Current Final

Tag: UAE

  • UAE to allow abortion in cases of rape, incest

    UAE to allow abortion in cases of rape, incest

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will now legally permit abortion in cases of rape and incest for the first time.

    Under a cabinet resolution, abortions will be permissible in cases where pregnancy stems from rape or incest, contingent upon the incident being reported and validated by public prosecution, and if the fetus is under 120 days old.

    The new resolution states that abortion will be allowed “if the pregnancy is the result of intercourse with a female against her will, without her consent, or without adequate volition” or “if the person who caused the pregnancy is an ancestor of the woman or one of her mahram [ineligible for marriage] relatives”.

    The aims of the new legislation is to safeguard women’s health and well-being, legally tackling the handling of the aftermath of these incidents and allowing abortions to be conducted without endangering the woman’s life.

    Under current UAE law, abortions are only allowed when there is a risk to the mother’s life or serious abnormalities in the fetus.

    The new changes to the UAE’s abortion laws includes permitting emergency abortions without requiring spousal consent.

  • UAE allocates $10 billion to expand investment in Pakistan

    UAE allocates $10 billion to expand investment in Pakistan

    The Prime Minister’s office announced on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has allocated $10 billion to expand investment in Pakistan as the financially challenged country seeks foreign aid to maintain economic stability.

    The development came after yesterday’s meeting between UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and PM Shehbaz Sharif in Abu Dhabi, during the Pakistani Premier’s day-long visit to the UAE.

    The decision has been taken “to strengthen the Pakistani economy, support it, and enhance cooperation between the two countries”, UAE’s WAM news agency reported.

    In a statement, the government said: “President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, made a commitment of investing US $10 billion in multiple sectors in Pakistan.”

    The government led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is actively seeking investment from brotherly countries to deal with inflation and enhance the country’s financial stability.

  • PM Shehbaz arrives in UAE on important visit

    PM Shehbaz arrives in UAE on important visit

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has reached the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on a one-day-long visit to hold discussions with President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan regarding the shared interests of both countries.

    The vice president and Chairman of the Presidential Court of the UAE, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, received PM Shehbaz at the airport. Multiple individuals, including Pakistani Ambassador to the UAE Faisal Niaz Tirmizi and UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid, were also present at the airport.

    This is Shehbaz Sharif’s first visit to the UAE after becoming prime minister of the country. Top federal ministers, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ataullah Tarar, and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, are accompanying Shehbaz on his visit

  • Climate experts to get 10-year visa in UAE

    Climate experts to get 10-year visa in UAE

    Environmental experts will now be able to get a 10-year residency permit in the UAE called the Blue Visa.


    The decison was made in light of UAE’s commitment to environmental conservation, reports Khaleej Times.


    The special visa is for the individuals who are actively working towards improving the environment through conservation efforts, advocacy, research and other initiatives.


    Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced the introduction of the Blue Visa via social media channels.

    Climate experts working across various areas, be it marine, terrestrial or atmospheric, are encouraged to apply for the Blue Visa.


    This decision has come at a time when the Middle East is experiencing unprecedented climate changes such as heavy rains.


    Traditionally, UAE residency visas’ validity lasts two years.

  • Why have PIA flights to UAE been suspended?

    Why have PIA flights to UAE been suspended?

    Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has issued travel guidelines for passengers planning to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as air operations to Dubai and Sharjah have been severely affected by heavy rains.


    In response to the adverse weather conditions in the UAE, a PIA spokesperson told Samaa News that air operations of various airlines, including PIA, will remain suspended until further notice. Some flights of the national airline are experiencing delays and cancellations due to the inclement weather, he added.
    Passengers booked on affected flights are advised to contact the PIA call centre for updates and information regarding their travel arrangements. PIA remains dedicated to providing timely assistance and support to its passengers during this challenging period, the spokesman said.


    Two-day holiday in Dubai


    In view of the forecast of rain on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the United Arab Emirates, Thursday and Friday have been declared holidays in the educational institutions of Dubai.

  • Dubai reels from floods chaos after record rains

    Dubai reels from floods chaos after record rains

    Dubai, United Arab Emirates – Dubai’s giant highways were clogged by flooding and airport passengers were urged to stay away on Wednesday as the glitzy financial centre reeled from record rains.

    Huge tailbacks snaked along six-lane expressways after up to 254 millimetres of rain — about two years’ worth — fell on the desert United Arab Emirates on Tuesday.

    At least one person was killed after a 70-year-old man was swept away in his car in Ras Al-Khaimah, one of the country’s seven emirates, police said.

    Passengers were warned not to come to Dubai airport, the world’s busiest by international traffic, “unless absolutely necessary”, an official said.

    “Flights continue to be delayed and diverted… We are working hard to recover operations as quickly as possible in very challenging conditions,” a Dubai Airports spokesperson said.

    Dubai’s flagship Emirates airline cancelled all check-ins on Wednesday as staff and passengers struggled to arrive and leave, with access roads flooded and some metro services suspended.

    At the airport, long taxi queues formed and delayed passengers milled around. Scores of flights were also delayed, cancelled and diverted during Tuesday’s torrential rain.

    The storms hit the UAE and Bahrain overnight Monday and on Tuesday after lashing Oman, where 18 people were killed, including several children.

    Climatologist Friederike Otto, a specialist in assessing the role of climate change on extreme weather events, told AFP it was “high likely” that global warming had worsened the storms.

    Official media said it was the highest rainfall since records began in 1949, before the formation of the UAE in 1971.

    th/kir

    © Agence France-Presse

  • Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi supports stricter rules on social media use

    Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi supports stricter rules on social media use

    During a press conference in Lahore held on Monday, federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi pointed out that everyone knows how people who share fake videos in the United Arab Emirates or the UK are treated by those countries.

    He added that while there should be freedom of speech in Pakistan, there must also be a law under which a person making a false accusation can be arrested.

    As for the issue of the increased street crime in Karachi, the Interior Minister acknowledged the fact that the crimes are taking place in the city, but he also asserted that the police are fighting there on a daily basis.

  • Email kholo! SIFC to officials

    Email kholo! SIFC to officials

    The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has ordered all the focal persons of ministries to regularly check and respond to their emails after it was revealed that no one responded to UAE companies interested in investing in renewable energy projects in Pakistan.

    The event unfolded when the Foreign Office (FO) of Pakistan noted that when its ambassador to UAE held a meeting with Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company (ADQ) focal person to receive an update on the seven bilateral investment MoUs signed with UAE in November 2023.

    It was then revealed that the ADQ had tried to establish contacts with the concerned focal persons through formal channels of communication – emails. However, they received no reply in over a month and despite reminders, they await our response.

    Considering the recent developments, SIFC has requested all focal persons to establish official communication channels with a proper record keeping mechanisms in place. Email is regarded as the official means of communication while WhatsApp is treated as an informal tool.

  • A Hindu woman’s journey of fasting in Ramazan

    A Hindu woman’s journey of fasting in Ramazan

    Fasting has been a practice in many cultures and religions for a long time. Now when people think of fasting, they often think of Islam and Muslims more than anything else.


    Neelam Gokulsing, who isn’t Muslim and is from Mauritius, lives in Dubai, UAE. She started fasting during Ramadan in 2021 when she was in Malaysia, to support her Muslim friends.


    “I have many Muslim friends in Malaysia, and we ate before dawn and after sunset together. It was about standing together and understanding their culture even though I’m Hindu,” said Neelam, who is 26-years-old and works at a fintech company. She moved to Dubai two years ago.


    Even after moving to the Muslim-majority Gulf nation, Neelam kept fasting during Ramadan to be like the people around her. At first, it was about supporting others, but it turned into a journey of learning more about herself.


    “Fasting isn’t just about not eating. It’s about connecting spiritually and learning new things about yourself. It’s like working together with yourself to discover your values,” she explained.


    Following a fasting routine while managing daily life has taught Neelam a lot about herself.


    Now, Neelam wants to learn Arabic to become even more a part of UAE’s culture and society. She’s excited about what the future holds.

  • Why did Hrithik Roshan’s film get banned in UAE and Gulf countries?

    Why did Hrithik Roshan’s film get banned in UAE and Gulf countries?

    Earlier this week, the Bollywood propaganda action movie ‘Fighter,’ featuring Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan, became a hot topic as it got banned in several Gulf countries.
    Initially, reports suggested that the ban affected many Gulf nations except the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, recent reports from trade analysts indicate that the movie is now facing a “suspension” in the UAE, as major theater chains have stopped bookings. The film’s distributor in the UAE had recently confirmed that the film will get released. The exact reason for the ban is not disclosed, but reports suggest it’s due to “some objectionable content in the film.”
    There were earlier speculations that ‘Fighter’ was supposed to be released in the UAE with a PG 15 rating before the ban.

    Trade analyst Girish Johar confirmed the same. He stated on X, “In a setback, Fighter officially banned across Middle East regions for theatrical release. Only UAE will release the film with a PG15 classification!” Recent reports now claim that UAE has also banned the film, with confirmation from the film’s UAE distributor, as per Times of India.

    The movie’s story, which revolves around India’s response to the attack in Pulwama, India-occupied Kashmir.
    Many in Pakistan disapproved of how the Pulwama attack was depicted in the film, claiming it “exploited a sensitive matter” and promoted an “anti-Pakistan” stance. It’s believed that this criticism, combined with the film’s controversial subject, influenced the decisions of the Gulf censor boards.
    Responding to these concerns, Siddharth Anand, the film’s director, urged the public to watch the entire film for context before forming an opinion based on the trailer. He emphasized that ‘Fighter’ aims to raise questions about terrorism, not to incite hostility against any nation. The main cast echoed the sentiment.

    Even though ‘Fighter’ won’t be shown in some places, it will still be screened in theaters in India. The movie stars Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, along with Anil Kapoor, Karan Singh Grover, Akshay Oberoi, and Sanjeeda Shaikh in the cast. Viacom18 Studios and Marflix Pictures worked together to produce the film.