In Tobias Becker’s new book Yesterday, which is an examination of the concept, history and idea of nostalgia, the author notes that the word was originally defined as “homesickness” but that later mutated into meaning something akin to a “sentimental yearning for some period of the past”.
It is no surprise at all that Becker’s book begins by quoting the lyrics of The Beatles’ song Yesterday as a gateway into nostalgia, with its yearning for the simplicity of the past and its affirmation of the better times of before.
Given the fast pace of change in this country, there is often a brisk secondary market in nostalgia, or a tendency by plenty of us, me included, to look back at the past to make sense of the future the UAE is constantly rushing towards – and to sometimes reach the conclusion that the past was somehow better, rather than being, as novelist LP Hartley put it, “a foreign country”.
We all have a selective memory, carefully curating and editing in our minds the experiences of the past to cut things out here or to amplify bits there and you don’t have to look too intently to find those reminders of days gone by in this country.
In the neighbourhood where I live, a walk past the now-empty Mushrif campus of the International School of Choueifat, for instance, might induce a pang of nostalgia among former students of the historic campus, first established in Abu Dhabi in the 1970s.
Where once it was busy grounds full of young people, today the students have been shifted to another crosstown campus, while heavy machinery crawls over the former site and removes the husks of the old buildings in preparation for redevelopment and improvement.
We all have a selective memory, carefully curating and editing in our minds the experiences of the past
Or when pictures of modern gold-and-white liveried taxis started appearing on social media recently, many long-term residents’ reaction would, I suspect, have been to fondly remember the original versions, which were finally withdrawn from service at the end of 2012 – to be replaced by the now familiar silver Abu Dhabi cabs.
The memory plays tricks on you, of course, and as The National reported when they were withdrawn from service, gold-and-white cabs weren’t universally loved, even if the pictures of modern taxis decked out in the livery of old attracted plenty of thumbs-ups, likes and shares on the digital platforms where those images were published.
“For many their passing will elicit no lamentations … but for some, the original taxis reflect a more colourful, older way of life,” we reported a decade ago, nodding gently to the fact that the cabs were often kitted out inside to reflect the idiosyncrasies of the driver’s personal tastes and that the meter didn’t automatically switch on when you sat in their seats.
The reality was that “old golds” were sometimes cramped, poorly maintained cars, which stood in stark contrast to the GPS-enabled, modern, spacious fleet of silver cabs we’re familiar with now. It’s a classic area where regulation has helped achieve progress rather than hinder it. That, perhaps, is also the genius of retro liveries on modern cars, thereby retaining the look and feel of the old, while giving it a thoroughly modern twist.
The pace of change in terms of rapid provision of services can be seen through the lens of nostalgia, too.
Last month, the government set out its 10 economic principles for the next decade, which are broadly focused on growth, stability and opportunity.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, described the principles as working towards putting the UAE at the “forefront of the global economies with a strong digital infrastructure, secure systems, flexible legislative framework, and a renewable futuristic mindset”.
It wasn’t very many years ago that the renewal or conversion of a driver’s licence or the issuing of a new permit would involve a journey in one of those old gold taxis to a government building and several hours of waiting, processing and validating before the relevant document was approved and then several more days before the physical permit arrived.
Now, those transactions can be performed in minutes on a government services app that serves as a form of one-stop shop for consumers. In this case, few would wish for a return to the old days of lengthy bureaucracy.
Cutting red tape doesn’t confer the country with a competitive advantage by itself, of course, because those processes are replicable and are not unique to this trading environment, but it is indicative of the direction the nation is moving in.
The economy grew sharply in the first half of the year – by 3.7 per cent – something which officials say is down to resilience, diversification, openness and co-operation. Every annual Arab Youth Survey that is published is a reminder that the region’s young people recognise the advantages of life here, including opportunity, transformation and greater, growing ease of setting up shop or home and doing business. These, perhaps, are the undervalued statistics and firm monuments of progress.
It is easy to be wistful about the past, particularly when the present can be anxiety-ridden and the future can seem uncertain. There is no harm in romanticising the past, but we should also recognise the advantages of now and the promise of tomorrow.
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
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RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
How they line up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas
6 Romain Grosjean, Haas
7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
9 Carlos Sainz, Renault
10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren
12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
13 Sergio Perez, Force India
14 Lance Stroll, Williams
15 Esteban Ocon, Force India
16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber
19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams
20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso
* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice
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
HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT
1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 1:39:46.713
2. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 00:00.908
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 00:12.462
4. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 00:12.885
5. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 00:13.276
6. Fernando Alonso, McLaren 01:11.223
7. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 1 lap
8. Sergio Perez, Force India 1 lap
9. Esteban Ocon, Force India 1 lap
10. Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren 1 lap
11. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso 1 lap
12. Jolyon Palmer, Renault 1 lap
13. Kevin Magnussen, Haas 1 lap
14. Lance Stroll, Williams 1 lap
15. Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber 2 laps
16. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber 2 laps
17r. Nico Huelkenberg, Renault 3 laps
r. Paul Di Resta, Williams 10 laps
r. Romain Grosjean, Haas 50 laps
r. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 70 laps
Rafael Nadal's record at the MWTC
2009 Finalist
2010 Champion
Jan 2011 Champion
Dec 2011 Semi-finalist
Dec 2012 Did not play
Dec 2013 Semi-finalist
2015 Semi-finalist
Jan 2016 Champion
Dec 2016 Champion
2017 Did not play
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Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
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Ferrari
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RESULT
Wolves 1 (Traore 67')
Tottenham 2 (Moura 8', Vertonghen 90 1')
Man of the Match: Adama Traore (Wolves)
