####UAE reacts to U.S. bombing of Syria On April 7, Dr. Anwar Bin Mohammed Gargash, the UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, commented on the recent U.S. missile attack on a Syrian military base, expressing the UAE’s full support of the missile strikes. The missile strikes were a reaction to a chemical attack on Syrian civilians, which the U.S. blamed on the Syrian government.

"The attack on the civilians is a continuation of the heinous crimes committed by the regime against the Syrian people. It is a blatant violation of international and humanitarian conventions," said a statement from the UAE government. The UAE is engaged in the Syrian war in several ways. The country recently pledged to donate 250 million AED to aid the Syrian people and announced a plan to take in 15,000 Syrian refugees last year. The UAE also supports the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State.

####Man jailed for disrespecting religion A 27 year-old Palestinian male was given a three-month prison sentence on April 7 for disrespecting religion. The man was arguing with a café employee in Dubai in August 2016 and was overheard disrespecting religion by an off-duty police officer.

The Palestinian denied the charges, but was found guilty by the Dubai Criminal Court. He will be deported upon completion of his prison term.

A federal decree was passed in 2015 which criminalizes “offending, insulting, challenging, defaming or disrespecting any religion or any of its rituals or sacred things, or disrupting or preventing licensed religious observances or ceremonies by violence or threat.” The religions included in the law are Islam, Christianity and Judaism. ####Hawksbill turtle hatching season on Saadiyat

The hatching season of the hawksbill turtle has now begun and will last for six months. The hawksbill turtles hatch on the beaches of Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, but the modernization of the island has proven a threat to these turtles.

The turtles are naturally drawn toward moonlight, but get confused by the lights from Saadiyat beach hotels. Therefore, the hotels will be shutting off any unnecessary lights for the next six months and will use red bulbs instead — which will not interfere as much with the behavior of the turtles.

Visitors to the Saadiyat beaches are encouraged to be careful until the hatching season ends in August. If turtles are seen by beach visitors, they should contact their hotel or the environmental agency on 800555.