ABU DHABI // Kian Zimmerspitz breathes a contended sigh as he cuddles closer to his proud mother.
Wrapped tightly in a blue blanket with a white cap perched on his head, the newborn seems unaware of the gruelling labour he put his mother through before he became the second baby to be born at Abu Dhabi’s Corniche Hospital on Eid Al Fitr.
“He was hard work, but worth it,” said his mother, Luciana Zimmerspitz, 35, a Brazilian who lives in Abu Dhabi.
Born at 1.40am, he was pipped to the post as the first Eid baby by exactly one minute.
Despite experiencing pains 17 hours before Kian arrived, weighing 3.8 kilograms, his mother could not be happier.
“I started experiencing pains around 9am [on Sunday],” said Ms Zimmerspitz. “The strongest contractions were about 4pm. By 11pm I went to hospital.
“I have not slept yet. Since he was born, he has been feeding, feeding, feeding.”
The mother-of-three, who had a natural delivery, said Kian’s elder brother and sister were excited by the new arrival.
“Everyone is so excited in the house, even my dog,” she said. “They are all waiting for him.
“I just hope he can make the healing for peace that this world is needing.”
Ms Zimmerspitz said she had been worried that, with it being Eid, fewer staff may have been working at the hospital. However, she said the medical staff helped make the birth as easy as possible.
By 6am, six babies had been born at Corniche Hospital, the UAE’s busiest maternity ward.
They made their arrival at 1.39am, 1.40am, 2.39am, 2.50am, 5.06am and 5.20am.
Hesna Al Hammadi was one of the first Emiratis to be born on Monday.
Making her entrance at 5.06am, she weighed 3.5 kilograms.
It is the second daughter for mother-of-two Maryam Al Hammadi, 28.
“Copy and paste,” she said, with a smile.
Having had her first daughter, now age two, by Caesarean, Ms Al Hammadi said she was determined to have a natural birth.
Despite a long labour, it was worth it, said Ms Al Hammadi, who is already planning more babies.
“I am very happy,” she said.
Gazing at her dozing daughter, wrapped tightly in a pink blanket and striped hat, Ms Al Hammadi said Hesna’s birthday made her arrival even more special.
Hesna arrived a week early, surprising everyone in the family, she said.
“It is like I have two Eids,” said Ms Al Hammadi. “It is a special day.”
Two floors down in the hospital, Filipina Claribell Ortega’s newborn son shares that special birthday.
Born at 2.50am weighing a healthy 3.5 kilograms, he is the fourth child, but first son, for his proud mother.
She had a quicker labour than some other mums.
“It was very quick. Less than an hour,” she said.
Yet to be named, the newborn, emits a tiny yawn, drawing a smile from his mother, who lives in the Tourist Club area.
“He is an Eid baby – a gift,” she said.
Ms Ortega said she was waiting for her husband, a Palestinian interior designer, to help choose a name for their son.
Three of the babies born by 11am on Monday were born premature and taken to the intensive-care unit.
More babies were expected by the end of Monday. And to mark the special day, each mother was presented with two roses, boxes of chocolates and a pack of new clothes for their newborn.
jbell@thenational.ae
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Saint-Etienne v Montpellier (10.45pm)
Saturday
Monaco v Caen (7pm)
Amiens v Bordeaux (10pm)
Angers v Toulouse (10pm)
Metz v Dijon (10pm)
Nantes v Guingamp (10pm)
Rennes v Lille (10pm)
Sunday
Nice v Strasbourg (5pm)
Troyes v Lyon (7pm)
Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain (11pm)
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
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Barbie
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT
Price, base / as tested Dh460,000
Engine 8.4L V10
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Details
Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny
Forewords by Jacqueline Bisset and Charlotte Rampling, ACC Art Books
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
'Nope'
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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MATCH INFO
Day 2 at the Gabba
Australia 312-1
Warner 151 not out, Burns 97, Labuschagne 55 not out
Pakistan 240
Shafiq 76, Starc 4-52
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
BMW%20M4%20Competition
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Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
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