Dubai: Eid Al Adha cannon locations revealed; 6 spots to watch ceremony
This year, the cannons will be fired from the following locations:
Za'abeel Grand Mosque, Za'abeel
Eid Musallah, Umm Suqeim
Eid Musallah, Nad Al Hamar
Eid Musallah, Al Barsha
Eid Musallah, Al Baraha
Eid Musallah, Hatta
Cannon-firing is a significant part of the UAE's heritage. During the holy month of Ramadan, the cannon is fired to signal Iftar. For Eid Al Adha, as well as Eid Al Fitr, it is done to announce the start of the festival.
Lieutenant Colonel Abdullah Tarish Al Amimi, Commander of the Dubai Police Cannons, said the Eid cannon is a longstanding tradition that holds deep cultural and social significance in the UAE. 'It is a symbolic gesture deeply rooted in the memory and consciousness of the community,' he said.
Dubai Police often coordinate the event with full logistical support and public safety arrangements, ensuring that families can enjoy the moment as part of the festive celebrations.
They have also geared up for the Eid Al Adha break by stepping up safety efforts across the city. Authorities have issued a warning to motorists against speeding, reckless driving, and other traffic violations, urging residents to prioritise safety while travelling during the holiday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
22 minutes ago
- The National
Arabic speaking placed front and centre in UAE's government schools
Arabic tests starting from first grade are to be introduced in government schools to gauge pupils' abilities as part of a nationwide push to preserve the language and encourage its wider use. A broader goal is to instil Emirati and Arabic cultural values across all walks of life in the UAE, the Ministry of Education said ahead of the new 2025/2026 academic year. Based on the language testing, plans to enhance the curriculum will be made if and when needed. 'The focus this year is on refining students' abilities and skills, national identity and an increased emphasis on language,' Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, said at a conference at the Zayed Education Complex in Al Warqa on Tuesday. 'Abilities in Arabic will be measured from grade one and improvement plans will be implemented if needed.' The ministry also introduced new criteria for hiring teachers at government schools, which will measure how well they know Emirati culture and society. 'A new psychometric was added when hiring new teachers,' Ms Al Amiri added. "The goal is to see how well the teachers would fit into the cultural environment of the UAE." Second-term exams cancelled The ministry also announced the cancellation of second-term exams, shifting towards continuous evaluation that reflects performance throughout the year. Instead of centralised exams, each school will have the freedom to carry out its own bespoke tests to assess a pupil's performance. The decision is part of broader reforms designed to enhance critical thinking and analytical skills while moving away from traditional high-pressure testing. Learning Arabic Private schools will also instil greater emphasis on Arabic from the 2025/2026 academic term. In June, the ministry mandated that all private schools teach at least 40 minutes of Arabic lessons daily, totalling 200 minutes a week. By 2027-2028, that number will increase to 300 minutes. The ministry said Arabic will be taught by qualified early childhood teachers using approved educational resources and age-appropriate teaching methods, suitable for native and non-native speakers. Under the new policy, Islamic studies will be taught to all Muslim children in kindergarten years for 90 minutes each week, divided into two 45-minute lessons or three each lasting for 30 minutes. Private schools must also include social studies in kindergarten education, which will focus on concepts of family, UAE geography and environment, social values and wider social studies. These will be taught through simplified, play-based approaches throughout the daily school programme, inside and outside the classroom. Mandatory AI classes Ms Al Amiri also explained how new AI classes will be implemented and what it will focus on depending on the student's grade. Announced in May by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the subject is to be introduced across all stages of government education in the UAE. 'The subject will matter on teaching students how to use artificial intelligence in an ethical and responsible way," Ms Al Amiri said. "In the first and second cycle, there will be one class every two weeks focused on raising awareness towards the benefits and potential harms of AI, while on the third cycle it will be focused on using AI effectively." The subject will be taught by the same teachers that teach computer science; they were trained specifically to teach AI for this year. Additionally, there will be a specialised committee that makes sure the subject is being taught effectively. New schools, more teachers The opening of nine new schools, which will welcome more than 25,000 pupils, was also announced alongside 800 new teachers. More than 460 schools have been maintained and equipped, 5,500 buses allocated, more than 10 million textbooks printed and 47,000 laptops distributed, the ministry said. In addition, more than 23,000 educators participated in a specialised training week, totalling around 170 hours across 40 workshops for leaders and teachers, and 20 workshops for support positions. In the next academic year, the Educational Competency Assessment Project will target more than 12,000 cadres across kindergarten and Cycle 1 levels, and 11,000 cadres across cycles 2 and 3 to define clear career paths and empower staff in line with national education system requirements.
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
From clinical depression to life coach in Dubai: Robin Uthappa on his 'second innings'
On a classic Dubai evening, sunlight spills gently through the windows of Robin Uthappa's home, casting a golden-hour glow over spacious hallways and framed family moments. The space feels lived-in, unpretentious — the kind of home where laughter has echoed, stories have been shared, and more than a few games of catch have definitely been played. Perhaps prompted by Robin Jr., who unhesitatingly comes over to join us as we settle in for the conversation. 'He [Robin's 7-year-old son, Neale Nolan Uthappa], plays cricket, tennis, and football. He goes to Danube Academy for cricket and football, and also plays at Juventus Football Club here,' Uthappa tells Khaleej Times. A far cry from the thunder of packed stadiums, yet Robin carries the same stillness here that once steadied him at the crease. He's calm, collected, grounded, and yet, when he speaks of cricket, the passion flickers in his eyes like it always has. 'You can't ever become a former cricketer,' he says with a smile. 'You stop playing professionally, yes, but cricket never leaves you. I still feel like I'm playing.' For more than a decade, Uthappa was known for his flamboyant strokes and crucial innings — a World Cup winner, an IPL champion, a player who made his mark in every tournament India offered. But today, his 'second innings' is unfolding in a much more intimate way, away from the nation's piercing gaze that once followed his every move: helping people heal. 'I recognised very early on that my purpose in life is to add value and serve people,' says Uthappa, who today works as a life coach, helping people through corporate training, one-on-one coaching, and team-building sessions, with a focus on peak performance, relationship coaching, mental resilience, and a lot more. 'Initially, I thought coaching cricket would be it, but my calling felt bigger. I had a lot more to give.' His journey towards service, however, didn't begin on a cricket pitch. Uthappa remembers a cold Bangalore morning in 1993, when his mother handed him a two-rupee coin for canteen lunch — at the time, a huge deal. On the way to school, he saw an old woman begging. 'I gave her the coin, and her eyes lit up. She blessed me, and I felt joy I can't even describe. That day I thought: 'I want to feel this way every day of my life.'' From then on, he reveals, serving others became his inner compass. 'Even in cricket, I always put my team's interests ahead of mine. I enjoyed it, and I have no regrets.' That sense of selflessness brought him multiple cricket championships, which he still regards as a reward for having the right intentions. Battling suicidal thoughts & depression But while his career soared, his inner world was spiralling. In 2009, during the IPL in South Africa, he found himself on the ledge of a 23rd-floor hotel room. 'I had almost committed suicide,' he recalls. 'I had a huge fear of heights, and yet I was sitting there. Something pulled me back and I immediately called my parents and said, 'Something is wrong, I don't know what it is, but come to South Africa.'' And this wasn't his only bout. 'By 2012, I was depressed again. I attempted suicide a few more times. Each time, I got to that point, something inside me stopped me. I heard a voice saying, 'Not yet'. Not 'don't do it', not 'stop'... just 'not now'. And that got me curious. Why not now? Why did it say that? That voice gave me the strength to hang on.' What followed was years-long battle with depression, whilst being in the limelight as a professional cricketer. 'I went through counselling, therapy, medication. I've spoken about it because I believe the stigma around mental health must be broken, especially for men. Back then, nobody spoke of depression. It was taboo, even career-ending. It was seen as madness.' The work it takes Recalling the painstaking work it took to bring himself out of the inner turmoil, he adds, 'For a whole year, I couldn't look at myself in the mirror because I was ashamed of who I had become. I couldn't make eye contact with myself. And then I reached a point where I thought, no, I need to take control of my life. I started going back to my counsellor, and I began the journey of earning my own self-respect.' His road to recovery, then, became rooted in rebuilding the relationship with himself. 'I asked myself: what kind of man do I want to be? What kind of friend, what kind of athlete, what kind of husband, father, brother, son? And then I set my values and principles by which I would live,' says Uthappa. 'It took me two-and-a-half years of trauma healing, of making peace with my inner child, of setting my standards and living by them. It wasn't easy. I put in the hours, did the time.' By 2014, he adds, he started feeling a shift. 'I was okay. But I was still on medication and stayed on them until 2017. Just before my son was born, I finally went off them completely. That's when I felt free.' But recovery is never final. 'Even after the medication stops, it's still a daily practice. Every day is a new day and you have to deal with that day. It's intentional.' That sense of daily discipline, he explains, is also why he feels so strongly about men's mental health. 'We're not raised with the ability to process emotions. As boys we're told, 'Don't cry. Be tough. Take it on the chin'. And then we carry that suppression into every part of our lives. We don't know how to process or articulate what's inside us.' It was this realisation — born out of his own struggle — that ultimately led Uthappa to begin his journey as a life coach. 'I wanted to create spaces where men can be vulnerable, where they can learn that balance.' Building 'True' Together with his wife, Sheethal Goutham, who is a trained NLP practitioner and hypnotherapist, Uthappa has now co-founded 'True', a platform dedicated to life coaching and community building. 'I realised I wanted to empower people with tools for life — not just athletes, not just men, but anyone looking for balance, growth, and healing.' Performance coaching, men's mental health, and what Uthappa refers to as 'modern masculinity' form some of the core pillars of his work at 'True'. 'We want to help people understand their energies — the masculine and the feminine — and how to balance them. Balance isn't a one-time achievement. Like a seesaw, it's going to swing up and down. The key is awareness, to catch yourself when you're off balance and bring yourself back,' he adds. 'I know what it feels like to be lost in that darkness. And I also know what it feels like to walk out of it. If I can help even one person find that light, I feel I'm living my purpose.' Dubai and beyond Moving to Dubai, he says, was another exercise in stepping out of his comfort zone. 'In Bengaluru, traffic was stealing childhood from my kids. We wanted a better quality of life for them, so we moved here. For me, it meant pulling myself completely out of my comfort zone. But Dubai gave us safety, opportunities, and, as a gift, incredible friends. I think that was God's way of rewarding me for choosing my family.' Alongside his coaching, Uthappa has also discovered a new sporting passion: paddle. 'I play four to five times a week. It gives me the same joy cricket did — the competitiveness, the tactical sharpness, the agility. Anything that brings me joy, I won't deny myself.' A message to the next generation For someone who has lived through the highs of stadium glory and the lows of clinical depression, his message to young people is rooted in his own self-awareness. 'Prolonged sadness is not the same as depression. Sometimes it's unresolved issues you're avoiding. Address them with awareness and reverence, and they won't compound. Ignore them, and they will.' And always, he insists, listen to your inner voice. 'The instinct we feel inside, even something small, when you're doom-scrolling and you hear the inner voice say, 'What are you doing?' That's your inner voice. Listen to it. It'll always guide you to the right path,' he adds. 'Growth can never happen inside your comfort zone,' says Uthappa. 'But if you walk out with awareness and joy, even the hardest transitions can turn into your greatest purpose.'
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai's villa market surges as scarcity, prestige drive prices to record highs
Dubai's villa market has emerged as the standout segment of the emirate's booming real estate sector, with a sharp surge in prices, intensifying demand, and limited supply pushing homes in prime villa communities into record territory. Latest research shows that villas, long prized for their space, privacy, and lifestyle advantages, now account for just seven per cent of all homes listed for sale in Dubai, underscoring the scarcity that continues to fuel their desirability. According to eXp Dubai, while villas make up only a fraction of the emirate's overall housing stock, certain neighbourhoods remain heavily weighted towards them, providing focused hotspots for prospective buyers. Communities such as The Meadows, Al Manara, Hadaeq Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, Al Twar, and Al Rashidiya currently report 100 per cent villa availability. Meanwhile, new master-planned projects are also tilting strongly towards detached homes: The Oasis by Emaar and The Villa both list 99 per cent villas, while The Acres follows closely at 98 per cent. Other top villa destinations include The Lakes (97 per cent), Jumeirah Park (96 per cent), Emirates Hills (95 per cent), and established family favourites such as Arabian Ranches, The Springs, Tilal Al Ghaf, and Arabian Ranches 2, where between 83 and 89 per cent of listings are villas. Real estate experts said the dominance of villas highlights the underlying market preference for spacious, independent homes offering private gardens, larger internal layouts, and community amenities. 'Dubai has firmly established itself as one of the world's leading lifestyle markets, and nowhere is that more evident than in the appetite for villas,' said Dounia Fadi, managing director of eXp Dubai. 'For families, high-net-worth buyers, and long-term residents, the privacy, space, and quality of life that comes with villa living is highly attractive. Our research shows that while villas remain a relatively scarce commodity across Dubai overall, certain communities are heavily weighted towards them, providing real choice for those determined to secure this style of property.' 'Dubai's villa surge reflects more than a property cycle. It is a statement about the city's evolving lifestyle aspirations, its magnetism for global wealth, and its enduring allure for families seeking space and privacy. With villas now priced well above historic peaks and demand still far outstripping supply, Dubai has reaffirmed its status as a world-class hub where real estate scarcity itself has become a measure of prestige,' said V. Sivaprasad, chairman of Condor Developers. Beyond their scarcity, villas have also outperformed the wider property market in terms of price growth. Data from ValuStrat shows that the average price of villas grew by two per cent in May alone, with a year-on-year jump of 29 per cent. Some locations have seen exceptional appreciation, with villas in Jumeirah Islands rising 41 per cent and Palm Jumeirah 40 per cent over the past year. Emirates Hills and The Meadows recorded increases of 27 per cent. Overall, Dubai's freehold villas are now valued 66 per cent above their 2014 market peak and a remarkable 175 per cent higher than post-pandemic levels, reflecting the influx of high-net-worth individuals to the city and its growing stature as a global hub for luxury living. The capital gains have been most dramatic in exclusive neighbourhoods such as Palm Jumeirah, where the average villa price now exceeds Dh25 million, and Emirates Hills, often dubbed the 'Beverly Hills of Dubai'. In these premium areas, demand from global investors and wealthy expatriates ensures a constant upward trajectory in valuations. Jumeirah Bay Island has also joined the top league of ultra-luxury villa destinations, with limited plots commanding staggering premiums. Yet even as these areas set benchmarks for prestige pricing, more affordable villa communities such as Dubailand and Damac Hills 2 are offering entry points for aspiring homeowners, with prices starting from Dh1.2 million to Dh2.5 million. This dual track of high-end exclusivity and suburban affordability ensures Dubai's villa market appeals across diverse income brackets. Analysts note that price growth has not been confined to villas alone. Apartments have also appreciated, with an annual increase of 20 per cent across the city, led by areas such as The Greens, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Town Square. Yet the scale of villa appreciation is unmatched, with some communities registering gains of up to 92 per cent over the past three years, according to Allsopp & Allsopp. Such sustained demand reflects shifting preferences among both investors and end-users towards more spacious, lifestyle-oriented homes, particularly as rising apartment rentals push families towards suburban villas. Several structural factors underpin this surge. Limited land availability for new villa developments, combined with developers' focus on high-end master-planned communities, ensures a constrained pipeline of detached homes. 'At the same time, Dubai's strong economic growth, rising population, and continued inflows of global investors are intensifying competition for quality housing. Interest rate movements and mortgage costs add another layer of complexity, but the overwhelming influence remains the perception of villas as a premium, long-term investment,' said Jayakrishnan Bhaskar, director of Ozon Marketing. Market observers say the trend is likely to persist, though at a moderated pace. ValuStrat forecasts property prices in Dubai could rise by another 10 per cent before the end of 2025, though growth will gradually stabilise as the market matures and supply catches up with demand.
