International leaders have delivered messages of congratulations to President Sheikh Mohamed after he named Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed as Vice President and Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi on Wednesday evening.
The decision will mean Sheikh Mansour will serve alongside Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
In his capacity as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed named Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed and Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed as Deputy Rulers of Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Tamim, the Emir of Qatar, said he hoped the decisions will provide a “strong impetus for the country's development”, state news agency Wam reported.
Sheikh Mohamed offered his thanks to Sheikh Tamim and called for the continued progress and development of Qatar.
Sheikh Tamim recently hosted Sheikh Mansour and Sheikh Tahnoun in Doha.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman expressed "heartfelt congratulations" and wished for the success of the President and "further progress and prosperity for the UAE", the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The monarch stressed the deep brotherly relations between the Gulf neighbours.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a similar message.
Sheikh Mohamed received a cable from Bahrain's King Hamad who wished the UAE continued progress and prosperity.
Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, sent his good wishes.
Sultan Haitham of Oman congratulated Sheikh Mohamed on the appointments he has made in the UAE and Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Mohamed received a phone call from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who congratulated him.
The UAE President also received calls from Abdul Fattah El Sisi, Egypt's President and Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif backed the appointments in messages shared on social media.
“Heartfelt felicitations from the people and the government of Pakistan on the appointment of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as the Vice President of the UAE,” Mr Sharif wrote on Twitter.
“May this new chapter be filled with success and prosperity for the UAE and its people.
“Congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on his appointment as the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
“As a brotherly country, we look forward to continuing our strong partnership and working together towards a brighter future for our people and the region.”
Sheikh Mohamed makes key appointments — in pictures
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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