UAE to plant 100m mangroves by 2030 and Argentina face France in World Cup final, Gulf News Editors comment on the top stories of Dec 18

ANOTHER BIG STEP FORWARD TO PROTECT THE UAE ENVIRONMENT: The UAE has announced plan to plant 100 million mangroves by 2030 across the country as part of its strategy to achieve Net Zero by 2050. The project launched by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment aims at increasing reliance on nature-based solutions in facing environmental challenges, and to enhance efforts to capture carbon dioxide to mitigate the effects of climate change and enhance adaptation capabilities. It is a great move to protect the enviroment as mangroves can absorb and capture carbon up to four to five times greater than wild tropical rain forests, in addition to being a safe natural habitat for marine biodiversity, as 80 per cent of global fish populations depend on healthy mangrove ecosystems. [By Ashfaq Ahmed, Senior Assistant Editor]

FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR 2022: AND THEN THERE WERE TWO…We started off with 32 teams at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar and after four weeks of riveting football action there are now just 2, but which will one will emerge victorious? Will it be Argentina’s Lionel Messi lifting the trophy or will Kylian Mbappe help France to defend their title? That is the big question as the teams meet in the final tonight. France would become only the second team to win back-to-back tournaments after Brazil but the bigger story would be Messi winning the World Cup in his last match for his country. He has already stated this will be his final World Cup and he will do everything in his power to go out with a bang. And that could mean a potentially thrilling final at the Lusail Stadium. 35-year-old Messi has won a record seven Ballon d'Or awards and countless other titles in a glittering career but he has never won the biggest team prize in football. People say France are the favourites and they have been playing like champions throughout the tournament. However, Argentina have the advantage of having one of the greatest players of all time in their side. We could be in for a thriller of a match to cap what has been a superb tournament. [By Imran Malik, Assistant Sports Editor]

FIXED DEPOSITS: YOUR FRIENDS ON A RAINY DAY! With central bank policy rates steadily rising and markets being cautious in the eye of recession fears, it may again be the time to go back to the safety of fixed deposits. They are never a financial advisor’s first choice of investment, but they have time and again stood the test of time and volatility. American and European central banks have already said that rates will rise further, and most banks usually pass on these hikes to consumers – whether fixed deposits or loans. So if you want to avoid volatility and are not optimistic about blue chips, deposits may be the safest way to go. [By Anupam Varma, Assistant Editor]

MORE NORTH KOREA TALKS NEEDED: While the world's eyes are focused on Ukraine, North Korea is quietly continuing to test ballistic missiles. The latest launch of two missiles landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone and comes just days after the country tested a high-thrust solid fuel engine. North Korea has conducted an unprecedented number of missile tests this year, enough to make its neighbours sit up and take notice. Fresh efforts must be made in the new year to bring North Korea back to the negotiation table before things get out of hand. [By Alex Abraham, Senior Associate Editor]