The legend of Mulan goes back centuries. Disney's 2020 live-action remake stars Liu Yifei in the title role. AP
The legend of Mulan goes back centuries. Disney's 2020 live-action remake stars Liu Yifei in the title role. AP
The legend of Mulan goes back centuries. Disney's 2020 live-action remake stars Liu Yifei in the title role. AP
The legend of Mulan goes back centuries. Disney's 2020 live-action remake stars Liu Yifei in the title role. AP

Film

Mulan: the centuries-old legend behind the beloved Disney film

She may have been made globally popular by Disney's 1998 animation, but the story of the Chinese warrior started centuries earlier

Sophie Prideaux
Sophie Prideaux

September 06, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Last week saw the release of Disney's latest live action remake with Mulan, which is now screening at cinemas across the UAE.

In a first for a major Disney blockbuster, the film has been made available on streaming service Disney+ at the same time as its global cinematic release, owing to many cinemas in major markets still being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The film is one of Disney’s most eagerly anticipated live-action remakes, and is set to be one of 2020’s biggest blockbusters.

The story of Mulan was made popular in the late 1990s thanks to Disney’s animated version, which featured the voice work of Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, Miguel Ferrer and BD Wong in the English version, while Jackie Chan provided the voice of Captain Li Shang for the Chinese dubs of the film.

The film tells the story of a young woman who enlists in the Chinese army to protect her ailing father, hiding her true identity from her fellow soldiers by pretending to be a man.

Unlike in the Disney version of the story, in the 'Ballad of Mulan', it is only after she returns home to her family that her fellow soldiers learn of her true identity as a woman

While Disney may have introduced a generation to the much-loved character – and is about to do so all over again – the legend of Mulan has been told for centuries.

Where does the legend of Mulan come from?

The tale of Mulan can be traced back to the Northern Wei Dynasty during the period between 386 to 535 AD. The first written record of the warrior can be found in a Chinese folk song, recorded in a book of ballads. Mulan, meaning ‘magnolia flower’ in Chinese, was one of 392 Chinese characters to feature in the book.

During this period, it was common for the northern region of Han China to be frequently invaded by the Hun (Xiongnu) people along the northern border. Most of the battles took place between the Black Mountain and Mount Yanran.

"Based on Chinese historical documents, a real war happened between the Northern Wei state and a Mongolic state called Rouran," tourism provider China Highlights states. "In 429, the emperor (khan) of Northern Wei led an army to fight Rouran, which according to the Ballad of Mulan lasted 12 years."

The folktale says Mulan remained a warrior within the army for the full 12 years of the war, excelling in her position thanks to sword skills and martial arts she had previously been taught. Unlike in the Disney version of the story, in the Ballad of Mulan, it is only after she returns home to her family, having turned down all offers of recognition for her role in the victory, that her fellow soldiers learn of her true identity as a woman.

  • Liu Yifei in Elie Saab Fall 2019 Haute Couture at Disney's 'Mulan' at Dolby Theatre on March 9, 2020 in Hollywood, California. AFP
    Liu Yifei in Elie Saab Fall 2019 Haute Couture at Disney's 'Mulan' at Dolby Theatre on March 9, 2020 in Hollywood, California. AFP
  • Christina Aguilera in Galia Lahav at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
    Christina Aguilera in Galia Lahav at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
  • Ming-Na Wen in Mark Zunino at the premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at Dolby Theatre on March 9, 2020. AFP
    Ming-Na Wen in Mark Zunino at the premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at Dolby Theatre on March 9, 2020. AFP
  • Madison Hu at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
    Madison Hu at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
  • Rosalind Chao in Sebastian Gunawan at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Rosalind Chao in Sebastian Gunawan at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Marsai Martin wore Nina Ricci at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
    Marsai Martin wore Nina Ricci at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
  • Jaimie Alexander in Maria Lucia Hohan at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
    Jaimie Alexander in Maria Lucia Hohan at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
  • Fola Evans Akingbola in Tadashi Shoji at the world premiere of 'Mulan'. EPA
    Fola Evans Akingbola in Tadashi Shoji at the world premiere of 'Mulan'. EPA
  • Xana Tang at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
    Xana Tang at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
  • Jessica Henwick at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
    Jessica Henwick at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
  • April Yang at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
    April Yang at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
  • Dania Ramirez at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
    Dania Ramirez at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. AFP
  • Another look at Liu Yifei's dress. EPA
    Another look at Liu Yifei's dress. EPA
  • New Zealand director Niki Caro at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    New Zealand director Niki Caro at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • A closer look at Christina Aguilera's boots. EPA
    A closer look at Christina Aguilera's boots. EPA
  • Meg Donnelly arrives for the premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre. EPA
    Meg Donnelly arrives for the premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre. EPA
  • Auli'i Cravalho in Lebanese label Azzi & Osta at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Auli'i Cravalho in Lebanese label Azzi & Osta at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Another look at Xana Tang's dress. EPA
    Another look at Xana Tang's dress. EPA
  • Yoson An at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Yoson An at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Jordin Sparks at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Jordin Sparks at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Chandler Kinney at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Chandler Kinney at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Chen Tang at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Chen Tang at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Sherlyn Montserrat Gonzalez Diaz at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Sherlyn Montserrat Gonzalez Diaz at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Kimiko Glenn at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Kimiko Glenn at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Jordyn Jones wears a dress from Shein at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Jordyn Jones wears a dress from Shein at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Paola Antonini at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Paola Antonini at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Dorothy Wang at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Dorothy Wang at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Allison Holker at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Allison Holker at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Laura Marano and Vanessa Marano at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Laura Marano and Vanessa Marano at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Alex Landi at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
    Alex Landi at the world premiere of Disney's 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 9, 2020. EPA
  • Jessica Henwick at the premiere of 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre. EPA
    Jessica Henwick at the premiere of 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre. EPA
  • JaVale McGee arrives with his family for the world premiere of 'Mulan'. EPA
    JaVale McGee arrives with his family for the world premiere of 'Mulan'. EPA
  • Chum Ehelepola at the world premiere of 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. EPA
    Chum Ehelepola at the world premiere of 'Mulan' at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. EPA

According to China Highlights, the story began to gain traction in China centuries later during the Tang Dynasty, between 618 and 907 AD, when it was widely retold as a common folk story.

The tale was brought to life for the first time centuries later by playwright Xi Wei, who penned a play based on the folk story. The 16th century production, entitled The Heroine Mulan Goes to War in Her Father's Place, was acted in two parts, and was the first of many adaptations of the story in the centuries to follow, which have included books, plays, and of course Disney's latest blockbuster.

The legacy of Mulan

While there is no clear-cut answer as to whether Mulan was a real person or a fictional character, her influence on China and the world has been paramount. In China, Mulan has become a byword for heroines and her story is a household tale told to encourage girls to be brave.

In Hubei, generally accepted to be the home town of Mulan, there is a memorial statue dedicated to the warrior, which has long been a visitor draw for fans of the story.

When Disney’s original animated version of Mulan was released in 1998, it grossed $304 million (Dh1.1 billion) at the box office, and quickly won a place as one of its more popular films.

Early reviews of the 2020 live-action remake have been positive, however, given the times in which it is being released, it remains to be seen whether it will emulate the success of the original.

KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

Price: from Dh94,900

On sale: now

While you're here
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Asia Cup Qualifier

Final
UAE v Hong Kong

Live on OSN Cricket HD. Coverage starts at 5.30am

Kanye%20West
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RESULT

Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1 
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’

ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY

Starting at 10am:

Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang

Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)

Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)

Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera 

Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

While you're here
Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

Five ways to get fit like Craig David (we tried for seven but ran out of time)

Start the week as you mean to go on. So get your training on strong on a Monday.

Train hard, but don’t take it all so seriously that it gets to the point where you’re not having fun and enjoying your friends and your family and going out for nice meals and doing that stuff.

Think about what you’re training or eating a certain way for — don’t, for example, get a six-pack to impress somebody else or lose weight to conform to society’s norms. It’s all nonsense.

Get your priorities right.

And last but not least, you should always, always chill on Sundays.

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7%22%20Super%20Retina%20XDR%20OLED%2C%202796%20x%201290%2C%20460ppi%2C%20120Hz%2C%202000%20nits%20max%2C%20HDR%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20P3%2C%20always-on%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20A17%20Pro%2C%206-core%20CPU%2C%206-core%20GPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20iOS%2017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Triple%3A%2048MP%20main%20(f%2F1.78)%20%2B%2012MP%20ultra-wide%20(f%2F2.2)%20%2B%2012MP%205x%20telephoto%20(f%2F2.8)%3B%205x%20optical%20zoom%20in%2C%202x%20optical%20zoom%20out%3B%2010x%20optical%20zoom%20range%2C%20digital%20zoom%20up%20to%2025x%3B%20Photonic%20Engine%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%2C%20Smart%20HDR%204%2C%20Portrait%20Lighting%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2024%2F25%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20HD%20%40%2030fps%2C%20slo-mo%20%40%20120%2F240fps%2C%20ProRes%20(4K)%20%40%2060fps%3B%20night%2C%20time%20lapse%2C%20cinematic%2C%20action%20modes%3B%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%204K%20HDR%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%20TrueDepth%20(f%2F1.9)%2C%20Photonic%20Engine%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%2C%20Smart%20HDR%204%2C%20Portrait%20Lighting%3B%20Animoji%2C%20Memoji%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2024%2F25%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20slo-mo%20%40%20120%2F240fps%2C%20ProRes%20(4K)%20%40%2030fps%3B%20night%2C%20time%20lapse%2C%20cinematic%2C%20action%20modes%3B%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%204K%20HDR%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204441mAh%2C%20up%20to%2029h%20video%2C%2025h%20streaming%20video%2C%2095h%20audio%3B%20fast%20charge%20to%2050%25%20in%2030min%20(with%20at%20least%2020W%20adaptor)%3B%20MagSafe%2C%20Qi%20wireless%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Apple%20Pay)%2C%20second-generation%20Ultra%20Wideband%20chip%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Face%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20USB-C%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP68%2C%20water-resistant%20up%20to%206m%20up%20to%2030min%3B%20dust%2Fsplash-resistant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20eSIM%20%2F%20eSIM%20%2B%20eSIM%20(US%20models%20use%20eSIMs%20only)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Black%20titanium%2C%20blue%20titanium%2C%20natural%20titanium%2C%20white%20titanium%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EiPhone%2015%20Pro%20Max%2C%20USB-C-to-USB-C%20woven%20cable%2C%20one%20Apple%20sticker%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh5%2C099%20%2F%20Dh5%2C949%20%2F%20Dh6%2C799%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
While you're here
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MATCH INFO

Red Star Belgrade v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight (Thursday), UAE

The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Where can I submit a sample?

Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.

Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:

  • Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
  • Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
  • Al Towayya in Al Ain
  • NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
  • Bareen International Hospital
  • NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
  • NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
  • NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
Don't get fined

The UAE FTA requires following to be kept:

  • Records of all supplies and imports of goods and services
  • All tax invoices and tax credit notes
  • Alternative documents related to receiving goods or services
  • All tax invoices and tax credit notes
  • Alternative documents issued
  • Records of goods and services that have been disposed of or used for matters not related to business
Which honey takes your fancy?

Al Ghaf Honey

The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year

Sidr Honey

The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest

Samar Honey

The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)

The Birkin bag is made by Hermès. 
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.

SERIE A FIXTURES

Friday (UAE kick-off times)

Sassuolo v Bologna (11.45pm)

Saturday

Brescia v Torino (6pm)

Inter Milan v Verona (9pm)

Napoli v Genoa (11.45pm)

Sunday

Cagliari v Verona (3.30pm)

Udinese v SPAL (6pm)

Sampdoria v Atalanta (6pm)

Lazio v Lecce (6pm)

Parma v Roma (9pm)

Juventus v Milan (11.45pm)

 

'Outclassed in Kuwait'
Taleb Alrefai, 
HBKU Press 

Yahya Al Ghassani's bio

Date of birth: April 18, 1998

Playing position: Winger

Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda

While you're here
Explained
Temple numbers

Expected completion: 2022

Height: 24 meters

Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people

Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people

First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time

First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres  

Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres

Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor 

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.

The view from The National
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While you're here
Film