DUBAI // Police have investigated 150 cases of forged Bangladeshi passports in the past three months in what they call a "strange and unexplainable" trend.
The forensic science and criminology department at Dubai Police said the trend had become noticeable in the last quarter of this year.
All of the forgery cases involved original passports on which the birth date had been changed. The holder's age had been decreased or increased.
"This is a strange new trend and there is not a clear specific explanation for the development of this trend," said Hazem Hassan, an expert at the department's document examination section.
Mr Hassan said passport forgers were continually developing methods to beat new technology used by authorities. "Recently, they have started to destroy the electronic chip placed on some passports to ensure that a passport control officer will not be able to read the passport electronically and find out that the data provided in the actual passports does not match the information on the electronic database."
Other types of forgeries investigated by the department during the past few months, involving the passports of several nationalities, include changing the passport holder's photographs; adding pages from other original passports; attaching original visas from other original passports; and forging stamps.
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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Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
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Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
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Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
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City's slump
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D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
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L - Tottenham, 4-0
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L - Sporting, 4-1
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The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.