President Sheikh Mohamed and Egypt's El Sisi call for Gaza ceasefire in Abu Dhabi talks

President Sheikh Mohamed and Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Wednesday issued a renewed call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza during high-level talks in Abu Dhabi.

The two leaders said it was crucial for the international community to intensify efforts to bring about a "just and comprehensive peace" based on a two-state solution during discussions at Qasr Al Shati in the capital.

Sheikh Mohamed and Mr El Sisi also explored ways to strengthen long-standing ties between their nations and exchanged holiday greetings ahead of Eid Al Adha.

Following the meeting, Sheikh Mohamed hosted a luncheon in honour of the Egyptian President.

The two men earlier met at the Presidential Airport, where Mr El Sisi arrived on a “fraternal visit”.

Mr El Sisi's visit also follows talks in Cairo in March that focused on developmental, economic and investment opportunities, state news agency Wam reported.

The leaders meet regularly in the Emirates and Egypt in support of a decades-long friendship between the countries. Sheikh Mohamed made a working visit to Egypt in October.

Also present on Wednesday were Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, Deputy Chief of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon, Adviser to the President; Dr Ahmed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Office of the President for Strategic Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, and a number of senior officials.

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Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

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Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?

Some facts about bees:

The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer

The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days

A queen bee lives for 3-5 years

This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony

About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive

Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.

Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen

Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids

Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments

Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts

Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain

Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities

The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes

Is beekeeping dangerous?

As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.

“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”