Dubai: Save on electricity, water bills using smart online tool; here’s how

The authority’s dashboard is filled with useful information regarding each individual’s consumption – information that goes beyond just bill payment

If leading a more sustainable lifestyle is part of your 2023 resolutions, then you need to be part of Dewa’s My Sustainable Living Program. In fact, Dewa’s dashboard for every account is filled with useful information regarding each individual’s consumption – information that goes beyond bill payment and delves into the nitty gritty of consumption. There’s even a year-on-year comparison for every month of the year.

My Sustainable Living Program:

Log on to your account and go to ‘My Sustainable Living Program’ at the bottom left.

The first necessary step is to update your Consumption Profile. To do, that you need to answer a series of questions including the following:

  • How many people live in your home?
  • How many people under 18 live in your home?
  • How many bedrooms are there in your home?
  • Can you estimate the surface area of your home (in m²)?
  • If you live in a villa, do you have your own swimming pool?
  • If you live in a villa, do you have your own garden?
  • During the year, which months do you usually go out for vacation?
  • How long is your vacation per trip?

Following that, click on ‘Configure your saving plan’ to get a series of tips to save electricity and water consumption in your house. Pick the ones you will follow, and they will be saved under ‘my saving plan’.

Other useful features on Dewa’s Dashboard

  • “Away Mode”: a feature which helps you to closely monitor electricity and water consumption, and which will notify you of any unusual consumption while you’re away. The updates will be sent via email on a daily or weekly basis.
  • “Similar home comparison”: Another feature worth noting in Dewa’s dashboard is the monthly similar home comparison, which compares your own consumption of both electricity and water to that of other homes in your area of residence.
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DHA develops self-assessment tool for medical licenses to support investors and health professionals

The Dubai Health Authority(DHA) has developed a self-assessment tool, which is an instant 24/7 online service that is free of cost to support investors, health professionals, and medical facilities.

The service aims to provide support and guidance to stakeholders and enhance the sustainability of the health sector in the Emirate.

Dr. Marwan Al Mulla, CEO of the Health Regulation Sector at the DHA said that the self-assessment tool is an important initiative and enables applicants who want to apply for a medical license to check whether they meet all the conditions required to obtain a health professional license to practice medicine in the Emirate of Dubai.

Professional titles and all licensing requirements are clearly mentioned in line with the standards approved in the country.

He pointed out that the self-assessment is carried out by the applicant by answering some short questions, and then obtaining the initial evaluation result immediately.

The user needs to select the category of license he is applying for. For example Physician, dentist, nurse, midwife, allied health, or traditional complementary and alternative medicine.

He stated that this service helps applicants, health facilities or investors to ensure the applicant is eligible to obtain the required license without the need to submit any documents.

Al Mulla said that the authority has developed another service which supports the health sector in Dubai, known as the Document Verification Service.

This smart electronic service allows the concerned authorities to verify the authenticity of all documents and certificates issued by the authority, through the DHA’s online electronic licensing system known as Sheryan.

He stated that the Document Verification Service includes several documents such as sick leaves approved by the authority, professional licenses, health facility licenses, professional registration certificates, and certificates of good standing.

The online service is simple to use and the user simply needs to enter the barcode number and the existing PIN code at the bottom of the document and the user will be able to see and verify the identical copy issued by the DHA.

Al Mulla added that the aim of adding additional online services is to provide stakeholders with added convenience, enhance efficiency and reduce the time taken for these processes.

MoHRE to impose AED72,000 fine on private companies that did not raise Emiratisation targets

Starting from 1 January 2023, private sector companies with 50 employees or more that have not raised Emiratisation targets by 2 percent of skilled jobs in 2022, will be fined, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) said on Thursday.

The fines are AED6,000 per month, a total of AED72,000 annually, for each Emirati who has not been employed as per the requisite percentage to be achieved by the end of 2022.

The value of the monthly penalties increases progressively at a rate of AED1,000 annually until 2026, by which companies are required to achieve up to 10 percent growth rate in their Emiratisation targets.

In a statement, the Ministry said:

“We aim to achieve an effective participation of the private sector in the development process of the UAE, as raising the participation of Emiratis in this sector will have a positive impact on the competitiveness, attractiveness, and stability of the business environment in the country.”

“We will continue to activate the partnership between the government and the private sectors on Emiratisation, based on our belief that Emiratis can make a positive impact within the vital economic sectors, as well as our aspiration to advance the growth of the private sector companies and improve their ability to keep pace with successive developments locally and globally,”

it added.

The Ministry noted that the legislation governing Emiratisation will contribute to

“strengthening the diversification of the labour market and will consolidate the UAE’s position as an incubator of national and international talents and an ideal destination to work, live and invest.”

The Ministry lauded the steps taken by companies that have met the required Emiratisation targets for 2022, adding:

“Now, we look forward to witnessing a greater impact in 2023, as the Emiratisation targets will increase by 2 percent until 2026, resulting in a growth by 10 percent of Emirati skilled employees.”

The Ministry offers support and incentives for the companies that achieve qualitative achievements in training and employing Emiratis in accordance with the objectives of the Nafis programme, which include joining the Emiratisation Partners’ Club that leads to be classified as a category one companies in the Ministry’s establishment classification system, thus obtaining discounts of up to 80 percent on the Ministry’s service fees.

UAE to see opening of first NH Collection hotel on Palm Jumeirah

NH Collection has 350 hotels in 28 countries and is set to open the first UAE location in February.

NH Collection is set to open its first hotel in the UAE on Palm Jumeirah, the hotel is expected to open its doors in February 2023. Announced by Seven Tides, UAE headquartered upscale real estate developer, the NH Collection Dubai is a two-tower complex with 533 keys.

“This project will deliver exceptional guest experiences, including spectacular views of the Arabian Gulf and the Dubai skyline, as well as access to landmarks and attractions across our emirate and beyond. We are confident this complex will add significant value to Dubai’s thriving real estate landscape,” said Abdulla Bin Sulayem, CEO of Seven Tides.

“NH Collection Dubai The Palm will feature an extensive range of premium facilities, including our 45-metre rooftop infinity pool, a fully-equipped fitness centre, a kids’ club, an NH Collection Spa and much more,” added Bin Sulayem.

The property will feature 227 guest rooms as well as 306 studios and apartments. The rooms will feature ‘Sleep Better’ mattresses, tea and coffee sets, rain-effect showers and more. NH collection Dubai will also have dining venues, a lounge, sports bar, café and more.

The best way for people to learn about NH Collection Dubai The Palm is to experience it first-hand. With our dedicated team ready and waiting to exceed the expectations of our guests and visitors, we cannot wait to start welcoming people through our doors from February onwards,” Bin Sulayem concluded.

AI-based app unveiled in Dubai to help farmers detecting crop disturbances

App developed with help of farmers, Dubai research facility, University of Barcelona.

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri (centre), Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, launched a new AI-powered mobile application for detecting crop disorders during a ceremony at the headquarters of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in Dubai.

Dubai: A new AI-powered mobile application for detecting crop disorders was unveiled by Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, during a ceremony at the headquarters of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA).

Called Dr. Nabat, the application is a result of collaboration between ICBA and the University of Barcelona, Spain, under a project titled “Developing a user-friendly mobile application for smallholder farmers to detect plant disorders”.

Created with farmers’ help

Created with the support of local partners in Egypt, Tunisia, and the UAE, the application is designed to aid smallholder farmers and extension specialists in spotting crop disorders at early stages, and thus minimising yield losses and improving incomes.

It can identify 18 different common disorders affecting tomato, capsicum, and cucumber. These cash crops are considered important for smallholder farmers who practice protected agriculture.

Almheiri said: “This app is a prime example of how we can harness the power of technology to address pressing concerns. In the face of ever-rising challenges, with climate change at the forefront, we believe that technological interventions will optimise agricultural practices, enhance harvest quality and quantity, and notably improve the lives of farmers.

“We are confident the app will prove to be a game changer for smallholder farmers, providing them with early diagnosis at the click of a button and helping them save their crops.”

Frontlines of food security

Dr. Tarifa Alzaabi, Director General of ICBA, added, “Smallholder farmers are on the frontlines of food security. They are the backbone of many agricultural economies, yet they often lack access to information about pests and diseases. We have developed this mobile application to help bridge this gap and put knowledge in their hands.”

As part of the project, ICBA collected raw data from the three countries for training the AI model which was developed by the University of Barcelona. The application was field-tested, and 414 smallholder farmers and extension specialists were trained and provided their feedback on the beta version from 2020 to 2022.

Efficient, eco-friendly agriculture

Dr. Jose Luis Araus, a professor of plant physiology at the University of Barcelona, noted, “The future of more efficient and eco-friendly agriculture lies in technology and innovation. So, we hope to see this application taken up by smallholder farmers and other agricultural users across the region.”

Dr. Henda Mahmoudi, a plant physiologist and project lead at ICBA, stated, “Crop disorders and pests pose a major challenge to smallholder farmers in the Middle East and North Africa. Intelligent systems such as this application can play a crucial role in making prompt diagnoses and taking an effective and timely action.”

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the annual loss in crop production due to pests and diseases ranges between 20 and 40 percent globally. Each year plant diseases cost the world’s economy around US$220 billion, and invasive insects around US$70 billion.

Currently, the application is customised for Egypt, Tunisia, and the UAE. But there are plans to upgrade and roll out the application in other countries in the future.

Dubai tops charts as region’s most popular city in 2022; beats New York, Paris, Barcelona on global index

Lisbon comes in at the sixth spot on the list, while the historical city of Istanbul in Turkey has sealed the seventh spot.

Dubai has topped the charts as the region’s number one most popular city in 2022.

According to “Destinations Insight” from Google, the emirate also ranks number two globally; the index ranks London as the world’s number one most popular city.

The search engine tracks the number of searches for flights and accommodations for each destination.

French capital Paris ranks at number three with New York, Amsterdam and Barcelona taking the third, fourth and fifth places respectively.

Lisbon comes in at the sixth spot, while the historical city of Istanbul in Turkey has sealed the seventh spot.

This is followed by Italy’s Rome and Indonesia’s Denpasar that have secured the ninth and tenth spot respectively on the global index.

Second-hand book fair in Dubai with prices from Dh3 to Dh10

l Safa Art and Design Library is hosting a second-hand book fair over the holidays.

The event, which runs until Tuesday, was created to spread cultural awareness among the public by trying to promote reading as a lifestyle. The initiative is part of the Dubai Public Libraries cultural programme.

There are a number of second-hand books on sale, suitable for all age groups, with symbolic prices ranging from Dh3 to Dh10.

The fair is open daily from 8am to 8pm. The project is one that highlights Dubai Culture’s compliance with the National Literacy Strategy 2016-2026, which aims to promote cultural values in society and support all aspects of culture including the arts and literature.

Visiting the tucked-away library

Al Safa Art and Design Library was originally opened in 1989 but was revamped in 2019 with new stylish architecture and an invitingopen-plan layout that encourages visitors to sit, socialise and stay put.

The building stands out as a stark grey beacon of modernity against an older, coral-coloured backdrop, with foliage and a flyover almost obscuring it from view. But its sharp, angular shape catches your eye.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass doors, a cafe sits tucked away to the left. A vast expanse of low-lying shelves with a selection of books in Arabic and English is ahead. You can read these inside the space but, unlike traditional libraries, you cannot take them home.

Scroll the gallery below to see more of Al Safa Art and Design Library in Dubai

Dubai Police help prisoners train to be mechanics to boost rehabilitation drive

The force teamed up with a UAE car distributor for scheme aimed at giving inmates second chance

A prisoner receives a certificate from Dubai Police officers and officials after completing a car mechanic training course.

Dubai Police have teamed up with a car dealership to offer mechanics courses to prisoners as part of their rehabilitation.

The force partnered with Al Masaood Automobiles to train male inmates in an effort to equip them with the practical skills they need to get their lives back on track once they are freed.

Brig Marwan Julfar, director of the General Department of Correctional and Punitive Establishments, said such support was crucial to give prisoners a chance to make a meaningful contribution to society.

“Our programmes tackle various psychological and emotional problems and help to remove the barriers of fear and hesitation that may haunt the inmates after their release,” Brig Julfar said.

“They also aim to make it easier for the inmates to reintegrate back into mainstream society.”

He spoke of the importance of both mental health and financial support for inmates and their families.

Police host a number of skills-building courses and workshops under the initiative and also host social and sport events throughout the year.

UAE leaders typically offer pardons to hundreds of inmates each year on important occasions such as National Day, Ramadan and Eid.

Dubai inmates raise their children in prison — in pictures

Dubai Food Festival to return in April with an expanded programme

Beach Canteen and Restaurant Week are making a comeback, with new concepts also planned.

Dubai foodies, get ready — the weeks-long Dubai Food Festival is set to return to the city in April with a smorgasbord of options.

The festival will run for 17 days, with many of the classic concepts making a comeback, alongside a bunch of delicious new activities.

Now in its 10th year, Dubai Food Festival has become a platform to celebrate home-grown food and drinks vendors, as well as to explore international cuisine and global industry trends.

The festival will mark the return of various beloved pop-ups, including the Etisalat Beach Canteen on Jumeirah beach. The market-style event will host food and fashion stalls, as well as live entertainment and family-friendly activities.

Another popular DFF event returning next year is Dubai Restaurant Week, which will showcase set menus at subsidised rates from 50 top restaurants. Participating outlets have not been revealed, but last year, venues such as CoyaThe Maine Street Eatery and The London Project were in attendance.

Last year’s Restaurant Week also included a few spots that made it to the inaugural Mena’s 50 Best Restaurants list. With the glittering ceremony set to take place again in January, DFF-goers can hope a to see award-winning names from that list as well.

Foodie Experiences, which includes masterclasses — from how to make low-waste sourdough to tips on food fermentation — and chef’s tables is also making a comeback.

What’s new at Dubai Food Festival 2023?

The festival will feature the Dh10 Signature Dish initiative, where about 300 participating restaurants will roll out affordable samples of their best dishes.

Although no further details are immediately available, the coming DFF will also include Chefs in Town, which will include a programme of events and tasting sessions throughout the festival.

Dubai as a global gastronomy hub

Dubai Food Festival is only one of the many government-backed initiatives, led by the Department of Economy and Tourism, that showcase the city’s potential as a global gastronomy hub.

“During the last 12 months, we have seen the launch of the inaugural Michelin Guide to Dubai, the arrival of the Gault&Millau guide, the launch of MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants and a host of other accolades for the city’s home-grown eateries, fine-dining institutions and neighbourhood favourites,” Ahmed Al Khaja, chief executive of the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, said.

Dubai is home to numerous restaurants and cafes, from local eateries to gourmet and fine dining venues, with new spots seemingly popping up every week. As such, a food festival offers a curated way to explore the city’s diverse culinary options.

Mother of the Nation has been extended. Scroll through the gallery for things to do at the Abu Dhabi festival

‘Red gold’ saffron grows in Sharjah desert using vertical farming methods

About 150,000 crocus sativa bulbs have been cultivated, in a first for the UAE

Without the use of water, soil or fertilisers, vertical fields of “red gold” have been produced in Sharjah as preparations are made for the UAE’s first saffron harvest.

Agricultural technology firm VeggiTech has cultivated roughly 150,000 crocus sativa bulbs from the Netherlands, growing them in vertical farms in Al Zubair.

Saffron is one of the most precious spices in the world because of the extremely labour-intensive process required to cultivate crops.

We play with the temperature to create the perfect environment for it to grow, with each bulb producing two to three flowers
Ghazal Shafiee, quality manager at VeggiTech, Sharjah

Each flower produces approximately three tiny stigmas from which the saffron is extracted. This first crop in the UAE grown this way is expected to yield about 5.5 kilograms of saffron.

Depending on the grade and quality, a kilogram of saffron can sell from $850 to $3100.

“This is the first time saffron has been grown this way in the region by using vertical farming,” said Ghazal Shafiee, quality manager at VeggiTech.

“Saffron is an important crop that originates in Iran and it is also grown in parts of Spain.

“It is a sensitive crop to grow and not everyone has the knowledge required to cultivate saffron in this way.

Sharjah – home to most expensive spice on the planet.

“Using this system, we have much less area required for the entire production.

“Usually, land water and herbicides are used, but by vertical farming a smaller area is needed with greater production and quality.”

Due to water scarcity and climate change, vertical farming is providing an increasing number of crops in the UAE.

The process uses tightly controlled soil techniques with artificial LED lights to stimulate growth, with some farms able to produce 10 times the amount of traditional farming methods.

The technique is particularly useful in the UAE, due to the harsh growing conditions.

As one of the top five buyers of Iranian bulk saffron, developing a home-grown market would make the country less reliant on imports.

VeggiTech cultivates about 50 other crops using similar methods of hydroponics and aquaponics farming at four farms in the UAE.

READ MORE
Inside the UAE vertical farm that produces leafy greens for your plate

It takes between nine and 10 months for the saffron bulb to reach maturity, before it is ready to be harvested.

Each purpose-built laboratory is equipped with a special air handling unit to create the precise environment required — with the right CO2, light, temperature and humidity — for saffron to grow.

“We play with the temperature to create the perfect environment for it to grow, with each bulb producing two to three flowers,” said Ms Shafiee, who is from Iran.

“Once the flowers appear, the bulbs are transferred to the greenhouse for the next stage of the crop cycle.

“Saffron can be grown anywhere, but the challenge is creating the perfect environment for it.”