Tadej Pogacar may have the weight of cycling history on his slender shoulders, but the UAE Team Emirates leader could not have been more relaxed on the eve of the Tour de France.
“I don’t think about history that much, almost never,” the 23-year-old Slovenian said. “We have so many things going on, I just try to enjoy the moment, have fun on the bike, travel around the world, and see what that brings to me.”
Perhaps it's easy for Pogacar to ignore historical significance when he has become so accustomed to creating it. On his Tour de France debut in 2020, at the age of 21, Pogacar became the youngest rider since Henri Cornet in 1904 to win cycling's most prestigious road race – and in spectacular style too, snatching the yellow jersey on the penultimate stage with a time trial performance for the ages.
If his debut title had been a bit smash-and-grab, there was no mistaking his dominance last year, Pogacar proving head and shoulders above his rivals, no matter how hard they tried to gang up on him.
Just weeks after his victory procession along the Champs Elysees, Pogacar made more history as the first cyclist to win an Olympic road race medal the same year as winning the Tour de France.
The world's top-ranked cyclist for almost one year, Pogacar in April became the first road cyclist in history to surpass 6,000 points in the UCI World Rankings.
Now there are more major milestones in his sights: Pogacar is aiming to be just the sixth rider to win the Tour de France three years in a row, an achievement even the great Bernard Hinault was unable to accomplish.
If history has a habit of repeating itself, then Pogacar's rivals should be very wary indeed. Much like 12 months ago, he enters the Tour following titles at the Tirreno-Adriatico, UAE Tour, and earlier this month at the Tour of Slovenia.
Pogacar, with the support of his UAE Team Emirates colleagues, will very much be a hunted rider, not that it gives him any cause for concern.
“We will do our own thing,” Pogacar said. “We have a strong team of riders that I can trust. We are ready for all the attacks and we are fully motivated. If we stick together these three weeks, we should be fine.”
Tadej Pogacar wins the 2022 Strade Bianche - in pictures
While everything appears to be pointing towards another Tour de France triumph, Pogacar was quick to point out that nothing can be taken for granted in a race spanning 3,328km and 21 stages, across cobbled streets and through treacherous mountain terrain.
“Preparation has gone well. We’ve trained and raced at altitude, so I’m in good shape and the data is good,” Pogacar said. “But you still never know what happens in the race. You can have one bad day and it changes everything. So we will go day by day and hope we have good legs every day.”
The threat of Covid also still lingers. Hours before Thursday's press conference, UAE Team Emirates announced Italian rider Matteo Trentin had tested positive for Covid-19 and was forced to withdraw. He has been replaced by Switzerland's Marc Hirschi.
“It’s a bit worrying that cases are going around the peloton,” Pogacar said. “I just hope that now we are here we stay in our bubbles as much as possible and that we can continue without any more positive Covid tests.”
Fortunately for the rest of the team, they had not been in close contact with Trentin, teammate Mikkel Bjerg revealed. “Actually we were pretty lucky - unlucky to lose Matteo but lucky that he arrived the night before and was not in close contact with any of the other riders,” the 23-year-old Dane said. “Marc is coming now and we are confident that he can support the team in a good way.”
As the Tour de France gets set for its Grand Depart on Friday – a 13km time trial in the Danish capital of Copenhagen – Pogacar and UAE Team Emirates can't wait to get started.
“I'm excited to start the Tour again,” he said. “Like any other race, I want to do my best here. It’s the biggest race of the year so I’m happy to be at the start line and excited to fight for the title.”
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
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Five personal finance podcasts from The National
To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes
·
Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth
·
What is a portfolio stress test?
·
What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested?
·
How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies
·
Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Crime%20Wave
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The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
'Joker'
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix
Rating: Five out of five stars
Results:
Women:
1. Rhiannan Iffland (AUS) 322.95 points
2. Lysanne Richard (CAN) 285.75
3. Ellie Smart (USA) 277.70
Men:
1. Gary Hunt (GBR) 431.55
2. Constantin Popovici (ROU) 424.65
3. Oleksiy Prygorov (UKR) 392.30
Scores
Wales 74-24 Tonga
England 35-15 Japan
Italy 7-26 Australia
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
T20 World Cup Qualifier A, Muscat
Friday, February 18: 10am - Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm - Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am - Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm - UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am - Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm - Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm – semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm – final
UAE squad: Ahmed Raza (captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
