Briefly

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed dies

The United Arab Emirates' long-ailing ruler, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, died on Friday, the Ministry of Presidential Affairs announced. He was 73. The ministry also announced a 40-day period of mourning and a three-day suspension of work in all ministries and the private sector from Friday, including flags to be flown at half-staff. No official word has been given yet on the cause of death. Khalifa, who was born in 1948, came to power in 2004 in the richest emirate Abu Dhabi and became the head of state.

UNITED STATES

Scientists grow seeds in soil from moon

Scientists for the first time have grown seeds in soil from the moon--samples retrieved during NASA missions in 1969 and 1972－in an achievement that heralds the promise of using earthly plants to support human outposts on other worlds. Researchers said on Thursday they planted seeds of a diminutive flowering weed called Arabidopsis thaliana in 12 small containers each bearing a gram of moon soil. The experiment results were published in the journal Communications Biology.

Agencies Via Xinhua