How an Edinburgh center is tracing the roots of plants in the Middle East

Umbrella-shaped dragon blood trees, one of Socotra’s many eye-catching plant species. (Reuters)
Updated 01 July 2018
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How an Edinburgh center is tracing the roots of plants in the Middle East

  • A Scottish research site is a treasure trove of flora from across the region — including Socotra, the ‘Galapagos of the Indian Ocean’

EDINBURGH, UK: The Arabian Peninsula is rich in many things — oil (obviously), literature, history, cuisine. But far away in Edinburgh is a treasure trove of other Middle Eastern riches — plants.

The Scottish capital is home to the Center for Middle Eastern Plants (CMEP) and a herbarium — or plant library — containing a staggering 3 million samples of flora from the region. And botanists from the center are still adding to the collection.

“There is a mountain in Oman called Jebel Samhan and every time I’ve gone up it I’ve discovered a new species,” said CMEP director Tony Miller, who has been making field trips to Yemen, Oman, Iran and Saudi Arabia since 1978.

“The last time I took visitors up there I wondered if I had set myself up for embarrassment but no, pretty much as soon as I stepped out of the vehicle, I spotted a completely new plant right in front of me.”

Socotra, the island off the coast of Yemen in the Arabian Sea, is especially important for the study of flora.

“Socotra is the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean,” said Miller.

“It has 900 plants of which more than 300 are endemic — that is, they are unique to that place. In comparison, the number of plants endemic to Britain is a handful. Every single tree on Socotra is endemic. The place is a vast biosphere reserve.

“We’re doing on Socotra what Darwin did on the Galapagos. We’re seeing how species radiated and how evolution works.”

Heady stuff for those who are passionate about plants. But how did a center for studying and documenting the plant life of the world’s most arid landscapes come to be established in an all-too-often grey and rainy Edinburgh?

That is down to a decision taken more than 50 years ago. CMEP is part of Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden, which is itself a sister to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in London.

In 1962, it was decided to divide the areas of study. Kew got Africa, while Edinburgh got China, the Himalayas and southwest Asia, which includes the Arabian Peninsula. Europe, Central and North America went to the Natural History Museum in London.

CMEP’s offices are unremarkable: Plain desks and bookshelves heaving with tomes such as “Flora of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra” (co-authored by Tony Miller) and “Ethnoflora of the Socotra Archipelago” (co-written with Miranda Morris), which not only lists the flora of the Yemeni island but also explains what each plant was for. 

It is the herbarium that reveals CMEP’s purpose. Instead of books there are shelves full of folders containing dried specimens of flowers, grasses, leaves and roots. Each folder has a little envelope stuck in the bottom corner for storing any bits of the plant sample that might fall off. 

Few hobby gardeners know that some of the best-loved blooms found in a typical Western flowerbed originated in southwest Asia — tulips, fritillaries, muscari (commonly known as grape hyacinths), to name only a few.

The first plants to be cultivated were wheat, barley, flax, peas, chickpeas, lentils and bitter vetch. Collectively known as the Neolithic founder plants, they all originated in the marshes of Sumeria in what is present-day Iraq. Their cultivation led to agriculture and settled habitation in villages and then towns which in turn led to the development of an alphabet, writing and laws.

Then there is aloe vera, well-known for its medicinal properties. Pale-skinned holidaymakers in Dubai little realize that the gel they are slapping on their sunburn originally came from Yemen. 

One variety of aloe was recently rediscovered in Al-Ula, in Saudi Arabia. The only other place it grows north of the Tropic of Cancer is Petra in Jordan. Its presence in both places is compelling evidence of the contact between those two ancient Nabataean sites and societies much further south.

CMEP was set up as a separate entity in 2009 to generate income from consultancy work which could then be ploughed into conservation and training projects. There are four full-time staff with PhD students or fellows on temporary attachments. 

Classifying and documenting plants — a discipline known as taxonomy — is an important part of CMEP’s work. “After all, you can’t conserve it if you don’t know what it is,” said Miller. But the projects also have a strong social component.

In Bamyan province in Afghanistan, that meant helping the environment by distributing cooking stoves to people in remote communities.

“There are no trees left in Bamyan. People cook on open fires, and all the trees and shrubs have been cut down for firewood. Now they are pulling up shrubs and roots and burning them, which is not healthy,” said Miller. 

“According to the World Health Organization, 54,000 people a year are dying of pulmonary disease caused by indoor pollution. No trees means there is nothing to anchor the soil which leads to water and mudslides. With the stoves, they are still burning wood, but it burns more efficiently and lasts longer and so they need less of it.”

The Bamyan inhabitants were not immediately convinced. In the first year, they collected the same amount of firewood as always, especially when hoarding for winter, which requires collecting two to three donkey loads every day for a week.

“But they soon noticed the difference and collected less the next year,” said Dr. Sophie Neale, another member of the CMEP team.

Restoring landscapes involves more than simply shoving plants into the ground.

“When you talk about restoration, how far back do you go? Back to grandfather’s day? Back to how the land was before humans? How do you adapt the old ways to modern life? It’s a philosophical question,” said Miller. “We finally settled on restoration to a time before rapid development.”

Then there is the perception of botany itself. The great 19th-century plant-hunters roamed the world’s unexplored habitats collecting specimens. They were certainly intrepid, but many also had the time and often the backing of a wealthy aristocratic patron, and it is true to say that — somewhat unfairly —botany retains some of that “rich man’s hobby” image. 

Is it difficult to persuade young people in the business-driven Middle East that studying plants is worthwhile?

“A little, but there is a growing awareness of it as a profession,”
said Miller. 

CMEP runs online courses that are not only popular but also a good way of spotting new talent.

“If they stick with the course, it shows they’re dedicated as well as good,” said Miller. Studying plants attracts both men and women; a class in Oman has 40 women and one man, and the current CMEP fellows include an Afghan woman and a Lebanese woman.

Earlier this year, Miller and his team won an award at the International Workshop on Combating Desertification in Saudi Arabia for work on “greening” Riyadh. 

There is a marked trend in Saudi Arabia away from using plants that need lots of irrigation, but knowledge about what should be planted in their place can be limited.

“They want to use native species, but unfortunately they don’t know where they grow, so it ends up being easier to just go down to the garden center,” said Miller.

“The problem in Riyadh is … goats and camels dig up roots, so plants have no chance.”

An experiment carried out in Kuwait illustrates nature’s infinite capacity for self-healing. Researchers fenced off an area of land to keep animals away and then simply waited to see what would happen. By the following year, plants growing there again. After another year, what had been an expanse of arid, barren land was alive with desert vegetation.

Miller, 67, has been at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh for
42 years and has been making expeditions to the Arabian Peninsula almost as long. Socotra, which he first visited in 1989, retains a special fascination.

“In Socotra, every tree is known. If you want to cut a tree down, you must get permission from the community. It means every tree has a value and everyone knows which tree belongs to which village. The Mediterranean used to be covered in dragon blood trees once. Socotra still has them.” 

Among CMEP’s other projects are building botanic gardens in Kabul and in Sulaymaniyah, in Iraqi Kurdistan. 

“It’s what called soft diplomacy,” said Miller. Which, when one thinks about it, makes sense. For who in the world could ever object to a garden?

 

 

 


Kneecap ‘welcome’ at Glastonbury

Updated 25 June 2025
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Kneecap ‘welcome’ at Glastonbury

  • Irish hip-hop trio have publicly spoken out against Israel’s war on Gaza
  • Some UK politicians, including PM, want group to be axed from iconic festival

LONDON: Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap are “welcome” at the Glastonbury music festival despite objections by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the event’s co-organizer has said.

The band, which have publicly spoken out against Israel’s war on Gaza, are scheduled to play at the iconic British festival this week.

Member Liam Og O hAnnaidh, 27, was charged with a terrorism offense last year after allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a show in London. The band said the charge was a “distraction.”

Some politicians, including opposition Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, have called for the trio’s performance at Glastonbury — set for Saturday — to be axed. Starmer this week said Kneecap’s presence at the event would not be “appropriate.”

Emily Eavis, Glastonbury’s co-organizer, told the BBC: “We’re just focusing on bringing the best festival to the people who want to come here … We remain a platform for many, many artists from all over the world and … everyone is welcome here.”

Kneecap responded to Starmer in a social media post, saying: “You know what’s ‘not appropriate’ Keir?! Arming a f***ing genocide.”


Review: A cinematic dining experience at Munchies in Safwa

Updated 25 June 2025
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Review: A cinematic dining experience at Munchies in Safwa

  • With dim lighting, cozy seating, and attention to music and mood, the ambiance supports the food without overshadowing it
  • Menu offers variety, with more than 50 items ranging from Italian comfort dishes to bistro classics

SAFWA: Munchies in Safwa city, Qatif governorate, may not catch your eye at first. There are no flashy signs or strong online presence to draw you in. But those who visit will find a unique dining experience.

Ahmed Al-Quraish opened the restaurant in 2023. It operates on a reservation basis and relies mostly on word of mouth.

The low-key approach continues inside, where the interior feels more like a carefully designed set than a typical restaurant.

With dim lighting, cozy seating, and attention to music and mood, the ambiance supports the food without overshadowing it.

The menu offers variety, with more than 50 items ranging from Italian comfort dishes to bistro classics.

A recent visit started with a crispy Caesar salad, generous in size and flavor, followed by hot arancini with a molten center. Both had a good balance of texture and temperature.

The main dishes were well prepared. The wagyu steak arrived cooked as requested, served with creamy mashed potatoes. It was tender, well seasoned and satisfying.

The pasta was rich and silky with a proper bite, and the fish and chips were golden and crisp.

The dessert menu focuses on enjoyable flavors. The chocolate cake was fudgy, the choux pastries flavorful, and the vibrancy and refreshing nature of the passion fruit cake stood out.

Munchies occasionally offers live music or themed events, but at its core are thoughtful food and atmospheric surroundings, creating a welcoming atmosphere.

Munchies is open from 3:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. This spot delivers consistent quality and ambiance.

The overall experience is worth making a reservation for. Check their Instagram, @munchiesksa, for more details.


Nora Fatehi, Amina Muaddi attend Louis Vuitton’s star-studded Paris Fashion Week show

Updated 25 June 2025
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Nora Fatehi, Amina Muaddi attend Louis Vuitton’s star-studded Paris Fashion Week show

PARIS/DUBAI: Paris Fashion Week kicked off with a bang — a Louis Vuitton show unveiling the French brand’s Menswear Spring/Summer 2026 collection.

The front row was packed with A-list stars, including Beyonce, Jay-Z, Steve Harvey, Bradley Cooper, J-Hope, Karol G, PinkPantheress, Future, Pusha T, Jackson Wang, Bambam, Mason Thames, Miles Caton, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Malcolm Washington, Jalen Ramsey, and A$AP Nast.

Part-Arab guests also made an appearance, including Moroccan Canadian singer, actress and model Nora Fatehi, as well as Romanian Jordanian designer Amina Muaddi.

Part-Arab guests attended the show, including Moroccan Canadian singer, actress and model Nora Fatehi. (Getty Images)

Fatehi attended the show in a taupe double-breasted suit featuring a structured blazer with wide lapels, metallic buttons and flap pockets. She paired the blazer with loose, pleated wide-leg trousers in a matching fabric. She layered the suit over a white shirt and a white tie.

Meanwhile, Muaddi opted for a structured brown jacket with oversized flap pockets and a contrasting dark collar. Underneath, she wore a black knee-length leather skirt and a white top.

In this collection Pharrell Williams — half showman, half pop impresario — staged a cultural passage from Paris to Mumbai, fusing Indian tradition and modern dandyism into a punchy, sunstruck vision of the Vuitton man in 2026.

Muaddi opted for a structured brown jacket with oversized flap pockets and a contrasting dark collar. (Instagram)

The Pompidou’s iconic colored pipes served as a sci-fi backdrop for a set dreamed up with Studio Mumbai architect Bijoy Jain: a life size “Snakes and Ladders” board, alluding to both the child’s game and the adult risks of fashion’s global game. 

The models walked the runway in Indian-style chunky sandals, striped boxy shorts and blue preppy shirts with sleeves billowing like monsoon sails. Silken cargo pants shimmered in the sun; pin-striped puffers added a louche, almost Bollywood-kitsch edge. 

Cricket jerseys appeared with jeweled collars or, in some cases, a puffy hood covered in rhinestones. Blue pearlescent leather bombers flirted with the bling of Mumbai’s film sets, while pin-striped tailoring riffed on both the British Raj and Parisian boulevardiers.

Of course, with Vuitton, accessories make the man — and this season’s bags, jeweled sandals, and bold, hardware-heavy necklaces delivered Instagram bait. It’s maximalist, yes, but not just for the TikTok crowd. The craftsmanship — from sun-faded fabrics to hand-loomed stripes — rewards anyone who takes a closer look.


Rachel Zegler stands by support for Gaza despite backlash

Updated 25 June 2025
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Rachel Zegler stands by support for Gaza despite backlash

DUBAI: US actress Rachel Zegler has responded to the backlash she received for speaking out in support of Palestine, saying, “Nothing is worth innocent lives.”

The “West Side Story” star, who played the lead in Disney’s 2025 live-action remake of “Snow White,” came under fire during the film’s press tour for her political posts about the war in Gaza. In a new interview with i-D, she addressed the vitriol she faced — not just for her stance on Palestine, but also the widespread online narrative blaming her for the film’s poor box office performance.

Zegler pushed back against the idea that actors should stay silent on humanitarian issues for fear of professional fallout.

“I can really only echo Hannah Einbinder in saying that a platform becomes a responsibility, and that responsibility is ours to use as we please,” Zegler said, referencing the “Hacks” actor’s powerful remarks at a Human Rights Campaign dinner earlier this year, in which Einbinder criticized Israel’s assault on Gaza and emphasized the need for public figures to speak up.

“My compassion has no boundaries, is really what it is, and my support for one cause does not denounce any others. That’s always been at the core of who I am as a person. It’s the way I was raised,” Zegler continued.

“There are obviously things that are at stake by being outspoken, but nothing is worth innocent lives. My heart doesn’t have a fence around it, and if that is considered my downfall? There are worse things.”

In August 2023, “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” actor expressed support for Palestine when she shared the first official “Snow White” trailer on X. She thanked her fans for their support, before adding in a separate post: “And always remember, free Palestine.”


Haifaa Al-Mansour appointed to Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors

Updated 24 June 2025
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Haifaa Al-Mansour appointed to Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors

DUBAI: Pioneering Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour has been appointed to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors, the Red Sea Film Foundation announced on Instagram.

“As one of three newly named governors-at-large, Al-Mansour will represent the Directors Branch and bring her singular voice, vision, and global perspective to the Academy’s leadership for the 2025–2026 term and beyond,” they captioned the post.

“An incredible milestone for one of Saudi Arabia’s most celebrated filmmakers. We’re proud to see her continue shaping the future of cinema on a global stage.”
In 2012, Al-Mansour made history as she released her first feature film “Wadjda.” It was the first feature film shot entirely in the Kingdom and the first feature-length film made by a female Saudi director.

Over the years, Al-Mansour has also become one of the most in-demand television directors in Hollywood, helming episodes of hit series including “Archive 81,” “City of Fire,” “Tales of the Walking Dead,” and “Bosch: Legacy.”

In 2019, Al-Mansour’s feature film “The Perfect Candidate” was submitted as Saudi Arabia’s official entry for the International Feature Film Award at the 92nd Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.