President Donald Trump on Monday said that talks for a new nuclear deal between the US and Iran would continue on Thursday.
Iran's Foreign Ministry said on its Telegram channel, however, that talks would resume on Sunday in Oman. The two nations are in discussions over a new deal that would put limits on Tehran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief.
Mr Trump cautioned that Iran has been "asking for things that you can't do" in the indirect discussions, brokered by Oman.
"They don't want to give up what they have to give up, you know what that is? They seek enrichment [of uranium]. We can't have enrichment," he said at an economic event at the White House. "They have given us their thoughts on the deal, and I said, you know, it's just not acceptable."
Washington last month submitted a proposal for a new nuclear deal, but Tehran deemed it "unacceptable". Iran is expected to present a counter-proposal soon.
"They are good negotiators but they're tough. Sometimes it can be too tough," Mr Trump said. "We're trying to make a deal so that there's no destruction and death."
The issue of Iran continuing to enrich uranium has been a major sticking point between Iranian and American negotiators. Mr Trump said last week on his Truth Social platform that "we will not allow any enrichment of uranium".
Mr Trump added that Iran was the main topic during a phone call on Monday with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The call came amid reports Israel was finalising plans to strike nuclear sites in the country, a threat Israel has been making for months. Last month, Mr Trump said that he warned Israel against such a move.
At the weekend, Iran claimed to have acquired a "treasure trove” of information about Israel’s nuclear weapons. Israel is widely assumed to possess such weapons, although it has never officially acknowledged it.
Mr Trump also said Iran was involved in negotiations over ending the war in Gaza.
"Gaza, right now, is in the midst of a massive negotiation between us and Hamas and Israel, and Iran actually is involved, and we'll see what's going to happen with Gaza," he said. "We want to get the hostages back."
The US has been working on mediating a new ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, nearly three months after a fragile truce collapsed.
Since the middle of March, Israeli strikes resumed, leading to a mounting Palestinian death toll and a worsening of the enclave's already dire humanitarian situation.
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Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
MATCH INFO
What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
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