ABU DHABI // The UAE is to regulate the import of cattle, sheep and goats from countries with recorded cases of Schmallenberg virus, an emerging livestock disease.
Outbreaks of the disease in countries across Europe and a subsequent bulletin by the World Organisation for Animal Health prompted the decision by the Minister of Environment and Water, Dr Rashid bin Fahad.
Importers will have to provide health certificates for animals proving they are from farms and areas free of the virus. Animals must also be inspected by a government-approved veterinarian, and should be free of symptoms at least 28 days prior to shipment.
The virus is carried by mosquitoes and affects cattle, sheep and goats but is not dangerous to humans.
Schmallenberg virus, which causes fever and reduced milk yield in affected animals, was first discovered in November 2011 in Germany.
A month later, cases were confirmed among cows in the Netherlands.
The virus peaked in Europe between February and March last year. As of April 2012, 3,444 herds were reported with the virus.
Studies conducted by the Robert Koch Institute in Germany and the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands concluded that people who had been in contact with infected animals did not experience symptoms of the disease. Viruses closely related to the Schmallenberg virus are also not known to cause disease in humans.
The virus causes congenital malformations in newborn animals. There is no treatment or vaccine available.
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A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
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Athletic Bilbao 1
Williams (14')
Company profile
Name: WonderTree
Started: April 2016
Co-founders: Muhammad Waqas and Muhammad Usman
Based: Karachi, Pakistan, Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Delaware, US
Sector: Special education, education technology, assistive technology, augmented reality
Number of staff: 16
Investment stage: Growth
Investors: Grants from the Lego Foundation, UAE's Anjal Z, Unicef, Pakistan's Ignite National Technology Fund