1980
July 7 Seven Gulf countries - the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq and Iran - agree to establish the Regional Organisation to Protect the Marine Environment, headquartered in Kuwait.
1981
February 21 The death of the Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain, Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Mualla, is announced. His son, Sheikh Rashid, succeeds him.
September 6 The Ruler of Ajman, Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, dies. His son, Sheikh Humaid, succeeds him.
1982
January 2 Abu Dhabi International Airport opens at its current location, taking over from Al Bateen airport as the main passenger hub.
1983
September 23 A Gulf Air flight from Pakistan to Abu Dhabi crashes on approach after a bomb explodes in the baggage compartment, killing all 112 passengers and crew.
1984
February 8 The UAE ambassador to France, Khalifa Ahmed Abdulaziz Al Mubarak, is shot dead by an unknown assailant.
August 25 Sikh separatists hijack an Indian Airlines flight carrying 93 passengers and force the plane to land in Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, then Defence Minister, negotiates the release of the prisoners.
November 1 The UAE and China establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level.
1985
January 9 Jebel Ali Free Zone is established.
October 17 The UAE starts a two-year period as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
October 25 Emirates Airline begins operations out of Dubai. Its first destinations are Pakistan and India.
1986
May 6 The Federal National Council acknowledges a recession in the UAE, brought on by a drop in oil prices, and calls on the Government to take steps to diversify the economy away from oil.
October 15 Sheikh Zayed is unanimously re-elected President of the federation for a further five years by the Supreme Council.
November 2 The sixth GCC meeting is held in Abu Dhabi, the first in the capital since the inaugural meeting in 1981.
November 25 Iranian warplanes attack a French-operated UAE oil rig in the Gulf.
1987
September 6 A long-range rocket strikes Kuwait, threatening to pull the Gulf states into the Iran-Iraq conflict. The UAE condemns the attack.
October 26 The UAE announces that its oil reserves amount to 200 billion barrels, and expects them to become the second largest in the world.
1988
July 18 The Iran-Iraq War, which has dominated the Gulf for most of the 1980s, enters its final weeks after both countries accept a UN Security Council resolution to end the conflict. The UAE, as one of the non-permanent members of the Security Council, sends notes to both countries to express satisfaction.
1989
February 11 Sheikh Shakhbut Al Nahyan, the former ruler of Abu Dhabi and brother of Sheikh Zayed, dies at the age of 83.
March 14 Sheikh Zayed receives Britain's Prince Charles and Princess Diana, who visit Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Dubai on their tour of the Gulf.
In other news ...
1980 The Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dubai - built for Dh500m - is opened by Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai. 1981 The British prime minister Margaret Thatcher makes an official visit to the UAE, as does Indira Gandhi, her Indian counterpart, who lays the foundation stone for the Indian Islamic Centre in Abu Dhabi. • The Al Nasr Sports Club holds the Dubai Grand Prix. 1982 The building of a central post office in Madinat Zayed in Abu Dhabi and two more in Al Ain is announced. 1983 Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, opens the new Police Administration building in Abu Dhabi. • The first phase of Dubai Hospital starts operations. 1984 The numbering of districts, streets and houses in Abu Dhabi is completed. • Sharjah's first arts festival opens. • An important archaeological site is discovered in Al Ain, the suggested site of an ancient irrigation canal. 1985 Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank is formed by the merger of three national banks. 1986 A major vegetable market opens in Madinat Zayed in Abu Dhabi. • The Abu Dhabi Executive Council approves the creation of a national museum in Al Ain. 1987 Sheikh Saqr Al Qasimi opens the Ras Al Khaimah National Museum. 1988 It is reported that UAE GDP rose from Dh6.5billion in 1972 to Dh87bn in 1987. 1989 The UAE football team qualifies for the 1990 World Cup. • Sheikh Zayed and the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat lay the foundation stone for the Palestinian embassy in the UAE. • The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce building is opened. • Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid opens the first Dubai International Air Show.
UK record temperature
38.7C (101.7F) set in Cambridge in 2019
The BIO
Favourite piece of music: Verdi’s Requiem. It’s awe-inspiring.
Biggest inspiration: My father, as I grew up in a house where music was constantly played on a wind-up gramophone. I had amazing music teachers in primary and secondary school who inspired me to take my music further. They encouraged me to take up music as a profession and I follow in their footsteps, encouraging others to do the same.
Favourite book: Ian McEwan’s Atonement – the ending alone knocked me for six.
Favourite holiday destination: Italy - music and opera is so much part of the life there. I love it.
No Shame
Lily Allen
(Parlophone)
The design
The protective shell is covered in solar panels to make use of light and produce energy. This will drastically reduce energy loss.
More than 80 per cent of the energy consumed by the French pavilion will be produced by the sun.
The architecture will control light sources to provide a highly insulated and airtight building.
The forecourt is protected from the sun and the plants will refresh the inner spaces.
A micro water treatment plant will recycle used water to supply the irrigation for the plants and to flush the toilets. This will reduce the pavilion’s need for fresh water by 30 per cent.
Energy-saving equipment will be used for all lighting and projections.
Beyond its use for the expo, the pavilion will be easy to dismantle and reuse the material.
Some elements of the metal frame can be prefabricated in a factory.
From architects to sound technicians and construction companies, a group of experts from 10 companies have created the pavilion.
Work will begin in May; the first stone will be laid in Dubai in the second quarter of 2019.
Construction of the pavilion will take 17 months from May 2019 to September 2020.
Company Profile
Company name: Hoopla
Date started: March 2023
Founder: Jacqueline Perrottet
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Investment required: $500,000
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
The five pillars of Islam
The five pillars of Islam
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
RoboCop: Rogue City
Developer: Teyon
Publisher: Nacon
Console: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
Rating: 3/5
Confirmed bouts (more to be added)
Cory Sandhagen v Umar Nurmagomedov
Nick Diaz v Vicente Luque
Michael Chiesa v Tony Ferguson
Deiveson Figueiredo v Marlon Vera
Mackenzie Dern v Loopy Godinez
Tickets for the August 3 Fight Night, held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, went on sale earlier this month, through www.etihadarena.ae and www.ticketmaster.ae.
Indika
Developer: 11 Bit Studios
Publisher: Odd Meter
Console: PlayStation 5, PC and Xbox series X/S
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
Specs: 2024 McLaren Artura Spider
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 and electric motor
Max power: 700hp at 7,500rpm
Max torque: 720Nm at 2,250rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
0-100km/h: 3.0sec
Top speed: 330kph
Price: From Dh1.14 million ($311,000)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km
Price: from Dh547,600
On sale: now
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
T20 World Cup Qualifier, Muscat
UAE FIXTURES
Friday February 18: v Ireland
Saturday February 19: v Germany
Monday February 21: v Philippines
Tuesday February 22: semi-finals
Thursday February 24: final
Bridgerton season three - part one
Directors: Various
Starring: Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 3/5
Company profile
Company name: Fasset
Started: 2019
Founders: Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Daniel Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $2.45 million
Current number of staff: 86
Investment stage: Pre-series B
Investors: Investcorp, Liberty City Ventures, Fatima Gobi Ventures, Primal Capital, Wealthwell Ventures, FHS Capital, VN2 Capital, local family offices
Company Profile
Company name: Cargoz
Date started: January 2022
Founders: Premlal Pullisserry and Lijo Antony
Based: Dubai
Number of staff: 30
Investment stage: Seed
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
