A rare total lunar eclipse, also known as a Blood Moon, will be visible across the UAE on Sunday evening, treating skywatchers to one of the year’s most dramatic celestial sights.
The celestial show will appear for about five and a half hours, as the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow.
It will play out in a sequence of phases, visible across the UAE and around the world.
“This is one of the rare astronomical events happening in the UAE in 2025,” Khadijah Ahmed, operations manager at the Dubai Astronomy Group, told The National. “We will host an event for the eclipse and encourage everyone to witness it. You don’t need any special equipment – just go outside and look up.”
It will be visible to about 87 per cent of the world’s population, including those in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia.
Timeline of the dramatic phases
It begins at 7.28pm GST, when the Moon enters the faint outer edge of Earth’s shadow in what is known as the penumbral phase. The change will be faint at first, but by 8.27pm it will look as though a dark bite has been taken out of the Moon.
Totality, when the Moon is covered completely by the Earth’s shadow, will take place at 9.30pm, turning the lunar surface a striking shade of red or copper.
The eclipse reaches its peak at 10.12pm and totality continues until 10.53pm.
From there, the shadow will gradually recede, until the eclipse has ended just before 1am on Monday. The Moon will spend 82 minutes fully eclipsed, making it one of the longest total lunar eclipses in years.
Why it happens
A total lunar eclipse happens when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up perfectly, with the planet casting its shadow across the Moon.
Instead of disappearing, the Moon takes on a dramatic new look because sunlight bends through Earth’s atmosphere, which filters out the blues and lets the red and orange tones shine, giving it the Blood Moon moniker.
Where to watch the eclipse
The eclipse will be visible across all seven emirates, but skywatchers interested in a community experience can observe it with the Dubai Astronomy Group.
It is hosting a public viewing event at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library from 7pm to 11pm, with tickets priced at Dh250 ($68) for adults and Dh200 for children.
There will be telescopes and astronomy-themed activities.
The organisation will also lead a global livestream, in collaboration with observatories and astronomy groups from more than a dozen countries including Spain, Australia, India, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
The group is also plans to capture an image of the Moon eclipsed over Burj Khalifa.
Long wait for the next one
Those who miss Sunday’s spectacle will have to wait until July 6, 2028, to view another lunar eclipse in the UAE’s skies.
That will only be a partial eclipse, with a portion of the Moon darkened by the Earth’s shadow. The next total lunar eclipse in the UAE will be on December 31, 2028 – a New Year’s Eve Blood Moon that will last more than five hours.
Pharaoh’s curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
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A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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Tickets range from Dh110 for an advance single-day pass to Dh300 for a weekend pass at the door. VIP tickets have sold out. Visit www.mefcc.com to purchase tickets in advance.
The five pillars of IslamLabour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
– Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum’s most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
Key facilities
Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
If you go…
Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
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Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user’s top friends’ list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
HIV on the rise in the region
A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.
New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.
Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.
Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.
Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.
There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.
People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.
There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.
The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.
Key findings of Jenkins report
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, “accepted the political utility of violence”
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: “The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism.”
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
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South Africa:
JP Duminy (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle (wkt), Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed
Fixtures
Oct 26: Bloemfontein
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