Italy's Uffizi gallery is planning to showcase several of its masterpieces for a project to highlight the part that black people and culture played in the Renaissance.
Under the Black Presence initiative, images of works including Cristofano dell'Altissimo's Portrait of the King of Abyssinia will be posted online by the gallery for a series of discussions and other events.
The project is part of the Black History Month Florence programme in the Italian city.
"The idea is also to offer food for thought in the debate on racial issues currently making the front pages and taking centre stage in the political debate," the gallery said in a statement.
Opening events on Saturday include a concert in front of Piero di Cosimo's Perseus Freeing Andromeda, which features a black musician playing in the foreground.
Staff said a series of eight videoed discussions will be posted on Facebook every week throughout the summer.
"(Uffizi) masterpieces speak a universal language that helps us not only to comprehend their own era better, but also to understand the future that we wish to build", Uffizi director Eike Schmidt said.
Other paintings featuring in the project include Adoration of the Magi by Albrecht Durer.
In addition to the online tour, the gallery has reopened its first and second floors to visitors with new measures in place to protect people from contracting the coronavirus. Face masks are compulsory, one-way direction rules are in place and halls that do not allow for social distancing remain closed.
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Scorecard:
England 458 & 119/1 (51.0 ov)
South Africa 361
England lead by 216 runs with 9 wickets remaining
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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