Falcons, dates and the Arabian Oryx. These and other cherished symbols reflect the UAE's rich history and foster a sense of national unity and identity.
Here, The National explores some of the items most associated with the UAE and its history.
Flag
Created by the then 19-year-old Abdullah Mohammed Al Maainah and raised for the first time on December 2, 1971, the flag of the UAE uses four colours common to many countries in the Arab world – red, green, black and white.
While these colours are open to interpretation, its creator told The National in an interview in 2011 that red and white were already widely used in the flags of the seven emirates, while black stood for oil and green for fertility.
Alternatively it is said that red is for courage, green for prosperity, black represents solidarity and white for goodness.
Finally the colours can also symbolise Arab unity and the four great caliphates. Red for the Hashemites, white for the Umayyad, green for the Fatimid and black for the Abbasid – and the colour of the standard they carried into battle.
Emblem
The emblem of the UAE be used by the President and state institutions, including Etihad Airways.
It features a golden falcon, known as the Hawk of Quraish, the tribe to which Prophet Mohammed belonged. It has been widely used across the Arab world.
The UAE emblem is distinguished by a disc in the centre of the bird, featuring the country’s flag, surrounded by seven stars for the seven emirates. The falcon holds a red banner in its talons, with the name of the country in a form of Arabic script called kulfic, which is one of the oldest known and originally developed in Iraq.
The emblem was redesigned in 2008, and previously had a red disc with a dhow at sea.
Falcon
The national bird of the UAE is the falcon, representing the culture and traditions at the heart of its desert people. Strong, fearless, fast and agile, the falcon has all the characteristics once needed to survive in such a harsh environment, and is used widely both as a symbol, but as a living creature at many events.
Arabian Oryx
Magnificent with its sweeping horns, the Arabian Oryx is the national animal of the UAE. It was hunted nearly to extinction, but thanks to a conservation programme supported by Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, the oryx is now thriving again in the wild, and can also be seen at wildlife centres in the UAE. Like the falcon, it also appears on the UAE currency.
Dates
The national fruit of the UAE is the date. Growing freely across the country and able to withstand heat and low rainfall, the date was a vital food when many people lived a nomadic life in the desert, supplying essential nutrients when little else was available. Harvested in the heat of summer, the fruit can be pressed into blocks for preservation to eat year long.
So important is the date for UAE culture, that it is celebrated annually at the Liwa Date festival, with generous prizes for the pick of the crop.
Ghaf
The national tree of the UAE is the ghaf tree. Why not the palm? Well, technically, the palm is not a tree but a type of herb, related to bananas and bamboo!
The ghaf, or Prosopis cineraria, like the people of the UAE, adapted to surviving in the desert. Slow growing, it sends roots up to 100 metres in search of moisture and is effectively drought-proof.
In days gone by, its seeds and leaves would be fed to livestock or even eaten by people. Urbanisation threatened the ghaf, but it was made the national tree in 2008 and it is now illegal to cut one down.
Gahwa
Everybody knows that the first taste of the UAE is a cup of coffee – not from Starbucks but an elegant brass pot known as a dallah, seen on the 1 dirham coin.
Traditionally brewed over a fire to welcome guests, the national drink is served in small cups, often flavoured with a little cardamom or saffron. Gahwa will be served until the guest has had their fill, indicating this by gently shaking their empty cup.
Tribulus
Five different varieties of the tribulus, can be found almost anywhere in the UAE, except in the coastal sabkha. Unofficially the country’s national flower, it has five yellow petals and small leaves known as pinnate. Tribulus is the name adopted by the bulletin of the Emirates Natural History Group.
Identifying one national dish is tricky, especially as food in the UAE is influenced by so many cultures and traditions. Not so many generations ago, the staple diet of many was imported rice and locally caught fish, with camel's milk and dates for those living in the desert. Meat – typically goat – was served only on special occasions, like Eid or weddings.
Perhaps the dishes most associated with the UAE are harees, a type of savoury wheat porridge pounded with meat, and kabsa or machboos, a spicy platter of grilled meat and rice. As a snack, there is luqaimaat, hot deep fried doughnuts, served with date syrup and a scattering of sesame seeds.
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3
Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)
Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)
Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)
The specs: 2018 Jaguar E-Pace First Edition
Price, base / as tested: Dh186,480 / Dh252,735
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 246hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 365Nm @ 1,200rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on animal trafficking
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20Profile
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The burning issue
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.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Without Remorse
Directed by: Stefano Sollima
Starring: Michael B Jordan
4/5
The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH INFO
Leeds United 0
Brighton 1 (Maupay 17')
Man of the match: Ben White (Brighton)
Results
4pm: Maiden; Dh165,000 (Dirt); 1,400m
Winner: Solar Shower; William Lee (jockey); Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
4.35pm: Handicap; Dh165,000 (D); 2,000m
Winner: Thaaqib; Antonio Fresu; Erwan Charpy.
5.10pm: Maiden; Dh165,000 (Turf); 1,800m
Winner: Bila Shak; Adrie de Vries; Fawzi Nass
5.45pm: Handicap; Dh175,000 (D); 1,200m
Winner: Beachcomber Bay; Richard Mullen; Satish Seemar
6.20pm: Handicap; Dh205,000 (T); 1,800m
Winner: Muzdawaj; Jim Crowley; Musabah Al Muhairi
6.55pm: Handicap; Dh185,000 (D); 1,600m
Winner: Mazeed; Tadhg O’Shea; Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap; Dh205,000 (T); 1,200m
Winner: Riflescope; Tadhg O’Shea; Satish Seemar.
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