The UAE's eagerly awaited 51st National Day show on Friday will be broadcast on television and screened at more than 50 venues across the country.
Citizens and residents are being invited to gather together to watch the live stream of the production in grand settings such as Expo City Dubai, Hatta Dam and Qasr Al Hosn.
The stage performance, which starts at 6pm, will be also be shown at locations in Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, including Sheikh Zayed Festival, Liwa Festival, The Founder’s Memorial and Majlis Abu Dhabi.
In Sharjah, viewings will be held at Sharjah National Park, Al Dhaid Fort and Khor Fakkan, while in Ajman it will be shown at Flag Park and Marina Ajman.
A host of cinemas across the UAE, including Novo, VOX, Roxy, Reel, Star and Oscar, will also broadcast the event, which organisers said would be held in Abu Dhabi without confirming the specific location.
The event will not be open to the public but people will subsequently be able to attend live National Day show events held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre for nine nights from December 3.
An Emirati success story
Organisers have revealed the first details of the show, which will celebrate Emirati pioneers through the years who have blazed a trail for the country's rapid rise since its formation in 1971.
It will centre on the country's rich culture and look at its ambitious plans for the years ahead.
Plans for the show have been in the works since June and have included contributions from nearly 7,000 people drawn from more than 100 countries, including leading engineers, creative minds and technicians.
More than 1,000 school pupils — representing the multi-cultural make-up of the nation — will take part in a children's parade.
Rawdha Al Qubaisi, creative executive producer for the show, said it would be the most significant celebration in the country following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The stories of key figures in the fields of marine sciences, environment, agriculture, space, transportation, solar energy and education will be told to help inspire future generations to follow in their path.
The production will reflect Emirati values and customs, with visual elements inspired by Al Sadu, the traditional form of weaving.
Poetry's prominent role in Emirati life will also be explored with new poems waxing lyrical about the UAE's achievements and inspiring stories.
The show will also feature a verse from the anthology of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Viewers will be serenaded by a fusion of traditional Emirati song and international music.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Emirati composers will unite to provide a stirring soundtrack.
A military performance will take centre stage, blended with Taghrooda, a Bedouin form of chanted poetry and Al Ayyala, a traditional performance art.
The Emirates Choir will be in full voice throughout, providing songs for scenes and oration for poems.
Audiences across the Emirates can tune in from 5.30pm on the official National Day website.
Keeping the National Day party going
The National Day show will be performed before crowds at Adnec from December 3 to 11.
Organisers have not confirmed if the Friday event will be staged at Adnec.
Tickets for the nine shows ― which start at 6pm each day ― are available for Dh200 via the National Day website. Children under three are free.
Citizens and residents are expected to turn out in force to celebrate the date the Emirates was formed in 1971.
Last year, stunning Golden Jubilee celebrations took centre stage in Hatta before an audience including President Sheikh Mohamed, who was Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the time, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, both of whom could at times be seen recording the spectacle on their mobile phones.
December's festivities will also be momentous for the country.
Sheikh Mohamed will oversee his first National Day as leader, having been elected in May after the death of Sheikh Khalifa.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
T20 World Cup Qualifier A, Muscat
Friday, February 18: 10am - Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm - Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am - Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm - UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am - Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm - Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm – semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm – final
UAE squad: Ahmed Raza (captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv
US PGA Championship in numbers
1 Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.
2 To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.
3 Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.
4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.
5 In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.
6 For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.
7 Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.
8 Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.
9 Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.
10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.
11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.
12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.
13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.
14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.
15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.
16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.
17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.
18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
SPAIN SQUAD
Goalkeepers Simon (Athletic Bilbao), De Gea (Manchester United), Sanchez (Brighton)
Defenders Gaya (Valencia), Alba (Barcelona), P Torres (Villarreal), Laporte (Manchester City), Garcia (Manchester City), D Llorente (Leeds), Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
Midfielders Busquets (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona), Thiago (Liverpool), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Ruiz (Napoli), M Llorente (Atletico Madrid)
Forwards: Olmo (RB Leipzig), Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Morata (Juventus), Moreno (Villarreal), F Torres (Manchester City), Traore (Wolves), Sarabia (PSG)
