Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said drugs were a societal cancer and a scourge.  Photo: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid / X
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said drugs were a societal cancer and a scourge. Photo: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid / X

Sheikh Mohammed announces national strategy to tackle drug abuse



Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has described drugs as a “societal cancer” and a “scourge”. Sheikh Mohammed made his comments as he announced a National Strategy for Combatting Drugs.

The scheme was unveiled after the first day of the government's annual meetings in Abu Dhabi. Under the anti-drugs strategy deterrents against drug dealers will be ramped up alongside the development of treatment and rehabilitation centres, according to Sheikh Mohammed's posts on X.

“Drugs are a scourge, a loss, an addiction, an illusion and a societal cancer that everyone must join together to fight,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

“Today, as part of the Cabinet meeting, we approved the National Strategy for Combatting Drugs, which includes enhancing deterrence against local dealers and traffickers, pursuing them internationally, developing treatment and rehabilitation centres, raising awareness among all segments of society, and establishing correctional centres for convicted individuals, among other mechanisms.”

The goal of the annual meetings is to create an agenda for the government in 2025. More than 500 officials are taking part in the event, which is being hosted in Abu Dhabi this week. During a session of the UAE Cabinet as part of the annual meetings, an update was offered on the progress of the federal government housing plans in the country.

The percentage of Emiratis owning a home has increased from 76 to 91 per cent in four years, Sheikh Mohammed added. “The period of obtaining a home has been reduced from four years to one year,” he wrote on X. “Since its establishment, more than 90,000 citizens have benefitted from the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, with a budget of Dh60 billion.”

The number of pending housing applications has dropped from 13,000 to just 650, he added.

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The biog

Favourite pet: cats. She has two: Eva and Bito

Favourite city: Cape Town, South Africa

Hobby: Running. "I like to think I’m artsy but I’m not".

Favourite move: Romantic comedies, specifically Return to me. "I cry every time".

Favourite spot in Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat beach

WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')

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Water waste

In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.

Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.

A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.

The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.

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Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

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Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

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Transmission: 8-speed automatic

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