DUBAI // A masked burglar broke into a young mother's home and threatened her with a knife before raping her as her child lay on the bed next to them, a court heard. Prosecutors allege the attack in January against the 24-year-old from the Philippines was carried out by IA, a 20-year-old Emirati. IA was arrested by police investigating a string of burglaries. He is charged with trespassing, theft and rape. He denies the charges.
In her statement to prosecutors, the woman said her husband left their house at around 9.30pm on January 28. She said she then went to sleep with one of her children beside her, but soon her attacker came into the room wearing a ski mask and brandishing a knife. It is alleged he jumped over an exterior wall to gain access to the house through an open window. Prosecutors allege he woke up the woman and waved the knife in her face before demanding sex.
She told prosecutors that she begged the defendant not to kill her and her child and to take whatever he wanted from the house. She said that out of fear for her child she did not resist the rape. After the attack she locked herself in the room and cried for hours, she said. She decided to keep it from her husband but started having mood swings, which prompted a fight with her husband in which she revealed that she had been raped.
The court adjourned the case until June 30 for a court-appointed lawyer to be found for the defendant. amustafa@thenational.ae
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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
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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
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7. Limited time periods for audits
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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
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If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
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The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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