Category: UAE

Israel’s UAE embassy issues first-ever passport to baby born in Gulf country Ambassador Hayek hails ‘exciting moment’; mother of newborn, who lives abroad with Belgian husband, says she insisted on getting son’s Israeli passport first

Israel’s Ambassador to the UAE with Mateo David and his new Israeli passport, November 17, 2022 (via Twitter).

Israel’s embassy in Abu Dhabi issued the first-ever Israeli passport to a citizen born in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

Hailing the “exciting moment,” Ambassador Amir Hayek personally handed the passport to the parents, who welcomed their son Mateo David in May this year.

The mother, Danielle, is married to a Belgian. “Because I am a Zionist, I said to my husband I want to get the Israeli passport and the Belgian one after,” she told the Ynet news site.

“Here in the United Arab Emirates, there is a great appreciation for Israel. I receive a lot of respect when I say I am Israeli. I’m proud to be here and to say it,” she added.

The daughter of Ilan Sztulman Starosta, who heads Israel’s first consulate in Dubai, was the first Israeli to be born in the UAE last year. At that time, Israeli passports could not be issued in the Gulf country.

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‘Using the more favourable law’

Bader Khamis

In September 2020, his lawyer appealed the verdict and the Appeals Court reduced the fine to Dh5,000, but retained the deportation order.

Lawyer Bader Khamis from World Centre Advocates and Legal Consultant then appealed that decision too and pleaded with the judges to implement Article 75 of the new UAE Decree No 30 of 2021 on narcotic and psychotropic substances, which came into effect on January 2 this year.

“I asked the court to use the law for the accused,” Khamis told Gulf News.

The new amendment says that deportation is not mandatory in cases of personal use or possession of drugs and the amendment leaves it up to the judge to decide if someone convicted in a narcotics case can be allowed to stay on in the UAE.

UAE court abolishes deportation order against Dubai-based drug user Appeals Court upholds Dh5,000 fine, but allows man to remain in UAE based on new law

Picture for illustrative purpose Image Credit: Shutterstock

Dubai: A Dubai-based man, who was about to be deported from the UAE for consuming drugs, has had his deportation order abolished by the court on the basis of a recent amendment to UAE’s anti-narcotics law.

The man, arrested by Dubai Police for consuming illegal drugs, was found guilty by a court and handed a Dh10,000 fine, to be followed by deportation. The man was convicted during the movement restrictions that were in place in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and could not be deported.

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Dubai Police warn against hiring absconding domestic workers 948 runaway maids arrested in Dubai since the beginning of Ramadan

Image Credit: Dubai Police/Facebook

Dubai: The Dubai Police General Command has warned members of the public against hiring runaway domestic workers, especially during Eid and other occasions, as they could pose a serious risk to society.

The police also urged the community members to immediately report absconding domestic workers to maintain the security and stability of the community.

Colonel Ali Salem, Director of the Infiltrators Department at Dubai Police, said they arrested 948 runaway domestic workers of different nationalities since the beginning of Ramadan as part of a campaign they had launched against all types of violators who breach the employment contract for domestic workers.

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Hamdan bin Mohammed issues resolution on Unified Registry of Dubai Government Employees

Photo: Dubai Media Office

Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has issued Executive Council Resolution No. (25) of 2020 on the ‘Unified Registry of Dubai Government Employees’.

The Unified Registry seeks to create a reliable source of employee data and a classification system to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data. It also aims to ensure Dubai Government’s human resource data is managed effectively as part of implementing policies related to Dubai’s smart transformation.

The new Resolution states that the ‘Unified Registry of Dubai Government Employees’ will be created within the online platform used to publish and exchange Dubai Data managed by the Dubai Government Human Resources Department and the Dubai Data Establishment. The Registry will be the sole official source of information on Dubai Government employees.

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Mohammed bin Rashid approves new federal department board appointments

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, approved several new federal department board appointments as part of the efforts to improve the work of the federal government and support the country’s overall development process.

The new appointments followed the latest UAE Cabinet reshuffle and aims to advance the work of federal councils and promote their roles in achieving the strategic national objectives of the federal government.

Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, was appointed as President of the UAE Council for Climate Change and Environment, to oversee the council’s efforts in drafting the country’s public policy in the areas of climate change, the environment and green development, as well as establish plans and projects for limiting the effects of climate change and promote joint environmental action.

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UN Security Council extends Yemen arms embargo to all Houthis Resolution proposed by UAE comes amid a string of recent attacks on Gulf countries claimed by the Yemeni rebel group.

Newly recruited Houthi fighters join a gathering in the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2017 [File: Mohammed Huwais/AFP]
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has extended an arms embargo to all Houthi rebels, as the Yemeni group faces increased international pressure after a string of recent attacks on Gulf countries.

Monday’s resolution, proposed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and adopted with 11 votes in favour and four abstentions, extends an embargo that until now targeted some Houthi leaders to the entire rebel group.

The Emirati mission to the UN welcomed the result of the vote, saying the resolution would “curtail the military capabilities of the Houthis & push toward stopping their escalation in Yemen & the region”.

The move comes days after United States President Joe Biden’s administration issued new sanctions against a network that it accused of transferring tens of millions of dollars to the Houthis – and amid a push by the Emirati government for countries to take a tougher stance against the rebels.

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Phone thief caught while answering call from victim in Dubai Defendant sentenced to three years in jail, to be followed by deportation

Dubai Court Image Credit: Gulf News

Dubai: A thief who stole a mobile phone was caught as the owner of the phone called him when he happened to have been stopped by a policeman in Dubai over a random check.

The thief was confused when the policeman stopped him in Al Quoz as the owner of the phone kept ringing on his number.

According to the Dubai Court of First Instance, the policeman asked the thief to answer the calls and put the phone on speaker.

The thief was arrested as the policeman heard the phone owner claiming it is his phone and that it was stolen.

The victim said in records that he was walking home with a friend when a group of people attacked them with a knife.

“My friend injured his finger and shoulder and I lost my mobile phone and cash of Dh10,000,” said the victim in records.

The victim was transferred to the hospital for treatment while policemen were dispatched to the area to look for the attackers.

One of them said that he stopped the defendant because he was walking suspiciously and his phone was ringing many times.

“I asked him to answer the call and put the phone on speaker. The victim spoke and said it is his phone,” said the policeman.

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Man in Fujairah fined Dh50,000 for calling police 15 times, using foul language Caller used profanities while repeatedly calling to complain against an acquaintance

Fujairah Image Credit: Clint Egbert/Gulf News

Fujairah: The Fujairah Misdemeanours Court has fined a person Dh50,000 for making 15 phone calls to a police station and using foul language.

Court records said a phone call was made to Al Madina police station in Fujairah by the accused, saying his belongings were at the residence of an acquaintance. He said he wanted a police patrol to help him retrieve his belongings.

The policeman, who received the calls, mentioned to him all the procedures regarding registering a report in order to retrieve his belongings, but the accused did not pay heed and kept calling. He made a total of 15 calls.

With each call, the accused used foul language while the policeman who received the call continued to inform him of the procedures that must be followed in the case.

His incessant calls caused an obstruction in responding to other people’s calls.

Caller arrested

The accused was arrested and brought to the police station. The acquaintance whom the accused filed a complaint against was summoned to inquire about the accused’s belongings, but he said there was nothing belonging to him in his apartment.

It then became clear to the police that the caller was in a good condition. He was asked to undergo a medical examination, but he did not respond and initially refused to go to the hospital in order to give a sample for alcohol testing. He also refused to be examined by a doctor specialised in testing for alcohol in the breath.

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