Sheikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, a member of Bahrain's royal family, has unveiled his extensive art collection to the public in his newly opened gallery in Riffa.
The RAK Art Foundation, situated in the converted traditional Bahraini house, where the painter and first president of the Bahrain Arts Society was raised, contains myriad works from international artists and includes a new space dedicated to his oeuvre.
Built in the 1920s, the restored building maintains its original walls and colonnade alongside new additions and repurposed spaces, which opened to visitors in December. Sheikh Rashid’s childhood bedroom is now an office-cum-library that stands beside his first artworks, which were painted directly onto the wall when he was 16 years old.
Sheikh Rashid has been an avid art collector since he was young and aims to encourage others to follow his lead with this new hub. "I hope that when guests visit the RAK Art Foundation, they might feel inspired to develop their own collections, or at the very least acknowledge the importance of sharing art with others," he tells The National.
“Not only does this benefit artists, in turn it helps grow a market and improves a culture of arts appreciation that is necessary and needed.”
The range of works on display is impressive. A huge piece by American artist Frank Stella dominates one room of the gallery. Wrought from aluminium and magnesium, his 1991 creation The Honor and Glory of Whaling draws its inspiration from Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Indeed, the work seems to crash like waves over the surface of the wall, chaotic and disorderly.
In contrast, La Vie (1995), by Kenji Yoshida, presents a tranquillity that belies the Japanese artist's harrowing experiences as a Kamikaze pilot conscripted during the Second World War.
Yoshida claimed he planned to crash his plane into the sea in order to avoid killing others, but this proximity to certain death – averted only by the end of the war – affected the artist profoundly, and his work celebrates the importance of life and peace.
Visitors will also get the chance to see work by Spanish painter Juan Genoves, who died last year after becoming one of the key figures in the revival of Spain’s artistic scene, following the end of Francisco Franco’s dictatorial regime.
Genoves's 2009 work Oro gives us a birds-eye view of crowds fleeing bombings but, rather than an indistinguishable mass of humanity, his work attempts to give individuality and distinctness to his tiny figures.
The newest building at the RAK Art Foundation houses the work of Sheikh Rashid. Spectrum is a series of pieces that examines his enduring relationship with colour. Each work presents the opportunity for the viewer to develop a personal reaction to them. As they transition from one colour to another, its identity is altered.
Spectrum allows visitors to see Sheikh Rashid's works in context, with each element dependent on its placement within the surrounding environment, the emotional state of the viewer and the mind of the artist.
For Sheikh Rashid, the act of collecting is an articulation of the self. “Bahrain has long been rich in culture and tradition. Perhaps we have long understood how collections of objects that we happen across and connect with, help us express our identity.”
Unannounced visits are not permitted, and appointments can be booked online. Visitors can reserve a tour of the collection conducted by curator and consultant Yasmin Sharabi.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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."
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
Napoleon
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Results
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Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
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.
SHAITTAN
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
