A partial view of the Dubai Expo 2020 site pictured on June 14, 2020. Armies of workers in protective masks are racing to complete the mammoth site although the coronavirus led to the event being postponed by a year. AFP
A view of the under-construction Dubai Expo 2020 site on June 14, 2020. AFP
Workers cleaning up windows and pathways at the under-construction Dubai Expo 2020 site. AFP
Construction is in full swing despite the coronavirus pandemic. AFP
An Emirati visitor at the under-construction Dubai Expo 2020 site. AFP
A view of the under-construction Dubai Expo 2020. AFP
Many parts of the world, including those that had successfully handled the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic, are dealing with second waves of viral infections. Debates are raging in capitals around the world about the possibility of consequent, potential lockdowns, particularly with the new school year fast approaching.
One place where these debates are not happening is Syria, which is witnessing a surge of Covid-19 cases that could herald a fresh wave of suffering that hasn’t been seen since the fighting on the key fronts largely stopped back in March.
The number of coronavirus cases has risen greatly over the past month, even according to government and World Health Organisation figures, which greatly underestimate the number of infections. At the start of the pandemic, Syria reported only a handful of cases, a number that was scarcely believable given the virus was raging in Iran, which has a significant presence in government-controlled areas. Last month, cases were reported for the first time in Idlib, which is under opposition control, and where hundreds of thousands of internal refugees live in crowded conditions ripe for spread.
A Syrian doctor, on her own initiative, instructs children how to properly wear a mask during the Covid-19 outbreak, in a displacement camp in Idlib. AFP
Since then, hundreds of new cases have been reported in government-controlled areas, though it appears most of the data collection is happening in Damascus and its surroundings, offering at best a partial glimpse into the pandemic’s spread. More cases have been reported in Idlib as well as the Kurdish-controlled north-east, including among medical personnel, which probably means the virus has spread beyond the recorded cases. In total, as of Tuesday, Syria had recorded nearly 2,300 cases and close to 100 deaths.
A WHO report, dating from August 20, said the government had recorded 2,008 cases, in addition to 51 in rebel-controlled parts of Idlib and Aleppo. The north-east had recorded 280 infections. The actual number of cases is likely to be far higher, with many social media posts from locals pointing to deaths across the country. The official tally registered deaths due to the coronavirus in almost all the provinces.
The inexorable rise in cases is particularly alarming because the government does not appear to be taking any measures to limit social gatherings in heavily populated cities. Early in the pandemic, it imposed a partial lockdown, saying the country was too impoverished to afford a full one. But the absence of even partial measures this time around could lead to a catastrophe. College exams are being conducted with almost no precautions, and citizens are allowed to attend football matches and hold weddings. Hospitals are already overburdened by nearly 10 years of warfare – in addition to hundreds being destroyed, many doctors fled the violence over the years. With most Syrians living in poverty and no economic recovery in sight due to the Assad regime’s refusal to accept any concessions, ordinary civilians will suffer financially as the virus continues to spread.
In rebel-held areas, it is even harder to impose such measures given many live in poorly equipped, crowded camps, where social distancing or frequent hand washing are impossible to impose.
Syria has suffered half a million deaths and millions of refugees over a decade of warfare. The pandemic now threatens to upend even the current brief respite from fighting. As always, the Syrian regime is showing callous disregard for its people. The woes of this broken nation are not nearly at an end, and once again, seemingly nobody is willing to stop it.
Kareem Shaheen is a former Middle East correspondent based in Canada
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950
Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury
Saturday's results
West Ham 2-3 Tottenham
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves
Brighton 0-2 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Everton 0-2 Norwich City
Watford 0-3 Burnley
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
Total fights: 32 Wins: 28 Wins by KO: 26 Losses: 4
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
Moment of the day Given the problems Sri Lanka have had in recent times, it was apt the winning catch was taken by Dinesh Chandimal. He is one of seven different captains Sri Lanka have had in just the past two years. He leads in understated fashion, but by example. His century in the first innings of this series set the shock win in motion.
Stat of the day This was the ninth Test Pakistan have lost in their past 11 matches, a run that started when they lost the final match of their three-Test series against West Indies in Sharjah last year. They have not drawn a match in almost two years and 19 matches, since they were held by England at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi in 2015.
The verdict Mickey Arthur basically acknowledged he had erred by basing Pakistan’s gameplan around three seam bowlers and asking for pitches with plenty of grass in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Why would Pakistan want to change the method that has treated them so well on these grounds in the past 10 years? It is unlikely Misbah-ul-Haq would have made the same mistake.
What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
