UAE airlifts 80-year-old woman facing medical emergency in Kuwait
With the cooperation and support of the Kuwaiti authorities, the woman was transported via air ambulance to Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City to complete treatment after receiving treatment in Kuwait.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its gratitude and appreciation to the Kuwaiti authorities.
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The National
an hour ago
- The National
Plant-based foods were all the rage in the ancient eastern Gulf, researchers reveal
Diets thousands of years ago were more varied than the archaeological record suggests, with new research finding people consumed numerous plant-based foods. Chemical analysis of pottery from south-east Arabia in the Bronze Age used cutting-edge techniques to cast new light on an ancient peoples previously thought to have had a diet based almost entirely on meat and dairy. Investigations had found animal-based products on such pottery, leading to the previous conclusion about diet, but a new inquiry has changed that perspective after it found evidence of plant-based products. In the study published in PLOS One, researchers analysed the lipid fat, oil and wax content of 179 pottery items from eight inland and coastal sites in the UAE and Oman. Among these were Hili 8 and Hili North Tomb A, part of a complex of Bronze Age sites in Al Ain. What does the study show? The first author of the new study, Dr Akshyeta Suryanarayan of the University of Cambridge, said one the most widely accepted components of Middle East culture 4,000 years ago was the growth of oasis agriculture and more sedentary lifestyles. 'Lipid residue analysis of early locally made pottery consistently shows fats derived from animal-based products, such as the meat of goats, sheep, cattle or wild deer and camels – and dairy products,' she told The National. 'This indicates that animal husbandry and pastoral practices formed a major part of everyday subsistence, even while agriculture was being adopted in the region.' The study indicates that the consumption of animal products was far from the full story, however, as it suggests communities relied on a wide range of plants, too. Plant-derived residues were found in fewer vessels but their presence is significant, according to Dr Suryanarayan. 'Due to their lower lipid content and the inherent difficulty in detecting such compounds using current analytical techniques, the recovery of plant markers – alongside those from cereals and date palm products – suggests a broader spectrum of plant use than previously assumed,' she said. 'This hints at more varied and complex dietary practices than are typically visible in the archaeological record.' Changing perspectives In the paper, the researchers suggested their lipid analysis indicates Bronze Age communities in the region were using types of plants that did not show up in the 'macrobotanical record', meaning they left no visible trace. As a result, the work highlights the use of a wider range of plants than archaeologists would otherwise detect. 'It is plausible that the gathering of fruits, seeds, shoots, leaves and tubers from numerous wild species along with cereal consumption would have been a part of food practices,' the researchers wrote. Previous work has shown that cereals, legumes and date palms were consumed in Middle Eastern settlements in the early Bronze Age. Fats from cereals are rarely preserved and the researchers said they could not be confident of either their presence or absence from the vessels looked at in the current study. The researchers said it was difficult to know if the pottery vessels were used as containers for substances traded with other societies, but their work does suggest the pottery may have been reused over extended periods. Dr Suryanarayan said the study reaffirmed that pottery vessels 'were fundamentally culinary tools and containers' used to store, transport, alter and prolong the life of perishable produce. She added that archaeologists had been analysing lipid residues since the 1990s but this approach became more widely used in the past decade. 'Recent methodological advancements have significantly enhanced the ability to extract and identify highly degraded biomolecules from archaeological ceramics,' she said. 'These innovations now permit the successful analysis of residues even in regions with poor organic preservation due to harsh environmental conditions.' Pottery production is first documented in the UAE and Oman from the early third millennium BCE. The latest study looked at locally made and imported pottery, including fine red Omani vessels and black-slipped jars – tall, pear-shaped vessels with a black coating – from the Indus Civilisation. Titled Identifying pastoral and plant products in local and imported pottery in Early Bronze Age south-eastern Arabia, the paper was published last month and was co-written by researchers in the UAE, Oman, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France and Poland. Thanks to funding from the Zayed National Museum, the research will continue, with the next phase set to look at material on pottery from coastal sites.
Khaleej Times
4 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Abu Dhabi: 2 critically ill men get new lease on life after complex robotic lung surgery
Two male residents of Abu Dhabi in their 60s, once confined to their homes and reliant on oxygen to survive, have been given a new lease on life after undergoing a robotic-assisted double lung transplant — a first-of-its-kind surgery in the Gulf and among only a few performed globally. The complex procedure, hailed as a major medical milestone, is being seen by experts as a potential turning point in the future of transplant surgery. Both patients were battling idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and secondary pulmonary hypertension — progressive and life-limiting lung conditions that had left them housebound for over two years. Now, after the transplants, they have resumed daily life — one even took part in a transplant sporting event, a powerful symbol of recovery. 'These were patients who couldn't even walk to the bathroom. Now they're out with their families and look like healthy people; it's a profound transformation," said Dr Usman Ahmad, Chair of Thoracic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Tiny incisions, massive impact Traditional lung transplants require large incisions through the chest or sternum, often involving bone and muscle cuts that extend recovery and increase post-operation pain. In contrast, the robotic technique used in these surgeries involved just three one-centimetre ports and a small 5cm incision to remove and insert the lungs. The robotic system, in this case a Da Vinci robot, allows surgeons to perform the critical reconnections to the heart and airways with enhanced visual precision and minimal physical trauma. "We didn't break any bones, didn't cut through major muscles. That alone has made recovery significantly easier," said Dr Ahmad, who has spent over a decade perfecting robotic techniques in thoracic surgery. While the operation took around eight hours, slightly longer than a traditional lung transplant, the reduced complications and faster patient recovery made the extended duration well worth it. Precise coordination While the robot plays a central role in these surgeries, Dr Ahmad emphasised that success comes down to precise coordination among a 30-member surgical team. 'During those eight hours, about 30 people are involved — from perfusionists running the heart-lung bypass machine, to anaesthesiologists, nurses and critical care specialists. It's one of the most complex choreographies in medicine,' he explained. Both patients were supported by Veno-Arterial ECMO, a life-sustaining system that temporarily replaces heart and lung function during the surgery — a crucial measure given the severity of their illnesses. According to Dr Ahmad, the robotic transplant programme at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has been years in the making, building on the hospital's experience with robotic kidney transplants and a rapidly growing lung transplant programme that relaunched in 2022. Since then, it has completed over 60 lungtransplants, many for international patients. Globally, robotic lung transplants remains rare, with only three or four medical centres attempting it so far. 'It's not that the region is behind — the world itself is just beginning to move in this direction. But what we've done here puts the UAE on the frontier of transplant innovation.' High risk, high reward The robotic approach is not suitable for every patient. It requires careful case selection and can only be performed at centres with both the technological capacity and surgical expertise to execute it safely. 'It's a high-stakes operation, but the rewards, in terms of patient outcomes, are immense,' said Dr Ahmad. Dr. Ahmad credited the UAE's integrated national transplant network for the swift turnaround, noting that both patients underwent surgery within just two months of being listed — an exceptionally short wait compared to global averages. He said this was made possible through regional collaboration and streamlined logistics, allowing for faster, better-matched organ allocation. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi now plans to expand robotic technology into even more complex areas, including transplant and cancer surgeries. 'We've already performed combined heart-lung, lung-liver, and kidney-heart transplants,' said Dr Ahmad. 'Now, we're aiming to bring minimally invasive methods to the most complex cases.' Reflecting on the transformative impact of the procedures, he added: 'These patients become part of our lives. Seeing them return to movement, to breath, to life — that's why we do what we do.'
Arabian Business
4 hours ago
- Arabian Business
UAE to introduce sugar tax for beverages from 2026
The UAE will introduce a new tiered sugar tax from 2026 as it looks to promote public health and reduce consumption of sugary drinks. The UAE Ministry of Finance and Federal Tax Authority (FTA) announced a major revision to the excise tax framework on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), introducing a new sugar-based tiered tax system that will take effect in early 2026. Unlike the current flat-rate model, the new system will link the tax per litre of beverage directly to its sugar content per 100ml—meaning the higher the sugar concentration, the higher the tax. UAE sugar tax This reform aligns with the UAE's national health strategy to reduce sugar consumption, combat lifestyle-related diseases, and promote healthier dietary habits among consumers. The amendment reflects a shift toward data-driven policy that incentivises manufacturers to reduce sugar levels in their products and empowers consumers to make more informed choices. It also supports regional efforts to harmonise tax policy across the Gulf and reinforces the strategic use of taxation as a tool to drive sustainable development. Developed in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the new model is part of a long-term strategy to improve public health outcomes through fiscal legislation. Businesses—including importers, suppliers, and manufacturers—will have sufficient time to adapt, with comprehensive awareness campaigns and technical guidance set to launch ahead of the 2026 rollout. Further details, including implementing legislation and compliance requirements, will be released in the coming months.
