Parents of pupils in the UAE will enjoy a long weekend on Thursday as schools take a break for Eid Al Fitr - but most are yet to hear when lessons will resume next week.
Messages sent from schools confirmed that the last day of attendance would be Wednesday.
Parents are awaiting further guidance as to the date of return, as the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, and other education authorities are yet to confirm when it will be.
The date lessons resume will be based on when the Eid Al Fitr holiday falls, something yet to be announced.
Authorities said last week that Eid Al Fitr would run from Ramadan 29 — equivalent to April 20 — until Shawwal 3.
The UAE's Moon-sighting committee will decide the exact starting date of Eid as well as clarify whether Ramadan lasts for 29 or 30 days.
When could lessons resume?
If the duration of Ramadan is 30 days, pupils will enjoy a five-day break and schools will reopen on Tuesday, April 25.
However, if the holy month is 29 days, the Eid holiday will last four days and schools will resume on Monday.
Parents at Dubai's Sunmarke School were told that the reopening date depends on when Eid falls.
"If the first day of Eid is declared on Friday, the school will be closed from Thursday to Sunday and reopen on Monday," the message to parents said.
"If Eid falls on Saturday, the school will be closed from Thursday to Monday and reopen on Tuesday."
Parents said they would appreciate the extra time with their children after Ramadan.
Jineen Salim from Jordan, a mother of two daughters in grades two and six, said the potentially longer break would be welcome, especially as her daughters have been fasting.
“It would have been great if the break was extended to cover all of Ramadan, but it's fine, longer Eid holiday is also as good.”
She said she hasn't received notification as yet from her daughters’ school.
“They are certainly waiting for the announcement from authorities,” she said.
Jordanian Munawar Daoud, whose children attend grades eight and 10 at a private school in Dubai, agreed that an extra day of holiday was always a good thing.
“It means more time with the family for all of us and less time commuting for me,” she said.
NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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57%20Seconds
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What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
