A German man of Arab origin, Mohamad El-Issa, has created a remote-controlled Ramadan rock crawler toy car, the first of its kind, to help children constructively engage throughout the month of Ramadan.
The toy is developed to be built piece-by-piece over the 30 days of Ramadan, with the finished product being a 4X4 buggy that the children will be proud of having built on their own. El-Issa said he created the product to fill a “yawning gap” in the market for Ramadan-themed toys.
This is the first time a European company has created a Ramadan-themed toy, especially for children in the Arab world. The toy vehicle is designed to simulate creativity, enhance cognitive abilities, and develop STEM skills while weaning children away from television and video games.
The toy is available in stores like ToysRUs and Hamleys in the UAE and retails at Dh299.
UAE doctors recommend that children in the UAE should begin regular physical activity and exercise starting at age of three to promote growth and development. However, doctors noted that many children are not meeting the minimum daily exercise guidelines.
According to the Gulf Health Council children that are 3-4 years old should have daily physical activity for three hours while those in the age group of 5-14 years should get at least one hour of moderate to high-intensity activity, such as riding a bike, playing football, or running, as well as jogging and swimming.
A survey conducted in 2019 found that nearly 84 per cent of the children in the UAE don’t reach the minimum goal required per day for exercise or physical activity.
However, the UAE has physical education programmes throughout school life that encourages children to join sports teams. It is mandatory for children to attend physical education classes at least once a week and this promotes a healthier lifestyle in most adolescents. If the same was continued outside schools, and physical activity or exercise regimes at home are encouraged, it would have many positive outcomes including better grades at school and a healthier state of mind and body.
Dr Osama Elsayed Rezk Elassy, clinical assistant professor, consultant and head of the division, Centre for Paediatrics and Neonatology, Thumbay University Hospital, recommends kids start engaging in routine physical activity starting from three years of age as it helps in their growth and development – both mentally and physically.
Health risks
Dr Hesham Farouk Gomaa, specialist paediatrics, Aster Clinic, Arabian Ranches and Al Barsha, said regular participation in physical activity helps reduce the health risk of childhood obesity and the associated chronic diseases.
“Increased participation in physical activity influences cognitive functions in children, including executive functioning e.g., working memory and cognitive flexibility and brain health,” he said.
Dr Hesham added that most children in the UAE don’t even get the bare minimum of physical activity.
“One reason for the low activity level is the UAE’s hot climate. People go outside less so there are more indoor activities and more screen time, which is the opposite of what we want.”
Dr Osama of Thumbay University Hospital added that kids in UAE usually don’t exercise except for the ones who have easy access to a pool in their home or outdoors.
“Children that lack physical activity in their daily routines are usually susceptible to long-term impacts such as obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular problems as they grow older.
“One of the many benefits of regular exercise and physical activity is that there is an outlet for stress, especially in adolescents. Lack, thereof, may lead to stress, mood swings, insomnia due to the pent-up stress, reduced performance in school and overall reduced quality of physical, mental and emotional health,” he added.
Activities for children as per their age:
(Courtesy: Dr Hesham Farouk Gomaa, Specialist Paediatrics, Aster Clinic)
Ages 3 to 5: Preschoolers can play team sports, like soccer, basketball, swimming, or T-ball, as long as their expectations are realistic. Any sport at this age should be about play, not competition.
Ages 6 to 8: Children have developed enough by age 6 that they can hit a pitched baseball and pass a soccer ball or basketball. They can also do gymnastics routines and pedal and steer a two-wheeled bike.
Ages 9 to 11: Children are usually able to hit and accurately throw a baseball and make solid contact with a golf or tennis ball. If children are interested in participating in events such as short triathlons or distance running races, these are safe as long as they have trained for the event and maintain healthy hydration.
Ages 12 to 14: Kids may lose interest in the structured environment of organised sports as they reach adolescence. They may wish to focus instead on strength- or muscle-building exercises. But unless the child has entered puberty, discourage lifting heavy weights. Encourage healthier options, such as stretchy tubes and bands, as well as body-weight exercises like squats and pushups.
Age 15 and older: Once the teen has gone through puberty and is ready to lift weights, urge them to take a weight-training class or a few sessions with an expert. If a high schooler expresses interest in endurance events like triathlons or marathons, there’s no reason to say no, although many races have minimum age requirements.
The Emirates Literature Foundation has compiled a list of books that are enjoyable for both children and adults. These books feature heartwarming messages, beautiful illustrations, and fun activities that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Additionally, the authors of these books will be appearing at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature from February 1-6, giving young fans the opportunity to meet them in person and get their books signed.
Escape Room by Christopher Edge
Escape Room is a thrilling book written by award-winning author Christopher Edge. The story follows Ami, who initially believes she is playing a game with puzzles to solve before time runs out, but soon discovers that she has been chosen to save the world. The book immerses readers in a variety of settings, including an ancient Mayan tomb, a dark library, a deserted shopping mall, and a spaceship heading to Mars. The challenges and dangers of The Escape are constant, with many twists, turns, and cliffhangers. The book is an exciting, fast-paced adventure that will keep readers on the edge of their seats as they follow Ami and her friends on their quest to find the answer before it’s too late.
Crystal of Storms by Rhianna Pratchett, with art by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone
Crystal of Storms, written by Rhianna Pratchett, is a perfect choice for families looking for a fun and exciting activity this winter. The book is a combination of a superhero story and interactive games, making it an engaging and entertaining read. The book takes readers on a journey through the Ocean of Tempests, where they must conquer storms and defeat demonic monsters to achieve their mission. The action-packed illustrations by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone transport readers into a magical and mystical world.
Pratchett, who is a video game writer, has worked on popular franchises such as Tomb Raider, Overlord, and Mirror’s Edge. Her experience in the video game industry brings a unique and exciting aspect to the book. This book is perfect for adventure-loving kids and it will keep them engaged and enthralled with its discoveries.
Award-winning author and illustrator Rob Biddulph is back again with a new book for nature lovers! The Blue-footed Booby is a shenanigans-filled picture book featuring boobies, a Pacific ocean seabird known for their colourful feet, that love to bake. The tale kicks off when a red-footed booby named Desmond bakes a frangipane that mysteriously goes missing. He goes in search of it with the other boobies and finds a suspect: a blue-footed booby!
This is a heartwarming tale that warns kids against jumping to conclusions. The vibrant illustrations and rhythmic stanzas make for an amazing read-aloud for kids at home.
A car ride through space becomes a journey back in time. This book starts with a road trip with a dad and his two children. Like most siblings, the two start to argue and fight as soon as the journey begins. As a solution, their dad suggests they take a little detour into space. Yes, you read that correctly: Space!
Throughout the book, author Oliver Jeffers links the time taken to travel to each planet with what was happening back on earth exactly that many years ago, an exploration of true historical events and the human conflicts that have taken place since the beginning of time. It’s a unique look at life on Earth with a cosmic perspective, and an enduring message that what binds us together matters more than what differentiates us.
Space Blasters by Katie and Kevin Tsang, with art by Amy Nguyen
If you can experience a TV show in real life, which one would you choose?
In Space Blasters, gadget-obsessed Suzie Wen loves inventing things and doing experiments, but they don’t always go as she plans. She tries to create a super 3DTV Gizmo but ends up as a character in her favourite TV show: Space Blasters!
On board, the spaceship with Captain Jane, Spaceman Jack and the alien with an attitude, Five-Eyed Frank, Suzie explores new planets and saves the moon from disappearing. Space Blasters teaches courage and friendship, and is packed with witty humour and inspiring messages for your adventurous ones at home.
The Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE) has announced the launch of a support and empowerment programme for public school students who did not perform well or obtain a passing grade in their end of first term exams. This is in accordance with the terms and criteria prepared by the establishment’s teams.
Eng. Mohammed Al Qassim, director general of the ESE, said the support and empowerment programme for students aims to give students a second chance to pass the first semester.
He explained that the programme will be applied to pupils from grade 3 to grade 12.
Students in the first and second cycles who obtained a total grade of less than 50 per cent in their exams will join the programme. Also, students in the third cycle who obtained a total grade of less than 60 per cent can benefit from the programme, which is scheduled to be rolled out on January 23 until February 3.
Al Qasim stressed that the results of the students’ evaluation during the first semester are an indicator to identify the students’ level in order to provide them with the necessary support, improve their educational and knowledge level, and develop the necessary plans to improve their academic performance.
He highlighted the primary role of parents in following up their children’s performance in schools to achieve the desired grades in the various stages of their educational career by communicating with school administrators and teachers to learn about the academic and cognitive progress of their children. “This is because of its great role in developing and improving students’ academic level and its impact on supporting the national educational system and achieving its objectives,” said Al Qasim.
The ESE has also emphasised the need for students to adhere to their school hours and to attend all classes so as to benefit from all the educational programs offered to them during the academic year, in terms of science, knowledge and various activities, because of their positive impact on their educational path.
The ESE had on Monday, January 9 announced the results of the exams for secondary school students for public and private schools following the ministerial curriculum, including grades from 9 to 12.
The results of grades 5 to 8 students were announced on Tuesday, January 10 while the results of grades 1 to 4 were announced on Wednesday January 11.
The ESE declared that it provided a number of official channels to enable the student to obtain the results of the end of the first term exams.
Authorities said that the mark (-) which may appear on the certificate means that the student did not obtain a passing grade, and they are required to join the summer classes and will also have a repeat exam in the subject.
As for the grade (F), it means that the student did not obtain the minimum final grade, and the student is not required to join the summer semesters or take the re-examination for this subject.
The mark (**) means that there are unaccredited marks and the student must file the case to technical support via e-mail, while the mark (E) means that the student is not required to join the summer classes or re-examination.
Ayesha Abdulla Alkhoori, the Emirati scientist who recently won the L’Oréal-Unesco For Women in Science award for her research on converting carbon dioxide into methane, says she is happy to do work that impacts people’s lives.
The PhD student is also hopeful that her design is not too far from being commercially available. “The results we have achieved are outstanding considering the cost of production and energy utilisation,” she said.
Alkhoori has designed a catalytic material used to convert carbon dioxide — a greenhouse gas — to methane, which is the cleanest burning fossil fuel. Methane provides a comparative environmental benefit, producing more heat and light energy by mass than other hydrocarbon, or fossil fuel, including coal and petroleum oils, while producing significantly less carbon dioxide and other pollutants that contribute to smog and unhealthy air.
Alkhoori is currently in the process of patenting her discovery. With a high cost-performance ratio, catalysts are green and eco-friendly and can be used to produce clean fuel to power rockets, turbines, car engines and even ovens in homes.
Driven by curiosity
According to Ayesha, her work has always been driven by curiosity and problem-solving. “As an Emirati PhD student of Materials Science and Engineering, I strive to come up with solutions to problems of global warming, energy shortage and environmental pollution worldwide,” she said. “My research is aligned with the global efforts in limiting the temperature rise below 2°C as well as the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 strategic initiative in cutting emissions as close to zero as possible.”
Finding her passion as an undergraduate student, Ayesha evaluated the properties of ceramic materials and then became a mechanical engineering graduate student, working on designing catalysts for fuel cells and teaching undergraduate students. The work inspired her to pursue a career in academic science and she applied for a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at Khalifa University in 2019.
She said winning the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science award was a huge honour. “It is a testament to my dedication and hard work and an affirmation that I have chosen a career path I am truly passionate about,” she said. “With this prize, I will be able to develop new materials for CO2 capture and conversion to fuels and understand the underlying material’s properties.”on
The Emirati researcher says she is now working towards bigger goals. “The next steps are to focus on optimizing the current systems that I have designed and test them on a bigger scale approaching industrial conditions,” she said.
The L’Oréal-Unesco award
Instituted 24 years ago, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science award recognises women scientists, who continue to be largely under represented in the research community representing only 33% of researchers globally.
In the GCC, the programme succeeded in championing the power of female Arab scientists, with five out of its 45 winners having won international recognition.
According to Laurent Duffier, Managing Director of L’Oréal Middle East, there is a rigorous process in place to pick the winner. “The selection process is led by a renowned jury of scientific experts from prestigious institutions in the Middle East,” he said.
“The jury takes into consideration certain criteria such as the candidate’s outstanding academic record, the quality of the project, the research innovative approach and expected outcome, and the abidance of the international ethical regulations, to name a few.”
This year, five female scientists were recognized for their research of which three are from the UAE. Hessa Ebrahim Ali Alfalahi was awarded for her research on the early detection and diagnosis of depression and Parkinson’s using AI while Dr. Raefa Abou Khouzam was felicitated for her research on investigating new treatment strategies in pancreatic cancer.
UAE Ministry of Economy (MoE), has reduced the age limit for operating a firm from 21 years to 18 years.
At a recent media briefing, Abdullah Al Saleh, the undersecretary of the MoE, outlined the new law, which strives to support and improve the country’s economic environment. The following are some of the most notable aspects of the new Commercial Transactions Law:
– It reduces the age of legal capacity to practice business to 18 years
– The law establishes a legal reference for commercial transactions for banking institutions to stimulate investment and give businesses broader scope for growth and competition
– It offers support to Islamic banking in the country and establishes it as one of the main drivers of growth
– The law amends the provisions related to the regulation and establishment of financial markets and makes it mandatory to obtain the necessary licenses following the legislation regulating securities in the country
– It offers support to businesses related to the technology sector and commercial activities related to the digital fields
Bharat Bhatia, chairman and CEO of Conares, the second largest private steel manufacturer in the UAE, noted: “This is a refreshing development, which means fresh blood being infused into the workforce and as entrepreneurs. I believe this will result in positive disruption, making the marketplace more efficient in several ways. In the near future, we will see a lot of successful global teen entrepreneurs,” Bhatia underlined.
Imran Farooq, CEO, Samana Developers, said that the ministry has given teenagers the freedom to explore new horizons.
“Young minds have the sharpest ability to think differently, innovate and be an active part of the business. The decision by the ministry will give birth to a lot of young entrepreneurs, who will flourish across different sectors. Today’s youngsters have the will and right intent to explore unfamiliar territories and take on any challenges with confidence. I am looking forward to seeing youngsters enter the real estate sector and make a positive impact,” Farooq said.
Supporting the government’s ban on single-use plastic and the UAE ‘Net Zero by 2050’ strategy, German Gulf Engineering Consultants, a private sector company has partnered with five local universities to offer students reusable water bottles, training in energy conservation, and a paid internship.
The company as part of its ‘Energy Voices 2023’ campaign — entered into a cooperation agreement with public institutions like the UAE University and Zayed University, among others. It will provide around 1,000 refillable water bottles to stress on the importance of sustainability for a carbon-neutral future. There will be a 10-day training programme with focus on effective energy management and audit, and energy-efficient tools for buildings. Also, paid internships will be provided to Emirati nationals.
Dr Saud Muhammed AlMarzooqi, acting associate professor for students Affairs at the UAE University, praised the campaign.
“Winning the hosting rights for the global climate summit COP28 adds yet another positive angle to the strategic goal of the internship and energy training programme for Emirati nationals. The programme perfectly fits into the UAE’s youth participation in climate change, energy saving measures, and focus on renewables,” Dr AlMarzooqi said.
Sunilan noted that a paid internship will be provided to 50 Emirati students from five universities along with the training in energy conservation.
“Certificates of accomplishment will be issued to students at a grand award ceremony at the completion of the programme.”
Sunilan underlined that all participants of the campaign will commit themselves to using refillable water bottles and avoiding single-use plastics.
“Our programme will also include promoting a 10-point action on saving energy across themes such as save energy at home, walk, bike, or take public transport, eat more vegetables, control travel urge, stop food wastage, reduce, reuse, repair and recycle, shift from conventional to renewable energy, support eco-friendly products, go electric and promote planet-friendliness,” he said, adding that these steps will also promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals 3 – ‘Good Health and Wellbeing’ – and contribute in its own way to the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 target.
Additionally, the company is planning a large-scale programme to plant mangrove saplings, which will involve students, communities, establishments and government entities. Other activities promoting energy efficiency include webinars, essay and short film competitions, a ‘Greenathon’ cycle marathon, among others.
“The campaign and other initiatives fit into the context of the COP28, which will be hosted by the UAE at the Dubai Expo City.”
UAE-built Rashid Rover remains in perfect shape as it cruises in space towards the Moon. It’s right on track for its epic mission that will make the Emirates the fourth country to land on the lunar surface, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced on Friday. It has so far travelled a whopping 1.34 million kilometres — that’s equivalent to driving your car and circumnavigating the world 33.5 times.
By January 20, it is expected to reach its farthest point of approximately 1.4 million kilometres from Earth.
The Emirates Lunar Mission team on Earth is keeping a close watch on the health of the Rashid Rover, including its subsystems and instruments.
Since its historic launch on December 11, 2022, the team has completed 220 minutes of communication with the world’s most compact rover. The team has completed all scheduled health assessments and maintenance checks, as it powered Rashid Rover for 10 minutes daily during the first two weeks.
During the ongoing four-month cruise phase, the team will communicate with the Rashid Rover for another 150 minutes. Now, they are sending pings to the spacecraft once a week.
The ELM team also noted that the Rashid Rover’s subsystems had been activated 17 times since the launch. The subsystems were powered on for one hour the first time, followed by 10 minutes of daily activation over the subsequent two weeks. Currently, the rover’s subsystems are being powered on once a week for 10 minutes.
Gearing up for landing
The team is now preparing for the entry, descent, and landing (EDL) phase and surface operations.
As part of the current cruise phase, the team will conduct 12 simulated mission rehearsals organised at the MBRSC ground station for surface operations before the rover’s lunar landing in end-April.
The rehearsals will allow the engineering team to prepare their programmes for execution post the lunar landing while enabling different subsystem teams to sync their work.
Epic mission
During its mission, the Rashid Rover will conduct numerous scientific tests on the surface of the Moon that will contribute to making qualitative developments in the fields of science, communication technologies, and robotics.
The impact of these developments will extend beyond the space sector and into various vital sectors in the national and global economy.
The mission is funded by the ICT Fund of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which aims to support research and development in the ICT sector in the UAE.
The Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWC) launched an initiative entitled “watch your words”, targeting children, adolescents, and adults, to combat bullying.
The primary role of the initiative is to provide the necessary assistance to victims and perpetrators of bullying in a way that guarantees social harmony for both parties,” she said
Sheikha Saeed Al Mansouri added the campaign focuses on social, psychological, and legal repercussions of bullying behaviour.
The launch of this initiative is consistent with the Foundation’s strategies and objectives to develop and consolidate child-friendly practices and standards, by raising awareness among the target groups – in addition to strengthening the Emirati leadership in caring for children and guaranteeing their full rights.
Public school pupils in the UAE will have three school holidays during the second and third terms of the current academic year. According to the school calendar for the second and third semesters, which was approved by the Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE), the spring break for students (which marks the end of the second semester) will last for 21 days, starting from Saturday, March 27 to Sunday, April 16. Pupils will be returning to schools for the third term on Monday, April 17.
For teachers, the spring break will last for 16 days, starting from April 1 to April 16. Teaching will resume on April 17.
The school calendar for the current academic year stated that the spring break is for all public and private schools that follow the curriculum of the Ministry of Education (MoE).
As for the rest of the private schools that apply foreign curricula, the holiday for the remaining months of the current academic year will be either three consecutive weeks, according to each emirate and the specific dates, or two consecutive weeks and a third week. It is distributed throughout the academic year.
According to the official holiday calendar which was approved by the UAE Cabinet, Eid Al Fitr dates are from Ramadan 29 to Shawwal 3. According to astronomical calculations, this would be from Thursday, April 20, till Sunday, April 23. Actual dates are subject to moon-sighting.
Eid Al Adha holiday (Arafah Day and Eid Al Adha) will be from from Tuesday, June 27 to Friday, June 30.
The MoE school calendar specifies that the duration of the summer vacation for all schools in the country should not exceed 8.2 weeks, regardless of the curriculum followed.
The ministry sets the minimum number of school days in the year (at least 182 teaching days) as well as the approved calendar for the school year. The school year runs from late August until end of June.
