In a dynamic nation such as the UAE, hurtling towards the future as if there were no tomorrow, Ras al Khaimah’s ambitious project to restore and document tens of thousands of historical artefacts is a welcome reminder that there is far more to this country than its surface glories. By 2022, the emirate’s Antiquities and Museums Department aims to have examined, preserved and catalogued 90,000 archaeological objects, many of which were unearthed at ancient sites decades ago, and about which little is known.
In essence, the department has set itself the daunting task of piecing together a gargantuan historical jigsaw puzzle. By the time it is complete, a far more detailed picture of a past dating back millennia will have emerged. The initiative complements the work of other projects, such as the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive, which The National has been featuring in a series of articles highlighting moments in time captured by this invaluable online collection of historical documents and photographs.
Few nations are as forward-facing as the UAE, a country whose great cities have risen rapidly from the desert sands and which, in a generation, has become a global byword for progress and technological innovation. The UAE’s ambitions are no longer earthbound. In just two months the first Emirati astronaut will throw off the shackles of gravity. Next year – as Ras al Khaimah’s Antiquities and Museums Department continues its painstaking exploration of the past – the UAE will become the first Arab country to despatch a spacecraft to Mars.
But pride in those whose imagination and courage are helping to shape the UAE’s future must be balanced with gratitude for those devoted to rediscovering and preserving the past, for this is the foundation upon which the UAE has been built. A nation that understands and takes pride in its history can move forward with confidence, certain of the path it has followed and sure of the direction in which it must travel. Projects such as that unfolding in Ras al Khaimah ensure the UAE will never lose sight of the place from which it came.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km
On sale: now
Price: from Dh195,000
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Company profile
Name: Tharb
Started: December 2016
Founder: Eisa Alsubousi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Luxury leather goods
Initial investment: Dh150,000 from personal savings
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder
Power: 70bhp
Torque: 66Nm
Transmission: four-speed manual
Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000
On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
