Latest: Timeline of the deadly Abu Dhabi attack
Explosions that killed three people in Abu Dhabi on Monday were a “heinous attack on civilian facilities” by Yemen's Houthi militia, a senior Emirati official said.
Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Khalifa, described the group as a “terrorist militia” after two blasts in the capital.
Two Indians and a Pakistani died when a device hit three fuel lorries at Adnoc's petroleum storage unit in the ICAD industrial area of Mussaffah at about 10am. Six people suffered mild to moderate injuries.
Officials said an investigation was ongoing but that the blasts may have been caused by aerial drones.
Authorities in the UAE are dealing transparently and responsibly with the heinous Houthi attack on some civilian facilities in Abu Dhabi
Dr Anwar Gargash,
diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Khalifa
“Authorities in the UAE are dealing transparently and responsibly with the heinous Houthi attack on some civilian facilities in Abu Dhabi,” Dr Gargash said.
“The tampering of terrorist militias with the stability of the region is too weak to affect the journey of security and safety that we live in, and the fate of this reckless absurdity will be demise and defeat.”
Fires caused by the blasts on Monday morning were brought under control by emergency crews, police said.
At Abu Dhabi airport, a device caused a small fire in an under-construction extension. It is understood the terminals were not affected or damaged.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation said in a statement that it “reserves the right to respond to these terrorist attacks and this sinister criminal escalation".
It condemned the “terrorist militia’s targeting of civilian areas and facilities on UAE soil today” and said its thoughts were with those who died in the strike.
UN chief Guterres condemns 'attacks on civilians'
In New York, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack.
The strikes “reportedly caused several civilian casualties and have been claimed by the Houthis,” said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
“Attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited by international humanitarian law.”
He urged the Houthis, pro-government and coalition forces fighting in Yemen's protracted conflict to “exercise maximum restraint” and engage in an UN-led peace process.
“There is no military solution to the conflict in Yemen,” said Mr Dujarric.
US, Britain and Arab allies condemn strikes
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan condemned the terrorist attacks on Monday and promised a co-ordinated response. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, and the UK's foreign secretary Liz Truss tweeted a public condemnation.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq were among the Arab nations to condemn the attacks and express solidarity with the Emirates. The Arab League and Gulf Co-operation Council also voiced their condemnation.
Bahrain's Foreign Ministry said the group had attacked “vital civilian facilities” in an unprovoked strike, while Oman's Foreign Ministry offered solidarity with the UAE, and “support for measures it takes to protect its security and stability".
Saudi Arabia's government said the strikes were a “terrorist act” by a group that threatened stability in the region.
“The kingdom stressed that it continues to confront all attempts and terrorist practices of the Houthi militia through its leadership of coalition forces to support legitimacy in Yemen,” it said.
Adnoc 'deeply saddened' by loss of employees
Adnoc, for whom the three dead and six injured people worked, said in a statement: “At approximately 10am this morning, an incident occurred at our Mussaffah Fuel Depot in Abu Dhabi which resulted in the outbreak of a fire.
“Emergency response teams, including civil defence, fire and ambulance responders as well as an Adnoc emergency response team quickly attended the scene, and the fire was brought under control and extinguished.
“Adnoc is deeply saddened to confirm that three colleagues have died. A further six colleagues were injured and received immediate specialist medical care.
“Professional support teams are supporting the families of all those who have been affected.
“At this time, the entire Adnoc family extends its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of our colleagues who died this morning.
“We are working closely with the relevant authorities to determine the exact cause and a detailed investigation has commenced.”
Etihad Airways said there was limited disruption to flights. Services soon resumed as normal.
“Following an incident in the construction area of Abu Dhabi Airport earlier this morning, precautionary measures resulted in a short disruption for a small number of flights. However, normal airport operations were quickly resumed,” a representative said.
“The safety and comfort of our guests and crew is our number one priority.”
Sunjay Sudhir, India’s ambassador to the UAE, said his government would provide “whatever assistance is possible” to the family of the two deceased Indian citizens. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry expressed its condolences and said it would support the family of the Pakistani who died in the Mussaffah blast.
Recent Houthi losses
The Houthis, who ousted Yemen's internationally recognised government in 2014, have recently suffered heavy losses to pro-government and Saudi-led coalition forces.
In the oil-rich Shabwa province, 40 were killed 10 days ago when fighters from the Southern Transitional Council seized a military base, while as many as 280 died in air strikes on Marib and Al Bayda at the weekend, the coalition said.
The Houthis continue to hold much of the country's north-west, where the bulk of the Yemeni population is concentrated, including the capital Sana'a and Marib.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Letswork%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOmar%20Almheiri%2C%20Hamza%20Khan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20co-working%20spaces%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.1%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20with%20investors%20including%20500%20Global%2C%20The%20Space%2C%20DTEC%20Ventures%20and%20other%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20about%2020%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
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ELIO
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Brief scoreline:
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Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
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SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Cagliari v AC Milan (6pm)
Lazio v Napoli (9pm)
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Sunday
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
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Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
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• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Medicus AI
Started: 2016
Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh
Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai
Sector: Health Tech
Staff: 119
Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
