Platinum jubilee a moment for the UAE to appreciate lifetime of friendship with the queen

This month, the United Kingdom comes together to celebrate a remarkable achievement – the platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

For the United Kingdom, this means a long weekend of leisure and fun, with celebrations organised throughout the country.

For the United Arab Emirates, it provides a moment to appreciate the decades of friendship our country has enjoyed with the queen, and to reflect on the wider bond between our nations.

For me, as ambassador, it also creates an opportunity to fondly remember my professional and personal experiences during my time in the UK while representing our wonderful country.

It is incredible to consider that the queen has witnessed the entirety of the UAE’s 50-year-history during her tenure. In many ways, she represents a constant when so much else has changed and progressed.

Since the signing of the UAE-UK Treaty of Friendship in 1971, the UAE has become an independent nation that has always retained a strong bond with the UK. And we have maintained our friendship with the queen, who first visited us in 1979, sailing into Abu Dhabi on board the royal yacht Britannia, to be greeted by His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Last month, following the passing of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the queen’s grandson Prince William followed in her footsteps, travelling to Abu Dhabi to pass on condolences to our new President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

These personal touchpoints could be taken for granted, but they are important. Decades ago, the queen herself set the direction of our bilateral relationship. Today, both nations can point to significant benefits from that relationship, spread across a variety of industries and sectors.

Our economic ties are stronger than ever. More than 100,000 Britons have chosen to make the Emirates their home. We are by far the UK’s largest trading partner in the region, and have made huge investments in the UK economy – investments that will help the UK to boost its digital infrastructure and meet its net-zero ambitions. We tackle climate change and fight crime together. We have developed as true partners and we will continue to build a strong future together.

It could be said that these developments are purely economic or politically expedient, but this is untrue. Fundamentally, the strength of the partnership between the UAE and the UK rests on the relationship between our two peoples. And the queen, for decades, has served to remind us of the strength of that relationship.

When I first moved to London three years ago to take up my role as Ambassador to the Court of St James, I was privileged to visit Buckingham Palace - travelling from the UAE embassy in a horse-drawn carriage known as a landau - to present my credentials to the queen. I was struck, though not surprised, by her keen interest and knowledge of the Middle East and the Emirates. It was fascinating to hear her recall that 1979 visit and her memories of meeting His Highness Sheikh Zayed 40 years previously.

At the time, I described our meeting to this newspaper as “an extraordinary experience – almost a little bit sort of magical”. Looking back today, I am grateful that this was an experience I was able to have. I promised I would do everything possible to further strengthen the relationship between our two countries, and this promise continues to guide me in my role as UAE Ambassador to the UK.

The queen is an icon, a towering figure in the history of the UK and the world, and an inspiration to us all. In the 70th year of her rule, she continues to embody the spirit of openness and friendship for which she is greatly admired in the UAE.

It is no surprise that people in the UK will celebrate all that the queen stands for this month. And that Emiratis will take time to reflect on and honour the friendship that she has shown us. I certainly know I will.

Mansoor Abulhoul is the UAE ambassador to the UK.

Take the royal quiz

'Midnights'

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The story in numbers

This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens

450,000

More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps

1.5 million

There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m

The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association

18,000

The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme

77,400

The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study

4,926

This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee

Start times

5.55am: Wheelchair Marathon Elites

6am: Marathon Elites

7am: Marathon Masses

9am: 10Km Road Race

11am: 4Km Fun Run

Biog

Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara

He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada

Father of two sons, grandfather of six

Plays golf once a week

Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family

Walks for an hour every morning

Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India

2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business

UAE'S%20YOUNG%20GUNS

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While you're here

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MATCH INFO

Chelsea 0

Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')

Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)

Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)

How to wear a kandura

Dos

Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts

Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying

Herc's Adventures

Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5

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Pakistan World Cup squad

Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez(subject to fitness), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain

Two additions for England ODIs: Mohammad Amir and Asif Ali

The%20Killer

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Five famous companies founded by teens

There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:

Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.

Kanguva

Director: Siva

Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley

Rating: 2/5

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From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:

Ajax 2-3 Tottenham

Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate

Final: June 1, Madrid

INDIA V SOUTH AFRICA

First Test: October 2-6, at Visakhapatnam

Second Test: October 10-14, at Maharashtra

Third Test: October 19-23, at Ranchi

Favourite things

Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery

Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount

University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China

Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai

Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China

Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs

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

The biog

Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer

Marital status: Single

Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran

Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food

Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo

Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish

Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Akeed

Based: Muscat

Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception

THE%20HOLDOVERS

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlexander%20Payne%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Paul%20Giamatti%2C%20Da'Vine%20Joy%20Randolph%2C%20Dominic%20Sessa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Water waste

In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.

Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.

A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.

The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.

Titan Sports Academy:

Programmes: Judo, wrestling, kick-boxing, muay thai, taekwondo and various summer camps

Location: Inside Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Telephone: 971 50 220 0326

SERIE A FIXTURES

Saturday (UAE kick-off times)

Atalanta v Juventus (6pm)

AC Milan v Napoli (9pm)

Torino v Inter Milan (11.45pm)

Sunday

Bologna v Parma (3.30pm)

Sassuolo v Lazio (6pm)

Roma v Brescia (6pm)

Verona v Fiorentina (6pm)

Sampdoria v Udinese (9pm)

Lecce v Cagliari (11.45pm)

Monday

SPAL v Genoa (11.45pm)

Platinum jubilee a moment for the UAE to appreciate lifetime of friendship with the queen

Take the royal quiz

'Midnights'

The story in numbers

Start times

Biog

UAE'S%20YOUNG%20GUNS

While you're here

MATCH INFO

How to wear a kandura

Herc's Adventures

More from Neighbourhood Watch:

Pakistan World Cup squad

The%20Killer

MORE ON LOCUSTS

Our commentary on Brexit

Five famous companies founded by teens

UAE currency

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

While you're here

Kanguva

While you're here

From Zero

While you're here

MATCH INFO

INDIA V SOUTH AFRICA

Favourite things

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

The biog

COMPANY&nbsp;PROFILE

THE%20HOLDOVERS

Water waste

SERIE A FIXTURES

COMPANY PROFILE