The US State Department added at least 116 countries this week to its Level Four: Do Not Travel advisory list, including nearly every country in the Middle East.
The only country excluded from the level-four status was Morocco, which is at level three, which advises US citizens to reconsider travel.
On Monday, the State Department said it would increase the number of countries receiving its highest advisory rating to about 80 per cent of nations.
Before Tuesday, the US listed 34 out of about 200 countries as Do Not Travel.
The countries previously included were Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
The are now 150 countries at level four.
Here are the travel advisories for each country in the region.
UAE
The advisory for the UAE was updated to Do Not Travel on Tuesday.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention issued a level-four travel health notice “indicating a very high level of Covid-19 in the country”.
Because of risks involving "civil aviation operating within the [Arabian Gulf] and the Gulf of Oman region", the Federal Aviation Administration also issued an advisory for the UAE.
Saudi Arabia
The advisory for Saudi Arabia was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
US citizens were advised not to travel to Saudi Arabia owing to Covid-19 and the “threat of missile and drone attacks on civilian facilities".
"Exercise increased caution in Saudi Arabia due to terrorism,” the State Department said.
Saudi Arabia was issued a level-four travel health notice by the CDC.
The authorities advised US citizens in Saudi Arabia to avoid the following locations owing to "missile and drone attacks and terrorism":
- Within 80 kilometres of the Saudi-Yemen border, as well as the cities of Abha and Jazan, Najran, and Khamis Mushait
- Abha airport
- Qatif in the Eastern Province and its suburbs, including Awamiyah
Oman
The advisory for Oman was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
Oman is listed as a level-four state by the CDC, “indicating a very high level of Covid-19 in the country”.
Americans are advised to avoid the Yemen border area because of “terrorism and armed conflict”.
“Crossing the border into Yemen can be dangerous, and US citizens who attempt to cross the Oman-Yemen border, from either Oman or Yemen, may be detained by Omani authorities,” the State Department said.
Bahrain
The advisory for Bahrain was updated to Do Not Travel on Tuesday, with the State Department warning Americans against increased Covid-19 in the country.
Owing to risks involving “civil aviation operating within the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman region”, the FAA also issued an advisory for Bahrain.
Kuwait
The advisory for Kuwait was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday, with the CDC indicating a very high level of Covid-19 there.
Americans were warned to avoid “the desert region near the border with Iraq due to the prevalence of unexploded ordnance”.
The State Department also advised Americans to exercise increased caution in the Jeleeb Al Shuyoukh area in Kuwait City because of crime.
Qatar
The advisory for Qatar was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
The CDC listed Qatar as a level-four country owing to it having “a very high level of Covid-19 in the country”.
The FAA also issued an advisory for Qatar because of risks involving “civil aviation operating within the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman region”.
Iran
The advisory for Iran remains at level four, indicating a very high level of Covid-19 in the country. The State Department also warned Americans that there are risks of kidnapping, arrest and detention of US citizens.
Algeria
The travel advisory for Algeria was changed to Do Not Travel on Wednesday. The CDC issued a travel health notice for Algeria owing to Covid-19 and said that there were unknown levels of infection in the country. The State Department also said that Americans should avoid travel to Algeria because of terrorism
Egypt
The advisory for Egypt was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
The CDC listed Egypt as a level-four country owing to it having “a very high level of Covid-19”. The State Department urged Americans to exercise increased caution in Egypt owing to terrorism and its limited ability to help dual citizens who are arrested.
Iraq
The advisory for Iraq was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
The CDC listed Iraq as a level-four country because of it having “a very high level of Covid-19”. The State Department warned Americans of a high risk of violence and kidnapping as well as threats from terrorist and insurgent groups.
Israel, the West Bank and Gaza
The advisory for Israel was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
The CDC listed Israel as a level-four country owing to it having “a very high level of Covid-19”. The State Department also warned Americans of potential travel restrictions, strict quarantine procedures, armed conflict and civil unrest.
Jordan
The advisory for Jordan was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
The CDC listed Jordan as a level-four country owing to it having “a very high level of Covid-19”. The State Department also warns Americans of some terrorism concerns. Jordan is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases and is struggling to control infections.
Lebanon
The advisory for Lebanon was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
The CDC listed Lebanon as a level-four country owing to “a very high level of Covid-19”. The State Department told Americans to reconsider travel, warning of crime, terrorism, armed conflict and civil unrest. Lebanon has experienced a lot of political turmoil over the past year leading to nationwide protests.
Libya
The advisory for Libya was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
The CDC listed Libya as a level-four country owing to it having “a very high level of Covid-19”. The State Department told Americans to reconsider travel warning of crime, terrorism, armed conflict and civil unrest.
Syria
The advisory for Syria was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
The CDC listed Syria as a level-four country because of “a very high level of Covid-19”. The State Department warned Americans against travel to Syria owing to terrorism, armed conflict and the possibility of unjust detention.
Tunisia
The advisory for Tunisia was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
The CDC listed Tunisia as a level-four country owing to “a very high level of Covid-19”. The State Department warns Americans against travel owing to terrorism and also mentions avoiding travel to high-risk areas such as the border with Libya, the country’s mountainous areas and the desert south of Remada.
Turkey
The advisory for Turkey was updated to Do Not Travel on Wednesday.
The CDC listed Turkey as a level-four country owing to it having “a very high level of Covid-19”. The State Department warns Americans against travel owing to the possibly of arbitrary detention.
Yemen
The advisory for Yemen was updated to “Do Not Travel” on Wednesday.
The CDC listed Yemen as a level-four country because of “a very high level of Covid-19”. The State Department warns Americans against travel owing to terrorism, civil unrest, health risks, kidnapping, armed conflict and landmines. The US embassy in Yemen has been closed since 2015.
Palestine and Israel - live updates
The Light of the Moon
Director: Jessica M Thompson
Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, Michael Stahl-David
Three stars
World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
Monster Hunter: World
Capcom
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Multitasking pays off for money goals
Tackling money goals one at a time cost financial literacy expert Barbara O'Neill at least $1 million.
That's how much Ms O'Neill, a distinguished professor at Rutgers University in the US, figures she lost by starting saving for retirement only after she had created an emergency fund, bought a car with cash and purchased a home.
"I tell students that eventually, 30 years later, I hit the million-dollar mark, but I could've had $2 million," Ms O'Neill says.
Too often, financial experts say, people want to attack their money goals one at a time: "As soon as I pay off my credit card debt, then I'll start saving for a home," or, "As soon as I pay off my student loan debt, then I'll start saving for retirement"."
People do not realise how costly the words "as soon as" can be. Paying off debt is a worthy goal, but it should not come at the expense of other goals, particularly saving for retirement. The sooner money is contributed, the longer it can benefit from compounded returns. Compounded returns are when your investment gains earn their own gains, which can dramatically increase your balances over time.
"By putting off saving for the future, you are really inhibiting yourself from benefiting from that wonderful magic," says Kimberly Zimmerman Rand , an accredited financial counsellor and principal at Dragonfly Financial Solutions in Boston. "If you can start saving today ... you are going to have a lot more five years from now than if you decide to pay off debt for three years and start saving in year four."
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
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
The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
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Top New Zealand cop on policing the virtual world
New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.
“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well," he told The National.
"We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better."
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
