Although most people in the UAE were enjoying the Eid Al Adha holidays on Tuesday, there was no rest for the country's maternity staff, many of whom helped deliver new arrivals in the early hours of the morning.
There was a particular rush at midnight for staff at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi, with three babies coming in quick succession.
Having a new baby born on Eid is like getting a double gift from Allah
Muhammad Awais
At 12.01am, Rashed Al Mansoori was delivered, making him the first baby to be born on Eid Al Adha this year. He weighed 2.6 kilograms.
Meanwhile, staff in a nearby room were busy caring for another Emirati mother-to-be who was due to give birth to her son at any moment.
Mansoor Al Kyeli arrived just a minute later, weighing a healthy 2.9kg.
The third new arrival at the hospital was Danial Nabil, born to Egyptian parents Mariam Naguib and Ramez Mounir at 12.01am on Tuesday.
Baby Danial also arrived in good health, with a birth weight of 4.2kg.
At Medeor International Hospital in Al Ain, Hamdan Al Shamsi came into the world at 2.04am. He was the fifth child to be born to Emirati parents Ahmed Al Shamsi and Eiman Al Khayeli.
His arrival on Eid Al Adha will ensure the day remains extra special for the family for many years to come.
"Hamdan is our fifth child, and a true blessing of the God,” Mr Al Shamsi said.
“We have been waiting to welcome the baby and were expecting the delivery for some days.
“The entire family is happy as the child born on an auspicious day.”
In Dubai, medics at Aster Hospital, Qusais, also faced a busy morning, caring for three babies who were born in the early hours of Eid Al Adha.
Omar bin Riyas Ahammed was the first to be born at the hospital on the stroke of midnight, to Indian parents Hafsath Riyas and Riyas Ahammed.
Little Omar was followed by Elisha Alexis, who weighed 3.3kg, and was born to Filipino parents Esther and Marlon Sibug Borillo at 2.09am.
And that was not the end of the morning Eid deliveries. Just a few hours later, maternity staff safely delivered Asma Randhawa to Pakistani parents Maliha Azhar and Muhammad Awais.
“Having a new baby born on Eid is like getting a double gift from Allah,” said Mr Awais, who had become a father for the second time.
At NMC Royal Hospital in Sharjah, things were a little more dramatic for Indian parents Rehana Shaikh and Shaikh Hakim who saw their new baby delivered by an emergency Caesarean section.
Mother and baby are both doing well.
A firstborn child is always a milestone family moment and for it to coincide with Eid Al Adha made it extra special for new Emirati parents Sara Abdalla Ahmed and Hassan Al Murshidi.
Reem Hassan was born at NMC Royal in Sharjah at 2.24am and was one of 15 babies due to arrive at the hospital on Eid Al Adha.
At Danat Al Emarat Hospital in Abu Dhabi, 12 newborns were delivered on Arafah day and six babies during the first hours of Eid Al Adha.
One of those was Abdul Aziz, the hospital’s first arrival on Eid Al Adha, born to Emirati parents at 12.53am.
“The baby and my wife are in good health,” said dad, Omar Matar Al Niyadi.
“His sister, Shamsa who is 15-months-old, was also born at Danat Al Emarat Hospital.
“My wife was due on July 30, but with Allah’s willing, baby Abdul Aziz is celebrating Eid with us today.
“The occasion is definitely doubled for us.”
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed performs Eid Al Adha prayer at Sheikh Rashid Mosque - in pictures
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30:
- UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
- Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
- Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000, 2,400m
Winner: Recordman, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000, 2,200m
Winner: AF Taraha, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Dhafra, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000, 1,600m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Fernando Jara, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000, 1,600m
Winner: Optimizm, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
