From today onwards, Al Emarat Al Youm, the Arabic daily newspaper, will be absent from news-stands due to the commencement of a 20-day publication ban.
A ruling was upheld last week by the Federal Court of Appeal, under which it temporarily suspended the newspaper's license, apart from fining its editor-in-chief and chief executive for libel and defamation in relation to a 2006 article, which claimed that in order to enhance performance during races, Abu Dhabi's Warsan Stables drugged its horses. 
From today onwards, the suspension would come into effect. It was revealed by Arab Media Group (AMG), "The Arabic daily publication Emarat Al Youm has been temporary suspended for a period of 20 days from July 6 2009."
It added further: "Arab Media Group and Awraq Publishing are committed to the laws and regulations of UAE and will fully adhere to the court's decision with immediate effect."
The newspaper is managed by Awraq Publishing.  
Sami al Reyami, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, and Abdullatif al Sayegh, the chief executive of AMG, were instructed to pay fines of Dh20,000 (US$5,400) each in a hearing last Monday. 
In January 2007, the Court proceedings commenced, after which the newspaper was given a year to prove that the story was true.
According to Ammar al Khaja, the lawyer for the prosecution, "The suspension was ordered last November but the newspaper appealed against the verdict at the country's highest court."
This has come as the final judgment by the court, and leaves no chance of an appeal