Latest news with #AlKaabi
Al Etihad
08-07-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Emirates Drug Establishment approves world's first oral therapy for immune thrombocytopenia
8 July 2025 14:37 ABU DHABI (WAM) The Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE) has granted official approval for Rilzabrutinib, the first oral Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor to be authorised in the country for the treatment of Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), a rare autoimmune disorder that affects approximately 2 to 5 individuals per 100,000 people this landmark approval, the UAE becomes the first country in the world to authorise this innovative medication, reflecting the nation's global leadership in accelerating access to advanced treatments and addressing critical medical approval of Rilzabrutinib in the UAE represents a major step forward, offering patients with ITP early access to a pioneering therapeutic solution that contributes to a faster treatment journey and a tangible improvement in quality of decision aligns with the UAE's strategic commitment to ensuring the availability of high-efficacy, globally benchmarked treatments in line with the highest international standards and by global pharmaceutical and healthcare company Sanofi, Rilzabrutinib represents a breakthrough in restoring immune system balance by targeting the underlying cause of increasing platelet counts, the treatment addresses both the symptoms and root causes of the condition. Clinical studies have demonstrated promising outcomes, with patients reporting substantial improvement in health Fatima Al Kaabi, Director-General of the Emirates Drug Establishment, stated, 'The UAE is committed to providing access to the world's latest therapeutic innovations and further promoting its position as a regional hub for pharmaceutical excellence. With Rilzabrutinib getting approved, we take another step further in achieving our strategy aimed at enhancing national pharmaceutical security, implementing advanced treatment protocols, and streamlining regulatory frameworks in collaboration with international partners.'Dr. Al Kaabi emphasised that the milestone demonstrates the effectiveness of the UAE's proactive healthcare policies and flexible regulatory systems in fostering innovation and facilitating patient access to advanced medications.'The Emirates Drug Establishment will spare no effort to accelerate regulatory procedures, and strengthen global partnerships,' she said. 'This further solidifies the UAE's role as a regional centre for pharmaceutical innovation.'She added, 'Granting approval for Rilzabrutinib reaffirms the Establishment's commitment to fast-tracking access to transformative therapies that create significant impact, particularly in the treatment of rare and chronic diseases. EDE will continue to adopt a proactive, innovation-driven approach, fuelled by international collaboration, to ensure that safe, effective therapeutic options are available across the country in accordance with the highest global standards. Our goal is to enhance the UAE's health system preparedness in an era of rapid scientific progress.' For her part, Preeti Futnani, MCO Lead and General Manager, Specialty Care for KSA & Gulf Countries at Sanofi, said, 'We are honoured to collaborate with the Emirates Drug Establishment to bring this groundbreaking treatment to patients in the UAE living with Immune Thrombocytopenia. The approval of Rilzabrutinib demonstrates our shared commitment to placing patients at the centre of our mission and delivering cutting-edge solutions that address some of the most pressing unmet medical needs.'
Al Etihad
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
UAE artists capture quiet poetry of nostalgic neighbourhoods in photos
8 July 2025 00:18 Mays Ibrahim (ABU DHABI)How do we hold onto the places that shaped us when they start to change, fade, or disappear altogether? Emerging artists in the UAE have turned to their camera lenses to freeze and capture fleeting moments – mapping the physical and emotional terrains of homes, neighbourhoods, and in-between Fares Al Kaabi, photography became a personal act of preservation, documenting the quiet poetry of the neighbourhood he grew up in, where children scribbled on walls and families knew each other by name. Al Kaabi is displaying his work for the first time at the 'Cartographies, Revised' group exhibition at Manarat Al Saadiyat, which runs until September 1. His series features images, tiles and wooden doors, presented in a circular installation. 'Circles bring people together. I wanted people to walk around and feel surrounded by these moments and memories,' he told Aletihad in a recent interview. Al Kaabi chose to document his neighbourhood using a phone, rather than a professional camera.'I'm not a technical photographer. For me, an image is about what you feel, not the camera settings. I just used my phone, but I think that's what makes my work stand out,' he said. 'I prefer to call them images, not photos, because anyone can take a photo; but not everyone can take an image. An image tells a story,' Al Kaabi artist Hessa Alzaabi explored Dubai's fast-changing urban landscape through her photographs, which are also part of the 'Cartographies, Revised' exhibition. 'I interviewed residents and found that many had come to see community as something rooted in people, not places,' she told images layer interior and exterior views of homes in Jumeirah, combining architectural outlines with personal artefacts.'We pass by so much every day without really seeing it. And when it's gone, we think, 'what was there again?' I want people to slow down, to pay attention.'Yousif Albadi, another featured photographer, used his camera to draw attention to overlooked urban corners.'These are the places where memories happen. You may not know their names, but you remember moments there. That's what I wanted to highlight,' he told Aletihad. One image features a delivery man on a bicycle, an echo of the grocery workers he remembers from his childhood in Sharjah. 'Photography, to me, is appreciation,' said the artist who is also a physician. 'You don't photograph something unless you care about it. I want people to stop and see the beauty in the unnoticed, the unpolished, the simple.'
Al Etihad
07-07-2025
- Health
- Al Etihad
Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City and AstraZeneca launch an asthma inhaler recycling initiative
7 July 2025 18:25 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), a flagship hospital in the UAE for severe and complex care and a subsidiary of the PureHealth group, has today announced its collaboration with global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to launch the 'Pure Air Solution' (PAS) partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), focuses on the recycling of asthma inhalers. While demonstrating a shared commitment to sustainable healthcare practices, this initiative also addresses the urgent need to reduce the healthcare sector's carbon footprint, which currently contributes to approximately 5% of the world's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Commenting on the launch of the initiative, Dr. Marwan Al Kaabi, chief executive officer at SSMC, said: 'By implementing a comprehensive inhaler recycling programme, SSMC and AstraZeneca are taking a significant step towards mitigating environmental harm, which aligns with the UAE's vision for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.'Through the strategic placement of collection bins across SSMC's key clinics and pharmacies, the initiative will encourage asthma patients to participate in inhaler recycling. The partnership will also prioritise robust educational campaigns on asthma management and the importance of recycling, empowering both patients and staff at SSMC to engage in responsible disposal Al Kaabi added, 'The PAS initiative is further testament to SSMC's leadership in proactive environmental stewardship within the healthcare sector. By launching this programme, we are taking decisive strides towards a healthier, more sustainable future, while setting a precedent and establishing a benchmark for responsible healthcare practices within the region.'Sameh El Fangary, cluster president for GCC and Pakistan at AstraZeneca, shared: 'Partnering with SSMC reflects our shared commitment to advancing innovative and sustainable respiratory care. This collaboration aims to reduce the environmental impact associated with inhaler use, aligning with our integrated approach to health, addressing both patient outcomes and environmental considerations.'Project leads Dr. Haytham Shahata, research clinical pharmacist, and Dr. Lubna Issa, drug store operations manager at SSMC, said: 'Inhalers, among the most prevalent medical devices used in the UAE, account for nearly 80% of inhaler-related GHG output.1 This is largely attributable to hydrofluorocarbon propellants, which are up to 2,500 times more potent than carbon dioxide and can remain in the atmosphere for over 200 years.2,3 With 96% of an inhaler's climate impact stemming from these potent emissions, the PAS initiative is designed to significantly minimise the carbon footprint of respiratory care.4' The PAS initiative reinforces the power of collaborative innovation in building a sustainable healthcare ecosystem. By fostering a culture of recycling and education, SSMC and AstraZeneca are taking the lead in advancing sustainable healthcare practices across the UAE, ultimately benefiting patients and the broader community by ensuring long-term health and environmental well-being.
Al Etihad
03-07-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
ADNOC's Hail and Ghasha offshore gas mega-project achieves ‘sail-out' milestone
3 July 2025 12:22 ABU DHABI (WAM) ADNOC's Hail and Ghasha mega-project has met a key development milestone, having completed the "sail-out" and installation of critical offshore facility structures from the NMDC Energy Yard in Mussafah, Abu structures – called steel 'jackets' – form the foundation of the project's offshore facilities. Delivered on schedule and in line with the highest safety and quality standards, the first 2 jackets were transferred from the fabrication yard to the cargo barge and shipped 160 kilometres offshore for installation by NMDC's Safeen-3000 vessel where they were precisely positioned on the achievement reflects the exceptional coordination and expertise of dedicated project teams and partners, ensuring the structure's secure anchoring and readiness for the next stage of offshore infrastructure Hail and Ghasha Development Project is the world's largest gas development of its kind and an important enabler of gas self-sufficiency and the UAE's growing gas Concession will produce 1.5 billion standard cubic feet of natural gas per day – enough to meet the daily gas demand of Ireland, Greece and Portugal combined. It aims to operate with net-zero emissions, capturing 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually, equivalent to removing over 300,000 fossil fuel-powered cars off the Al Kaabi, ADNOC Upstream CEO, said, 'ADNOC's Hail and Ghasha project is an important enabler of UAE gas self-sufficiency, and this sail-out puts us one step closer to delivering on the project. The mega-project is being made in the Emirates, driving industrial growth and reinforcing the UAE's advanced manufacturing capabilities.'Hail and Ghasha embodies the ethos of the 'Make it in the Emirates' initiative and ADNOC's success in boosting In-Country Value, by prioritising local manufacturing, investing in UAE-based suppliers, supporting economic diversification and nurturing local talent. With 118 UAE graduates recruited across the project to date, this provides highly skilled career opportunities for UAE nationals to play a key role in delivering this world-scale project.
AFP
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- AFP
Footage of Muslim pilgrims in Iraq misrepresented after NYC mayoral primary
"Absolutely INSANE footage coming out of NYC right now. WOW!!!" says a June 25, 2025 post on X. The video shows two men performing in Arabic and blaring high tempo electronic music as a throng of people excitedly jump up and down around them. Image Screenshot from X taken June 25, 2025 The post quickly racked up thousands of interactions after Mamdani -- who is 33 and vying to become New York City's first Muslim mayor -- pulled off a stunning victory in the city's June 24 Democratic mayoral primary, upsetting scandal-scarred rival and former New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani leaned into his Muslim identity on the campaign trail, courting the one million New York members of his faith with frequent visits to the city's mosques and community centers. The video shared online, however, does not show New Yorkers celebrating -- and the X user who shared the post later suggested that they had done so in jest. Video from 2024 religious gathering Reverse image searches surfaced the same footage in an Arabic-language YouTube video dated August 26, 2024 (archived here). Image Screenshot from YouTube taken June 25, 2025 A hashtag attached to the video links it to Arbaeen, an annual pilgrimage in Iraq that represents one of the world's largest religious gatherings and marks the 40th day of mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed and a founding figure in Shiite Islam. More than 21 million took part in the August 2024 celebrations. The video's description says the clip shows the entrance to the shrine in Karbala, Iraq, where Hussein is buried The description also mentions Mujtaba Al Kaabi, a musician. Another Instagram post tagging Al Kaabi appears to show the same moment from a different angle (archived here). The post was shared August 30. AFP reached out to Al Kaabi for comment, but no response was forthcoming. Geolocating the footage To geolocate the footage, AFP first identified Arabic signs for a jewelry story and an ophthalmologist among the storefronts lining the street. Using Google Earth satellite imagery to search the area surrounding the two holy shrines for those businesses and other uniquely identifiable buildings, AFP matched the video to a section of Karbala's Al Jumhurya Street near the Al-Kawthar mall (archived here). Image Screenshot from X taken June 25, 2025, with elements outlined by AFP Image Screenshot from Google Earth taken June 25, 2025, with elements outlined by AFP Google Street View imagery, as well as Google pictures and videos uploaded by visitors of the Al-Kawthar mall, further confirm the location (archived here, here, here and here). Image Screenshot from X taken June 25, 2025, with elements outlined by AFP Image Screenshot from Google Street View taken June 25, 2025, with elements outlined by AFP Image Screenshot from X taken June 25, 2025, with elements outlined by AFP Image Screenshot from Google taken June 25, 2025, with elements outlined by AFP Image Screenshot from X taken June 25, 2025, with elements outlined by AFP Image Screenshot from Google taken June 25, 2025, with elements outlined by AFP Photos from Turkey's Anadolu Agency also show Shiite pilgrims congregating along the same street for the 2024 commemorations (archived here and here). Image Screenshot from X taken June 25, 2025, with elements outlined by AFP Image Screenshots from Getty Images taken June 25, 2025, with elements outlined by AFP AFP has debunked other misinformation about US politics here.
