Russia released 10 prisoners of war captured in Ukraine on Wednesday after mediation by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The prisoners of war, who are citizens of Morocco, the US, the UK, Sweden and Croatia, were released as part of an exchange between Russia and Ukraine, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
“The relevant Saudi authorities received and transferred them from Russia to the kingdom and are facilitating procedures for their safe return to their respective countries,” the ministry said.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the gratitude and appreciation of the government of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Russian Federation and to Ukraine for their response to the efforts made by the Crown Prince for the release of the PoWs.”
Two US military veterans who disappeared while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces were also part of the prisoner swap announced on Wednesday, their relatives said.
Alex Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27, went missing after their unit came under heavy fire in the Kharkiv region of north-eastern Ukraine on June 9.
"The United States welcomes the negotiated prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia, which includes two US citizens captured while serving in Ukraine’s military," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
"The United States is appreciative of Ukraine including all prisoners of war, regardless of nationality, in its negotiations and we look forward to these US citizens being reunited with their families."
Mr Blinken also expressed his thanks to Saudi Arabia and said he "conveyed his gratitude to Saudi Foreign Minister [Prince] Faisal bin Farhan in a call" on Wednesday.
UK Prime Minister Liz Truss said on Wednesday that five British citizens held by Russian-backed forces in eastern Ukraine were being returned to their families.
“Hugely welcome news that five British nationals held by Russian-backed proxies in eastern Ukraine are being safely returned, ending months of uncertainty and suffering for them and their families,” she wrote on Twitter.
She thanked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for "his efforts to secure the release of detainees, and Saudi Arabia for their assistance”.
“Russia must end the ruthless exploitation of prisoners of war and civilian detainees for political ends,” Ms Truss said.
The group released on Wednesday also included citizens from Morocco, Sweden and Croatia, a Saudi official said.
The five British prisoners included Aiden Aslin, one of three men captured while fighting for Ukraine and sentenced to death in June.
“I am delighted that my constituent, Aiden Aslin, and the other British prisoners of war held captive by the Russian authorities have finally been released and are on their way back to the UK,” said Nottinghamshire MP Robert Jenrick.
“I am deeply grateful for the work undertaken by the Ukrainian government, the Saudi Crown Prince, Liz Truss, [UK Foreign Secretary] James Cleverly and the dedicated civil servants working in the [Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office] detainees team to bring their horrific ordeal to a close."
Mr Cleverly welcomed the safe return of the British citizens.
"Prisoners of war from other countries held by Russia-backed proxies have also been returned," he said.
"This brings to an end many months of uncertainty and suffering, including the threat of the death penalty, for them and their families at the hands of Russia.
“Tragically that was not the case for one of those detained and our thoughts remain with the family of Paul Urey."
The announcement comes a day after Russia and Ukraine agreed to swap 200 prisoners in one of the largest exchanges of the seven-month war, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told US television.
He made the announcement after talks last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a regional conference in Uzbekistan.
Mr Erdogan called the people being exchanged “hostages” and declined to say how many there were from each side.
Mr Putin on Wednesday announced a partial military mobilisation, conscripting Russians in reserve to fight in Ukraine.
Prince Mohammed on Tuesday met Rustem Umerov, special envoy of Ukraine’s president, in Jeddah.
”During the meeting, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince affirmed the kingdom's keenness and support for efforts that contribute to de-escalating the crisis in Ukraine, and the kingdom's support for all international efforts to reach a political resolution to the crisis, as well as continuing its efforts to mitigate the humanitarian fallout resulting from it,” the royal court said.
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
Last-16 Europa League fixtures
Wednesday (Kick-offs UAE)
FC Copenhagen (0) v Istanbul Basaksehir (1) 8.55pm
Shakhtar Donetsk (2) v Wolfsburg (1) 8.55pm
Inter Milan v Getafe (one leg only) 11pm
Manchester United (5) v LASK (0) 11pm
Thursday
Bayer Leverkusen (3) v Rangers (1) 8.55pm
Sevilla v Roma (one leg only) 8.55pm
FC Basel (3) v Eintracht Frankfurt (0) 11pm
Wolves (1) Olympiakos (1) 11pm
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
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
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
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