UAE Expat Diaries

The world's oceans are vital to our planet's health, yet they face myriad challenges, from coral reef degradation to offshore oil rig safety. In a RECENT collaboration, scientists from the UAE's Khalifa University and Stanford University in the US are pioneering the use of robots to address these critical issues. These robot divers are poised to revolutionize the way we explore and protect our oceans. The vision is clear: deploy robots to monitor the health of coral reefs and conduct safety checks on offshore oil rigs, all while keeping human divers out of harm's way. The teams are putting these robotic marvels through their paces in a specially designed robotics pool at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi . This pool replicates the ocean's waves, currents, and harsh deep-sea conditions, allowing researchers to fine-tune the robots for real-world challenges. Professor Oussama Khatib, director of the Stanford Robotics Lab , is at the forefront of this innovation. Hi...

  Any medical breakthrough is a milestone in the medical field in any country is a milestone for everyone. It gives us reassurance that if the worst happens, there will always be a solution... not the most affordable, but still a solution (thankfully, most procedures in the UAE are covered by insurance!).  Recently, a medical procedure called CAR-T Cell Therapy was done in the UAE. As of writing, it is the first therapy of its kind to take place in the country. The first patient in the world to undergo the therapy is Emily Whitehead, who was diagnosed with  acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at the age of five. She started receiving CAR-T Cell Therapy two years later in April 2012 under clinical trial.  Ten years later, Emily is cancer-free and thriving!  In the UAE, the first CAR-T Cell Patient is an 11-year-old boy named Murad, who was diagnosed with Leukemia 5 years ago.  Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre (ADSCC) helped Murad to undergo the treatment.  I ...

  Many of you might be wondering: Who is Sheikh Abdullah and why is his presence in New York important/relevant? Why is he in New York in the first place?  All of your questions are understandable. Not many UAE residents are familiar with the many ministers of the UAE and that's okay. (I don't mean that you shouldn't familiarize yourself with them ever! Try your best to be familiar of who they are and which ministries they represent.) Actually, Sheikh Abdullah is the UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs, literally directing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is more commonly known as MOFA.  What does the MOFA do? Well, by the name itself, it ministers foreign affairs. They use their smart diplomacy to help out with the UAE's goals like boosting their politics, economy, and strategic interests. Plus, they're all about keeping the world safe, stable, and green. Their foreign policy is like a balancing act, making sure things are moving forward, whether it's at...

The signing of the Abraham Accords, which took place in the Middle East three years ago, was a historic occasion that resonated beyond ideologies and national boundaries in an area that is typically marked by lingering hostilities from the past. This historic agreement is a testimony to the eternal ideas of tolerance, discussion, and peace and establishes a previously unheard-of partnership between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Within the UAE, the Accords have catalyzed a remarkable era of diplomacy and collaboration. The ethos of tolerance and acceptance has thrived, as Emiratis have warmly embraced their Israeli counterparts. It is a profound testament to the potential of dialogue and mutual comprehension in crafting sustainable peace. At the heart of this burgeoning partnership lies the Economic Partnership Agreement, igniting a surge of innovation and commerce between these two nations. Joint ventures, investments, and collaborative ventures have burgeoned, resulting i...

  It's been three years since the signing of the Abraham Accords, introducing us to a new era of diplomatic relations between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain, followed by Morocco and Sudan. Today, ambassadors, mayors, ministers, and business leaders from these nations reflect on the incredible strides made over the past 12 months, describing it as the "most significant yet" in our ties. But, Dina... what is this? I am Palestinian,  should I even pay attention to this?  The real answer is...... I don't know! I'll help you define all of this news and let you decide for yourself if you should pay attention to this. Because, really, it is subjective. So, I'll leave it up to you. Let me start by explaining what the Abraham Accords are:  The Abraham Accords are bilateral agreements signed between Israel , the UAE, and Bahrain on September 15, 2020.  It was mediated by the US, and the initial agreement focused on Israel and the UAE. A follow-up agreement was announc...

  Boosting young Emiratis' political awareness is important. It exercises their minds as to what it takes to be a good leader of a good country. They will easily distinguish what is wrong and what is right and will be able to see and analyze political decisions from a knowledgeable perspective, more than just a concerned citizen.  This should be the case in many countries. A lot of young people tend to grow politically unaware because of a lack of platforms like this. Such ignorance can enable more corruption to take place in their countries because no one would care to even speak out! We keep forgetting that the young people are the future of our generation--the hope of our nations, but we don't do much to exercise their rights to learn and their responsibilities as citizens.  This forum held by the  UAE University in Al Ain should be something to take example from. The " Building Political Awareness for University Students” forum, organized by the Ministry of State...

It was 1982. A newlywed Bangladeshi Reza Khan receives a postcard saying ‘Petrodollars calling you’. The postcard was from Dr. Salim Ali, under whom he had done his doctorate thesis in ornithology. Two years prior, Dr. Ali happened to visit Dhaka, Bangladesh, from where Dr. Khan is. There, they had a chance conversation where Dr Khan expressed his fears about teaching not being very remunerative. At the time, Dr Ali had apparently asked him jokingly if he were looking for petrodollars. (oil export revenues denominated in U.S. dollars.) Dr. Ali was requested to suggest three ornithologists as potential hires at Al Ain Zoo after being invited to the UAE for an official tour. One of them was Dr. Reza Khan. Fortunately, he was selected and given the position of Curator of Birds at the Al Ain Zoo. Only one day after he and his wife Nurun got married, he accepted his first job in the United Arab Emirates. Even though she was a biologist, Nurun discovered a new career in the UAE after joining...