Political parties in Sweden have agreed that dual citizens who threaten national security could be stripped of their passports for the first time.
A cross-party committee said the "fundamental change" in Swedish law could cover grave offences such as terrorism, espionage and involvement in war crimes. A proposed immigration crackdown could also include making migrants wait eight years for a Swedish passport rather than five.
But parties failed to agree on stripping Swedish nationality from members of criminal gangs, a step demanded by right-wing politicians amid shootings and bombings linked to an Iran-backed underworld. Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer warned this week that tackling gang violence was a "critical democratic issue".
At the moment Sweden's constitution only allows citizenship to be removed from people who were born and live abroad and have few connections to the Nordic country. The committee said this makes Sweden an outlier among neighbouring countries in Europe.
Under its proposals, people could lose their Swedish nationality if they "seriously threaten national security" or are convicted by the International Criminal Court. It said certain crimes could be seen as demonstrating "gross disloyalty to the Swedish state".
Sweden's minority government and its backers, the far-right and anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, won the 2022 election on a promise to keep reducing immigration and gang crime, which they say are linked. "The background is that Sweden is dealing with three parallel and very serious threats to our internal security," Mr Strommer said. "Violent extremism, state actors acting in a hostile manner towards Sweden, as well as systemic and organised crime."
Some politicians wanted the loss of citizenship to cover people who threaten Sweden's "vital interests" but the opposition Social Democrats said that wasn't specific enough. A constitutional change must be ratified by two successive parliaments either side of a general election due in 2026, making cross-party agreement important.
Swedish citizens with no other passport would not be affected. The committee acknowledged that Sweden might not always be able to deport someone stripped of their nationality, because of other legal obstacles such as a risk of torture or execution.
The door would also be opened to cancel a grant of citizenship if it is found there was bribery or impropriety involved. At the moment such a decision "can never be reconsidered, no matter how great the shortcomings", the committee said in its 416-page report.
Waiting period
Proposals are also on the table to raise the bar for acquiring Swedish citizenship from five years living in the country to eight. A commission said requirements for migrants to have an "honest lifestyle" before and after arriving in Sweden could be made more stringent.
Germany last year cut the waiting period in the hope of boosting integration into its labour market, but allows citizenship to be stripped when people are involved in foreign terrorism. Britain's Home Secretary can strip certain people of their nationality for the sake of the "public good".
Security services believe Sweden is no longer the focus of extremist propaganda that it was a year ago, after a series of Quran-burning incidents. However, there are fears of radicalisation linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
"Iran recruits perpetrators from Swedish gangs, and sends SMS messages to thousands of Swedes calling for acts of revenge against people who burn Qurans," Mr Strommer said. "All of these threats represent a new reality – and we must face them innovatively, forcefully, and together."
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
More on Quran memorisation:
DUBAI CARNIVAL RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner Dubai Future, Harry Bentley (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm UAE 1000 Guineas Listed $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner Dubai Love, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
7.40pm Dubai Dash Listed $175,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner: Equilateral, James Doyle, Charles Hills.
8.15pm Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions $100,000 (D) 1.900m
Winner Laser Show, Kevin Stott, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Al Fahidi Fort Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Glorious Journey, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner George Villiers, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30:
- UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
- Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
- Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
Zayed Sustainability Prize
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
