Recent years have witnessed a spate of reforms to the UAE's legal system, a natural evolution that is symptomatic of a dynamic and maturing society. With as many as 200 nationalities living, working and investing in the country, it makes sense for its legislative channels to be accessible and intelligible to all. The move by Abu Dhabi's judiciary making it compulsory for plaintiffs in civil and commercial courts to make case files available in English for non-Arabic speakers is the latest in a series of positive steps. It indicates to investors at home and abroad that the UAE capital is open to all, and that there will be proper recourse to the law in the limited number of cases when things go awry. It also sends a clear message that residents and investors will be protected by a transparent system.
Previously, defendants were obliged to pay for translations of case files, with some complaints running up to 1,000 pages long. With plaintiffs now carrying the cost, they are unlikely to want to become entangled in complicated and expensive bureaucracy by overburdening the court system with excessive paperwork. A modern legislative framework goes hand in hand with the ambitious economic and social reforms that underlie Ghadan 21, or Tomorrow 2021, a package of measures to make living and working in Abu Dhabi more seamless. It recognises that when one’s professional or personal life hits a roadblock, the path of due process should be smooth. Bilingual courts will reassure investors and residents alike that they have proper access to justice and clarity when dealing with legal institutions.
Making an entire legal system accessible to all is, of course, no easy task. However, a number of issues are progressively being addressed, from a new bankruptcy law introduced in 2016 to allow small and medium-sized businesses to restructure debt when they run into trouble, to a move introduced by Dubai Courts in December last year to issue fines instead of jail terms for bounced cheques. These measures are indicative of a modern, progressive society – one that encourages bold steps and big ideas, but also allows for proper recourse to the law should they not work out.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlmouneer%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dr%20Noha%20Khater%20and%20Rania%20Kadry%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEgypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E120%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBootstrapped%2C%20with%20support%20from%20Insead%20and%20Egyptian%20government%2C%20seed%20round%20of%20%3Cbr%3E%243.6%20million%20led%20by%20Global%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Votes
Total votes: 1.8 million
Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes
Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes
Company%C2%A0profile
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Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
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.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5