Saudi Arabian King Abdullah has intervened to help save the life of his largest subject, ordering Khalid bin Mohsen to be specially transported from the southern border province of Jazan to the country’s capital to undergo treatment. Nineteen-year-old Shaari, who weighs 1,345 pounds, is believed to be one of the world’s heaviest humans.
Heaviest Man in Saudi Gets Royal Treatment
Middle East Solar Manufacturing Boom Imminent Say Industry Experts
Energy industry experts are predicting a new solar manufacturing boom next year after an extended slump, and they claim that the Middle East is ranked among the top three leading markets in the industry.
Israel and Jordan Strike Brilliant Water Trade Deal
When the $10 billion Red-Dead Canal plan got the axe earlier in August, we discussed plan B for restoring some sense of water security to northern Jordan: a smaller desalination plant in Wadi Araba to trade water with Israel and Palestine.
Iran’s Water Woes More Worrying than War
International media is so obsessed with Iran’s forbidden access to nuclear energy and the possibility of war that a host of other issues far more worrying than war are being ignored. And it starts with water.
Turmeric Heals The Way Drugs Do, Only Better
There are two good reasons for cooking with turmeric. The first one is that the spice’s attractive yellow color and pungent flavor satisfy the sense of having eaten real food. The second, as folk wisdom has always known, is that it’s good for you. Our previous post on turmeric vs. arthritis offers a wide view of the root’s healing properties.
Masdar Aims to Detect Red Algae Before Coral and Desalination Damage
Red tides are toxic to both coral reefs and desalination plants in the Arabian/Persian Gulf, according to The National, so Masdar Institute has teamed up with government-backed Bayanat for Mapping and Surveying Services to predict and protect against harmful algae blooms.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Finally Breaks Ground on Saadiyat Island
It has been more than three years since France’s Pritzker prize winning architect Jean Nouvel won the bid to design a sparkling new art museum for Abu Dhabi, and now construction on the new Louvre has finally broken ground.
“Fly” Through Morocco on Three Wheels with Twike Maroc
Twikes have been around for 15 years, but they have only now made their way to Morocco. A hybrid electric vehicle on three wheels, this ergonomic two seater can travel 10,000km on the equivalent of just 50 liters of fuel, and you can ride one yourself.
Photoflow Generates Energy and Captures Rainwater with One Elegant Unit
The Middle East faces dire water scarcity and in some places energy comes at a premium too, but we have yet to see simple solutions that address both issues at once – until now. Check out the Photoflow by NOS below.
iLAND’s Solar Packs for Peace-keepers, Festivals, Eco-jocks and Alpha Wolves Who Travel with the Sun
Whether you travel alone or in packs, there is a new range of portable solar solutions by the Swiss company iLAND (said island) that will put crummy little solar panels on your backpack to shame: iLand has developed and now manufactures portable solar power packs for events with thousands and those small enough for one.
Israel Shines at First Solar Decathlon in China
It was the first time that a team from Israel participated in a Solar Decathlon intercollegiate architecture competition but the group, which represented several higher education institutes, recently took fourth place overall in China.
Reyoutilizer App Simplifies Dubai Recycling
Absurdly tall skyscrapers, overfishing and other environmental issues tarnish Dubai’s green image, but projects such as the new Reyoutilizer app at least makes recycling a bit easier.
New Rotating, Vertigo-Inducing Dubai Tower Back on Track
Dubai’s record-breaking skyline is the stuff of imagination bolstered by immense wealth, a powerful combination that mostly results in epic fail architecture. A new rotating skyscraper is in planning stage, an investment in gimmickry over game-changing sustainability, moving this city a step closer to its looming 22nd Century reality as the world’s best bad building burial ground.
Cairo’s Coptic Solar Power Project Fades Amid Turmoil
The flame of an initiative launched in the largely Coptic neighborhood of Mokkatam in Southwest Cairo is at risk of flickering out amid ongoing political turmoil that has enflamed the city once again.
Watermelon and Feta Are an Odd Couple
Opposites attract; just ask salted caramel, chocolate-covered pretzels, or kettle corn. These treats are all sweet-and-salty food combinations and here’s a new one to add to summer – just before the season ends.
Watermelon and feta cheese may not seem like the perfect pair, but you’ll have to trust me when I tell you that they are. I tried the combination when I traveled through Israel and became a believer in their seemingly unbecoming food relationship.
The sharp tanginess of the feta nicely complements the juicy, sugary flavor of the watermelon. The cheese needn’t be feta, but it should be salty.
For a get-together with family or friends, you can make a tray of hors d’oeuvres to pass out. Cut the watermelon and feta into bite-size pieces – a small circular cookie-cutter will make cute round shapes – and stack them, in that order, adding a fresh basil leaf on top of each bite.
Stick toothpicks or cocktail picks in the mini-masterpieces for the final step. This starter is essentially like the classic Italian tomato-mozzarella-basil antipasto, except sweeter and saltier.
In a salad, practically “anything goes,” and if you try tossing watermelon and feta with arugula, you won’t be disappointed.
Other flavors to include in such a salad or in different ways with watermelon and feta are cucumber, kalamata olives, red onion, fresh mint, and balsamic vinegar – and that’s certainly not the end of the list.
Experimentation is the only way to create something new and refreshing. After all, the simple two-ingredient creation of watermelon and feta cheese was probably an accident, one of those culinary “mistakes that worked.”
Some odd couples do end up withstanding the test of time. Marry the darling fruit of summertime with the choice cheese of the Mediterranean, and you’ll taste the love.