What defines someone's identity? Cultural, geographic, historical, linguistic, religious and political factors all contribute to self-definition - but working out what it means to be an Arab on a genetic level is the goal of a far-reaching project that has the potential to influence the health of millions of people.
One hundred people who describe themselves as Arabs - half of them originating on the Arabian peninsula and the rest from the wider Arabic nations including Egypt, Syria and the Maghreb - will have their entire genetic makeup sequenced by the Arab Genome Project.
Last month, an anonymous tribal figure from Saudi Arabia became the first Arab to have his genome sequenced by a consortium of researchers with Saudi Biosciences, the Danish firm CLC Bio and the Beijing Genomics Institute. They want the other 99 to be sequenced by the end of 2010 and the results to be publicly available.
David MacArthur, an Australian researcher who runs the science blog Genetic Future, said the Arab genome project stands out from what the increasingly commonplace announcements in genome research focus on.
"Middle Eastern populations represent an extremely attractive target for human geneticists: there is both a high level of genetic diversity due to the location of the Middle East at the nexus of Africa, Europe and Asia and a disproportionately high level of genetic disease, at least partly due to the prevalence of first cousin marriages," he wrote last month.
"The levels of genetic disease will provide plenty of fodder for rare disease gene hunters, and the genetic diversity may help to narrow down causative variants for some common diseases."
A secondary factor he identified is that as the Gulf countries look to a post-oil economic future, the burgeoning field of genetics provides the opportunity to turn the region into a centre of excellence in that field in the same way that Singapore has become a world hub for biomedicine - and with some distinctly local benefits.
Dubai has already become the home of the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies, established five years ago by the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum award for medical sciences. Within three years, the leading science journal Nature cited the centre for its potential to "bring practical health benefits to the states of the eastern Mediterranean".
"It is the diverse people across this geographical area who present one of the greatest opportunities for the application of medical genetics," the journal said in an editorial.
"The 23 member states of the Arab League are bound by the aim of cooperation for the health of their peoples, who comprise over 323 million from Mauritania to Oman. There now exists the declared intent, the human capital and the financial potential for considerably greater investment in research and development across the entire region. In addition, some 30 million people worldwide can trace their ancestry to this region."
The health benefit flows directly from the unique genetic and social aspects of the population that attract the interest of geneticists. As The National reported on Oct 10, Nature cited research that second cousin marriages happened in between 20 and 70 per cent of nuptials. The human face of this consanguinity - the sharing of common ancestors - comes in the form of an overrepresentation of noncommunicable illness, such as diabetes. The UAE has three times as many diabetics as the world average.
One of the benefits of analysing the genomes found among the Arabian population is it could also help resolve the conflict over whether the origin of those diseases is primarily genetic or social, as traditionally nomadic people suddenly change within living memory from a roaming lifestyle with a diet of complex carbohydrates to being far more sedentary and eating fattier processed food that comes with adopting the ways of the developed world.
Nature takes the view that social factors are likely to be greater determinants than the genetic ones.
"It is unlikely that consanguinity contributes significantly to polygenic or multifactorial diseases once socioeconomic variables have been controlled for," it said.
"However, in light of the high, and increasing, prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes with economic development in the region, it is important to consider the genetic component of common and complex diseases.
"The existence of diverse highly localised populations suggests that genetic characterisation of a range of populations within the region would be particularly rewarding in this respect. Indeed, in much of the rest of the world it is very hard to make sense of population structure because of migration, admixture or lack of historical records.
"The Arab world, possessing its own funding sources, geneticists and particular populations, is well placed to be a leader in demonstrating the type of cooperation between resource-rich and less well resourced countries that will characterize the next phase of human genomics."
When Saeed al-Turki, the coordinator of the Arab Human Genome Project, announced the completion of the first sequencing last month, he highlighted the possible health spinoffs from the 500 million Saudi riyal (Dh489m) project.
"The advantage of the project is that it studies the differences between peoples, and that will explain the spread of specific illnesses such as diabetes, heart diseases etc," he said.
"Twenty-five percent of the Saudi population has, or is liable to have, diabetes and that will form a big burden on health services."
With a better understanding of the causes of the illnesses comes the prospect of a targeted medical response.
The head of the board of directors at Saudi Biosciences, Prince Ahmad bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, said at the time of the sequencing of the first Arab's genome that it was "the first milestone in our goal to pioneer the personalised medicine era in the Arab world".
"The Arab world was never an active participant in the large international projects in the field of genomics, and we believe that should change," he said.
One of the goals of modern medicine is to use individual genetic composition to tailor cures to a specific patient. For personalised medicine to work, human genetic variation has to be mapped accurately and that has only recently been available in a fast and affordable manner by the latest technological advances in the field.
Because most of the genome work to date has been on European, Asian and African populations, there was the prospect that Arabs might miss out on the breakthrough thought to be looming in specialised medicine.
Besides the possible health benefits, the study could also help provide clues to ancient migration such as the Semitic migration from Africa to the Arabian peninsula. Genome sequencing has already caused some previously settled scientific theories to be rewritten, with the famously well-travelled Polynesians now being traced back to the aboriginal hill tribes now found in Taiwan.
The Arab Human Genome Project is part of a much larger undertaking dubbed the 1,000 Genomes Project. This vast programme, launched in January of this year, involves teams of researchers across the globe taking advantag of the advent of cheaper and faster sequencing technology to create the most detailed catalogue of human genetic variation ever compiled. One-tenth of the catalogue's content is expected to come from the Arab researchers participating in its local manifestation.
* jhenzell@thenational.ae
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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
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
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
The 12
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
RESULT
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai 0 Al Ain 6
Al Ain: Caio (5', 73'), El Shahat (10'), Berg (65'), Khalil (83'), Al Ahbabi (90' 2)
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
The Two Popes
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce
Four out of five stars
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
RESULT
Liverpool 4 Southampton 0
Jota (2', 32')
Thiago (37')
Van Dijk (52')
Man of the match: Diogo Jota (Liverpool)
RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
Company%20profile
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
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