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It was one of the hottest days in Abu Dhabi – an unexpected heatwave at the end of May – when the UAE seemed to hold its breath in anticipation of a sweltering summer.
I arrived early and waited in the majlis of her palace, gazing through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the stillness of the expansive gardens, relieved to be in the cool indoors.
Sheikha Sabha Alkhyeli, 77, walked into the room with the calm confidence of someone who has known the desert all her life. The heat didn’t faze her.
Born in the desert in 1948, she spent her childhood moving from place to place, living with her family in tents stitched by her mother’s hands using goat hair and wool.
At the age of 16, she married Sheikh Saeed bin Shakhbout – the son of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1928 to 1966.
Now, decades later, she is a poet and celebrated author and has built a museum in Al Ain – one she designed herself, modelled not after her early desert camps, but after the palace home that first brought her into modern life.
Hers is a life that makes for an extraordinary story.
Thank you for reading,
Shireena Al Nowais
Sheikha Sabha Alkhyeli on growing up in a tent and living in Qasr Al Hosn
Before there were roads, towers and electricity, there was the rhythm of the sand and the silence of the desert, broken only by the bleat of a goat, or the crackle of fire beneath a pot of coffee.
It was the only world Sheikha Sabha Alkhyeli knew. Born in 1948, she remembers when the UAE was a borderless land of tribes, tents and faith.
“I was born in the desert,” said Sheikha Sabha, 77. “And we didn’t know anything better than it. We grew up in it. We were happy in it. That was our life.”
She was raised in a black tent woven from goat hair, stitched by hand by her mother, Hamda Al Khyeli. However, her life changed forever when, at the age of 16, she married Sheikh Saeed bin Shakhbout – the son of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1928 to 1966.
Her father, Mohammed Alkhyeli, passed away when the youngest of the sisters was still an infant. There were three daughters – Qadhma, Maryam and Alyazia, and a half-brother, Mattar Alkhyeli. Her mother raised them alone, with the fierce strength and strict discipline of the desert.
“Our house wasn’t made of walls,” she said. “It was made of effort. My mother stitched it from wool and goat hair. Each section was cleaned, sun-dried, combed and spun by hand. It was long and wide, with six or seven panels. It had to be – we were many.”
Their lifestyle was mobile. “We didn’t stay in one place,” she said. “We’d move every few months, depending on the water. Three months here, six months there, sometimes less if the grass dried up. In the summer, we stayed near water. In the winter, we went where the grazing was good.”
Did you know?
Qasr Al Hosn is a crucial pillar of the nation's rich heritage and is believed to have been constructed in 1760. The historic structure has over the years undergone a remarkable evolution from watchtower to grand palace.
UAE from the air: Stunning archive images capture country's rapid transformation
Archival images of Abu Dhabi
Rows and rows of simple, metal canisters had been kept on archive shelves for decades.
But inside each canister was a treasure trove of priceless aerial photographs that chronicles the awe-inspiring transformation of the UAE.
The photographs, taken from the 1940s onwards, trace the sand dunes, water wells, forts and barasti homes of the past, as well as the emergence of towns, cities, airports, roads, hospitals, reclaimed land and much more against the backdrop of the discovery of oil, the unification of the UAE and rapid change since then.
But these images had been rarely seen by the public, never digitised, or made available online. Until now.
The UAE’s National Library and Archives has unveiled the first results of its landmark project with the UK’s National Collection of Aerial Photography, in a move that not only ensures the permanent survival of the unique collection but potentially transforms our understanding of the Emirates’ past.
The images were taken by the UK’s Royal Air Force, the US Navy and a private company called Hunting Surveys, who together undertook more than 780 photographic aerial reconnaissance missions over the region.
Inside the UAE's plant biobank: The green heart of conservation in the desert
Salama Al Mansoori, specialist in plant conservation at the Plant Genetic Resource Centre. Antonie Robertson / The National
Tucked away in the outskirts of Al Ain, scientists at the UAE's Plant Genetic Resource Centre – part seed vault, part futuristic lab – are working to protect the botanical future of a nation better known for its desert than its native flora.
The centre, run by the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi, is not just a store for seeds, it is a living archive of the UAE's natural resilience.
"We have more than 600 native species of plants in the UAE," said Salama Al Mansoori, a specialist in plant preservation at the centre. "What makes our work unique is the integration of traditional conservation methods with cutting edge technologies preserving DNA, tissue, live plants and seeds under one roof."
From the outside, the building is striking in its circular-design, inspired by the national Ghaf tree – with curved outer walls patterned to mimic the veins of a leaf.
The structure is kept cool using natural terracotta, with solar panels generating a quarter of the centre's electricity. But it's inside that the UAE's most ambitious efforts to conserve plant life are quietly blooming.
Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Abu Dhabi race card
5pm Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
5.30pm Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
6pm Abu Dhabi Championship Listed | Dh180,000 | 1,600m
6.30pm Maiden | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap | Dh80,000 | 1,400m
7.30pm Handicap (TB) |Dh100,000 | 2,400m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), EsekaiaDranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), JaenBotes (Exiles), KristianStinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), EmosiVacanau (Harlequins), NikoVolavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), ThinusSteyn (Exiles)
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors Power: 659hp Torque: 1075Nm On sale: Available for pre-order now Price: On request
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes.
Where to stay
The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.
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
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Titles (5) -Serie A 1; Italian Cup 2; Italian Supercup 2
ENGLAND SQUAD
Team: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Ben Te'o, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Joe Launchbury, 5 Maro Itoje, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Chris Robshaw, 8 Sam Simmonds
Replacements 16 Jamie George, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Harry Williams, 19 George Kruis, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Danny Care, 22 Jonathan Joseph, 23 Jack Nowell
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE) TV: Match on BeIN Sports
