I don't know what UAE's rules are, but taking the FARs (§121.565 ) as exemplary, the rules are
Two engines: Nearest suitable airport in point of time.
More than two engines: Nearest suitable airport unless the pilot determines that it is at least as safe as the nearest suitable airport.
I don't see how in the world one can say attempting to fly toDubai is at least as safe as landing in Nova Scotia or even Europe.. I understand arguments about inconvenience and the cost, etc., but the word convenience doesn't appear in FAR 121.565. By the way, wasn't there any inconvenience by landing short in Kuwait.
Goldfish, you can quote the FAR's until you are blue in the face, the fact is the FAR for aircraft with 3 engines or more uses the words "makes a reasonable decision" along with the attendant decision criteria.
Taking a 380 into Nova Scotia (yes I've been there) for anything other than an emergency is plain stupidity on the basis of half a hundred different factors, moreover given the nature of the engine issue, I'm fairly certain that the crew would have made a no nonsense "reasonable decision" (despite all the rumblings about EK as an employer, I am yet to meet anyone here that values their job over their life)