Dawn of a new day
With reference to the report by Thomas Helm, Kamal Tabikha and Hamza Hendawi Trump hails 'dawn of new Middle East' in Knesset speech interrupted by anti-government MPs (October 13): Bravo to the two MPs asking for Palestine to be recognised as a sovereign state.
Nurdan Arca, Antalya, Turkey
It was a great day when the hostages finally came home after two years. Thank you, to Donald Trump, Israel's greatest friend, and a great president.
Hakan Venderlof, Stockholm, Sweden
Will the ceasefire hold?
In reference to The National's report Israel will not respect Gaza ceasefire, says Iran's Araghchi (October 12): I am inclined to agree with him. Israel has never respected any ceasefire. I am afraid it will strike Palestine furiously again.
Silvana Malta, Copenhagen, Denmark
UAE's golden visa update
In reference to The National's report UAE expands golden visa scheme to offer holders emergency support overseas (October 14): Great news. The UAE never ceases to amaze in the ways it extends care for people.
Abed Afridi, Dubai
Dangers of earphones in public
With reference to the video about the Woman in turkey saved from walking in to the path of a train (October 16): The tram driver would have got a heart attack. We really need to be more responsible for ourselves - and others!
Bushra C, Dubai
I still remember my dad's words from when I was a student: never wear earplugs in public places.
Iryna Syvokon, Cairo
It's a good example to illustrate the hazards of ear pods; you're not aware of your surroundings. This person seemed to be totally lacking in situational awareness and is lucky to have been saved from getting run over by the super impressive reflexes of the security guard.
Sudhir Kaul, Abu Dhabi
Even if you're wearing earphones, how can you be so "out to lunch" that you walk into train tracks? It takes a special kind of person to show this much carelessness. Look both ways even with headphones.
Ghazial Suhail, Dubai
A tentative peace?
With regard to the report Israel threatens to resume Gaza war if Hamas fails to return all hostage bodies (October 16): How about Israel help dig them out instead of looking for a pretext to resume the killings?
Kathy Brennan, San Diego, US
Not a single statement of actual statecraft was delivered in Israel. Just a volley of praise and flattery. The focus now really needs to be on reconstruction, restoring peace and rehabilitation of war-stricken Gaza.
Younas Khan, Ras Al Khaimah
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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
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The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
more from Janine di Giovanni
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
