Hello and welcome to Emirati, a monthly newsletter from The National.
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.
A ancient classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Intricate footwork and expressions are used to denote spiritual stories and ideas.
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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 SQUAD
UAE team
1. Chris Jones-Griffiths 2. Gio Fourie 3. Craig Nutt 4. Daniel Perry 5. Isaac Porter 6. Matt Mills 7. Hamish Anderson 8. Jaen Botes 9. Barry Dwyer 10. Luke Stevenson (captain) 11. Sean Carey 12. Andrew Powell 13. Saki Naisau 14. Thinus Steyn 15. Matt Richards
Replacements
16. Lukas Waddington 17. Murray Reason 18. Ahmed Moosa 19. Stephen Ferguson 20. Sean Stevens 21. Ed Armitage 22. Kini Natuna 23. Majid Al Balooshi
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.
The flights Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes. The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast. The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
Produced by: Reliance Entertainment with Chalk and Cheese Films
Director: Tushar Hiranandani
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar, Prakash Jha, Vineet Singh
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
