News
Health hazard warning as dusty weather to continue in UAE
The world’s tallest building disappeared behind a grey layer of dust on Thursday as sandstorms that have swept the Middle East hit the United Arab Emirates, prompting weather and traffic warnings.
The 828-metre tall Burj Khalifa, which towers over Dubai and is usually visible across the busy financial hub, retreated behind a curtain of airborne dirt that shrouded much of the country.
The UAE is just the latest country in the path of sandstorms that have smothered Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran and others in recent days, closing airports and schools and sending thousands to hospital with breathing problems.
Capital city Abu Dhabi’s air quality index soared into the “hazardous” zone overnight, according to waqi.info and the Plume pollution app.
The Middle East’s sandstorms are becoming more frequent and intense, a trend associated with overgrazing and deforestation, overuse of river water and more dams.
Experts say the phenomenon could worsen as climate change warps regional weather patterns and drives desertification.
File picture of the buildings on the Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.
Emirati authorities issued a nationwide warning urging residents to remain vigilant.
“Abu Dhabi Police urges drivers to be cautious due to low visibility during high winds and dust,” the police force tweeted, as residents took to social media to publish photos and videos.
“Please do not be distracted by taking any videos or using your phone,” it added.
A National Center for Meteorology graphic showed nearly all the country covered by the storm, with the warning: “Be on the alert: hazardous weather events are expected.”
Winds with speeds up to 40 kilometres per hour are blowing the dust, it said, reducing visibility in some areas to less than 2,000 metres.
However, a Dubai airports spokesman said there was no impact on air traffic. Weather conditions were expected to remain the same for the next few days.
In neighbouring Saudi Arabia, badly hit on Tuesday, conditions eased in the capital Riyadh on Wednesday but continued to restrict visibility in the city centre.
Emergency rooms in Riyadh hospitals received some 1,285 people suffering from respiratory problems over 24 hours from the sandstorm, the state-run Al-Ekhbariya channel reported late on Tuesday.
The Saudi national weather centre reported that dust was also affecting visibility in the west and south, specifically in Assir, Najran, Hael and Medina provinces. Medina is home to Medina city, the second-holiest city in Islam.
The centre predicted another sandstorm would arrive in the kingdom by Sunday.
– Agence France-Presse
News
Crackdown on Illegal paying guests: Dubai’s new shared housing law takes effect with fines up to Dh1m
Dubai’s new legislation governing shared accommodation officially came into effect on August 26. Applying across the entire emirate, including free zones and special development zones, the comprehensive framework is designed to eliminate dangerous, overcrowded, and unauthorised partition rentals while establishing formal licensing standards for communal living.
What qualifies as shared housing?
Under the law, shared housing is defined as any residential property where individuals or families occupy private designated living spaces while sharing common facilities like kitchens, bathrooms, and dining areas.
Who is permitted to rent out shared units?
The new framework strictly bans unauthorised subletting by tenants. A primary tenant can no longer rent out individual bedrooms, partitioned spaces, or bed spaces directly to roommates or third parties.
Only the following entities can legally offer shared housing:
- Registered Property Owners: Leasing spaces directly to occupants under formal contracts.
- Licensed Management Companies: Authorised operators contracted by the owner to run and lease the property.
- Licensed Operators Subletting Master Leases: Approved commercial entities leasing an entire property from the owner to sublet authorised units to tenants.
Penalties for violations
Authorities have introduced strict financial and operational consequences for non-compliance:
- Initial Fines: Dh500 up to Dh500,000, depending on the severity of the violation.
- Repeat Violations: Fines double for repeat offences committed within one year, capped at Dh1,000,000.
- Operational Sanctions: Authorities may suspend operations for up to 6 months, revoke commercial licenses, cancel permits, disconnect utilities, seize equipment, or order the direct evacuation of non-compliant properties.
Grace period & tenant protection
- Compliance deadline: Existing shared housing operators and property owners have until August 26, 2027, to obtain permits and bring their properties into full compliance.
- Protection from sudden eviction: If an operator’s permit is suspended or cancelled, authorities can grant occupants an interim stay period to secure alternative accommodation rather than facing immediate eviction.
Approved property/resident categories
The regulation permits shared accommodation across six distinct property types:
- Residential apartments
- Detached/standalone houses
- Residential complexes
- Mixed-use buildings
- Attached / adjoining houses
- Multi-storey buildings
Permitted occupant groups include families, single men, single women, university students, government personnel, and private sector corporate employees. Corporate and student housing provided directly by employers or educational institutions does not require individual tenancy contracts.
Dh500,000 fine, immediate closure: UAE cracks down on unlicensed universities
Sharjah announces residential parking permit in 3 neighbourhoods
