• Participants plant seedlings on Abu Dhabi's Jubail Island, as part of Aqdar Adventures Initiative's plan to plant 50,000 mangrove trees this year in an effort to help reduce the impact of climate change. WAM
    Participants plant seedlings on Abu Dhabi's Jubail Island, as part of Aqdar Adventures Initiative's plan to plant 50,000 mangrove trees this year in an effort to help reduce the impact of climate change. WAM
  • Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture celebrates the Year of Arabic Calligraphy initiative at the summit of Mount Tuwaiq. SPA
    Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture celebrates the Year of Arabic Calligraphy initiative at the summit of Mount Tuwaiq. SPA
  • Ruler of Sharjah Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi receives the CEO of National Fuel Agency (ENI), Claudio Descalzi, at Al Badi'a Palace. WAM
    Ruler of Sharjah Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi receives the CEO of National Fuel Agency (ENI), Claudio Descalzi, at Al Badi'a Palace. WAM
  • Al-Ahli's player Ali Al-Asmari in action against Al-Batin's Zakaria Al-Sudani (up-front) during the Saudi Professional League soccer match between Al-Ahli and Al-Batin at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium, 30 kilometers north of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. EPA
    Al-Ahli's player Ali Al-Asmari in action against Al-Batin's Zakaria Al-Sudani (up-front) during the Saudi Professional League soccer match between Al-Ahli and Al-Batin at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium, 30 kilometers north of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. EPA
  • Al-Nasr and Qadsiya players during a match in the Kuwait Premier League. Al-Nasr won 1-0. KUNA
    Al-Nasr and Qadsiya players during a match in the Kuwait Premier League. Al-Nasr won 1-0. KUNA
  • Qatar's Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and French co-driver Matthieu Baumel receive trophies upon winning the Qatar International Rally. QNA
    Qatar's Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and French co-driver Matthieu Baumel receive trophies upon winning the Qatar International Rally. QNA
  • The Supreme Committee in Oman has decided to keep the sultanate's land borders closed for one more week until 8 February. ONA
    The Supreme Committee in Oman has decided to keep the sultanate's land borders closed for one more week until 8 February. ONA
  • Kuwait's Minister of State for Services Affairs Dr Abdullah Marafi inspects Kuwait International Airport for the latest regulatory and health measures following the cabinet's mandate for airlines to conduct PCR tests for all arriving passengers. KUNA
    Kuwait's Minister of State for Services Affairs Dr Abdullah Marafi inspects Kuwait International Airport for the latest regulatory and health measures following the cabinet's mandate for airlines to conduct PCR tests for all arriving passengers. KUNA
  • Hassan Mattar, a Qatari former striker who played for the Al-Sadd and Qatar clubs, is surrounded with trophies and cups at the headquarters of the Al-Sadd club in the Qatari capital Doha. AFP
    Hassan Mattar, a Qatari former striker who played for the Al-Sadd and Qatar clubs, is surrounded with trophies and cups at the headquarters of the Al-Sadd club in the Qatari capital Doha. AFP
  • Bahrain's Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf received the outgoing Tunisian ambassador to Bahrain Salim Al Gharyani. BNA
    Bahrain's Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf received the outgoing Tunisian ambassador to Bahrain Salim Al Gharyani. BNA

From the Kuwait Premier League to mangrove planting in Abu Dhabi - pictures from the Gulf today


  • English
  • Arabic

More galleries from The National:

Gaza's charcoal burners - in pictures

Denmark celebrates handball world championship win in Egypt

Myanmar's military seizes back control in coup and detains Aung San Suu Kyi

Shrinking opportunities create 'dangerous' joblessness in Covid-hit Jordan

Inside Ettadhamen - neglected Tunisia neighbourhood fuels protest with anger and misery

Australia's Perth re-enters lockdown after 10 months with no Covid-19

Jiu-jitsu calendar of events for 2017-2018:

August 5:

Round-1 of the President’s Cup in Al Ain.

August 11-13:

Asian Championship in Vietnam.

September 8-9:

Ajman International.

September 16-17

Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, Ashgabat.

September 22-24:

IJJF Balkan Junior Open, Montenegro.

September 23-24:

Grand Slam Los Angeles.

September 29:

Round-1 Mother of The Nation Cup.

October 13-14:

Al Ain U18 International.

September 20-21:

Al Ain International.

November 3:

Round-2 Mother of The National Cup.

November 4:

Round-2 President’s Cup.

November 10-12:

Grand Slam Rio de Janeiro.

November 24-26:

World Championship, Columbia.

November 30:

World Beach Championship, Columbia.

December 8-9:

Dubai International.

December 23:

Round-3 President’s Cup, Sharjah.

January 12-13:

Grand Slam Abu Dhabi.

January 26-27:

Fujairah International.

February 3:

Round-4 President’s Cup, Al Dhafra.

February 16-17:

Ras Al Khaimah International.

February 23-24:

The Challenge Championship.

March 10-11:

Grand Slam London.

March 16:

Final Round – Mother of The Nation.

March 17:

Final Round – President’s Cup.

While you're here
Key features of new policy

Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6

Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge

A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools

Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability

The winners

Fiction

  • ‘Amreekiya’  by Lena Mahmoud
  •  ‘As Good As True’ by Cheryl Reid

The Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award

  • ‘Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo’ by Oswaldo Truzzi;  translated by Ramon J Stern
  • ‘The Sound of Listening’ by Philip Metres

The George Ellenbogen Poetry Award

  • ‘Footnotes in the Order  of Disappearance’ by Fady Joudah

Children/Young Adult

  •  ‘I’ve Loved You Since Forever’ by Hoda Kotb 
Final scores

18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)

- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)

-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)

-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)

-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)

-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)

The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S

Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900

Engine: 937cc

Transmission: Six-speed gearbox

Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm

Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km

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

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT

Price, base / as tested Dh460,000

Engine 8.4L V10

Transmission Six-speed manual

Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm

Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.8%22%20quad-HD%2B%20dynamic%20Amoled%202X%2C%203120%20x%201440%2C%20505ppi%2C%20HDR10%2B%2C%20120Hz%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204nm%20Qualcomm%20Snapdragon%208%20Gen%203%2C%2064-bit%20octa-core%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012GB%20RAM%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Android%2014%2C%20One%20UI%206.1%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20quad%20200MP%20wide%20f%2F1.7%20%2B%2050MP%20periscope%20telephoto%20f%2F3.4%20with%205x%20optical%2F10x%20optical%20quality%20zoom%20%2B%2010MP%20telephoto%202.4%20with%203x%20optical%20zoom%20%2B%2012MP%20ultra-wide%20f%2F2.2%3B%20100x%20Space%20Zoom%3B%20auto%20HDR%2C%20expert%20RAW%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208K%4024%2F30fps%2C%204K%4030%2F60%2F120fps%2C%20full-HD%4030%2F60%2F240fps%2C%20full-HD%20super%20slo-mo%40960fps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012MP%20f%2F2.2%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205000mAh%2C%20fast%20wireless%20charging%202.0%2C%20Wireless%20PowerShare%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205G%2C%20Wi-Fi%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20USB-C%3B%20built-in%20Galaxy%20S%20Pen%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDurability%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20IP68%2C%20up%20to%201.5m%20of%20freshwater%20up%20to%2030%20minutes%3B%20dust-resistant%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESIM%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nano%20%2B%20nano%20%2F%20nano%20%2B%20eSIM%20%2F%20dual%20eSIM%20(varies%20in%20different%20markets)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Titanium%20black%2C%20titanium%20grey%2C%20titanium%20violet%2C%20titanium%20yellow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGalaxy%20S24%20Ultra%2C%20USB-C-to-C%20cable%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh5%2C099%20for%20256GB%2C%20Dh5%2C599%20for%20512GB%2C%20Dh6%2C599%20for%201TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Islamophobia definition

A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.