For many, Ramadan is a time to scale back the working day. Not so for Mohammed Alshdaifat and the medics he leads at the National Ambulance service.
Car accidents and medical emergencies keep the team on the road 24-hours per day, weaving their way through busy iftar traffic to reach those in need.
The service's medical personnel attend back-to-back call-outs throughout the month, often running in the heat to and from their vehicles.
Even when on a break or breaking their fast, crews on shift always have to be ready.
“I always carry the mobile radio – it’s like part of my body," says the 27-year-old emergency medical technician (EMT) leader, who is from Jordan and based in Ras Al Khaimah.
"I carry it with me during iftar. Every second matters in our job.
“Receiving a report to dispatch to the scene carries with it many challenges, but I am trained to cope with such stress and challenges, even when I am fasting."
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Ramadan 2018 series:
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On the first day of Ramadan, a few minutes after 7pm as Mohammed prepared to break his fast, he received an urgent call to respond to a fight.
"It was someone in need of urgent medical assistance due to a head injury. We rushed to the scene in the Al Refa’a area, and we provided him first aid treatment in the ambulance while on the way to the nearest hospital.
"After reaching the hospital and handing over the patient, I started looking for a glass of water to break my fast,” said Mr Alshdaifat.
“It’s always busy. Usually I plan my meals ahead and try to eat as healthy as possible and consume lots of fluids. I eat with other staff in the department or with friends. I do avoid having iftar alone."
Mohammed, a 27-year-old Jordanian, feels duty-bound to help those in need, particularly at this time of year.
Police issue widespread appeals for safe driving in Ramadan, but it can be dangerous time to be on the road.
Last year, six people died in accidents in Ramadan in Dubai alone, and a study of 1,650 accidents last year found most took place in the later morning rush hour between 10am and 11am, as staff on shorter hours head into work.
“One emergency we dealt this Ramadan was a group of ten people who were involved in a car accident on Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road.
"They suffered from minor to moderate injuries. And most reports related to traffic accidents are received before iftar. After people break their fast, we receive reports about people suffering from stomach problems due to overeating."
Mohammed is no stranger to witnessing tragedy on the roads, often by drivers who could have avoided losing their lives.
“Failing to wear seatbelts causes severe injuries and I've seen the effects of not doing so," he says.
Away from the job, Mohammed tries to relax and to see friends.
"We plan iftar outings with friends living in Ras Al Khaimah. Sometimes we go to iftar tents and watch football games,” he says.
As with many expats, he misses his homeland at this time of year and family.
“Ramadan in Jordan is quite different. Every day of the month, my family members and I would be invited for iftar or invite a group of people – a lot of Iftar invitations,” he says.
But he now knows he is in the right place doing what he does best.
“I couldn’t ask for more when I see the patient is feeling better,” he says with earnest.
INFO
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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Easter%20Sunday
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ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
more from Janine di Giovanni
Race results:
1. Thani Al Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi: 46.44 min
2. Peter Morin (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team: 0.91sec
3. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team: 31.43sec
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
Abu Dhabi card
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,400m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 2,200m
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
The National selections:
5pm: Valcartier
5.30pm: AF Taraha
6pm: Dhafra
6.30pm: Maqam
7pm: AF Mekhbat
7.30pm: Ezz Al Rawasi
Scores
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm
Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto
Price: From Dh139,995
On sale: now
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
