On October 19, the United Arab Emirates issued a tough...

On October 19, the United Arab Emirates issued a tough environmental protection law that provides for the death penalty and high fines for violators. The federal law, issued by President Sheikh Zaid bin Sultan al-Nahayan, was aimed at protection and conservation of the environment in the oil-rich Gulf Arab state. Violators "who import any banned materials or nuclear wastes and dump or store them in any form inside the country" face the death sentence and fines ranging from one to UD10 million. United Nations experts had warned Arab countries they must introduce tough penalties and even special environmental police if they want to keep a lid on pollution levels.