Author: Mohan Nasre

If you’ve been to a supermarket in Abu Dhabi recently and noticed the checkout counter looks different, you’re not imagining it. The chocolate bars, chewing gum, sugary drinks and impulse snacks that used to line the path to the cashier are being quietly removed — and replaced with something better. This is the Abu Dhabi Healthy Living Programme in action. Rather than restricting what people can buy, the initiative is changing where products are placed — a subtle but effective approach to nudging shoppers toward healthier choices without taking anything off the shelves. What Is Changing in Abu Dhabi Supermarkets?…

Many employees in the UAE operate under a reasonable-sounding but legally incorrect assumption: if I still have leave days remaining, I should be able to use them when I need them. That’s not how it works — and misunderstanding this can have serious consequences, including unpaid absence and even dismissal. Whether you’re planning to request a leave extension or you’re already abroad and facing an unexpected situation, knowing what UAE labour law actually says about annual leave, employer authority and unauthorised absence could make a significant difference to what happens next. Are Employees Entitled to Annual Leave in the UAE?…

Most drivers in Dubai are familiar with fines and black points. Fewer know that certain violations can also result in your vehicle being taken away entirely — for up to a month. Under Dubai Police’s Administrative Resolution No. 1 of 2024, fourteen specific traffic offences can lead to vehicle impoundment for either 14 or 30 days. The regulation gives authorities an additional enforcement tool specifically aimed at driving behaviour that creates serious risk on the road, and it’s worth understanding exactly which offences are on the list before you find out the hard way. Why Dubai Introduced Vehicle Impoundment Rules…

Dubai’s Court of Cassation has issued a ruling that settles an important question in UAE family law — once a divorce settlement between Muslim spouses is voluntarily reached and officially recorded before a judge, it cannot be appealed. The decision reinforces the finality of court-approved agreements in personal status cases and is expected to shape how similar disputes are handled going forward. Legal experts say the ruling brings greater certainty to an area of law where prolonged disputes and late-stage challenges have sometimes undermined agreements that both parties initially accepted. What the Dubai Court Ruled The court’s position is clear.…

The UAE now has its own domestic card payment scheme. Jaywan — the country’s first nationally governed payment network — is being rolled out across banks, financial institutions and licensed exchange houses, giving residents a locally managed alternative to international networks like Visa and Mastercard. The scheme was developed by Al Etihad Payments, a subsidiary of the Central Bank of the UAE, and marks a genuine shift in how the country’s payment infrastructure works. Rather than routing domestic transactions through overseas systems, Jaywan keeps that process within the UAE — which has implications for cost, speed, security and long-term financial…