"Every nation has its story. This is our story," tweeted Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. His words echoed a line from the five-part documentary History of the Emirates, which began airing on Sunday on television networks across the world and tells a story stretching back 125 millennia, parts of which are being told for the first time to an international audience.
In the run up to the UAE’s 48th National Day next Monday, it will come as a surprise to some that such a young country can have such ancient roots – a humbling thought and one that makes even those of us who live here look at the surrounding desert landscape with awe and renewed respect. From a tiny pearl recently unearthed on Marawah Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi that tells an 8,000-year-old tale, to a 3,000-year-old snake temple uncovered in 2009 in Masafi, Fujairah, this nation has a timeline richer than the average tourist or resident might guess.
We live amid a wealth of history. From the relics of earlier living such as pieces of pottery and statuettes dating back to 1,100BC to the foundations of an ancient mosque discovered in Al Ain, the breadth of cultural heritage is not simply a revelation, telling us how our ancestors survived in harsh conditions; it will form the grassroots of a collection that will be housed permanently in the Zayed National Museum opening in Abu Dhabi in 2021.
We would not know of these precious sites if it were not for the tireless efforts of a formidable team of archaeologists, historians and anthropologists, who have been digging for decades to trace tiny fragments of evidence of human existence and excavate pieces of a larger puzzle. Collectively, they tell us who we are and paint a bigger picture of the human instinct to build societies, make connections, flourish and prosper. That story has now been preserved on celluloid for a worldwide audience, telling them how far the UAE has come, not just in 48 years but across millennia.
The documentary produced by Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Atlantic Productions covers remarkable ground. The series also demonstrates how the founding principles that have seen the UAE grow into a global hub of finance and tourism – innovation, trade and belief systems – have existed for years, even before the country was founded.
This new incarnation of its history means the story of the Emirates will reach its widest ever audience, transcending borders and telling the world about a small nation with a global reach.
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
Flexible payment plans from developers
Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium, Malayisa
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
Director: Milan Jhaveri Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee Rating: 2/5
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Biography
Favourite drink: Must have karak chai and Chinese tea every day
Favourite non-Chinese food: Arabic sweets and Indian puri, small round bread of wheat flour
Favourite Chinese dish: Spicy boiled fish or anything cooked by her mother because of its flavour
Best vacation: Returning home to China
Music interests: Enjoys playing the zheng, a string musical instrument
Enjoys reading: Chinese novels, romantic comedies, reading up on business trends, government policy changes
Favourite book: Chairman Mao Zedong’s poems
Pieces of Her
Stars: Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, David Wenham, Omari Hardwick
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
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.
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
