Sheikh Mohamed meets Turkey's defence minister

Sheikh Mohamed, the UAE President, met Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar on Monday in Abu Dhabi.

The pair discussed the prospects of further co-operation between the two nations.

Mr Akar conveyed the greetings of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's President.

He offered his condolences after the death of Sheikh Khalifa this month and congratulated Sheikh Mohamed on his election as President.

Sheikh Mohamed reciprocated his greetings to Mr Erdogan, Wam news agency reported.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, adviser for special affairs at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs; Mohammed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs; Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan, Minister of State; and Lt Gen Hamad Al Rumaithi, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.

Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?

Some facts about bees:

The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer

The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days

A queen bee lives for 3-5 years

This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony

About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive

Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.

Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen

Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids

Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments

Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts

Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain

Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities

The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes

Is beekeeping dangerous?

As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.

“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
Travel distance: Limited
Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
Duration: Can linger for days
Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
Source: Can be carried from distant regions

Sheikh Mohamed meets Turkey's defence minister

Hulusi Akar offered his condolences over the death of Sheikh Khalifa and congratulated the new President

Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?

Dust and sand storms compared