For a garden designer, being chosen to display at the Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show is the very pinnacle of achievement, the sweetest fruit of success. For that reason alone, Emirati Kamelia bin Zaal deserves to be congratulated for being selected to create a garden for next year's event. The fact that her intended design will reflect themes prominent in UAE and Islamic culture is a bonus.
Ms Zaal, who studied at the Inchbald School of Design in London and runs her own landscape architectural practice, is following in distinguished footsteps. The country’s founding President, Sheikh Zayed, a passionate gardener, was a patron of the Royal Horticultural Society. He won multiple gold medals at Chelsea – in 2003, 2004 and, posthumously, in 2005. His first winning entry, titled “Garden from the Desert” and designed by Christopher Bradley-Hole, continues to serve as an inspiration to gardeners in the UAE and beyond.
It is undeniable that it is a bigger challenge to create a vibrant and sustainable garden in arid conditions, than, say, in lush Kerala in southern India. This is an even bigger issue now that the distribution companies in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain have announced they will begin charging Emiratis for the water they consume, for the first time ever, and introduce higher rates for expatriate residents.
Keen gardeners will have to learn new ways to do what they love, perhaps by letting the cherished idea of the water-guzzling tropical-style oasis wither away. Instead. there might be more of a chance to experiment with native plants that consume less water than imported species. It may be time to employ innovative irrigation techniques, which borrow both from the falaj system used at the Al Ain Oasis for centuries and modern concepts such as the use of recycled “grey” water. Such “water-wise” practices, as Ms Zaal illustrates, allow for the creation of beautiful spaces that reflect the culture, religion and national identity of the UAE.
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What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
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Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Spec%20sheet
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
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JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Directed by: Shaka King
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons
Four stars
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