DUBAI // The man who shaped the UAE's forensic photography department is so good at his job, it is practically an art form, so it is small wonder he was honoured with a lifetime achievement award from the nation's leader.
Lt Col Jassim al Awadi, one of the first crime scene photographers to be employed by Dubai Police, was given the UAE Appreciation Award for Science, Arts and Literature by Sheikh Khalifa, the President of the UAE, for his contribution to his profession.
The award, organised by the Ministry of Culture, is granted annually in the genres of science, literature, art and sport for distinguished figures in the UAE. There is a financial prize of Dh1 million, distributed equally among the winners.
Lt Col al Awadi was born on July 1, 1961 but only got his first camera when he was 18 years old. However, his passion for photography started before that. "One of my older brothers loved photography, and I learnt to love it from him," he said.
He joined the Dubai Police in 1981 after graduating from the police academy, and was among the first delegations to be sent to study forensic sciences abroad, thus becoming one of the first police crime scene photographers when he returned in 1986. At the time, the crime scene photography unit consisted of three people - he became the fourth.
"I still remember my first assignment: it was a murder case. A man was found tortured and murdered in an apartment in the Bani Yas square area," he recalled. "The apartment was little and I had to take a panoramic picture to get all the details of the place. I felt such a responsibility to get everything right."
Lt Col al Awadi was so involved in his photography work at the time that he forgot to follow up the case and find out if the perpetrator was ever arrested.
Another case he recalled was a shooting that occurred in Al Hamirya area in 1988 - one person was murdered. "We had to use a new technique - 'painting with light' - to be able to take pictures in a very dark area. The mission was successful and we managed to take pictures of the scene," he said. Police caught the perpetrator, he added.
The concept of crime scene photography was very primitive at the time, according to Lt Col al Awadi - it only served the function of documenting crime. But with time this has changed, and crime scene photography has become a tool for collecting evidence.
Lt Col al Awadi went on to help establish the Crime Scene Investigation department of Dubai Police in 2000, where crime scene photography came to play an important role not only in documenting crimes and evidence, but also finding evidence - such as using photography to lift fingerprints from crime scenes.
Today, crime scene photography is an integral part of the work of the Dubai Police forensic department, which has more than 300 employees.
"There are many challenges with our job, but the most important one is that you can not know the environment you will be shooting in, or the time - everything happens so suddenly and you need to move quickly. You need to always be prepared and have all your equipment with you at all times, as you do not know what you might need for the success of the job," he said.
"A crime scene photographer needs to be educated about many aspects, some to do with photography techniques and others to do with forensic science and criminal investigations - therefore the challenge of educating and developing your skills is there on a daily basis."
Lt Col al Awadi said that the award he received on December 2 meant for him a bigger responsibility to develop crime scene photography in the country even further. "I hope that one day we will have a photography academy in the UAE that will teach photography in all its genres, as it is an important science and art."
wissa@thenational.ae
More than 3,000 cases
DUBAI // The police Forensic Evidence and Criminal Sciences administration has successfully handled more than 3,000 criminal investigations this year, including a child murder case and a string of robberies, according to a senior police official.
"We have solved 3,269 cases through our means involving some of the most complex cases this year," said Maj Ahmed Abdullah, the director of the administration's forensic prints section.
The number of cases handled last year was not available. The agency's successes included lifting fingerprints from under water in the murder case of 4-year-old Moosa Mukhtiar Ahmed, which led his killer to receive a death sentence.
* Awad Mustafa
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
Summer special
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
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A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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.
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Four%20scenarios%20for%20Ukraine%20war
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
if you go
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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The five pillars of Islam
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Afro%20salons
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