Doctors have linked chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis to high levels of pesticides in imported food.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in May banned the import of certain fruits and vegetables from five countries in the Middle East over concerns about high chemical levels.
While pesticide use is strictly controlled within the UAE, pesticides are heavily used in agriculture in other parts of the world.
"Medical practitioners believe that consuming certain kinds of food may contribute to causing cancer," said Dr Yogash Shastri, a gastrologist at NMC Specialty Hospital in Abu Dhabi.
"I have seen at least one person diagnosed with different types of cancer on a weekly basis and there have been no specific causes related to their family medical history."
Dr Shastri told of a patient, 45, who was had colon cancer despite having no family history of the disease and leading a healthy vegetarian lifestyle.
Another patient, a 37-year-old Filipina, also had cancer diagnosed and had no history of the illness in her family.
"An unhealthy diet contributes to causing several chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis," he said.
Pesticides, particularly those containing chlorine, are harmful because the human body is unable to metabolise them.
"Many patients visit physicians complaining about abdominal pain," Dr Shastri said. "We do all the tests for them. Findings show no specific reasons. "This is why doctors assume that the types of food consumed may have a relation."
Doctors have recorded an increase in cases of inflammatory bowel disease, the chronic inflammation of all or parts of the digestive tract.
"The main cause of this disease is not known but we suspect that it is caused by hormones and pesticides," Dr Shastri said.
He said further studies were being conducted to determine which hormones, pesticides or agents cause the disease.
Pesticides build up to dangerous levels, being magnified throughout the food chain, and have been detected in products ranging from meat, poultry and fish, to vegetable oil, nuts, fruit and vegetables.
Farah Al Ameer said she stopped eating animal meat after she was sick for several months. She had been through several medical procedures to determine the cause of her ailment but kept receiving conflicting diagnoses.
"After I stopped eating certain food I now feel much better," said Ms Al Ameer, 21.
Arwa Othman said she was particularly careful about the food her three children ate.
"I saw one of my sons eating fruits without washing it," Ms Othman said. "I told him this is not good for his health. A few weeks later, he suffered from a severe stomach pain."
She said doctors could not determine the cause of his pain but her son now washed fruit and vegetables before eating them and had not experienced stomach pain since.
Dr Jane Darakjian, a clinical dietician at Top Medical Clinic, recommended that people went further and peeled their fruit and vegetables.
"Pesticides are among the main causes of health problems. Washing fruits and vegetables is not enough to get rid of pesticides. The best way is to peel the skin of some vegetables and fruits while others need to washed deeply."
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
SCORES
Multiply Titans 81-2 in 12.1 overs
(Tony de Zorzi, 34)
bt Auckland Aces 80 all out in 16 overs
(Shawn von Borg 4-15, Alfred Mothoa 2-11, Tshepo Moreki 2-16).
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
UAE rugby season
FIXTURES
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers v Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Division 1
Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II
Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II
Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens
Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II
Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II
LAST SEASON
West Asia Premiership
Winners – Bahrain
Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership
Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners – Dubai Hurricanes
Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference
Winners – Dubai Tigers
Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
England's lowest Test innings
- 45 v Australia in Sydney, January 28, 1887
- 46 v West Indies in Port of Spain, March 25, 1994
- 51 v West Indies in Kingston, February 4, 2009
- 52 v Australia at The Oval, August 14, 1948
- 53 v Australia at Lord's, July 16, 1888
- 58 v New Zealand in Auckland, March 22, 2018
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
