The Flower Moon shines by the Five Jumeirah Village Hotel in Dubai on Thursday night. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The Flower Moon shines by the Five Jumeirah Village Hotel in Dubai on Thursday night. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The Flower Moon shines by the Five Jumeirah Village Hotel in Dubai on Thursday night. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The Flower Moon shines by the Five Jumeirah Village Hotel in Dubai on Thursday night. Chris Whiteoak / The National

May’s full Flower Moon lights up UAE skies


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UAE stargazers were enjoying a treat on Thursday night, with May's full moon burning significantly brighter than usual.

The Flower Moon, which traditionally signifies a change in season, lit up the sky from 5.53pm.

Experts said the Moon would find position in the constellation of Leo, rising prominently after sunset and remaining at a high altitude until 2am.

The Moon will appear full for about three days at around this time, from Thursday night through to early Sunday evening.

Those wishing to see the Flower Moon are advised to find high vantage points when the Moon is rising for the best view.

How full moons occur

The phenomenon behind the full moon is due to its position in its orbit of the Earth.

It takes place when the Sun and Moon are aligned on opposite sides of the Earth and the lunar surface is illuminated by the Sun.

This is different from a new moon, which appears when it is positioned between the Earth and the Sun, allowing its unlit side to face the planet and making it invisible in the night sky.

The Flower Moon in Dubai on Thursday evening. Pawan Singh / The National
The Flower Moon in Dubai on Thursday evening. Pawan Singh / The National

People in the UAE witnessed the Pink Moon on April 23.

The Moon is not really pink during this celestial event, but gets its name after a plant known as “herb moss pink”.

The next full moon is popularly known as the Strawberry Moon and will rise on June 21.

Why is it called Flower Moon?

There are 13 full moons in each lunar cycle and each is given a name to reflect the season.

This one signifies the start of spring in many parts of the world, when flowers are in full bloom.

It finds its origins in Native American traditions, with some calling it Planting Moon or Green Leaves Moon to signify the best time of year to plant crops.

It is also called Frog Moon, by an indigenous community in Canada, to mark when the amphibians tend to become active.

The Hare Moon is yet another name by some cultures that identified a hare or rabbit shape on the lunar surface, while Milk Moon is an old English name to mark a time in the year when cows could be milked three times a day.

The Flower Moon comes after the Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaked around May 5 and 6, with experts saying UAE residents can still catch glimpses of the meteors up until May 27.

Originating from Halley's Comet, it featured about 100 meteors an hour at its peak during predawn hours.

  • Strawberry Moon seen between the Etihad towers, Grand Hyatt Hotel & Bab Al Qasr structures in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    Strawberry Moon seen between the Etihad towers, Grand Hyatt Hotel & Bab Al Qasr structures in Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • Native American tribes in the 1930s called it a "Strawberry Moon" because the event coincided with strawberry harvesting season. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    Native American tribes in the 1930s called it a "Strawberry Moon" because the event coincided with strawberry harvesting season. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • The Strawberry Moon rises by Business Central Towers in Dubai. This is the last supermoon of the year. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    The Strawberry Moon rises by Business Central Towers in Dubai. This is the last supermoon of the year. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • A supermoon occurs when the Moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit and appears larger than normal. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A supermoon occurs when the Moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit and appears larger than normal. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • This will be the last supermoon of the year. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
    This will be the last supermoon of the year. Khushnum Bhandari / The National
  • Strawberry supermoon rising. EPA/ALI HAIDER
    Strawberry supermoon rising. EPA/ALI HAIDER
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances

All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.

Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.

Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.

Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.

Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.

Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.

How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.

Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate 

Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Shooting Ghosts: A U.S. Marine, a Combat Photographer, and Their Journey Back from War by Thomas J. Brennan and Finbarr O’Reilly

THE SPECS

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Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm

Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Top speed: 250kph

Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: Dh146,999

Super Rugby play-offs

Quarter-finals

  • Hurricanes 35, ACT 16
  • Crusaders 17, Highlanders 0
  • Lions 23, Sharks 21
  • Chiefs 17, Stormers 11

Semi-finals

Saturday, July 29

  • Crusaders v Chiefs, 12.35pm (UAE)
  • Lions v Hurricanes, 4.30pm
The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos

Price, base: From Dh77,900
Engine: 2.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km

Types of policy

Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.

Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.

Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.

Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.

WHEN TO GO:

September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.

WHERE TO STAY:

Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.

HOW TO GET THERE:

Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.

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Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

Updated: November 03, 2025, 6:42 AM