CIA rescue operations and 3D Bengali tigers proved the big winners at the Oscars. Argo scooped the biggy, the Best Picture statuette, along with gongs for adapted screenplay and editing, while Life of Pi earned Ang Lee the Best Director award, plus cinematography, visual effects and original score.
“I’d like to thank Canada, and our friends in Iran, who are going through a terrible time right now,” said a flustered Ben Affleck on stage. “And my wife, who I don’t normally associate with Iran.”
In an unexpected move, the Best Picture winner was announced by Michelle Obama, addressing the Oscars show – and final presenter, Jack Nicholson – by videolink from the White House. “I was hallucinating when that was happening. I was just asking, ‘Was that Michelle Obama?’ The whole thing overwhelmed me. It was an enormous honour. It was very cool,” Affleck said backstage afterwards.
Elsewhere, Daniel Day-Lewis shocked nobody by picking up Best Actor for Lincoln, becoming the first in history to get three such awards. "Strangely enough, I'd been committed to play Margaret Thatcher," he said on receiving the award from Meryl Streep, proving it wasn't only Colin Firth who could push the charming British humour buttons. But while everyone expected this win, few expected Spielberg's historic epic to only get one more Oscar – for production design – from its 12 nominations.
Another surprise came in the Best Actress category, which went to Jennifer Lawrence for her role in Silver Linings Playbook. "This is nuts!" said the visibly shocked 22-year-old, shortly after she'd tripped on the stairs to the stage in a vast Dior gown.
Other acting awards went to Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) and Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables) in the supporting categories, while a teary Adele got the Best Original Score for Skyfall, which she had sung earlier. Shirley Bassey added to the Bond 50th anniversary celebrations with a fiery rendition of Goldfinger.
The best animated feature film award went to Brave, which beat fellow nominees including the video game adventure Wreck-It Ralph, which had been tipped as the marginal front-runner.
Music played a somewhat prominent part in this year's event, with A-listers seemingly taking to stage every other minute in what appeared like a Celebrity Singstar competition. At one stage it felt half the audience were up there – Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter and more – for a medley of Les Mis hits.
Even the host, Seth MacFarlane joined in from time to time, clearly trying to add a bit of glitz and razzmatazz to the proceedings in between his Family Guy-style one-liners, which were occasionally a bit too edgy for the crowd (including one in which he asked Daniel Day-Lewis if he got so into character that when "you bumped into Don Cheadle on the studio lot, did you try to free him?")
A rather cool moment came when MacFarlane’s own talking toy creation Ted came onstage to present an award, offering his usual family-unfriendly comments.
But, by and large, the Oscars passed without any huge shocks beyond Lincoln perhaps not winning as many gongs as expected. There were no major incidents already racking up millions of hits on YouTube or any Angelina Jolie-style exposed limbs now with their own Twitter accounts.
Even Sacha Baron Cohen’s brief performance amid the Les Mis warblers passed without incident, possibly because he hasn’t got a film to promote.
So there we go, the Academy Awards close for another year, meaning we’ve probably got about three days until the wild speculations over 2014’s winners start dominating entertainment headlines. How about the Diana biopic for Best Picture?
aritman@thenational.ae
FROM THE BLOGS
• From our Fashion blog All Dressed Up find out who we thought were the Oscars 2013: best and worst dressed
• From our Lifestyle blog Scene&Heard recap how Alex Ritman witnessed the night's events with our Academy Awards live blog
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
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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MATCH INFO
Liverpool 2 (Van Dijk 18', 24')
Brighton 1 (Dunk 79')
Red card: Alisson (Liverpool)
RESULT
RS Leipzig 3
Marcel Sabitzer 10', 21'
Emil Forsberg 87'
Tottenham 0
Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
THREE
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England v South Africa schedule:
- First Test: At Lord's, England won by 219 runs
- Second Test: July 14-18, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 2pm
- Third Test: The Oval, London, July 27-31, 2pm
- Fourth Test: Old Trafford, Manchester, August 4-8
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
