As noted in religious texts, ancient manuscripts and even stone-age carvings, honey has been regarded as a miracle cure throughout history.
It has been an essential ingredient for many civilisations, including from the Sumerians to the Greek, Roman and Chinese empires – where myths of honey concoctions granting immortality were born. In ancient Egypt, honey was sought for its beautifying properties and used by one of the country’s most famous leaders, Queen Cleopatra.
Thousands of years later, demand for honey – as a curative, natural sweetener, beauty aid and antibacterial agent – continues to rise. There is a production boom in eastern Kazakhstan, for example, and rising demand for honey produced in Qatar, which has an ongoing “honey bee project” launched by the government to support farmers and promote production.
In the UAE, the country’s first Honey Festival, organised by Dubai Municipality, will take place at Hatta Heritage Village from Wednesday to Saturday. Beekeepers will be showcasing different varieties of natural honey products made in UAE and wider region. The festival will include events such as tent shopping, lectures and scientific sessions focusing on the qualities and uses of honey.
In the West, there is a big push for Manuka honey, which claims to be a more powerful healing agent than the regular variety – perhaps even against antibiotic-resistant superbugs. As evidence of its popularity, Kourtney Kardashian was hired last year as global skincare ambassador for the Manuka Doctor honey brand.
All this is happening as global honey bee populations continue to decline, a phenomenon attributed to a variety of factors.
There are hundreds of types of honey, and its production remains one of the world’s biggest industries.
Certain types are marketed with bold claims that they can cure a wide range of ailments, from depression to flu – even cancer.
In a country particularly renowned for its honey, Yemenis insist this is all true – and more. “It can even help your marriage,” says Ayman Alnahmy, a Yemeni honey salesman with a long family history in the trade.
“This special mix for married people helps them become, well, more amorous, and I have had couples come back and tell me they are now expecting a child after many years of trying,” says Alnahmy, the 30-year-old manager at Global Village’s Yemeni Honey World stall.
This married-couples concoction also contains almonds and pistachio, black cumin, ginseng, special herbs and royal jelly, which is secreted by worker bees to feed the queen. It costs Dh400 a kilogram and is one of the more attention-grabbing varieties on display.
Stepping into the Yemeni section of Global Village in Dubai is an overwhelming experience, as sellers accost visitors with samples of honey and their reputed health benefits. There are varieties for athletes, children and diabetics. Even students have a special “genius honey”, which promises to increase memory.
The “bee’s poison” (venom) is also marketed as an ointment for joints and to ease headaches and cramps. There are also honey soaps, creams and hair products.
Other honey-based products claim to help achieve “whitening of the skin”, wrinkle reduction and pigment correction, while there are special mixes that can make women “more plump” or thinner. The colour and flavour of honey varieties differ depending on the plants visited by the honey bees as a source of nectar. But even honey derived from the same flowers in the same location can vary in taste, depending on temperature and rainfall.
Lighter-coloured tends to be milder tasting, while dark honey is stronger.
Some honey types are highly prized and viewed as “sacred”, including those coming from the Al Sidr tree, as it is mentioned in the Quran as one of the plants found in paradise.
Al Samr and Al Sidr honey. Antonie Robertson / The National
Al Sidr honey costs from Dh500 to more than Dh1,500 a kilo, depending on where it was collected and whether it is wild or cultivated. The honey is said to help with overall immunity, colon and stomach-related issues, and even to ease labour pains. Its purest form is also said to be good for diabetics, and even for helping to treat cancer.
“It is up to you to believe or not in the power of honey,” says Alnahmy, who says he is rarely ill and has not had a cold in years thanks to his honey mixes. “But the fact that Prophet Mohammed used it, and my great-great-great grandparents swore by it, and today we still use it and see its healing effects – we cannot easily dismiss its healing effects.”
Because of the conflict in Yemen, it can take a month or more to transport honey from there, when in previous years it took two days. Prices have increased as a result, from about Dh100 per kilo to Dh200 or more.
At this time of year, when cooler weather brings greater susceptibility to colds and flu, Yemeni honey sellers recommend the Al Samr variety: a darker, brown honey that purportedly helps with coughs, sneezing and sinus-related ailments, as well as boosting immunity and improving blood circulation. It costs between Dh200 and Dh400 a kilogram, depending on the quality and mix one needs.
According to a study published in the Scientific World Journal in 2011, honey is also effective in healing and sterilisation, including skin wounds, gastric ulcers and burns.
Some, like Manuka, have unique antibacterial properties. It is produced by honey bees that feed on the Manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium), which grows in New Zealand and south-eastern Australia.
A study in 2013, conducted by a team from UAE University in Al Ain and published in the scientific journal Plos One, found Manuka honey effectively inhibited the growth of cancerous tumours in the breast, skin and colon. It might also reduce the toxic side effects of chemotherapy, the scientists found.
Although Manuka honey has recently had a big push for its healing properties, experts say they do not vary much between all the types on the market. The level of purity is the key – processing it with high-fructose corn syrup, for example, eliminates the health benefits found in the raw variety.
“It is part of marketing to promote some honey types over others,” says food nutritionist Mashael Al Ameri. “Essentially most have the same nutrients and [it] depends on how pure they are. The thicker ones have less water content and hence have higher quality.”
So why does honey offer these reputed healing properties? It contains more than 180 nutrients, including proteins, enzymes, vitamins and minerals such as B12, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, manganese and fluoride. It is also known to be rich in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, including catalase, ascorbic acid, flavonoids and alkaloids.
Emirati food nutritionist Mashael Al Ameri at the Al Sawari honey shop in Abu Dhabi. Vidhyaa for The National
“Honey has an ability to kill or inhibit the growth of a wide range of bacterial and fungal species, due to its low pH [numeric scale] levels,” says Al Ameri. “Its pH is three or four, where bacteria cannot survive in pH level lower than four.”
A study published in 2010 in The African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines addressed the role of honey and its polyphenols in preventing heart disease. It found honey helps slow the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol – the "bad" variety that is responsible for causing arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). It also contains a variety of antioxidants, which help reduce blood pressure – buckwheat honey contains the highest amounts, followed by clove, and acacia honey has the least.
Honey was also shown to reduce coughs and improve sleep by a 2007 study, published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Researchers found that a small dose of buckwheat honey before bedtime provided better relief of coughs and sleep difficulty in children than dextromethorphan, a cough-suppressant found in many over-the-counter medicines. "Raw honey possesses nootropic effects, such as memory-enhancing effects," according to another study, published in 2014 in the Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Journal, exploring neurological effects.
What about the many beauty-related claims? According to the National Honey Board, it is a humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture. This makes honey a natural fit for moisturising products, including cleansers, creams, shampoos and conditioners.
It is also a good source of energy.
“Because honey contains fructose and glucose, it is easily digested and goes directly into the blood and energises the body,” says Al Ameri. While modern medicine may not attribute as many benefits to honey as traditional medicine, 70-year-old Umm Ahmed from Dubai puts her “eternal youth” down to honey.
“I have been eating Yemeni Sidr honey every morning on an empty stomach since I was 20, and look at me – I am healthier than my own children,” says the mother of five, who is shopping for honey at Global Village. After trying samples from a few jars, she picks the thickest, most expensive Sidr honey, the “royal” one, paying more than Dh1,500 for a kilo. “I trust in honey,” she says. “It has never let me down.”
Popular varieties from the UAE
Mohammed Al Nuaimi, who runs the Al Sawari honey shop in Abu Dhabi. Vidhyaa for The National
While Yemeni honey is still the most sought-after in the region, do not overlook UAE varieties.
“There are few cases of independent Emirati honey collectors, and mostly you find them in festivals and souqs,” says Mohammed Al Nuaimi, an Emirati who runs the Al Sawari shop for honey and traditional herbs in Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi.
He sells several varieties, including: Al Qers honeycomb, from Ras Al Khaimah (Dh300 a kilogram); Al Samr, which is collected in RAK and Abu Dhabi (Dh550 a kg); and the famous Sidr honey (Dh200) from the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, including Shahama and along the road to Al Ain.
“Al Samr is more popular and is known among the locals as the one that really helps boost the immune system in general, and so that is why it is more expensive,” says 35-year-old Al Nuaimi, who takes a spoonful of Al Samr honey mixed with warm water every morning on an empty stomach.
“Honey has always been around in the UAE and other parts of Arabia. It was collected by the different tribes, from the mountainous honey, to those from caves to those gathered in the valley and there is even honey from the desert,” he says.
“It is all about the flowers. If there are flowers, bees will find them and make for us different-tasting honey.”
Honey check
Manuka honey, which is quite popular in the West. Rich-Joseph Facun / The National
Entering a honey shop can be intimidating with many varieties that look much the same.
When choosing, check first that the honey is not too runny – an indication that it might have been watered down.
Go for organic and raw, avoiding processed variety.
The best way to find the honey that is best for your tastes is to try a few samples, which is one of the great benefits of open stalls such as the Yemeni Honey World at Global Village.
Honey shops at malls these days also offer samples, though, particularly of Yemeni and Arab varieties. Check out Balqees Honey and Blossom and Bloom stores as a starting point.
Bee population coming down
The effect of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) – a phenomenon when the majority of worker bees disappear from the colony and leave behind a queen with few nurse bees – has been worsened by other factors, including war and the lack of scientific data.
“The issue has become more puzzling in the developing countries, with war-hit zones adding obscurity to the findings due to the enormous emissions of explosives that not only tend to mask the real possible causes of the disorder but create a further deterioration to the already shaky ecosystems,” says author and professor Rami Ollaik. He teaches beekeeping at the American University of Beirut and comes from a family with a long tradition in the practice.
Also a lawyer and political activist, he wrote with his father, Salman, Your Guide to Beekeeping, the first scientific Arabic book on the subject published in Lebanon.
As part of the research he conducts across the region, he was due to launch a project on regulating beekeeping and honey production in UAE. However, that has been put on hold.
Disease, parasites, habitat destruction and CCD have all been reducing the bee population in recent years, and these are issues particularly difficult to track and measure in the Middle East.
“The main problem in developing nations, including those of the region and especially those in conflict, is the lack of reliable data, if present at all,” he says.
CCD is seen as a sign of environmental deterioration, with suggested underlying causes including climate change, increased pest infestation and a rise in the use of pesticides in farming. The honey bee is viewed as “nature’s messenger” of the bad news, says Ollaik.
That is why it is crucial to conduct proper scientific studies on bees regionally, he adds, to better understand what has gone wrong with the ecosystem and develop better farming practices.
“The lack of reliable data in the Arab region makes the problems associated with CCD in the region even more severe and harder to track,” he says.
rghazal@thenational.ae
The%20new%20Turing%20Test
%3Cp%3EThe%20Coffee%20Test%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3EA%20machine%20is%20required%20to%20enter%20an%20average%20American%20home%20and%20figure%20out%20how%20to%20make%20coffee%3A%20find%20the%20coffee%20machine%2C%20find%20the%20coffee%2C%20add%20water%2C%20find%20a%20mug%20and%20brew%20the%20coffee%20by%20pushing%20the%20proper%20buttons.%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EProposed%20by%20Steve%20Wozniak%2C%20Apple%20co-founder%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M3%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%2FUSB-4%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206E%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%2F35W%20dual-port%2F70w%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%2C%202%20Apple%20stickers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C599%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Score
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
New Zealand lead three-match ODI series 1-0
Next match: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, Friday
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
The%20Afghan%20connection
%3Cp%3EThe%20influx%20of%20talented%20young%20Afghan%20players%20to%20UAE%20cricket%20could%20have%20a%20big%20impact%20on%20the%20fortunes%20of%20both%20countries.%20Here%20are%20three%20Emirates-based%20players%20to%20watch%20out%20for.%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHassan%20Khan%20Eisakhil%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMohammed%20Nabi%20is%20still%20proving%20his%20worth%20at%20the%20top%20level%20but%20there%20is%20another%20reason%20he%20is%20raging%20against%20the%20idea%20of%20retirement.%20If%20the%20allrounder%20hangs%20on%20a%20little%20bit%20longer%2C%20he%20might%20be%20able%20to%20play%20in%20the%20same%20team%20as%20his%20son%2C%20Hassan%20Khan.%20The%20family%20live%20in%20Ajman%20and%20train%20in%20Sharjah.%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMasood%20Gurbaz%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20opening%20batter%2C%20who%20trains%20at%20Sharjah%20Cricket%20Academy%2C%20is%20another%20player%20who%20is%20a%20part%20of%20a%20famous%20family.%20His%20brother%2C%20Rahmanullah%2C%20was%20an%20IPL%20winner%20with%20Kolkata%20Knight%20Riders%2C%20and%20opens%20the%20batting%20with%20distinction%20for%20Afghanistan.%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOmid%20Rahman%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20fast%20bowler%20became%20a%20pioneer%20earlier%20this%20year%20when%20he%20became%20the%20first%20Afghan%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE.%20He%20showed%20great%20promise%20in%20doing%20so%2C%20too%2C%20playing%20a%20key%20role%20in%20the%20senior%20team%E2%80%99s%20qualification%20for%20the%20Asia%20Cup%20in%20Muscat%20recently.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Scotland v Ireland:
Scotland (15-1): Stuart Hogg; Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones, Sam Johnson, Sean Maitland; Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (capt); Josh Strauss, James Ritchie, Ryan Wilson; Jonny Gray, Grant Gilchrist; Simon Berghan, Stuart McInally, Allan Dell
Replacements: Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti, D'arcy Rae, Ben Toolis, Rob Harley, Ali Price, Pete Horne, Blair Kinghorn
Coach: Gregor Townsend (SCO)
Ireland (15-1): Rob Kearney; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack Conan, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Quinn Roux; Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Cian Healy
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Ultan Dillane, Josh van der Flier, John Cooney, Joey Carbery, Jordan Larmour
Coach: Joe Schmidt (NZL)
SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 20: 11am to 7pm - Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival and Para jiu-jitsu.
Sunday, April 21: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (female) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Monday, April 22: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (male) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Tuesday, April 23: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Wednesday, April 24: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Thursday, April 25: 11am-5pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Friday, April 26: 3pm to 6pm Finals of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Saturday, April 27: 4pm and 8pm awards ceremony.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Result:
1. Cecilie Hatteland (NOR) atop Alex - 31.46 seconds
2. Anna Gorbacheva (RUS) atop Curt 13 - 31.82 seconds
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) atop Cash Up - 32.81 seconds
4. Sheikha Latifa bint Ahmed Al Maktoum (UAE) atop Peanuts de Beaufour - 35.85 seconds
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) atop Benur du Romet - 37.53 seconds
6. Annika Sande (NOR) atop For Cash 2 - 31.42 seconds (4 penalties)
Dubai World Cup draw
1. Gunnevera
2. Capezzano
3. North America
4. Audible
5. Seeking The Soul
6. Pavel
7. Gronkowski
8. Axelrod
9. New Trails
10. Yoshida
11. K T Brave
12. Thunder Snow
13. Dolkong
MATCH INFO
Bangla Tigers 108-5 (10 ovs)
Ingram 37, Rossouw 26, Pretorius 2-10
Deccan Gladiators 109-4 (9.5 ovs)
Watson 41, Devcich 27, Wiese 2-15
Gladiators win by six wickets
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Twin-turbocharged%204-litre%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E542bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E770Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEight-speed%20automatic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C450%2C000%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates