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Dubai has set out a comprehensive New Year's Eve action plan to help ring in 2025 safely, with road closures, extended Metro timings and thousands of emergency service workers on hand.
Key routes in Downtown Dubai – where huge crowds are expected to gather to witness the spectacular Burj Khalifa fireworks display – will be sealed off hours before the clock strikes midnight in an effort to ensure the festivities run smoothly.
Meanwhile, more than 8,500 police officers, nearly 1,100 firefighters and close to 600 first responders from the ambulance service will be positioned at 44 firework displays and other live shows taking place in 36 areas across the emirate.
Dubai authorities have come together to help co-ordinate security measures for one of the biggest events of the year, which will include dazzling fireworks and light shows featuring drones at spots such as JBR, Global Village and Atlantis, The Palm.
Road closures
Hussain Al Banna, executive director of traffic at Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority, detailed the road closure plans on New Year's Eve at a press conference last week.
“All roads leading to Burj Khalifa will be closed on December 31 [in the] evening,” he said.
The following roads will be closed from 4pm: Al Asayel Road; Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard; Burj Khalifa Street; Lower Financial Centre Street; and Mustaqbal Street, between the intersection of Financial Centre Street and World Trade Centre Street.
Sukuk Street will be shut to traffic from 8pm, with Upper Financial Centre Street closing at 9pm.
By 11pm, Sheikh Zayed Road will begin to close gradually between the intersections of Al Meydan Street and the Trade Centre Roundabout.
Dubai Metro timings
The Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall Metro station will be closed from 5pm on December 31, or when the capacity limits are exceeded.
The rest of the Dubai Metro network will operate continuously from 5am on December 31 until 11.59pm on Wednesday, January 1.
The Dubai Tram will be in service from 6am on December 31 until 1am on January 2.
The RTA encouraged residents to use the S'hail app for updates on public bus schedules during the holiday period.
But it noted that the E100 from Al Ghubaiba Bus Station will not operate on December 31 and January 1, with passengers advised to use the E101 from Ibn Battuta Bus Station to Abu Dhabi during this period.
The E102 from Al Jafiliya Bus Station will also be off the road on December 31 and January 1. Passengers are asked to use the same route from Ibn Battuta Bus Station to Musaffah on these days.
Mr Al Banna said 29,600 taxis and limousines will be in operation to meet high demand, with additional buses sent to "high-traffic zones", while operations rooms will monitor public transport usage and traffic signals.
"Smart traffic screens will broadcast messages to help the public navigate to event areas comfortably," he said..
New Year's Eve at Global Village in 2023 - in pictures
“All metro stations will remain operational except those co-ordinated with Dubai Police, such as Burj Khalifa station. Alternative stations like Business Bay will handle the increased flow," said Mr Al Banna.
The rest of the Metro's Green and Red lines will operate continuously for about 43 hours from 5am on December 31 to help commuters travel across the city on one of the busiest periods of the year.
The transport chief said 1,100 buses will be laid on to transport visitors to events, with 20,000 parking spaces allocated.
Free parking
Dubai motorists can usher in a new year with free parking after authorities waived fees for the public holiday on January 1.
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority announced charges would not be levied in public parking area – except at multi-storey car parks – on New Year's Day, with tariffs being reinstated on January 2.
Safety measures
A total of 1,145 police patrols will deliver support on New Year's Eve, including officers on bicycles, motorcycles and on 33 rescue boats. There will be 33 lost property tents dotted around event venues.
Brig Ali Hassan Al Mutawa, assistant director general for fire and rescue at Dubai Civil Defence, highlighted the proactive measures being taken. “We have conducted field inspections of 257 facilities to ensure compliance with safety standards,” he said.
He said 1,097 firefighters will be stationed across 36 sites divided into five main areas.
Mishal Julfar, chief executive of Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, said the safety plan was the most extensive in the organisation's history.
“We are providing 224 ambulance points and deploying 593 first responders across all regions, along with 137 basic points and 52 resupply stations," he said.
He said this year they will have 42 trained and licensed volunteers and five ambulance boats on hand. “I urge the public to reach out via our direct number 998 or through the application for assistance,” he added.
Maj Gen Khalil Al Mansouri, assistant commander-in-chief for criminal investigation at Dubai Police, emphasised the importance of public co-operation in ensuring the New Year's Eve party is enjoyed by all.
“To ensure that everyone enjoys New Year's Eve in a positive atmosphere, we appeal to people to co-operate with us,” he said.
“We have set up operations rooms at various locations across the emirate and urge people to report anything unusual, such as a car in an inappropriate location or individuals in an abnormal state. You should take the initiative to report because this homeland belongs to everyone.”
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Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
How to wear a kandura
Dos
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- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
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Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
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Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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Episode list:
Ep1: A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery
Ep2: PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
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- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff
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HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
RESULTS
Argentina 4 Haiti 0
Peru 2 Scotland 0
Panama 0 Northern Ireland 0
