logo
Watch: UAE Vice-President plays volleyball with residents at Abu Dhabi summer event

Watch: UAE Vice-President plays volleyball with residents at Abu Dhabi summer event

Khaleej Times7 days ago
The UAE's royal family has long been admired for its approachable nature and active engagement with the community. Whether through public appearances, sporting events, or cultural initiatives, the country's leaders are often seen interacting directly with citizens and residents alike.
A recent example where this has been displayed is when Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Vice-President and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, joined community members and athletes for a game of volleyball, as seen in a video shared by Wam on Wednesday.
The leader met the organisers of the 'Abu Dhabi Summer Sports' event and toured some of the major facilities while being informed of the programmes.
Watch the video of him playing ball below:
The current leadership of the UAE is widely recognized for its strong affinity for sports, with many senior figures actively participating in, excelling at, and promoting various athletic disciplines.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for instance, is a prominent figure in global football through his ownership of Manchester City Football Club. In 2023, he made a rare public appearance at the UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul, where he was seen in the VIP box proudly wearing a Manchester City scarf.
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, is an avid martial arts enthusiast and a dedicated Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. He also played a key role in securing a multi-year partnership between Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism and the National Basketball Association (NBA), paving the way for the first-ever NBA games to be hosted in the Gulf region.
Meanwhile, Dubai's Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, frequently uses social media to promote a range of sports through his own participation. Most recently, he shared a video on Instagram of himself horseback riding through the English countryside.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Indian passport allows visa-free access to 59 countries, sees biggest jump in rankings
Indian passport allows visa-free access to 59 countries, sees biggest jump in rankings

Khaleej Times

time24 minutes ago

  • Khaleej Times

Indian passport allows visa-free access to 59 countries, sees biggest jump in rankings

The Indian passport has made a major leap in the Henley Passport Index 2025, climbing eight places to the 77th rank, up from 85 last year. This marks the biggest six-month jump by any country in the world. While the number of visa-free destinations for Indian passport holders has only slightly increased from 57 to 59, the broader trend is clear: global mobility is shifting. Emerging powers like the UAE, India, Saudi Arabia, and China are catching up to traditional leaders like the US and UK. UAE, China, Saudi lead passport rankings Among the biggest winners over the past decade is the UAE, which has skyrocketed from 42nd to 8th place, adding more visa-free destinations than any other country. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. China climbed 34 spots to reach 60th, thanks to a surge in diplomatic visa waivers. In 2025 alone, China added visa-free access for Gulf nations like Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, along with South American countries like Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. Singapore holds firm; US slides down Singapore retained its position at the top of the index, with visa-free access to 193 of 227 destinations. Japan and South Korea followed closely with 190 destinations. Seven EU countries, including France, Germany, and Italy, shared the third spot, while New Zealand joined Greece and Switzerland in fifth. The US and UK, once ranked first globally, continued their decline. The UK fell to sixth place with access to 186 destinations, and the US dropped to 10th with 182. According to the index, this is the first time the US risks falling out of the top ten altogether. Visa-free countries for Indian passport holders Indian citizens can now travel to 59 destinations without needing a visa in advance. Following countries give Indian passport holders visa-free access: Africa (19 countries): Angola, Burundi, Cape Verde Islands, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, and Somalia. Asia (18 countries): Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Macao, Malaysia*, Maldives, Mongolia, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Thailand*, and Timor-Leste. North America (10 territories): Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Oceania (10 nations): Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Niue, Palau Islands, Samoa, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Visa-on-arrival / e-visa access These destinations offer visa-on-arrival or electronic visa (e-Visa) facilities: Macau Myanmar Nepal Bhutan Cambodia Laos Tanzania Zimbabwe Jordan Kenya Bolivia Iran Malawi Living in the UAE has several advantages, including easy entry to several country. According to Henley & Partners, Indian residents in the UAE enjoy visa‑free entry to 58 countries as a UAE resident, subject to having a valid UAE residence permit. Some of them are the British Virgin Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Qatar, Senegal, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago and others. Why did Indian passport ranking improve? The Indian passport saw a boost in the 2025 Henley Passport Index, thanks to a mix of diplomatic wins, shifting global mobility trends, and new regional visa agreements. In 2025, India added the Philippines and Sri Lanka to its list of visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations, bringing the total to 59. This rise reflects a broader global shift where emerging economies like India, the UAE, China, and Saudi Arabia are expanding travel agreements and gaining influence, while traditional powers see declining access. Strengthened bilateral ties across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, especially with Asean nations, the GCC, and African countries, have led to more relaxed visa norms and new visa-waiver agreements, making travel easier for Indian passport holders. *Malaysia (visa-free until Dec 2026), Thailand (requires ETA) *Double-check each country's entry rules ahead of time; duration, eTA requirements, health documents and renewals of bilateral agreements may affect eligibility.

Weekly UAE museum and gallery guide: Last chance to see Maitha Abdalla's show in Abu Dhabi
Weekly UAE museum and gallery guide: Last chance to see Maitha Abdalla's show in Abu Dhabi

The National

time2 hours ago

  • The National

Weekly UAE museum and gallery guide: Last chance to see Maitha Abdalla's show in Abu Dhabi

Conflict, control and identity are the big topics being tackled in this week's roundup of exhibitions. A summer exhibition at Ayyam Gallery looks at Syria 's recent history through the eyes of 12 leading artists. An installation at the Green Art Gallery investigates how Tehran's buildings reflect power and privacy. And a solo exhibition at the Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi explores personal and cultural identity through myth and memory. Here are three exhibitions to see this week. Wavering Hope at Ayyam Gallery Ayyam Gallery is celebrating its 20th anniversary at a time when Syria is also undergoing major changes. Founded in Damascus in 2006, the gallery has experienced the different phases of Syria's recent history. Even as its headquarters shifted to Dubai as a consequence of the war, the gallery has still continued to engage with the developments of its home country – most notably through the work of the Syrian artists it continues to represent and support. Wavering Hope, its summer exhibition, highlights that journey. It features works by 12 acclaimed Syrian artists, including Kais Salman, Khaled Takreti, Tammam Azzam, Abdalla Al Omari, Othman Moussa, Safwan Dahoul, Thaier Helal, Elias Izoli, Abdul-Karim Majdal Al-Beik, Mohannad Orabi, Nihad Al-Turk and Yasmine Al Awa. Their works bear witness to displacement, destruction and personal grief, while also serving as acts of resilience and memory. As the gallery notes, they 'map the emotional, political, and cultural aftermath of conflict, and the fragile hope that emerges in its wake'. Monday to Friday, 10am to 7pm; Saturday, noon to 6pm; until September 5; Dubai Instruments of Viewing and Obscurity at Green Art Gallery Iranian artist Nazgol Ansarinia's installation at Green Art Gallery explores mass housing architecture in Tehran, especially the use of concrete and windows. She examines how these buildings relate to issues such as social control and privacy. The installation is designed like a maze or scaled-down city, with watchtower-like forms and translucent surfaces shaped from window frames. Large video projections show facades of buildings transitioning from daylight to night. One scene captures a woman standing at her window, reversing the viewer's gaze and challenging public-private boundaries. Her work critiques modernist architecture's legacy in the Global South, especially its environmental and social impacts. The installation invites reflection on how cities are built and how those structures affect people's lives and sense of space. Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7pm; until October; Dubai Maitha Abdalla: Between Metamorphosis and Reality at Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi Maitha Abdalla 's exhibition at the Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi is entering its final month. The Emirati artist, whose practice spans several mediums, often uses folktales and myths to explore themes such as psychology, social conditioning and gender. Her solo exhibition at Abu Dhabi's cultural foundation reflects upon these topics through a mix of painting and sculptures that toe the line between the figurative and the abstract, the real and the uncanny.

Spiralling therapist or kitchen chaos? What to watch first from Emmy nominations
Spiralling therapist or kitchen chaos? What to watch first from Emmy nominations

The National

time3 hours ago

  • The National

Spiralling therapist or kitchen chaos? What to watch first from Emmy nominations

This week on Culture Bites, hosts Enas Refaei and Farah Andrews discuss their favourites from this year's Emmy nominations. From dramas to comedies, some of the most highly rated TV series from 2025 have made the list, including Adolescence, The Last of Us and the latest season of The White Lotus. Some of the shows that Enas and Farah have recommended before on the podcast made the cut, such as The Bear 's new season, and Shrinking, a comedy about a grieving therapist who says too much. Also in this episode, the hosts explore the Arabic roots of common English words and trace their journeys. Coffee, for example, originated in Yemen and evolved from the Arabic word ' qahwa '. Others are less commonly known, such as candy – which evolved from the word 'qandi' meaning sugar, and hazard, taking its root from 'al-zahr', or dice, an object used in games of chance. Enas and Farah talk about the spread of the Arabic language through ancient trade and how it reflects the region's golden era of knowledge and innovation.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store