Arab countries engaged in a rapprochement with President Bashar Al Assad should "get something" in return, a senior US official said on Thursday, accusing his Syrian regime of being behind an illegal drug trade devastating the region.
Barbara Leaf, Assistant Secretary of State, said the US had sent a message that it would not follow suit by its recent imposition of sanctions on two Assad family members for their suspected role the smuggling of the amphetamine known as Captagon.
Ms Leaf, who has visited in Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Lebanon, and Tunisia in the past two weeks, said the drug was "a new, terrible scourge across the region" and blamed much of its trade on the Assad government.
"The profiting from the Captagon trade is just another terrible example of why this [Syrian] regime deserves to be treated as the rogue it is," said Ms Leaf, whose portfolio is the Near East region.
"We don't intend to normalise," she said from London. "This regime is such a disaster for its people but also for its neighbourhood."
A drive for region-wide normalisation with Damascus has accelerated in the past two months after the earthquake last month affected parts of Syria and made it easier to deal more directly with the Syrian government.
This month, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said consensus was building in the Arab world that talks with Damascus were needed, particularly on the humanitarian situation in Syria.
But Prince Faisal said it was "too early to discuss" the return of Syria to the Arab League.
Saudi Arabia is the main market for Captagon manufactured in Lebanon and Syria. Arab officials say areas in and around Damascus have become the manufacturing centre for the narcotic, with billions of dollars' worth flowing through Jordan and on to Saudi Arabia, as well as by sea.
Many Arab countries downgraded ties with the regime in Damascus for its violent suppression of the 2011 revolt against five decades of Assad family rule.
Ms Leaf said Washington has had discussions with its Middle East allies about "their shift in policy".
"They want to try engagement," she said. "Our approach on that score is that make sure to get something for that engagement.
"I would put ending the Captagon trade right at the top, alongside the other issues ... that go to providing relief to the Syrian people from the terrible decade of oppression that they suffered."
She cited the regime's failure to adhere to UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which calls for an unidentified political transition in the country as well as the release of prisoners, which human rights groups say number in the thousands.
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Five expert hiking tips
- Always check the weather forecast before setting off
- Make sure you have plenty of water
- Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
- Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
- Take your litter home with you
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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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Stephen King, Penguin
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Juliet, Naked
Dir: Jesse Peretz
Starring: Chris O'Dowd, Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke
Two stars
Federer's 11 Wimbledon finals
2003 Beat Mark Philippoussis
2004 Beat Andy Roddick
2005 Beat Andy Roddick
2006 Beat Rafael Nadal
2007 Beat Rafael Nadal
2008 Lost to Rafael Nadal
2009 Beat Andy Roddick
2012 Beat Andy Murray
2014 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2015 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2017 Beat Marin Cilic
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
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CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"