A green-fingered Abu Dhabi resident is on a one-man mission to brighten up his neighbourhood, having planted 209 trees single-handedly.
Sinan Al Awsi, 62, who has lived in the Emirates since 1999, has happily set aside time to greenify Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Street over the past seven years.
The dedicated Iraqi has won support from many grateful neighbours, but has not sought recognition for his eco efforts.
Yet when footage taken of him planting trees was shared on social media, he unwittingly earned wider acclaim.
He has planted 105 coconut and 104 plumeria trees in addition to more than 80 shrubs and flowers, transforming a 500-metre stretch into an urban oasis.
On Tuesday, Mr Al Awsi received a surprise visit from Mohammed Al Shorafa, chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport, to thank him for his hard work.
Mr Al Shorafa conveyed the greetings of President Sheikh Mohammed.
“I always say, any good deed in the UAE will not be lost or wasted," Mr Al Awsi told The National.
"I’m grateful to President Sheikh Mohamed because he knew about my initiative. I’m proud as an Iraqi to be recognised and also for contributing in the ecosystem and sustainability of Abu Dhabi.”
His horticultural journey began when he was granted permission by his landlord and authorities to spruce up the area.
The engineer, who has worked on key projects such as Sheikh Zayed Bridge, found he had another grand design taking shape.
He bought a truckload of special soil, installed water pipes and planted the trees.
“Abu Dhabi Municipality has been very supportive with me and gave me the permission to extend planting the trees,” he added.
Every Friday, on his weekend, he wakes up and starts working and looking after the trees from 6am to 11.30am.
“It required hard work but my passion for gardens and planting kept me going. Every day I look at the trees and smile at what I managed to do,” he said.
“These trees are my legacy in the UAE. People who will pass by this place in the future will pray for the person who planted them.”
His passion for environmental conservation is at the heart of his work.
“There is a pressing need for more green spaces. Trees provide many benefits including air purification, shade and ecosystem support,” he said.
Mr Al Awsi said his father taught him how to make gardens and look after trees.
“I used to plant trees with my late father since I was four years old. We planted a big garden in our home in Iraq and since then I have had a passion for planting trees and flowers,” he said.
The engineer's good deeds have led to a nomination in the Abu Dhabi Awards, which honour community champions across the emirate.
He encouraged residents to seek permission to take on their own schemes and help his green dream to spread far and wide.
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Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
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