Emirates’ UK boss reveals frustration at failure to remove UAE from UK travel red list

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The boss of Emirates airline's UK operation said he is frustrated that the UAE remains on the British government's red list for travel.

Richard Jewsbury, divisional vice president at Emirates, said he had presented data to the UK government showing high vaccination rates and low levels of infection in the UAE but, as yet, to no avail.

The UAE has been on the UK's red list for travel since the traffic light system was introduced in late January, with travellers required to pay to quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days.

In a major development for travel to the UK, ministers are currently considering dropping quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated British expatriates, but this would benefit only those who live in amber countries.

The UK will drop quarantine requirements for double-vaccinated visitors from the EU and the US from next month.

The traffic light system has caused a collapse in passenger numbers and separated scores of expats from their families in the UK.

Emirates used to operate about 20 flights a day between the UK and the UAE.

This is compared with next week's schedule, with just two Emirates flights a day between the two countries, according to Skyscanner.

UK travel: Green, amber and red list countries

Mr Jewsbury said the decision to keep the UAE on the red list was frustrating given favourable Covid data, particularly the vaccination rate, with 69 per cent of the UAE population fully inoculated against the virus.

“It’s just a case of waiting for the UK authorities to shuffle the deck on the red, amber and green categories," he told the Press Association.

“The next change should be during the first half of August and we would hope to see some movement reflective of the state of play in the UAE and all the health and safety measures that have been put in place across the passenger journey.”

He said the UK appeared to be taking a more cautious approach compared with other European countries, such as Germany, which lists the UAE as low-risk.

“All we can do is stay engaged and flag up the data and hope that it’s acted upon," he said.

This month, the boss of Dubai Airports predicted that the UAE would remain on the red list for "a bit longer".

"It could be that we'll be on the amber list, which means if you go straight to the UK you will be exempt from the dreaded hotel quarantine, which everyone is loathing at the moment. So, fingers crossed," he told Dubai Dubai Eye radio's Business Breakfast.

The UAE ambassador to Britain, Mansoor Abulhoul, also expressed frustration that the UK is keeping the Emirates on its travel red list.

"It is disappointing to see that the UAE remains on the UK's red travel list," he said in June.

"We have best-in-class health and safety infrastructure to protect visitors and residents. This includes rapid testing, social distancing and sanitisation procedures at our airports, as well as Emirates and Etihad airlines fully sanitising all planes. Additionally, the UAE is among the top countries in the world for vaccination rate and its testing programme."

Richard Jewsbury from Emirates. Shutterstock

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in April that the UAE would stay on the red list because the country is a major transit centre for passengers joining connecting flights.

“We are not restricting the UAE because of levels of coronavirus in the UAE,” he told a Conservative Home event.

“The specific issue in the UAE is one of transit. It’s because they are a major transit hub. The Joint Biosecurity Centre can work wonders studying all this detail, but eventually you get to the point where they are having to make too many assumptions about where people are travelling to/from.

“And that is a specific issue we have with the UAE as opposed to prevalence or some other reason.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel also criticised British social media influencers for visiting the UAE when a ban on non-essential travel was in place, saying: "Going on holiday is not an exemption and it is important that people stay at home."

The Covid situation has vastly improved in the UK since the traffic light system was first set up, with more than 70 per cent of adults now fully vaccinated.

There are also early signs the country may be past the peak of the Delta wave after daily cases declined for the seventh consecutive day.

Scientists have said the Covid c risis in Britain could be over by the end of summe r.

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

Trump v Khan

2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US

2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks

2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit

2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”

2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”

Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.

Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”

Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?

The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.

The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.

He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.

He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.

He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.

Getting there

The flights

Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.

The stay

Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net

Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama

Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com

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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Race 3

Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars

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