The UAE revealed a major overhaul of its penal and civil codes on Saturday, modernising a number of elements tied to family and personal law. The details of the laws and the amendments to existing regulations are important, but even more significant is the spirit in which this overhaul is taking place.
In having the law make accommodations for people from different walks of life and backgrounds, the UAE is again demonstrating its ability to attract millions of people from around the world to live and work here. Some of the issues that have been addressed by these laws, like divorce and inheritance, are important to families who are settling in the UAE and making it their home. This comes along with a number of changes earlier this year in regulations linked to residency and property laws. Put together, these measures are aimed at creating an environment that welcomes a diverse population, and make the UAE especially attractive in the competition to attract talent from around the world.
According to the new regulations, non-Emiratis can resort to the laws of their home countries in cases of inheritance, divorce, separation and the division of assets in the event a marriage breaks down.
Significant, compassionate steps have been taken, as suicide and attempted suicide will be decriminalised. Until now, someone who attempted to take their own life but survived could have been prosecuted, though such instances were rare if not unheard of. The law also now protects "Good Samaritans", who intervene in situations where people are in need, from being held liable for the outcome of those they help. Under a long-standing but rarely used clause, someone who went to the aid of another person, to give CPR or other first aid, could be held accountable for their injury or death. The new law states that "any person who's committing an act out of good intention, that may end up hurting that person, will not be punished". Furthermore, all courts will have to ensure translators are provided for defendants and witnesses in court, if they do not speak Arabic, ensuring further protections for those who may be vulnerable.
For years, the UAE has been making important strides in women’s rights, and the regulations announced on Saturday include increased punishments when it comes to harassment. They also remove lighter sentences for those who commit so-called “honour crimes”. The new law is clear – there is no instance in which there is honour in killing.
Progress requires the ability to revise how a society is organised in order to reflect its needs, and this is what the UAE has committed to. The country strikes a fine balance between celebrating its heritage and Emirati culture, and opening its borders and cities to people from around the world. Finding the right balance is neither easy nor a one-off measure, but rather a process of constant review and seeking opportunities for improvement.
2020 has been a remarkable year in the UAE. From starting the Arab world's first peaceful nuclear reactor, to sending the Arab world's first space probe to Mars. The UAE has achieved all this while facing a global pandemic. The Emirates has proven once again that it can be true to its motto, "Impossible is possible", by continuing to introduce historic measures, projects and a forward-thinking vision.
Fight card
Preliminaries:
Nouredine Samir (UAE) v Sheroz Kholmirzav (UZB); Lucas Porst (SWE) v Ellis Barboza (GBR); Mouhmad Amine Alharar (MAR) v Mohammed Mardi (UAE); Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) v Spyro Besiri (GRE); Aslamjan Ortikov (UZB) v Joshua Ridgwell (GBR)
Main card:
Carlos Prates (BRA) v Dmitry Valent (BLR); Bobirjon Tagiev (UZB) v Valentin Thibaut (FRA); Arthur Meyer (FRA) v Hicham Moujtahid (BEL); Ines Es Salehy (BEL) v Myriame Djedidi (FRA); Craig Coakley (IRE) v Deniz Demirkapu (TUR); Artem Avanesov (ARM) v Badreddine Attif (MAR); Abdulvosid Buranov (RUS) v Akram Hamidi (FRA)
Title card:
Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)
Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)
Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
