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
