For Egypt, it represents a statement of intent to take control of its own cultural and historical narrative once and for all – and to be the definitive home for Egyptian heritage instead of museums in the West.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi addressed the evening event and hailed the museum as opening a “new chapter” for the nation.
Lightning effects depicting the funerary mask of ancient Egyptian King Tutankhamun light up the sky during the opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum. AFP
“This museum is not just a place to preserve valuable antiquities, it is living proof of the genius of the Egyptians who built the pyramids and etched immortality on the walls of its temples,” Mr El Sisi said.
Inside, more than 50,000 artefacts are now on display, including the complete Tutankhamun collection shown together for the first time. Vast glass halls lead to a grand staircase lined with colossal statues from across Egypt’s dynasties, offering visitors a chronological walk through five millennia of civilisation.
The museum’s creation has been as dramatic as its scale. What began in 2002 as a response to a perceived slight from an Italian publisher evolved into a two-decade national project shaped by funding challenges, political upheaval and shifting ambitions. Find more on that story here.
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, attended the official opening ceremony of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media office
The delays only deepened its significance – what was once a construction site gradually became a reflection of Egypt itself: patient, enduring and determined to redefine its story.
The result is a cultural landmark designed to last generations, linking Egypt’s ancient monuments to its modern aspirations. Find out more here.
In the UAE, Dubai Design Week starts tomorrow, bringing together regional and international designers to showcase new work and ideas across the city’s creative district.
Nada Debs is mentoring emerging UAE designers this week. Photo: Tarek Moukaddem
Among them is Lebanese designer Nada Debs, who is mentoring emerging UAE designers and encouraging them to create work that reflects personal and cultural identity. “Furniture mirrors us,” she says. “It should mirror who we are.”
Her approach reflects a broader theme at this year’s event – a growing focus on design that draws from local stories, materials and traditions rather than global trends. Find more here.
The winner of this year’s Abwab initiative, a headline feature of Dubai Design Week, highlights Nabih Saleh, an island in Bahrain that is unique for its convergence of the natural and industrial. Find more here.
Omar Al Hashimi has amassed a Dh100,000 collection of video games and consoles in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Omar Al Hashmi’s gaming room was years in the making.
Perched on the top floor of his three-storey home in Warqa 5 near Dubai Safari Park, it was part of the building plans from the start – a space designed to hold more than 800 video games and more than 50 consoles collected over the past two decades.
When The National visits, some boxes remain unopened, but there is already more than enough to take in. Floor-to-ceiling shelves in light wood fill one wall, each level packed tight with game cases arranged spine-out.
The bottom row forms a block of blue from hundreds of PlayStation titles. Another row features boxes from various generations of Xbox and few bright red Nintendo consoles red indicating collector’s editions.
An adjacent shelf displays a Lego recreation of the original 1983 Nintendo Entertainment System, its miniature screen showing a pixelated Mario mid-jump.
The low wooden console table – still waiting for the television, as Al Hashmi says he is “looking for one with the right specifications” – holds a PlayStation 1, a Sega Genesis and a Dreamcast in open compartments.
Find the latest entry in our My UAE Collection series here.
American creator, writer, director and actress Rachel Sennott is in the new HBO series I Love LA. AFP
It takes confidence to laugh at yourself.
In the years that Rachel Sennott rose to fame – first through viral tweets and skits, then as a stand-up, later in scene-stealing roles in Bodies Bodies Bodies and The Idol – she found comedy in the ridiculousness of Gen Z life. But the best punchlines were pointed outwards.
Now, with I Love LA, the HBO original series she created, directs and stars in, Sennott has finally turned that lens on her own flaws – and found she’s the funniest subject of all.
“Earlier on, when I was tweeting jokes and doing stand-up – it was all good versus bad, black and white,” Sennott tells The National. “It was like, 'This guy is evil and I am a victim' – though maybe I was at that point – I was 23. But now I try to be a little more fair to everyone and recognise some of my own faults.”
It’s not just reflexive self-deprecation any more. Instead, it’s the kind of comedic insight that only comes when you love yourself enough to really look at the parts of yourself you once built armour around. It’s a sign, more than anything, that she’s growing as a person as much as she is a comedian.
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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
Riders must be 14-years-old or over
Wear a protective helmet
Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Key findings of Jenkins report
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing
In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.
While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.
In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all).
“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”
Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.
"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."
