Latest: Sheikh Mohamed holds talks with Turkey's President Erdogan in Abu Dhabi
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday for his first official visit to the UAE in almost a decade.
He was met by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, along with Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, state news agency Wam reported.
Mr Erdogan will spend two days in the Emirates to boost ties between the two countries.
Television cameras showed the Turkish leader's journey through the city to Qasr Al Watan, the Presidential Palace.
In the palace's main hall, an honour guard saluted and a military band played the national anthems of both nations in the presence of Mr Erdogan and Sheikh Mohamed.
On Tuesday, Mr Erdogan is expected at Expo 2020 Dubai for Turkey's national day of celebrations.
Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to UAE President Sheikh Khalifa, earlier said Mr Erdogan's visit to the UAE "opens a new positive page in the bilateral relations between the two countries, and is in line with the UAE's direction towards strengthening bridges of communication and cooperation aimed at stability and prosperity in the region."
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, met Mr Erdogan in Ankara two months ago, in his first visit to Turkey in close to a decade.
During the visit, the UAE announced it was setting up a $10 billion investment fund in Turkey.
The visit and investment pledge marked a significant improvement in relations. Monday's visit is expected to cement those efforts, with ties expected to enter a new phase.
The UAE is Turkey’s top trading partner among the GCC countries. Bilateral trade between the two countries in 2020 reached $8 billion.
The UAE leadership believes that strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries will contribute to regional stability, prosperity and peace, news agency Wam reported.
Earlier this month it was announced Mr Erdogan, 67, had contracted Covid-19 shortly after a visit to Ukraine. He had only mild symptoms and put this down to him being fully vaccinated and having received the booster.
President Erdogan arrives in UAE - in pictures
Speaking to journalists after Friday prayers, he said: “I overcame it very, very easily. It was certainly because of the vaccination. I had two doses of CoronaVac, a Chinese-made inactive vaccine and three doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
"It only took a few days before my test turned negative."
His wife has also made a full recovery.
Mr Erdogan was last on an official visit to the Emirates in February 2013 for the Government Communication Forum in Sharjah.
Growing Turkish community upbeat
Ahmet Kayhan, adviser to the chairman of Dogus Group – one of Turkey’s largest conglomerates, said that efforts to improve UAE and Turkey relations would benefit businesses.
“There’s been a lot of interest from businesses for investment," said Mr Kayhan, who is also chief executive of Dubai-based Reidin Real Estate Information.
“In the last couple of months, we’ve seen an increasing interest by Turkish companies wanting to set up businesses in the UAE.
“I think this will continue, especially in the real estate market because the UAE offers one of the strongest real estate markets in the world that is high yield, high rental yield and a strong currency.”
Yahya Tosun, partner of the Tosun Dental Clinic in Dubai's Jumeirah district, moved to the UAE from Turkey in 2004. He said that the Turkish and Emirati peoples are natural friends and partners.
He believes that more professionals would like to explore opportunities in the UAE now that relations between the two countries are improving.
“From my industry's point of view, what I'm seeing is that there are more doctors who are interested in joining UAE healthcare," he said.
“There is also a huge interest from Turkish population, such as entrepreneurs who want to come and open major restaurants or hotels.
“It is also because of the cultural resemblance between Turkey and the UAE, so we feel more attracted by the UAE.
“The Turkish population is growing in Dubai. When I came here in 2004, it was only a few thousands, and now it’s more than 20,000.”
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Brief scores:
Everton 0
Leicester City 1
Vardy 58'
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
More on Quran memorisation:
RESULTS
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Winner: Arjan, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
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7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Canal, Harry Bentley, Satish Seemar.
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
Squads
Australia: Finch (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Carey, Coulter-Nile, Lynn, McDermott, Maxwell, Short, Stanlake, Stoinis, Tye, Zampa
India: Kohli (c), Khaleel, Bumrah, Chahal, Dhawan, Shreyas, Karthik, Kuldeep, Bhuvneshwar, Pandey, Krunal, Pant, Rahul, Sundar, Umesh
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