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EPAA announces discovery of three new recorded plant species in UAE

In a groundbreaking scientific achievement that reinforces the UAE’s and Sharjah’s leadership in environmental research and plant discovery programmes, the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) in Sharjah has announced the successful discovery of three plant species recorded for the first time in the UAE by a team of field researchers from the Sharjah Seed Bank and Herbarium.

The newly recorded species include Dactyloctenium australe (Durban Crowfoot Grass), a notable addition to the UAE’s wild flora, along with two new varieties of Neurada procumbens, namely Neurada procumbens var. stellata and Neurada procumbens var. al-eisawii.

Commenting on this significant achievement, Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the EPAA, emphasised that the discovery of three new recorded plant species for the first time in the UAE is a testament to the EPAA’s unwavering commitment to scientific research and biodiversity conservation.

She stated: “This milestone reflects our dedication to field research through the efforts of our specialized team at the Sharjah Seed Bank and Herbarium, which stands as one of the most successful scientific research initiatives launched by the Government of Sharjah. The initiative is dedicated to preserving and protecting the Sharjah’s plant biodiversity, ensuring its sustainability for future generations.”

She further highlighted that this discovery is the result of meticulous scientific exploration using advanced and innovative research techniques. The field team conducts regular expeditions to explore, collect, analyse, and document wild plant species and seed samples, reinforcing national efforts to protect biodiversity and address environmental challenges.

Al Suwaidi also pointed out that these newly recorded plant species, distinguished by their unique characteristics, open new avenues for future scientific studies on their ecological role within desert environments. She emphasized that the discovery further strengthens Sharjah’s position as a leading center for environmental sustainability and ambitious scientific initiatives.

Expressing her appreciation for the dedication of the Sharjah Seed Bank and Herbarium team, she stated: “Their ongoing efforts to explore the local environment not only expand our scientific knowledge of native plant species but also enhance research collaboration at both local and international levels. Through their work, we continue to document rare and previously unrecorded wild plants, contributing to global botanical research.”

She reaffirmed EPAA’s commitment to sustainable strategies for conserving natural resources, with a strong focus on raising environmental awareness and fostering international collaboration to ensure a prosperous and ecologically balanced future. Additionally, EPAA remains dedicated to training and equipping national talents in field-based scientific research and practical applications.

It is worth noting that the Sharjah Seed Bank and Herbarium, launched in 2018 in Al Dhaid, is a pioneering initiative aimed at preserving rare wild and desert plant species in the UAE. The Seed Bank plays a crucial role in developing a comprehensive database on plant biodiversity, contributing to the discovery and documentation of new plant species in the UAE for the first time.

Furthermore, the initiative actively publishes scientific research in international journals, playing a vital role in updating the Arabian Peninsula’s plant registry and the Red List of endangered plant species. Through its work, the Sharjah Seed Bank and Herbarium continues to strengthen national efforts in preserving the UAE’s natural resources and fostering sustainable environmental conservation.

WAM

world

KSrelief Provides Winter Clothing Aid to Vulnerable Yemenis

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has concluded its winter clothing distribution project in Yemen’s Hadhramaut Governorate, providing 6,255 vouchers to vulnerable groups to purchase essential winter attire and cope with harsh seasonal temperatures.
This project is part of a broader humanitarian campaign by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to provide relief and improve living conditions for those in need across nations during the winter season.
— SPA

world

Tanzanian Conjoined Twins Arrive in Riyadh for Treatment

Following the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Tanzanian conjoined twins Lightness and Loveliness arrived today at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Accompanied by their parents, the twins were transferred to King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital for medical evaluation and to determine the possibility of separation surgery.
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) Supervisor General and head of the medical team Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to humanitarian values.
He expressed gratitude to the Saudi leadership for their ongoing support of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program and global humanitarian efforts, highlighting the program’s excellence and the Kingdom’s prominent international standing in the medical sector.
The twins’ parents expressed heartfelt appreciation for the warm reception and generous hospitality extended by the government and people of Saudi Arabia, as well as for the prompt response to their children’s needs.
— SPA

world

World is short of nearly a million midwives

A global shortage of nearly a million midwives is leaving pregnant women without the basic care needed to prevent harm, including the deaths of mothers and babies, according to new research.

Almost half the shortage was in Africa, where nine in 10 women lived in a country without enough midwives, the researchers said.

Anna af Ugglas, chief executive of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and one of the study’s authors, said: “Nearly 1 million missing midwives means health systems are stretched beyond capacity, midwives are overworked and underpaid, and care becomes rushed and fragmented.

“Intervention rates rise, and women are more likely to experience poor-quality care or mistreatment,” she said. “This is not only a workforce issue, it is a quality and safety issue for women and babies.”

For all women to receive safe, good-quality care before, during and after pregnancy, an additional 980,000 midwives would be needed across 181 countries, the study found.

According to previous research, universal access to midwife-delivered care could prevent two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths, saving 4.3 million lives annually by 2035.

The ICM said the issue was not only a lack of training places for midwives, but also a failure in many countries to employ trained midwives where they were needed and to retain those who were working in health services.

Prof Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, ICM’s chief midwife and another of the report’s authors, said: “In many settings, midwives are educated but not absorbed into the workforce or not enabled to practise fully, compounding this already serious and universal shortage of midwives, and still leaving women without access to the care that midwives are trained to provide.”

More than 90% of the global midwife shortage was in low- and middle-income countries.

Africa has only 40% of the midwives it needs, the eastern Mediterranean only 31%, and the Americas just 15%, researchers found. Shortfalls were much smaller, although still present, in other regions including south-east Asia and Europe.

The study, published in the journal Women and Birth, estimated the number of midwives who would be needed to carry out a list of basic midwifery tasks for all eligible women and babies in 181 countries. The tasks included counselling on contraception, antenatal care and screening, and care during childbirth.

It then compared that total with current workforce numbers. The researchers noted some uncertainty because of the lack of adequate data.

Although midwife numbers were increasing, the gap between what was needed and the available workforce looked likely to “persist well into the next decade”, the researchers said – beyond the 2030 deadline set by global sustainable development goals to reduce maternal mortality and end preventable deaths of newborns and under-fives.

The ICM called on governments to take urgent action to strengthen midwifery workforces in their countries, calling for signatures on a global petition urging investment in the profession.

“When midwifery is a respected and well-supported profession, more women are motivated to train and stay in the workforce,” said af Ugglas. “That is how countries improve health outcomes and build stronger, more sustainable health systems.”

The Guardian