Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, on Friday paid tribute to the UAE's military prowess during a visit to the National Guard headquarters in Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Hamdan reflected on the crucial role played by Armed Forces personnel in bolstering national security and stressed the importance of advancing their expertise.
The Dubai Crown Prince was welcomed by Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Defence Affairs; Lt Gen Issa Al Mazrouei, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces; Maj Gen Saleh Al Ameri, Commander of the National Guard, and senior officers.
Sheikh Hamdan was briefed on the work of the National Guard and witnessed a field demonstration.
At the end of the visit, Sheikh Hamdan praised the organisation for its effort to support community safety and said its successes were testament to the UAE leadership's commitment to investing and training in its military forces.
The National Guard operates with the support of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Interior and the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority.
It serves to bolster border security on land and at sea as well as providing assistance in search and rescue operations across the Emirates and abroad.
In May, the National Guard joined forces with the National Search and Rescue Centre and the UAE Coast Guard to rescue three injured seafarers from a sinking cargo ship in the country's waters.
The three – Asian citizens according to the authorities – were taken to safety on rescue boats.
In September, the National Guard formed part of a UAE task force sent to Afghanistan to aid relief efforts following an earthquake which killed more than 2,000 people.
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
