The reforms to the UAE's personal status laws are a legal stimulus that will attract more expatriates and foreign investment to the Emirates, lawyers said on Sunday.
The comprehensive package, which included changes to laws on divorce, is wide reaching and would bring the country’s legal system on par with key global hubs.
Other major developments announced on Saturday included changes to inheritance laws, where assets would no longer be automatically divided under Islamic law, or Sharia.
Experts said the amendments would settle a lot of questions expatriates had about how their assets would be divided after death.
It will assure people that whatever they own will be transferred according to their dying wish or as per the law of their country of origin
Michael Kortbawi, partner at BSA Ahmad bin Hezeem and Associates LLP, said the news was a step in the right direction.
“We need more time to understand it and we have to wait to see the written law but it will be welcomed by many expatriates,” he said.
“The newest development I see is the option to reduce the application of Sharia in inheritance and divorce issues.
“When it comes to inheritance, it will assure people that whatever they own will be transferred according to their dying wish or as per the law of their country of origin.
“That is one of the main pillars of this announcement and it is a real game changer.”
Although a copy of the draft law has not been released, lawyers who spoke to The National said it is expected to be published in the Official Gazette soon.
Jasmin Fichte, managing partner at Fichte and Co legal firm in Dubai, said it was a positive and bold step by the government.
“Expatriates will be encouraged to continue their lives after retirement within the UAE without any fears of the process of dividing their estate according to Sharia and or the UAE laws,” she said.
“Previously, if a non-Muslim person died in the UAE, their inheritors were obligated to submit an inheritance certificate from the UAE so that the deceased's estate could be divided according to Sharia.
“Any inheritance certificate issued from a non-Muslim country, attested or not, would not be accepted before the UAE courts.”
But now, if a person dies in the UAE without a will in place, their estate will be divided as per the applicable law according to their citizenship – regardless of their religion.
“The only exception here applies to the properties which are owned by the person within the UAE,” she said.
“These properties will be managed and divided according to UAE laws.”
Previously, non-Muslims residing in Abu Dhabi were allowed to register their wills at the Judicial Department.
In Dubai, registrations were not permitted before Dubai Courts. Instead, non-Muslims only had the choice to register their will with the Dubai International Financial Centre’s Wills and Probate registry.
“We believe that by announcing such a Federal Decree-Law, any person will now be able to register their will before Dubai Courts,” Ms Fichte said.
“Additionally, it is anticipated that the registration fees will be much less than that of the DIFC Courts.
“The challenge will be how to implement foreign laws before the UAE courts. It could be that the judge will be provided with a translated copy of the foreign laws and trained accordingly.
“Another scenario could be that the court has appointed experts on the foreign jurisdictions.”
Nita Maru, solicitor and managing partner at TWS Legal Consultants in Dubai, said the new law has confirmed and consolidated what has been in place already within the UAE Personal Status Law.
Expatriates already had the option to apply their home country's laws. The new development is that courts now have a legal framework to apply home country law in practice to inheritance matters when one passes away.
“Having a will in place in the UAE is highly recommended and is now a must more than ever before to avoid UAE law applying to assets in the UAE,” she said.
“These new laws will now provide more confidence and peace of mind to expats that their home country law can be enforced where there is a will in place.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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More on Quran memorisation:
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The Old Slave and the Mastiff
Patrick Chamoiseau
Translated from the French and Creole by Linda Coverdale
The chef's advice
Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.
“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”
Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.
The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
The biog
Age: 19
Profession: medical student at UAE university
Favourite book: The Ocean at The End of The Lane by Neil Gaiman
Role model: Parents, followed by Fazza (Shiekh Hamdan bin Mohammed)
Favourite poet: Edger Allen Poe
Hurricanes 31-31 Lions
Wellington Hurricanes:
Tries: Gibbins, Laumape, Goosen, Fifita tries, Barrett
Conversions: Barrett (4)
Penalties: Barrett
British & Irish Lions:
Tries: Seymour (2), North
Conversions: Biggar (2)
Penalties: Biggar (4)
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
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
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
SPECS
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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.
The five pillars of Islam
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
Indika
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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