Pilgrims arrive at King Abdulaziz International Airport for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 17, 2021. Reuters
Pilgrims arrive at King Abdulaziz International Airport for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 17, 2021. Reuters
Pilgrims arrive at King Abdulaziz International Airport for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 17, 2021. Reuters
Pilgrims arrive at King Abdulaziz International Airport for the annual Hajj pilgrimage, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 17, 2021. Reuters

Gulf

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia requires full vaccination for citizens to travel

Decision based on rising infections globally, new mutations and 'low efficacy' of one vaccine dose

The National

July 19, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Follow the latest updates on the Covid-19 pandemic here

Saudi citizens planning to travel abroad from next month must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said on Monday.

The new rule takes effect on August 9.

The decision was made based on new waves of infection globally, new mutations, and the "low efficacy of one vaccination dose against these mutations", the ministry said.

Children under the age of 12 will be exempt from the new rules, provided that their travel insurance covers coronavirus-related costs and is pre-approved by the Saudi Central Bank, the ministry said in a statement released on the Saudi Press Agency.

Those who caught the virus in the past six months and have received their first dose of vaccine are exempt.

The kingdom has approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-Oxford, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines, with more than 20 million doses administered so far.

The ministry has started to administer the second dose of approved vaccines to all age groups across the country.

Saudi Arabia welcomes Hajj pilgrims - in pictures

  • Ministry of Hajj and Umrah officials sanitise floors at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in preparation for the arrival of pilgrims.
    Ministry of Hajj and Umrah officials sanitise floors at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in preparation for the arrival of pilgrims.
  • A man wearing ihram, the white robe of a pilgrim, waits for his luggage at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.
    A man wearing ihram, the white robe of a pilgrim, waits for his luggage at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.
  • A pilgrim waits for his luggage at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. Before the pandemic, the Hajj drew 2. 5 million pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
    A pilgrim waits for his luggage at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. Before the pandemic, the Hajj drew 2. 5 million pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
  • Officials make last-minute arrangements in the Mina area before the Hajj in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
    Officials make last-minute arrangements in the Mina area before the Hajj in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
  • A general view of the tent city in Mina before the start of Hajj in Makkah.
    A general view of the tent city in Mina before the start of Hajj in Makkah.
  • A Saudi policeman checks vehicles at at an entrance gate in Makkah. For a second straight year Hajj has been curtailed because of the coronavirus, with only vaccinated people in Saudi Arabia able to perform.
    A Saudi policeman checks vehicles at at an entrance gate in Makkah. For a second straight year Hajj has been curtailed because of the coronavirus, with only vaccinated people in Saudi Arabia able to perform.
  • A pilgrim cleans outside his tent in the Mina area of Makkah.
    A pilgrim cleans outside his tent in the Mina area of Makkah.
  • A Saudi woman at the National Centre for Security Operations for Hajj.
    A Saudi woman at the National Centre for Security Operations for Hajj.
  • Workers at the National Centre for Security Operations for Hajj gear up for the annual pilgrimage.
    Workers at the National Centre for Security Operations for Hajj gear up for the annual pilgrimage.




Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.

The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars

Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21

  1. Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
  2. Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
  3. Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
  4. Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
  5. Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
  6. Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
  7. Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
  8. Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
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Engine: 5.2-litre V10

Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm

Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm

Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto

Price: From Dh1 million

On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022 

Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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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Uefa Champions League Group B

Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0

Notable Yas events in 2017/18

October 13-14 KartZone (complimentary trials)

December 14-16 The Gulf 12 Hours Endurance race

March 5 Yas Marina Circuit Karting Enduro event

March 8-9 UAE Rotax Max Challenge

Our coronavirus coverage
FIXTURES (all times UAE)

Sunday
Brescia v Lazio (3.30pm)
SPAL v Verona (6pm)
Genoa v Sassuolo (9pm)
AS Roma v Torino (11.45pm)

Monday
Bologna v Fiorentina (3.30pm)
AC Milan v Sampdoria (6pm)
Juventus v Cagliari (6pm)
Atalanta v Parma (6pm)
Lecce v Udinese (9pm)
Napoli v Inter Milan (11.45pm)

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THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS

AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas

DevisionX – manufacturing

Event Gates – security and manufacturing

Farmdar – agriculture

Farmin – smart cities

Greener Crop – agriculture

Ipera.ai – space digitisation

Lune Technologies – fibre-optics

Monak – delivery

NutzenTech – environment

Nybl – machine learning

Occicor – shelf management

Olymon Solutions – smart automation

Pivony – user-generated data

PowerDev – energy big data

Sav – finance

Searover – renewables

Swftbox – delivery

Trade Capital Partners – FinTech

Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment

Workfam – employee engagement

Results

6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) US$100,000 (Dirt) 2,000m, Winner Bandar, Fernando Jara (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer).

7.05pm Meydan Classic Listed (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,600m, ​​​​​​​Winner Well Of Wisdom, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

7.40pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m, ​​​​​​​Winner Star Safari, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.

8.15pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner Moqarrar, Fabrice Veron, Erwan Charpy.

8.50pm Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 2 (TB) $300,000 (T) 2,810m, Winner Secret Advisor, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

9.25pm Curlin Stakes Listed (TB) $175,000 (D) 2,000m, ​​​​​​​Winner Parsimony, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.

10pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m, Winner Simsir, Ronan Whelan, Michael Halford.

10.35pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m, ​​​​​​​Winner Velorum, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.

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Venue: Anfield
Kick-off: Thursday, March 12, midnight
Live: On beIN Sports HD

Updated: July 19, 2021, 11:18 AM
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