David Butorac, OSN CEO, left, and Emad Morcos, SVP of Business Development & Digital, OSN launch Go by OSN. Courtesy OSN
David Butorac, OSN CEO, left, and Emad Morcos, SVP of Business Development & Digital, OSN launch Go by OSN. Courtesy OSN
David Butorac, OSN CEO, left, and Emad Morcos, SVP of Business Development & Digital, OSN launch Go by OSN. Courtesy OSN
David Butorac, OSN CEO, left, and Emad Morcos, SVP of Business Development & Digital, OSN launch Go by OSN. Courtesy OSN

OSN launches new online viewing service for best of Hollywood and Arabic film and TV

Film lovers in the region will be pleased to hear that a new online portal for watching the best of Hollywood and Arabic movies has just launched courtesy of OSN.

Chris Newbould

May 18, 2014

  • English
  • Arabic

Film lovers in the region will be pleased to hear that a new online portal for watching the best of Hollywood and Arabic movies has just launched courtesy of OSN.
The leading pay-TV broadcaster officially launched its brand new Go by OSN service today - though we gather some seriously on-the-ball cinephiles had already downloaded the app when it went online in the iTunes and Google Play stores last night, even before this afternoon's official announcement!
Go by OSN will offer online streaming of thousands of hours of Hollywood blockbusters and critically acclaimed Arab movies, as well as full box sets of popular TV series and loads of kids' content, and the even better news for users is that you don't need an OSN subscription, and the service costs just US$10 a month, with no contract, for us much content as you want to watch.
OSN is no newcomer to the online viewing phenomenon - its OSN Play service has already proved popular with viewers and won numerous industry awards. OSN Play, however, unlike the new service, is restricted to existing OSN TV subscribers and only screens the shows and films that OSN is currently licensed to screen on the main TV channels, so once a series finishes, it comes off the platform. Not so with Go by OSN, which will be a permanent library of some of the best movies and TV shows around that can be accessed by mobile phone, tablet, laptop or (soon) smart TV and consoles.
With no Netflix currently in the region, there is a huge gap in the market to become established as the region's leading online provider of movies and TV shows before the global giant may arrive. Although Go by OSN may not be the first service on the market, OSN CEO David Butorac is determined it should be the best, cheekily noting at the launch event: "Some of our competitors spend their money on billboards. We spend it on content."
At launch, the service offers around 300 Hollywood movies and 200 Arabic, making Go the region's largest premium online movie library, according to OSN. Another key selling point, says Butorac, is the amount of recent content available for viewing. Serials available to subscribers include the best of Egyptian, Khaleeji and Turkish shows, as well as Western favourites like Cougar Town and Revenge, all available in their entirety and in their original format, dubbed, or subtitled in Arabic.
To learn more and activate a free seven-day trial, download the app from iTunes or Google Play, or visit http://go.osn.com and start watching today.

Countries recognising Palestine

France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra

 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
The biog

Name: Salem Alkarbi

Age: 32

Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira

First started supporting Al Wasl: 7

Biggest rival: Al Nasr

Killing of Qassem Suleimani
While you're here
How Beautiful this world is!
The Bio

Name: Lynn Davison

Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi

Children: She has one son, Casey, 28

Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK

Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Favourite Author: CJ Sansom

Favourite holiday destination: Bali

Favourite food: A Sunday roast

Mina Cup winners

Under 12 – Minerva Academy

Under 14 – Unam Pumas

Under 16 – Fursan Hispania

Under 18 – Madenat

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

The biog

Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi

Age: 23

How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them

Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need

Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman

Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs 

Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing

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