• The earliest known buildings in the UAE, more than 8,500 years old, have been unearthed by archaeologists from Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism. All pictures by DCT Abu Dhabi
    The earliest known buildings in the UAE, more than 8,500 years old, have been unearthed by archaeologists from Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism. All pictures by DCT Abu Dhabi
  • The stone structures are believed to have been the homes of people on Ghagha Island, west of Abu Dhabi, who formed the country's earliest community.
    The stone structures are believed to have been the homes of people on Ghagha Island, west of Abu Dhabi, who formed the country's earliest community.
  • The archaeologists found hundreds of ancient artefacts including finely worked stone arrowheads.
    The archaeologists found hundreds of ancient artefacts including finely worked stone arrowheads.

Abu Dhabi archaeologists uncover UAE's oldest buildings dating back 8,500 years


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Archaeologists in Abu Dhabi have unearthed startling new evidence of the first known buildings in the Emirates dating back more than 8,500 years — at least 500 years earlier than previously thought.

The fascinating findings by experts from the capital's Department of Culture and Tourism were made on the island of Ghagha, west of Abu Dhabi.

The discovery of the stone structures, which likely housed the country's first communities, sheds new light on early chapters of the country's rich history.

It was believed that long-distance maritime trade routes which developed during the Neolithic period were the catalyst for settlements in the area, but the latest discovery proves that Neolithic settlements existed before then.

The DCT team have been using cutting-edge techniques to help unravel the history of the country.

The biggest discovery was revealed by carbon-14 analysis of charcoal fragments, which indicated the structures were at least 8,500 years old — breaking the previous record for the earliest known structures built in the UAE, which were detected on Marawah Island, also off the coast of Abu Dhabi.

“These archaeological finds have shown that people were settling and building homes here 8,500 years ago. The discoveries on Ghagha Island highlight that the characteristics of innovation, sustainability and resilience have been part of the DNA of the inhabitants of this region for thousands of years,” said Mohamed Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi.

“The finds reinforce an appreciation of history, as well as the deep cultural connections between the people of the UAE and the sea.

“We are also reminded that there is still much to discover across the emirate of Abu Dhabi, and that it is vitally important we continue working to discover, preserve and protect our invaluable heritage for current and future generations to learn more about our ancestral past.”

The new evidence, along with the previous findings on the island of Marawah, indicate the islands of Abu Dhabi were a focal point of human innovation and settlement during the Neolithic period, the last stage of the stone age which is viewed as a key era in the development of humanity across the globe.

What did experts find?

The ancient structures were simple round rooms, the walls of which were made of stone and preserved to nearly one metre in height.

It is believed they were probably houses for small communities who inhabited the island year-round.

Hundreds of artefacts were found in the rooms, including finely worked stone arrowheads that would have been used for hunting.

It is likely that the community would also have used the rich resources of the sea. How long the settlement existed is unknown, but after it was abandoned, it apparently remained an important part of the cultural landscape, as nearly 5,000 years ago a person was buried in the ruins of the structures. It is one of the few burials from this period known on the Abu Dhabi islands.

Digging deep into the past

  • The latest archaeological excavations on Marawah Island shed new light on Abu Dhabi’s earliest known settlement, which dates back 8,000 years. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
    The latest archaeological excavations on Marawah Island shed new light on Abu Dhabi’s earliest known settlement, which dates back 8,000 years. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
  • Some of the items found at Abu Dhabi’s earliest known settlement. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
    Some of the items found at Abu Dhabi’s earliest known settlement. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
  • Specialist teams from DCT Abu Dhabi carry out excavations on Marawah island. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
    Specialist teams from DCT Abu Dhabi carry out excavations on Marawah island. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
  • Specialist teams from DCT Abu Dhabi excavate on Marawah island, Abu Dhabi's earliest settlement. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
    Specialist teams from DCT Abu Dhabi excavate on Marawah island, Abu Dhabi's earliest settlement. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
  • Mohamed Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, inspects the new discoveries on Marawah Island. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
    Mohamed Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, inspects the new discoveries on Marawah Island. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
  • An aerial view of the Marawah Island archaeological site. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
    An aerial view of the Marawah Island archaeological site. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
  • One of the artefacts found at Marawah Island during recent excavations. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
    One of the artefacts found at Marawah Island during recent excavations. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
  • Mohamed Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, inspects the new discoveries on Marawah Island. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi
    Mohamed Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, inspects the new discoveries on Marawah Island. Courtesy Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi

The significant findings on Ghagha Island are just the latest success story for the tourism department's emirate-wide archaeological programme.

In addition to the breakthroughs at Ghagha and Marawah islands, teams have uncovered the remains of an ancient monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island, as well as the Unesco-inscribed Cultural Site of Al Ain, comprising a series of oases, historic monuments, archaeological sites and natural areas, which has been a World Heritage Site since 2011.

Abu Dhabi's historic treasure trove also includes Miocene Trackways — footprints of a herd of an extinct form of ancient elephant — which six to eight million years ago; a 3,000 year old falaj in Al Ain, indicating the earliest known widespread use of this irrigation technology in the world; stone tools dating more than 300,000 years ago, which were found in surveys around Jebel Hafit; and a well preserved Iron Age fortress dating back 3,000 years, which was discovered during excavations at Al Ain’s Hili 14 archaeological site.

A series of late pre-Islamic tombs have also been found in various locations in Al Ain.

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

Movie: Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster 3

Producer: JAR Films

Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Jimmy Sheirgill, Mahie Gill, Chitrangda Singh, Kabir Bedi

Rating: 3 star

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Al Wasl 1 (Caio Canedo 90 1')

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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.

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GIANT REVIEW

Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan

Director: Athale

Rating: 4/5

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UNSC Elections 2022-23

Seats open:

  • Two for Africa Group
  • One for Asia-Pacific Group (traditionally Arab state or Tunisia)
  • One for Latin America and Caribbean Group
  • One for Eastern Europe Group

Countries so far running: 

  • UAE
  • Albania 
  • Brazil 

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How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE v Ireland

1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets

2nd ODI, January 12

3rd ODI, January 14

4th ODI, January 16

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Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

Our family matters legal consultant

 

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Netherlands v UAE, Twenty20 International series

Saturday, August 3 - First T20i, Amstelveen
Monday, August 5 – Second T20i, Amstelveen​​​​​​​
Tuesday, August 6 – Third T20i, Voorburg​​​​​​​
Thursday, August 8 – Fourth T20i, Vooryburg

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How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

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

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Updated: July 24, 2025, 12:24 PM