• Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, offers condolences to President Sheikh Mohamed, on the passing of Sheikha Maryam Al Falasi, at Mushrif Palace. All photos: UAE Presidential Court
    Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, offers condolences to President Sheikh Mohamed, on the passing of Sheikha Maryam Al Falasi, at Mushrif Palace. All photos: UAE Presidential Court
  • Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, offered condolences on the passing of Sheikha Maryam Al Falasi at Mushrif Palace. Wam
    Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, offered condolences on the passing of Sheikha Maryam Al Falasi at Mushrif Palace. Wam
  • Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, offers condolences to President Sheikh Mohamed.
    Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, offers condolences to President Sheikh Mohamed.
  • President Sheikh Mohamed with Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohamed, Ruler's Representative in the Al Ain region, Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan, Adviser to the President and Chairman of the Camel Racing Federation, and Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, as they receive mourners.
    President Sheikh Mohamed with Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohamed, Ruler's Representative in the Al Ain region, Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan, Adviser to the President and Chairman of the Camel Racing Federation, and Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, as they receive mourners.
  • Maj Gen Pilot Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoon, Chairman of the National and Reserve Service Authority, Sheikh Mohamed bin Saif, Sheikh Nahyan bin Hamdan, and Rear Admiral Pilot Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan, Commander of the UAE Naval Forces, receive mourners.
    Maj Gen Pilot Sheikh Ahmed bin Tahnoon, Chairman of the National and Reserve Service Authority, Sheikh Mohamed bin Saif, Sheikh Nahyan bin Hamdan, and Rear Admiral Pilot Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan, Commander of the UAE Naval Forces, receive mourners.
  • Mourners offer condolences on the passing of Sheikha Maryam, at Mushrif Palace.
    Mourners offer condolences on the passing of Sheikha Maryam, at Mushrif Palace.
  • Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohamed, Ruler's Representative in Al Ain Region, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Sheikh Shakhbut bin Nahyan bin Mubarak, UAE Minister of State, receive mourners on the passing of Sheikha Maryam bint Abdullah Al Falasi, at Mushrif Palace on Thursday.
    Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohamed, Ruler's Representative in Al Ain Region, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Sheikh Shakhbut bin Nahyan bin Mubarak, UAE Minister of State, receive mourners on the passing of Sheikha Maryam bint Abdullah Al Falasi, at Mushrif Palace on Thursday.
  • Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region
    Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region
  • Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, and Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, National Security Adviser
    Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, and Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, National Security Adviser
  • Sheikh Nahyan bin Saif bin Mohammed, UAE ambassador to Saudi Arabia, speaks with Sheikh Nahyan bin Hamdan bin Mohamed
    Sheikh Nahyan bin Saif bin Mohammed, UAE ambassador to Saudi Arabia, speaks with Sheikh Nahyan bin Hamdan bin Mohamed
  • Left to right: Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed, Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohammed bin Khaled, UAE ambassador to Jordan, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa, Abu Dhabi Executive Council Member, receive mourners
    Left to right: Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed, Sheikh Khalifa bin Mohammed bin Khaled, UAE ambassador to Jordan, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Khalifa, Abu Dhabi Executive Council Member, receive mourners
  • A guest offers condolences to Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, Commander of the UAE Naval Forces, second left, and Sheikh Nahyan bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, left
    A guest offers condolences to Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, Commander of the UAE Naval Forces, second left, and Sheikh Nahyan bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, left
  • Left to right: Sheikh Nahyan bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, Rear Admiral Pilot Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, Commander of the UAE Naval Forces, Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, Adviser to the UAE President, and Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, receive mourners
    Left to right: Sheikh Nahyan bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, Rear Admiral Pilot Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, Commander of the UAE Naval Forces, Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, Adviser to the UAE President, and Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, receive mourners
  • Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, Adviser to the UAE President, speaks with Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi Executive Council member
    Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan bin Mohamed, Adviser to the UAE President, speaks with Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi Executive Council member
  • Sheikh Suroor bin Mohamed, Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Lt Gen Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior
    Sheikh Suroor bin Mohamed, Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, Vice Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Lt Gen Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior
  • Sheikh Tahnoon, Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Suroor bin Mohamed
    Sheikh Tahnoon, Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Suroor bin Mohamed
  • Sheikhs attend funeral prayers for the passing of Sheikha Maryam Al Falasi at the Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed the First Mosque
    Sheikhs attend funeral prayers for the passing of Sheikha Maryam Al Falasi at the Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed the First Mosque
  • Funeral prayers at the Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed the First Mosque
    Funeral prayers at the Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed the First Mosque

President Sheikh Mohamed's mother-in-law dies


  • English
  • Arabic

Sheikha Maryam Al Falasi, the mother-in-law of President Sheikh Mohamed, has died.

“The Presidential Court mourns the late Sheikha Maryam bint Abdullah bin Sulayem Al Falasi, the mother of Her Highness Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, wife of His Highness the President of the State, who passed away today,” read a statement given to state news agency Wam.

“The Diwan expresses its sincere condolences and sympathy … asking Almighty God to cover the deceased with the abundance of his mercy and great forgiveness and to inspire her family and relatives patience and solace.”

Sheikhs and sons of the deceased, as well as several UAE citizens, performed the funeral prayer for Sheikha Maryam bint Abdullah bin Sulayem Al Falasi at the Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed the First Mosque.

A mourning majlis was set up at Al Mushrif Palace on Friday.

Sheikh Mohamed accepted condolences from Ajman's Ruler Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi and Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm al Quwain.

Sheikh Mohamed also accepted condolences from sheikhs and Emiratis.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamdan, Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan, Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan, Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan and Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan also accepted condolences.

Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed, the Ruler’s Representative in the Al Ain Region; Sheikh Suroor bin Mohammed and several sheikhs and senior officials were present at the majlis.

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

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F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

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. 

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Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

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Saturday, November 2: ‘Beginners’ (2010) by Mike Mills
Saturday, November 16: ‘Finding Vivian Maier’ (2013) by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
Tuesday, November 26: ‘All the President’s Men’ (1976) by Alan J Pakula
Saturday, December 7: ‘Timbuktu’ (2014) by Abderrahmane Sissako
Saturday, December 21: ‘Rams’ (2015) by Grimur Hakonarson

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
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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
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Updated: February 10, 2023, 3:09 PM