James Langton

In his massive and exhaustively researched biography of King Faisal I, Ali Allawi paints a detailed portrait of an Arab patriot who sought to unite his people against all the odds, writes James Langton

A British Museum collection of 100 artefacts will attempt to span civilisation from a 2 million-year-old axe from Tanzania to a Sharia-compliant credit card issued in the UAE. But hurry, the exhibition opening on April 23 at Saadiyat Island only runs for 100 days, James Langton reports

For the past 12 days the world has been transfixed by one of the great mysteries of the 21st century - how can a commercial airliner with 239 people on board evade sophisticated tracking technology and just vanish?

The disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines 777 has left 239 passengers presumably dead. Thankfully, air tragedies are rare. Investigators face the task of finding out what happened to the aircraft, as they have done since the first major jet air crash in 1954.

A television series that begins tonight offers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the Armed Forces and the personnel who guard the security of this country, beginning with Army border patrols. Later the Navy and the Air Force are highlighted, writes James Langton

From Imelda Marcos’s shoes to Muammar Qaddafi’s gold-plated pistols, often it is only when autocrats are deposed that the full extent of their profligacy is revealed and it becomes clear that while they may have run a police state, the style police were not on duty.

The passing on Sunday of Susan Hillyard will leave a void in the lives and memories of all who met her.

After 10 years and 7 billion kilometres, the first spacecraft to try to land on a comet is close to its target – provided the scientists can wake up up the probe.

While it could be seen as a call for religious unity, Helene Wecker’s new novel is actually a retelling of the human condition by way of two otherworldly characters, writes James Langton.

How low can you go? What is cold and wintery in the UAE is a pleasant sunny day on other parts of the world

This weekend marks the expiry of the oil concession for Abu Dhabi, which began 75 years ago in January 1939. Next week, meanwhile, sees the start of the 2014 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. This image, taken more than half a century ago, manages to link both events.

They range from politicians to athletes to rock stars, but all have made their mark in the news in 2013 for various reasons. But selecting a person – or otherwise – each week for our Newsmaker isn’t such a simple task, writes James Langton.

The first piece of the Louvre Abu Dhabi's huge steel dome, which will be constructed of 85 total separate pieces, has been lifted into place marking a milestone for the iconic museum development.

By the 1980s, Abu Dhabi, now the capital of the UAE, had begun to resemble the city we see today.

As the UAE has grown as a nation, so have its opportunities for leisure and relaxation. Come with us as we visit the earliest days of fun in the UAE.