President Sheikh Mohamed on Wednesday told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during talks in Abu Dhabi that the UAE strongly opposes any attempt to displace the Palestinian people from Gaza.
The UAE leader said that rebuilding efforts in Gaza should be underpinned by a “comprehensive and lasting peace” based on a two-state solution.
This was reinforced by Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the President, who wrote on X that the UAE’s message “is with fair rights, alleviating human suffering, and supporting the path of peace, stability, and prosperity”.
Sheikh Mohamed and Mr Rubio also reviewed ways to strengthen long-standing ties between the countries in the discussions.
Mr Rubio arrived in the UAE for the latest stop on a Middle East tour in which efforts to end wars in Gaza and Ukraine have been top of the agenda.
According to a readout of the meeting provided by the US State Department, Mr Rubio conveyed his appreciation for the strong ties with the UAE.
“The Secretary discussed the UAE’s significant strides in both leading edge technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum computing. He expressed his wish for the two nations to build on their already strong economic bonds,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said, noting that the conversation also “encompassed the remaining challenges in Gaza”.
Mr Rubio, the former Florida senator who was appointed to President Donald Trump's administration last month, will be a key figure in guiding US foreign policy, particularly in supporting a global effort to bring about peace in Europe and the Middle East.
He met Sheikh Mohamed at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex), at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, and also held talks with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Sheikh Mohamed also met Guido Crosetto, Italian Minister of Defence, at the conference.
Mr Rubio had been welcomed in Abu Dhabi by Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation, and Martina Strong, US ambassador to the UAE.
His visit to the Emirates comes a week after he spoke to Sheikh Mohamed by phone to discuss the Israel-Gaza war.
The UAE leader underlined the need to maintain security and stability in the region, based on a two-state solution.
They also discussed ways to strengthen co-operation across various fields as part of the strategic relationship between the nations.
Mr Rubio also took a tour of the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi alongside Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, reported the US Mission to the UAE on social media platform X on Friday.
Mr Rubio has already visited Israel and Saudi Arabia in recent days and was also due to travel to Doha as part of the tour, the US State Department has said.
On Monday, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Mr Rubio that Riyadh was looking forward to working with Mr Trump's administration, and the two sides could work together towards positive outcomes for “many countries around the world”.
Prince Mohammed and Mr Rubio discussed regional developments during their meeting, before talks began on Tuesday in Riyadh between US and Russian officials.
“We're glad to work with you and with President Trump,” the Crown Prince told Mr Rubio. “His administration made a decision and we can work for positive things for Saudi Arabia and America, and also for many countries around the world.”
According to a statement on the meeting carried by Saudi state media, they discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance and develop ties. There was no mention of Gaza in the Saudi statement.
Mr Rubio's trip comes after disputed proposals by Mr Trump to relocate Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and for America to “take ownership” of the enclave. Saudi Arabia responded swiftly at the time with a strongly worded condemnation and rejection of the proposal.
Video: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
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
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
F1 drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56
More coverage from the Future Forum
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Tuesday results:
- Singapore bt Malaysia by 29 runs
- UAE bt Oman by 13 runs
- Hong Kong bt Nepal by 3 wickets
Final:
Thursday, UAE v Hong Kong
HOSTS
T20 WORLD CUP
2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland
ODI WORLD CUP
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh
CHAMPIONS TROPHY
2025: Pakistan; 2029: India
The%20specs
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Ashes 2019 schedule
August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston
August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's
August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley
September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
