President Sheikh Mohamed received EU Council President Charles Michel in Abu Dhabi on Friday, marking the conclusion of the European leader's tour of the Gulf.
They discussed ways to boost co-operation between Europe and the UAE. The leaders also spoke about the first Gulf Co-operation Council-EU forum scheduled for October 16 in Brussels.
Heads of state from the EU's 27 members and the six GCC countries are scheduled to attend the coming summit, which builds on a two-year-old strategy to strengthen ties between the two regions.
"President Michel has invested a lot of effort and reach out in the past two years to upgrade the level of relationship between the EU and the GCC," an EU source told The National.
The meeting at Al Shati Palace came on the third and final day of Mr Michel's tour of Gulf nations, which also included diplomatic visits to Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Sheikh Mohamed and Mr Michel discussed tensions in the Middle East, emphasising the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and deescalating tensions in the West Bank.
Mr Michel commended the UAE’s contributions towards peace and stability in the Middle East, and highlighted the growing co-operation between Brussels and the Emirates, state news agency Wam reported.
The President said the UAE would continue to work with the EU to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza and beyond.
The EU in May 2022 launched a strategic partnership that included issues of shared concern, such as security and the green transition. A few months later, it nominated its first EU-Gulf envoy, former Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Luigi di Maio.
Organisers hope the October summit will create a framework to improve co-operation in different areas, the EU source said.
Mr Michel's mandate ends in late November, just over a month after the summit. He is set to be succeeded by former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Costa.
The continuing wars in Gaza and Ukraine have been topics of discussion between Gulf leaders and Mr Michel, who landed on Tuesday in Qatar where he met the Emir Sheikh Tamim.
Mr Michel welcomed Qatar's role in the mediation talks to de-escalate the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. He then travelled to Riyadh for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Other steps to strengthen ties include the EU's harmonisation of Schengen rule requirements for visa applications in a bid to encourage more Gulf students, entrepreneurs and tourists to visit Europe.
This came one month after the first high-level EU-Gulf security summit to strengthen co-operation on matters such as nuclear proliferation, maritime security, terrorism financing and human trafficking.
Friday's meeting was attended by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun, Adviser for Special Affairs at the Presidential Court; Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation; and a number of Sheikhs and officials.
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Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The specs: 2018 Genesis G70
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10pm Handicap I Dh160,000 I 1,600m I Winner Sea Skimmer, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
RESULTS
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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
UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
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Part time contracts
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Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
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
