RIYADH // Waving green flags embossed with Islam's profession of faith, Saudis turned out in huge crowds to celebrate their country's modern founding, illustrating the growing popularity of patriotic demonstrations on their country's National Day. Major urban arteries across the country were gridlocked as young men, their car radios blaring traditional music, held aloft the Saudi flag and shouted endearments to their nation and its leaders. Men danced in the streets as traffic ground to a halt during the Thursday night celebrations.
"I love this country, what can I say?" said high school student Mohammed al Homaidhi, who was walking along Riyadh's prime boulevard of Thalia Street with his cousins and friends, several of them in green T-shirts. Families flocked to museums, exhibition halls and parks where local governments, to a greater extent than ever before, had organised theatrical presentations of the kingdom's history, performances of the all-male Saudi sword dance known as ardah, and displays of traditional crafts.
Along the Eastern Province's Corniche between Dammam and Al Khobar, Saudi crowds cheered and clapped as more than 1,000 cars, buses and motorcycles made up a flag-waving parade, according to Arab News. This growing public exuberance on Saudi National Day underscores important changes in Saudi society, most importantly Saudi nationalism's new found attraction to the country's huge youth population, as well as the diminishing influence of the religious establishment.
For decades, no public events marked Saudi National Day, which commemorates the 1932 unification of the current kingdom by its founder, King Abdul Aziz Al Saud. This year is the 80th anniversary of that event according to the Islamic calendar. The absence of public celebrations stemmed from the clerics' view that publicly observing any holiday other than the two religious festivals of Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha was an affront to Islam.
But after al Qa'eda's terrorist attacks on the kingdom in 2003 and 2004, the government began to see a need to encourage patriotic sentiments, according to Abdulmouhsen al Madani, a 30-something strategic planner in a major advertising firm in Riyadh. "The government introduced a subject in schools about watania, or patriotism," Mr al Madani said. "They were trying to build patriotism." When King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz came to power in 2005, one of his first decrees made National Day an official holiday, signalling that he wanted it openly observed by authorities.
In the five years since, official celebrations have become increasingly more organised and abundant, with a similar bounce in the private sector. For example, a new video featuring the Jeddah-based rapper Amarap Ammar and entitled May We Never Be Divided was released in time for this year's National Day. The video, posted on YouTube, celebrates national unity. "Eighty years ago, when the kingdom was first established, it could be said that the religious establishment represented in its worldview [the] whole or most of society," said Khalid al Dakhil, a Riyadh-based political writer and sociologist. "Now, they can't claim that because ... the structure of society has changed dramatically. And you have a king who's in tune with those changes. He believes in the concept of the nation. He believes in reform. And he is not allowing the religious establishment to dictate everything."
Still, added Mr al Dakhil, King Abdullah "always speaks about the twins: religion and the nation. He will never speak about one without the other and they are always in this order." Indeed, although religious conservatives may regard Saudi National Day as an unhealthy secular festival, most Saudis see no conflict between it and their faith. After all, the flag they furiously waved on Thursday night bore these words: "There is no God but God and Mohammed is his Prophet."
Like many other Saudis, the orthopaedic surgeon Samir al Sayegh, 32, said he believed that King Abdullah's promotion of National Day stems in part from an effort to dilute Saudi society's deep tribal attachments, which hinder formation of a national identity. "This is right because we should be all together as Saudis, not as individual families or tribes," said Mr al Sayegh, who was strolling around Riyadh's Sahara Mall with his wife and four children.
Mr al Madani said that research he has done for his firm shows that most Saudis are patriotic and proud of their nation, but do not put country at the top of their loyalties. "First comes family, then tribe, then religion and then, believe it or not, soccer," Mr al Madani noted. Loyalty to country comes after these, he said. More than in the past, this year's National Day took place amid public expressions of dissatisfaction with the government, some Saudis noted - a result of King Abdullah's tolerance for more openness in the local press, as well as the freedom of speech enabled by the internet.
For example, internet forums have carried criticism of the US$60 billion (Dh220bn) arms package that the kingdom is about to purchase from the United States, according to US media reports, as people question why the money is not used instead to upgrade health care, education and urban infrastructure. The gist of the remarks, Mr al Madani said, is that "instead of spending $60 billion on inferior weapons, let's make sure Jeddah doesn't drown again."
More than 120 people died in Jeddah's floods last November. Norah al Saja, 26, who has a master's degree in public health, said she is happy to see National Day as an official holiday, but her excitement is tempered by what she regards as unfinished business. "I really like King Abdullah. I think he's doing a good job," she said. "Definitely they are taking steps in the right direction. I just wish it would be more."
cmurphy@thenational.ae
RESULTS
Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)
Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke
Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)
Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke
Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)
Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO
Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision
Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke
Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke
Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO
Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision
Company%20profile
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The%20specs
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Company%20Profile
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Bridgerton%20season%20three%20-%20part%20one
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BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
Tell-tale signs of burnout
- loss of confidence and appetite
- irritability and emotional outbursts
- sadness
- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue
- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more
- impaired judgement
- excessive and continuous worrying
- irregular sleep patterns
Tips to help overcome burnout
Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’
Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do
Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones
Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation
Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
HAJJAN
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Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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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
Company%20Profile
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What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
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Brahmastra%3A%20Part%20One%20-%20Shiva
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The%20specs
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
Company%20Profile
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