• The system is designed to avoid congestion at the border into Abu Dhabi. All photos courtesy Abu Dhabi Police
    The system is designed to avoid congestion at the border into Abu Dhabi. All photos courtesy Abu Dhabi Police
  • Drivers are identified 200 metres before the checkpoints.
    Drivers are identified 200 metres before the checkpoints.
  • The service is available in four languages.
    The service is available in four languages.
  • It tells people what the rules are to enter Abu Dhabi.
    It tells people what the rules are to enter Abu Dhabi.
  • The service is available on 24 FM stations.
    The service is available on 24 FM stations.

UAE

Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi Police to broadcast Covid-19 rules on car radios at Dubai border

The service – in four languages – explains the requirements for entering Abu Dhabi

The National

March 19, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Abu Dhabi Police has launched a Covid-19 radio alert service for people crossing the Dubai border.

It is available on 24 FM stations and will tell people the rules they need to follow to gain entry to the emirate.

The force announced the initiative on Friday and it is available in four languages: Arabic, English, Urdu and Malayalam.

It comes into effect 200 metres before the checkpoint and lists the requirements, such as having a Covid-19 test, disclosing if you arrived in the country recently and wearing a mask, while passengers travelling in the vehicle who are not related should not exceed three.

Footage on Abu Dhabi Police's social media feed showed the service in action. As a driver approaches, instructions come through the radio telling the motorist to slow down and adhere to the rules.

The force called on everyone to follow the instructions of police at these points to avoid traffic congestion.

Meanwhile, the UAE recorded 2,160 new cases of coronavirus on Friday after 239,268 tests were carried out.

Case numbers have fallen significantly since late January, when about 4,000 infections were recorded on most days.

The reduction coincided with one of the fastest vaccination programmes in the world.

Last December Abu Dhabi moved the Covid-19 DPI testing centre from before the checkpoints to Al Faya Road, at a turn-off from the E11 Dubai-Abu Dhabi motorway.

Abu Dhabi's new DPI checkpoints – in pictures 

  • Medical staff speak to drivers before they take a prick of blood from their finger that can rapidly be scanned for signs of the virus. All photos by Leslie Pableo for The National
    Medical staff speak to drivers before they take a prick of blood from their finger that can rapidly be scanned for signs of the virus. All photos by Leslie Pableo for The National
  • Police direct a long line of vehicles waiting for the rapid test at the Dubai-Abu Dhabi border
    Police direct a long line of vehicles waiting for the rapid test at the Dubai-Abu Dhabi border
  • Many commuters are expected to use the quick Dh50 to enter Abu Dhabi instead of undergoing a PCR nasal swab test, which costs about Dh150 in a private clinic
    Many commuters are expected to use the quick Dh50 to enter Abu Dhabi instead of undergoing a PCR nasal swab test, which costs about Dh150 in a private clinic
  • A medic takes a drop of blood from a commuter
    A medic takes a drop of blood from a commuter
  • A medic takes a drop of blood from a commuter
    A medic takes a drop of blood from a commuter
  • Medical staff use a laser scanning technique called DPI to look for signs that the body has generated antibodies to fight off a virus
    Medical staff use a laser scanning technique called DPI to look for signs that the body has generated antibodies to fight off a virus
  • Medical staff use a laser scanning technique called DPI to look for signs that the body has generated antibodies to fight off a virus
    Medical staff use a laser scanning technique called DPI to look for signs that the body has generated antibodies to fight off a virus
  • A medic takes a drop of blood from a commuter
    A medic takes a drop of blood from a commuter
  • Eighteen stations can handle 36 vehicles at any one time. The process takes several minutes to show a result
    Eighteen stations can handle 36 vehicles at any one time. The process takes several minutes to show a result
  • Although the DPI test does not specifically look for Covid-19, it quickly identifies whether someone may be ill
    Although the DPI test does not specifically look for Covid-19, it quickly identifies whether someone may be ill
  • Drivers line up to be tested on Al Faya Road just off the E11 highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi
    Drivers line up to be tested on Al Faya Road just off the E11 highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi
  • The company that runs the service for the government said it should save drivers time and money
    The company that runs the service for the government said it should save drivers time and money
  • Drivers line up to be tested on Al Faya Road just off the E11 highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi
    Drivers line up to be tested on Al Faya Road just off the E11 highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi
The biog

Name: Younis Al Balooshi

Nationality: Emirati

Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn

Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design

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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Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
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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:

  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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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

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Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

While you're here
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE

Price, base / as tested Dh274,000 (estimate)

Engine 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder

Gearbox  Nine-speed automatic

Power 245hp @ 4,200rpm

Torque 500Nm @ 1,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km

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