Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
A 100-bed floating hospital has set sail from the UAE to provide crucial medical support to Palestinian patients affected by the Israel-Gaza war.
The repurposed vessel – which has 100 medical and administrative staff on board – will be docked off the coast of the Egyptian city of Al Arish to support relief efforts for Gaza.
The hospital has operating rooms, intensive care facilities, a laboratory, a pharmacy and medical warehouses.
The vast ship, which sailed from Khalifa Port, also boasts an evacuation plane and boat and fully equipped ambulances to transport patients.
It has been established in partnership with Abu Dhabi Department of Health and the Abu Dhabi Ports Group.
Its healthcare team have a range of specialities, including anaesthesia, general surgery, orthopaedics, nursing and emergency care.
The delivery of the hospital is part of the UAE's continuing humanitarian campaign – known as Gallant Knight 3 – ordered by President Sheikh Mohamed and aimed at providing a vital lifeline to the people of Gaza.
In December, the UAE established a field hospital in the Gaza Strip to help ease the significant pressure placed on Gaza's health service by a conflict now in its fifth month.
More than 3,500 patients have been treated at the 150-bed hospital, which is used for general surgery and orthopaedics, and offers anaesthetic services and intensive care for children and adults.
It also offers internal medicine, dentistry, family medicine and psychiatric treatment.
It is being operated with the support of the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, the Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, and the Emirates Red Crescent.
UAE delivers support
The UAE has offered essential financial and humanitarian assistance since the war broke out on October 7.
On Saturday, the UAE sent a ship to Gaza carrying aid, including 4,500 tonnes of food, medicine, shelter materials and essentials for women and children.
The UAE President on Saturday ordered $5 million in financial aid to support humanitarian efforts to reconstruct Gaza, which has been heavily damaged by the war.
Sheikh Mohamed had previously pledged to provide treatment for 1,000 wounded Palestinian children and 1,000 cancer patients from the Gaza Strip in UAE hospitals.
Dozens more wounded Palestinian children and cancer patients arrived in the UAE for treatment on Wednesday.
The group of 86 patients – accompanied by family members – were evacuated from Gaza and transported to the Emirates from Al Arish Airport in Egypt.
They landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport and were taken to hospital.
It is the 10th group of Gazans to arrive in the Emirates for medical treatment under Gallant Knight 3.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Director: Edgar Wright
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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The President's Cake
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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
