Taylor Swift shuts down misogynist question about turning 30

Taylor Swift is turning 30 this year, on December 13 to be specific. And honestly, she seems to be excited about it.

"According to my birth certificate, I turn 30 this year. It's weird because part of me still feels 18 and part of me feels 283, but the actual age I currently am is 29," the Me! singer wrote in Elle. "I've heard people say that your thirties are 'the most fun!'"

However, an inevitable reality of turning 30 for women, it seems, is questions about becoming a mother and "settling down". Swift is not enjoying that part of getting older.

This week, German press agency, Deutsche Press-Agentur, asked her if the birthday was a "turning point" and if she "would like to be a mother someday [and] have children".

She was having none of it.

"I really do not think men are asked that question when they turn 30," she said. "So I'm not going to answer that now".

She was polite, however, adding: “I hear others say that one in his thirties no longer has as much stress and anxiety in life as in my twenties. And I can join in the observation that we are in our twenties looking to gain experience, try things out, fail, make mistakes.”

Swift is currently dating British actor Joe Alwyn.

Shutting down sexism

This isn't the first time Swift has shut down a question she deemed sexist.

In October 2014 she was quizzed about penning songs about her exes by Australian radio host, Sophie Monk, to which she replied: "Frankly, I think that's a very sexist angle to take.

"No one says that about Ed Sheeran. No one says it about Bruno Mars. They're all writing songs about their exes, their current girlfriends, their love life, and no one raises a red flag."

What she knows at 30

Ahead of her big birthday, Swift penned a story called 30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30 for Elle. It is full of honest advice, both funny and frank, and can be read as celebration of growing older.

Do they still love you after they've seen you broken? Or after they've walked in on you having a full conversation with your cats as if they're people?

A few of the highlights include an unabashed love for Command tape — "This is not an ad. I just really love Command tape" — and the honest realisation that "being sweet to everyone all the time can get you into a lot of trouble."

She talks vitamins, cooking, skincare, self care and love.

"All that glitters isn’t gold," she says of jumping in feet-first and learning to protect herself. "Are they honest, self-aware, and slyly funny at the moments you least expect it? Do they show up for you when you need them? Do they still love you after they’ve seen you broken? Or after they’ve walked in on you having a full conversation with your cats as if they’re people? These are things a first impression could never convey."

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: HyperSpace

Started: 2020

Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Entertainment

Number of staff: 210

Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

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

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome