Latest news with #Rulers
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Long weekend break, mega shows? What to expect from 54th National Day festivities
Each December, a festive spirit fills the air across the UAE as the country gears up to celebrate the historic unification of the seven Emirates on December 2. What has been known until 2024 as the UAE National Day has now taken on a new and meaningful name: Eid Al Etihad, which translates to 'Festival of the Union'. Eid Al Etihad emphasises the theme of 'union' (Etihad) and celebrates the unification on December 2, 1971. The excitement around UAE National Day, or more appropriately, Eid Al Etihad, goes far beyond just the long public holiday; it's a full-fledged celebration of country's "identity, symbolising heritage, unity, strength, and national pride". What's the backstory Back in 1971, the rulers of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Fujairah came together and formed the Union. Ras Al Khaimah joined in early 1972. And with that, the UAE was born, with vision of a powerhouse that is now emerging not just in the region but world wide. Public holidays For most residents, Eid Al Etihad means public holidays. Typically, both public and private sector employees get two days off, December 2 and 3, allowing time for staycations, road trips, or simply relaxing at home. This year, residents will receive midweek holidays on Tuesday, December 2, and Wednesday, December 3. But why stop there? You can turn this into a week-long break by applying for annual leave on Monday, December 1, and Thursday and Friday (Dec 4, 5). With the two weekends included, you will have a 9-day holiday to wrap up the year. Celebrations in the past two years Authorities have announced that the preparations are now underway for the 54th Eid Al Etihad, and everyone who calls the UAE home is encouraged to begin preparing for this year's celebrations. In 2022, the 51st National Day was all about storytelling. The official show was held in Abu Dhabi and later aired nationwide. It was an artistic spectacle with synchronised drones, dancers floating above water, and Emirati culture on full display. The celebration also paid tribute to Sheikh Khalifa and showcase UAE's next transport marvel — the Etihad Rail. In 2023, for the 52nd Eid Al Etihad, the theme was 'The Story of Our Union'. The celebration featured next-level tech with immersive visuals, augmented reality, AI-generated landscapes, telling the story of the UAE's growth. The fireworks were everywhere, from Dubai Festival City and Global Village to Sharjah Corniche and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Basically, if you looked up, there was probably something bursting and making you smile. In 2024, 10,000 artists, camels descended in Al Ain for Eid Al Etihad celebrations. The towering peaks of Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain served as the majestic backdrop for the UAE's 53rd National Day celebration. Real camels, palm tree props, and the enchanting Thuraya constellation set the scene for a spectacular show, interweaving nature's elements with the UAE's history and traditions. What to expect in 2025 Let's just say, the UAE doesn't do low-key celebrations. Although the full schedule isn't out yet, we can expect more of everything, more lights, more tech, more drones and maybe even a surprise concert or two. Possibly a new thematic show streamed nationwide, similar to the previous two years. Here's what we expect to see: Massive fireworks displays across all Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah). Drone shows have become a must-have in recent years telling UAE's story like never before. Free public events like parades (think Downtown Dubai, Global Village, cultural dances, and music festivals). Discounts and offers as malls, restaurants, and hotels love to join the celebrations. Traffic fine reduction. In 2024, motorists in four emirates of the UAE were offered a 50 per cent discount on traffic fines as part of a special UAE National Day initiative. Free public parking for motorists. However, with Parkin taking over the most parking areas in Dubai and Parkonic in Abu Dhabi, we will be watching out for the announcements this year. The last month of the year is a time when skyscrapers are lit up in red, green, white, and black, and families come together to reflect, rejoice, and look ahead. Eid Al Etihad celebration is a proud reminder of where the UAE came from and where it is heading — onwards and upwards.
The National
04-06-2025
- General
- The National
UAE leaders order release of almost 3,000 prisoners for Eid Al Adha
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed on Tuesday ordered the release of 963 prisoners ahead of Eid Al Adha. He also pledged to pay the inmates' fines, the state news agency Wam reported. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, ordered the release of 985 inmates of various nationalities. Pardons are typically offered throughout the year in keeping with the generous spirit of occasions such as Ramadan and Eid Al Adha. In February, Sheikh Mohamed also ordered the release of 1,295 of prisoners to mark Ramadan. Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah, later agreed to free 112 prisoners in the emirate. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah ordered the release of 411 inmates, while Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah released 439 prisoners. What is Eid Al Adha? Eid Al Adha – which means 'festival of the sacrifice' – is the latter of the two Eid holidays celebrated across the Arab world, coming after Eid Al Fitr. Eid Al Adha commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim being asked by God in a dream to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as a test of his faith. As with other religious holidays in the Emirates, it is a time for friends and family to gather, often over meals, and reflect on their lives and faith. It is customary for families who have the means to slaughter a goat or sheep and share the meat with relatives and the less privileged. Employees in the public and private sectors are to be granted leave from Thursday, June 5, to Sunday, June 8, to mark the holiday, with work resuming on Monday, June 9.
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Who is the father of Sung Jin Woo in the Solo Leveling universe? Explained
Sung Il-Hwan Solo Leveling has introduced us to some of the best characters like Sung Jin Woo, Christopher Reed, and a lot more. Now, almost all the fans of Solo Leveling who are done with the manga know that there is a sequel to it where we get to see the story of our protagonist's son. But do you know who the father of Sung Jin Woo is? This question is especially intriguing for the anime fans who have only seen Sung Jin Woo killing it on Jeju Island until now. The father of our protagonist is Sung Il Hwan , whose introduction to the story makes it more mature and deep, along with giving the narrative of Sing Jin Woo a direction. Sung Il Hwan: Father of Sung Jin Woo and a powerful hunter Sung Il-Hwan is the father of Sung Jin Woo in the Solo Leveling universe, and he was a pretty celebrated S-Rank hunter of his time. During a dungeon raid, he disappeared for a whopping ten years and was considered dead after the whole scene. When he vanished, Suing Jin Woo was very young, and the event broke the family both mentally and financially. Life ahead of the mishap was not an easy one for Sung Jin Woo, as his mother suffered from an eternal sleep disease. Coming back to Sung Il Hwan, at the time of his disappearance, he got stuck in a different reality where he met the Rulers, who were the arch-nemesis of Monarchs. Later in time, Jin Woo's father was chosen by the Rulers as a vessel to participate in the war against the monarchs. And there comes a time when both the father and son come face-to-face, where Sung Jin Woo wants all the answers related to Il Hwan's disappearance. All in all, if you are looking to understand how things came to an end for Sung Il-Hwan, then reading the manga could be a great option. Also Read: Who is the strongest character in Wind Breaker until now? And it is not Sakura Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
What actually happened before the events of Solo Leveling? Explored
What happened before Solo Leveling? After talking a lot about Solo Leveling season 3, we know that a lot of you would want to know what happened before. Now, there is no solo leveling prequel , but still, the scattered tales tell a lot about the mentioned universe. Before Sung Jin Woo stepped in and became invincible, a lot had happened that actually framed all the events of Solo Leveling. And why not, because how will you explain a weak hunter topping the table and killing demons like it is nothing? Moving forward, we have mentioned all the basics that you need to know about the things that took place before the events of Solo Leveling. Events that happened before Solo Leveling began As mentioned previously, the information is available in scattered form. But you don't have to worry, as we will try our best to compile all that in chronological order. So, the Solo Leveling universe revolves around the main rivalry of Rulers and Monarchs . There was an inter-dimensional one and has already claimed whole planets and multiple of them. The Monarchs are beings who love destruction, and the Rulers are god-like entities. Now, their battle has been going on for ages, with both sides going strong. However, things changed completely when a monarch, specifically the Shadow Monarch Ashborn , decided to side with the Rulers as he was against the blatant destruction that the Monarchs were causing. He started a rebellion against his own kind and became a traitor. Now, Ashborn needed a strong human vessel to continue the fight. And he decides that Sung Jin Woo will be the one, as he was familiar with the feelings of patience, dedication, and immense pain. And this is how Solo Leveling began. If anything else had happened, then we would have probably seen Sung Jin Woo dead in the double dungeon. But destiny had different plans, and Sung Jin Woo is on his way to harness all the powers of the Shadow Monarch Ashborn. Also Read: Who are Indra and Ashura in Naruto Shippuden? Explained Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Solo Leveling Ragnarök's primary antagonist is a menace for sure
Solo Leveling Ragnarök is the sequel of the OG Solo Leveling manhwa where we get to see the son of Sung Jin Woo in action. While we can't deny that the first part is amazing, the sequel of Solo Leveling is something out of this world. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The franchise has tried to keep the story crisp and to the point with larger-than-life characters again in play. And one such element of the manhwa is the primary antagonist - The Absolute Being. Without any further ado, let's have a look at who The Absolute Being is along with his capabilities. The Absolute Being: A Villain that could scare the heck out of anyone For those who don't know, the existence of The Absolute Being dates back to the OG Solo Leveling (despite him being the main antagonist of Solo Leveling Ragnarök). He can be dubbed the creator of Rulers and the Monarchs. Rulers are the forces of order and light in the Solo Leveling universe and the Monarchs are the forces of destruction and darkness. Now, the Absolute Being was supposed to maintain the balance between the two. Nonetheless, he found the fight between the two sides to be his source of entertainment. When the rulers found out that The Absolute Being is the one behind their fight against the Monarchs then the formers killed him. And with the death of the supreme, chaos erupted and the echoes of battle were heard all over the universe. The most intriguing part here is that The Absolute Being never died, his essence was always working in the background. Some of the leaks related to the manhwa suggest that The Absolute Being could also take a human reincarnation soon and go on a war against Sung Su-Ho . Keeping all this in mind, one thing can be said the anime adaptation of Solo Leveling Ragnarök is going to break the internet for sure (like father like son).
