River Nive overflows into the streets of Bayonne in France. Global warming, unpredictable weather and pandemic is threating the social and political fiber across globe. Reuters
River Nive overflows into the streets of Bayonne in France. Global warming, unpredictable weather and pandemic is threating the social and political fiber across globe. Reuters
River Nive overflows into the streets of Bayonne in France. Global warming, unpredictable weather and pandemic is threating the social and political fiber across globe. Reuters
River Nive overflows into the streets of Bayonne in France. Global warming, unpredictable weather and pandemic is threating the social and political fiber across globe. Reuters

The lessons we can learn from a 'lost climate century'


Robin Mills
  • English
  • Arabic

Genoese ships travelling from Crimea brought the Black Death to Messina in Sicily in October 1347. First carried by rats, the disease then spread through the air between victims. They developed swellings in the groin, neck and armpits that oozed pus, then black spots on the skin. They died within two to seven days.

Bodies went unburied as the undertakers and priests had also succumbed or fled. Florence prevented ill travellers and animals from entering, cleaned the city streets and made the inhabitants stay at home. Nevertheless, as much as 80 per cent of the citizens perished.

As the plague raged through the Middle East and Europe, returning three more times in the 14th century, between 30 per cent and 60 per cent of the European population died and the world population shrank by 100 million, or more than a fifth.

This was not the century’s first disaster. Over the preceding four centuries of comfortable temperatures, the “Medieval Warm Period”, the European population had tripled. Marshlands were drained, forests felled and cultivation spread into increasingly marginal land. Some parts of France were more populous then than they are even today.

Between 1302 and 1307, the continent experienced exceptionally hot and dry weather. The Nile dropped to unusually low levels, and after a two-year drought, 1,700 homes in Florence were destroyed in a fire.

Then came a spell of unusual cold and rain from 1310. Between 1315 and 1317, after repeated harvest failures, a great famine struck Europe as far east as Russia, killing 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the population of towns.

The “Dantean Anomaly” may have inspired the great Florentine poet in his descriptions of Hell, and the enormous flood in Frankfurt of July 1342 is still commemorated. The western Norse settlement in Greenland was abandoned around 1350 and the eastern settlement disappeared sometime after 1408 as the climate became increasingly chilly.

Europe had entered the Little Ice Age, which would persist until about 1850. And a population weakened by famine was easy prey for the Black Death, perhaps explaining its terrible virulence.

Climatic instability was not just a European phenomenon: Japan, Korea and the Indian city of Rajasthan experienced droughts and famines in the 1360s. The bad weather around the time of the Great Famine might have been triggered by a volcanic eruption throwing ash and sulphates into the stratosphere, possibly that of Mount Tarawera in New Zealand. But the Medieval Warm Period and Little Ice Age were primarily North Atlantic phenomena, not corresponding to unusual global heat or cold.

These disasters put enormous stress on European society. The English ravaged France repeatedly from the outbreak of the Hundred Years’ War in 1337, but after England finally lost the war in 1453, it was then ripped apart by civil conflict, the War of the Roses.

The Jacquerie in 1358 and the Peasants’ Revolt in 1381 involved desperate commoners taking up arms in France and England against the nobility. As tax revenues dwindled, the currency was devalued, feudalism broke down in favour of a money economy and social barriers between classes were weakened.

Repeats of plague and bad weather would be followed by further social and political upheaval, notably in the first half of the 17th century. About 20 per cent of Germany's population died in epidemics and the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), and the English Parliament overthrew and executed King Charles I in 1649.

Coming to the present age, 2022 is forecast to be one of the warmest on record. Yet it will be one of the coolest in the rest of the 21st century. It is heating, not freezing, that threatens us now. But the coincidence of climate change and the pandemic shows how fragile political and economic order can be.

When researchers discuss “climate resilience”, they often think of methods such as crop varieties that resist drought, or sea walls to hold off rising waves. Broader economic growth and education assist people in finding their own solutions to local changes in climate.

But we should beware of the indirect and the unpredictable. We are not immune from crop failures even today: rising food prices brought widespread riots and political tensions in 2007 and 2008. Wealthy countries from the US and Europe to Australia have repeatedly failed to cope effectively, honestly and humanely with migration. The prospect of a truly mass migration triggered by climate breakdown or conflict in populous West Africa or South Asia is terrifying.

The dangerous West-Russia tension could be exacerbated by a cold European winter as the Arctic polar vortex surges south. China and the US, already steering into hostility, may blame economic and political turmoil on each other.

This time, the changing climate is not the result of far-off volcanoes or random oscillations of Arctic air, but our own actions. That at least gives us the power to influence it and to alter course. But we should not consider ourselves more rational or able to manage the chaos of human interactions than the unlucky medieval kings and peasants.

Robin Mills is chief executive of Qamar Energy, and author of The Myth of the Oil Crisis

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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2A)
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ENGLAND TEAM

England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT

Manchester City 1 Sheffield United 0
Man City:
Jesus (9')

The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bedu%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Khaled%20Al%20Huraimel%2C%20Matti%20Zinder%2C%20Amin%20Al%20Zarouni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%2C%20metaverse%2C%20Web3%20and%20blockchain%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Currently%20in%20pre-seed%20round%20to%20raise%20%245%20million%20to%20%247%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Privately%20funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Labour dispute

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.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

SERIE A FIXTURES

Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)

Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)

Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)

Scores

Scotland 54-17 Fiji
England 15-16 New Zealand

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

Gothia Cup 2025

4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

What is dialysis?

Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.

It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.

There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.

In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.

In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.

It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.

How to come clean about financial infidelity
  • Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
  • Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help. 
  • Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
  • Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
  • Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported. 

Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

match info

Southampton 0

Arsenal 2 (Nketiah 20', Willock 87')

Red card: Jack Stephens (Southampton)

Man of the match: Rob Holding (Arsenal)

SCHEDULE

Thursday, December 6
08.00-15.00 Technical scrutineering
15.00-17.00 Extra free practice

Friday, December 7
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 1
15.30 BRM F1 qualifying

Saturday, December 8
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 2
15.30 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi

Washmen Profile

Date Started: May 2015

Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Laundry

Employees: 170

Funding: about $8m

Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Business Insights
  • Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
  • The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
  • US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
End of free parking

- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18

- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued

- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket

- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200. 

- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200

- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300

Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

3.5/5

The biog

Name: Samar Frost

Born: Abu Dhabi

Hobbies: Singing, music and socialising with friends

Favourite singer: Adele

The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport


Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial


Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

BAD%20BOYS%3A%20RIDE%20OR%20DIE
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The%20specs
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Spider-Man: No Way Home

Director: Jon Watts

Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon 

Rating:*****

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Tonight's Chat on The National

Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.

Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster with a decades-long career in TV. He has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others. Karam is also the founder of Takreem.

Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.

Facebook | Our website | Instagram

THE SPECS

Engine: AMG-enhanced 3.0L inline-6 turbo with EQ Boost and electric auxiliary compressor

Transmission: nine-speed automatic

Power: 429hp

Torque: 520Nm​​​​​​​

Price: Dh360,200 (starting)

What's in the deal?

Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024

India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.

India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.

Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments

India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery

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

Match info:

Real Betis v Sevilla, 10.45pm (UAE)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
Updated: December 27, 2021, 3:30 AM`