It was a simple photograph that framed the magnitude of what the UAE accomplished.
An Emirati grandmother, wearing a traditional face covering, held up a sign in Arabic that said: "We've reached Mars."
The image showed how far the country had come by sending a probe to the Red Planet this year.
Hope entered the Martian orbit on February 9 and the event electrified every generation of Emirati society, including the elderly.
The image quickly went viral on social media and even encouraged a light-hearted discussion about when Emirati grandmothers would go to Mars.
The picture of Khusaibah Al Dahmani, 70, was taken by Emirati photographer Alia Al Joker. Ms Al Dahmani is the mother of Ms Al Joker's best friend.
Ms Al Dahmani is wearing traditional clothing and is standing in front of a Sidr tree. It is this contrast of culture and heritage and the fact the UAE sent a probe to Mars that made the image so remarkable.
Elderly women from all over the Gulf congratulated Ms Al Dahmani on the UAE's accomplishment and asked jokingly whether they could go to Mars as well.
"I enjoy being photographed and loved being part of this," said Ms Al Dahmani, who is from Fujairah.
"Women our age should be out there and show our culture and our traditions."
Ms Al Joker, who is from Dubai, says she is not a professional photographer.
"I just enjoy what I am doing and enjoy telling the stories of people," she said.
“Around 34 per cent of the people who took part in the Mars mission are women and I wanted to show the part they played.
"We owe it all to our leadership and to our mothers and grandmothers for their support and guidance. Without them we wouldn’t have been able to achieve anything."
The UAE selected two more Emiratis to be part of its astronaut corps, including the Arab world's first female astronaut.
The tree Ms Dahmani was standing beside when the picture was taken is revered in the UAE and Ms Al Joker said such traditions are important.
"Everything in the photo means and symbolises something, whether it is from the burqa to the jalabiya [traditional dress] she is wearing, to the traditional jewellery," she said.
Another image of Ms Al Dahmani that proved popular showed her with a sign that said: "We've started to operate Barakah."
That refers to the nuclear power plant that started commercial operations this month. Ms Al Dahmani is wearing white in the image as a symbol of clean energy.
"This is a segment of society that is dear to us all," Ms Al Joker said.
"They hold in them the knowledge of our culture and traditions, which must be preserved. They have many stories to share.
"I have a saying: 'A strong future depends on strong roots.'"
Pupils watch the UAE's journey to space - in pictures
Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
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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.”
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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Without Remorse
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Decca
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
