Dr Al Zeyoudi and Kwon Yongwoo, Republic of Korea ambassador to the UAE, visit the rice field in Sharjah. Courtesy: Ministry of Climate Change and Environment
Dr Al Zeyoudi and Kwon Yongwoo, Republic of Korea ambassador to the UAE, visit the rice field in Sharjah. Courtesy: Ministry of Climate Change and Environment
Dr Al Zeyoudi and Kwon Yongwoo, Republic of Korea ambassador to the UAE, visit the rice field in Sharjah. Courtesy: Ministry of Climate Change and Environment
In the space of just a few months, the coronavirus pandemic has revealed both the shortcomings and the advantages of our globalised world.
For instance, widespread and high-tech means of transportation have enabled the virus to reach all four corners of the globe by air, sea and land. But they have also helped to deliver life-saving aid and medical equipment to vulnerable and severely affected nations. And the have proved integral to preserving the integrity of the global supply chain for basic necessities, such as food and hygiene products.
Yet the pandemic has forced some nations to limit exports as they deal with shortages and economic problems at home. This tension has pushed governments and individuals to become more innovative and to invest in local technologies and companies.
The knowledge and technology required to develop agriculture through scientific innovation is becoming widely available, and co-operation in this area has led to some extraordinary successes.
Regional and federal authorities in the UAE are promoting local production of vital personal protective equipment, with Abu Dhabi set to host the Middle East’s largest factory for masks. Gulf countries are also investing in domestic agriculture to ensure food security.
In the UAE, a joint project between UAE scientists and South Korean experts plans to turn Sharjah’s deserts into rice paddies. This apparently improbable feat is nonetheless one step closer to becoming reality. The project is currently pending approval and, according to the team managing it, should eventually allow Sharjah to grow 763 kilograms of rice in a 1,000 square metre plot of desert.
This is only the latest in a series of forward-looking projects aimed at promoting local agriculture in the UAE. Others include a $100 million fund for agritech from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office. Other non-native staple crops, such as tomatoes and potatoes, are already being grown in the country, and neighbouring Saudi Arabia has managed to develop a successful dairy industry that exports across the region. These success stories ought to give further confidence to the people of the Gulf that, with vision and ingenuity, nothing is impossible.
In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Gulf countries are investing in domestic agriculture to ensure food security
The Sharjah project is all the more valuable to the long-term food security of the Emirates considering that many rice-growing nations, such as China and India, have limited their exports. Although shortages have been avoided so far, for a desert nation like the UAE, which imports over 90 per cent of its food, these developments signal that it is time to boost self-reliance while maintaining strong global ties.
The help and expertise offered by friendly nations are instrumental in allowing the UAE to achieve this goal, as South Korea’s involvement in the Sharjah rice project demonstrates. Seoul and Abu Dhabi celebrate 40 years of bilateral relations this month. What better way is there to honour those ties – during this challenging time for global unity, public health and food security – than by working together to ensure that our future harvests are ever more bountiful.
Key findings of Jenkins report
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023 More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts) Saturday 15 January: v Canada Thursday 20 January: v England Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Barings Bank
Barings, one of Britain’s oldest investment banks, was founded in 1762 and operated for 233 years before it went bust after a trading scandal.
Barings Bank collapsed in February 1995 following colossal losses caused by rogue trader Nick Lesson.
Leeson gambled more than $1 billion in speculative trades, wiping out the venerable merchant bank’s cash reserves.
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Qualifier A, Muscat
(All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv)
Fixtures
Friday, February 18: 10am Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm Semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm Final
UAE squad:Ahmed Raza(captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
How to book
Call DHA on 800342
Once you are registered, you will receive a confirmation text message
Present the SMS and your Emirates ID at the centre
DHA medical personnel will take a nasal swab
Check results within 48 hours on the DHA app under ‘Lab Results’ and then ‘Patient Services’
Results
57kg quarter-finals
Zakaria Eljamari (UAE) beat Hamed Al Matari (YEM) by points 3-0.
60kg quarter-finals
Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) beat Hyan Aljmyah (SYR) RSC round 2.
63.5kg quarter-finals
Nouredine Samir (UAE) beat Shamlan A Othman (KUW) by points 3-0.
67kg quarter-finals
Mohammed Mardi (UAE) beat Ahmad Ondash (LBN) by points 2-1.
71kg quarter-finals
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) defeated Lalthasanga Lelhchhun (IND) by points 3-0.
Amine El Moatassime (UAE) beat Seyed Kaveh Safakhaneh (IRI) by points 3-0.
81kg quarter-finals
Ilyass Habibali (UAE) beat Ahmad Hilal (PLE) by points 3-0
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
