Bob Dylan. Domenech Castello / EPA
Bob Dylan. Domenech Castello / EPA
Bob Dylan. Domenech Castello / EPA
Bob Dylan. Domenech Castello / EPA

Bob Dylan to release 35th studio album

Plus: Piers Morgan confuses Whitney impersonator with real thing, Peter Jackson mulls another Hobbit, Charlie Sheen gives at least US$1m to troops, and Catching Fire cast list firming up.

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The rock legend Bob Dylan is releasing the 35th studio album of his 50-year recording career on September 11, Columbia Records announced on Tuesday. The label said Tempest - produced by "Jack Frost", an alias that Dylan has used in the past - will feature 10 "new and original Bob Dylan songs". Its release coincides with the 50th anniversary of Dylan's debut album. Dylan, 71, is currently on tour in France. * AFP

Morgan mistakes Whitney impersonator

Piers Morgan has admitted his CNN talk show team displayed the wrong picture of Whitney Houston while the rapper LL Cool J was interviewed about her life. The picture that flashed during the interview was actually that of the German celebrity impersonator Ikenna Beney Amaechi. "I was just sitting at home and at first I didn't realise it, but then it hit me like boom! It wasn't Whitney - it was me!" Amaechi told the celebrity news website TMZ. "I feel very honoured I was mistaken for Whitney." Morgan tweeted to TMZ: "Oops. OK, it's a fair cop - you got me!" * IANS

Peter Jackson plans third Hobbit

Peter Jackson has announced plans to divide The Hobbit's second instalment, There and Back Again, into two separate films. "That's a discussion we're having," he said at last week's San Diego Comic-Con. "We have certainly been talking to the studio [Warner Bros] about some of the material we can't film, and we've been asking them if we can do a bit more. I don't know what would come of that, whether it'd be extended editions or whatnot." Jackson hinted that a third film could be based on JRR Tolkien's 125 pages of additional notes found at the end of the third Lord of the Rings book, The Return of the King. "There's so much good stuff in the index that we have not been able to squeeze into these movies," he said. * IANS

Charlie Sheen gives US$1m to troops

Charlie Sheen announced on Monday he will donate at least US$1 million (Dh3.67m) to the United Service Organisations, known for sending performers and stars to entertain troops. It would be among the largest single donations ever given to the organisation. Sheen says he will donate one per cent of profits from his new sitcom Anger Management, with a minimum of $1m. "It's an honour for me to be able to give back to these men and women who have done so much for all of us." * AP

Catching Fire adding to cast

The Snow White and the Huntsman star Sam Claflin is "nearing an offer" for the coveted role of Finnick Odair in Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games, reported Deadline Hollywood. Also negotiating offers are Melissa Leo and Tony Shalhoub, who would play the characters Mags and Beetee. The studio Lionsgate is also reportedly looking for a new director for the trilogy's finale, Mockingjay, set to come out in two parts in 2014 and 2015.

Zayed Sustainability Prize
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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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