Asma Al Assad, pictured with her husband, Syria's President Bashar Al Assad, is being investigated by British police over involvement in war crimes.EPA
Asma Al Assad, pictured with her husband, Syria's President Bashar Al Assad, is being investigated by British police over involvement in war crimes.EPA
Asma Al Assad, pictured with her husband, Syria's President Bashar Al Assad, is being investigated by British police over involvement in war crimes.EPA
Asma Al Assad, pictured with her husband, Syria's President Bashar Al Assad, is being investigated by British police over involvement in war crimes.EPA

Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and wife test positive for coronavirus


Nada AlTaher
  • English
  • Arabic

Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and his wife, Asma, tested positive for coronavirus after suffering from "mild symptoms", the Syrian Presidency said on Twitter on Monday.

The couple are in "good health and their condition is stable" and they will perform their duties from their residence while in quarantine, the presidency said.

Ongoing crisis

Less than a week before the 10-year anniversary of the war that created more than 5.6 million Syrian refugees and internally displaced six million people in the country, it is uncertain what lies ahead for Syria.

Prices for basic goods more than doubled in 2020 alone and about 60 per cent of the country's population suffer from a form of food insecurity, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said on Thursday.

Al Hol refugee camp is home to 62,000 people, half of whom are children.

The population of the camp comprises about 60 nationalities. 
Repatriations have stalled and many people are desperate to leave amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The camp is run by the Syrian Democratic Forces amd it became a hotbed for violence and extremism, analysts said.

But a reliable and lasting political solution is nowhere in sight.

The World Health Organisation says Syria has 15,981 confirmed cases of Covid-19 so far and 1,063 deaths have been reported. But with testing kits rare and expensive in regime-held areas, and scarcer still in the north-western regions, the numbers are believed to be higher.

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Estijaba – 8001717 –  number to call to request coronavirus testing

Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111

Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre

Emirates airline – 600555555

Etihad Airways – 600555666

Ambulance – 998

Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries

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Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal 

Rating: 2/5

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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