Ireland and Munster lock Paul O'Connell says taking on the galaticos of Toulon will be an 'incredibly tough' task. Peter Mulhy / AFP
Ireland and Munster lock Paul O'Connell says taking on the galaticos of Toulon will be an 'incredibly tough' task. Peter Mulhy / AFP
Ireland and Munster lock Paul O'Connell says taking on the galaticos of Toulon will be an 'incredibly tough' task. Peter Mulhy / AFP
Ireland and Munster lock Paul O'Connell says taking on the galaticos of Toulon will be an 'incredibly tough' task. Peter Mulhy / AFP

Sport

Irish side Munster aim to halt French juggernaut Toulon

Munster hope the record-setting experience of 11 European Cup semi-finals will help derail the galacticos of defending champions Toulon in Sunday’s showdown at Marseille.

Agence France Presse

April 26, 2014

  • English
  • Arabic

MARSEILLE // Munster hope the record-setting experience of 11 European Cup semi-finals will help derail the galacticos of defending champions Toulon in Sunday’s last-four showdown at Marseille.

The Irish side, champions in 2006 and 2008, have revenge on their minds having lost 26-9 the last time the two teams met in the tournament in 2011.

But they face a daunting task against a Toulon side bolstered by a pair of all-time great backs in Jonny Wilkinson and Bryan Habana.

“It’s going to be very tough, but that’s what the competition is at this stage,” said Paul O’Connell, the Munster and Ireland veteran lock. “Toulon have incredible talent all across the team. They have recruited really well – world-class players that love living in Toulon and playing for Toulon. When you see the way they play it’s an incredibly tough task for us.”

Munster have lost their past three European Cup semi-finals but, with Toulon missing key forwards Ali Williams and Bakkies Botha, O’Connell said his side can end that sequence despite the match taking place in France. Toulon will be bidding to go one better than last season by completing a Top 14-European Cup double after falling in the 2013 domestic final to Castres.

Habana, who has endured a stop-start career in France, believes the double is still on for Toulon.

“We are definitely going all out on both fronts,” he told Britain’s Daily Telegraph. “If you want to be part of a club that can create history you have got to lay everything down on the line.”

Munster will field a player who could have slipped comfortably into any French side had family history taken a different path. Wing Simon Zebo has an Irish mother but his father, Arthur, was born in the French overseas region of Martinique.

Arthur Zebo was an accomplished 800-metre runner, who was set to represent France at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal before injury curtailed his dreams.

“Simon is an artist, not the typical Irish player. He has a lot of the French in him,” Munster backs coach Simon Mannix joked.

The winners of the match will face English club Saracens in the final at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on May 24. Saracens beat French side Clermont Auvergne 46-6 on Saturday.

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David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

On Women's Day
Tips to keep your car cool
  • Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
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Company name: Farmin

Date started: March 2019

Founder: Dr Ali Al Hammadi 

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: AgriTech

Initial investment: None to date

Partners/Incubators: UAE Space Agency/Krypto Labs 

PROFILE OF INVYGO

Started: 2018

Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo

Based: Dubai

Sector: Transport

Size: 9 employees

Investment: $1,275,000

Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri

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

Transgender report
The bio

Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions

School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira

Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk

Dream City: San Francisco

Hometown: Dubai

City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala

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:

  1. Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate. 
  2. 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. 
  3. 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. 
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
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Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

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Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

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