DUBAI // Multiple sclerosis is on the increase in the UAE, according to an international network of support groups for the disease.
A survey conducted by the MS International Federation reveals that there were almost 1,500 MS patients in the UAE last year, compared with just 219 in 2008.
Last night, hundreds of people were expected to turn out for a concert to raise awareness and much-needed funds to support people with multiple sclerosis.
The “Music for the MS Soul” concert took place at Burj Park in Downtown Dubai with more than 300 invited guests and the public enjoying a performance by the Deutsche Philharmonie Merck.
The event was held in partnership with the medical research charity Al Jalila Foundation and the German pharmaceutical giant E Merck KG.
“We will be playing mainly classical German music like Mozart, Beethoven, as well as Russian composers like Tchaikovsky,” said Wolfgang Heinzel, the orchestra’s conductor, speaking before the event. “Music is a universal language and just as medicine is good for the body, music is good for the soul.”
It was the first time the orchestra performed in Dubai.
“We’ve normally had short stops in Dubai en route to concerts in India or Thailand, so this will be our first time in Dubai and we are all really looking forward to it,” Mr Heinzel said.
Marwan Abedin, chief executive of Dubai Healthcare City and a member of the board of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “The key thing for us is to raise awareness of MS in society and educate people so that they realise that this is not a taboo subject and that treatment is available.
“We haven’t set a target for how much we want to raise but we are inviting people to donate what they can on the night. We want to get the message across that early treatment is vital in helping to manage the disease.”
Organisers speaking before the concert said they expected a crowd of between 300 and 400.
Elcin Ergun, global head commercial at Merck Serono, one of the company’s divisions, said early detection was vital.
“We have treatments now that can successfully manage the condition and allow sufferers to live fulfilling lives, but early detection is crucial,” she said. “We also find that spring seems to bring on more cases of MS.
“The change of the season affects the nervous system in people with the condition.”
Paolo Carli, managing director of Merck Serono Middle East, said MS affected more young women than men.
“Typically about 65 per cent of the cases are women,” he said.
MS is a neurological condition that can affect speech, vision and motor functions, although symptoms vary among patients.
nhanif@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
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
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
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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.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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