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Tonight's moon sighting locks in the Eid dates
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Dubai's Islamic Affairs department is hosting a public crescent-sighting event at Jebel Nazwa Trail from 5pm this evening. Per Gulf News, Emirates Astronomical Society chairman Ibrahim Al Jarwan reports the new moon was born at 12:01 AM UAE time today, will be roughly 19 hours old at sunset, sits about 10 degrees above the horizon, and sets about 58 minutes after the sun. Visibility this good usually means confirmation. If the crescent is confirmed tonight, Dhu Al Hijjah 1 falls on Monday May 18, Arafat Day on Tuesday May 26 (public holiday), and Eid Al Adha begins Wednesday May 27 — four UAE public holidays through Friday May 29. Six consecutive days off when you add the weekend. Take May 25 and it becomes nine. Official announcement expected this evening.
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WHAT TO DO
If you're booking Eid travel and haven't yet: fares to Mumbai, Colombo, Beirut, and Amman typically spike in the 10 days before Eid. The window is now — dates only confirm after tonight's sighting, but fares are already moving.
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2
UAE's skilled private-sector workforce grew 1.5% in Q1
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The UAE labour ministry's Labour Market Observatory released Q1 2026 data showing the country's skilled private-sector workforce expanded 1.5% in the first three months of the year. That window covers January through March — which includes the first month of the conflict. The ministry attributes the growth to demand for specialist expertise and a flexible regulatory framework. The ministry is also running digital consultations to simplify work permit procedures and inter-company transfers.
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WHAT IT MEANS
If you're job-hunting: the market was absorbing conflict-onset uncertainty and still adding headcount. Headhunting traffic for senior tech, finance, and legal roles has stayed active throughout the quarter despite the regional picture.
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3
AED 6.28bn in Dubai property in a single day — mostly one mortgage
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Dubai recorded AED 6.28bn in property transactions in a single day during the week of May 15. The number sounds like a buying frenzy. It isn't, quite. AED 3.76bn of the total is mortgage activity, dominated by two large commercial land deals in Al Yufrah 1: one plot of roughly 18.4 million sq ft mortgaged for AED 2.59bn, an adjacent parcel for another AED 405 million. The retail market beneath that: AED 2.077bn across 805 transactions, split between 599 off-plan deals (AED 1.2bn) and 206 ready-property sales (AED 877m). Strong volume. Not a record residential frenzy — one very large land financing deal, and a healthy market underneath it.
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WHAT IT MEANS
If you're watching the residential market: the AED 6.28bn headline isn't the signal. The 805 retail transactions and AED 2.077bn beneath it is. That's the real run-rate, and it's still strong.
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