Prayers are being said for the swift recovery of a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family and two other soldiers who were injured when a UAE Armed Forces helicopter crashed in Yemen.
Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, 27, was hurt alongside two others when the aircraft went down in Shabwa province.
Four Emirati servicemen were also killed. They were laid to rest on Saturday evening.
Sheikh Zayed is the grandson of the country's founding father and has served in the elite Presidential Guard,
Prominent Emirati figures and members of the public took to Twitter to pass on their thanks and prayers.
Dr Anwar Gargash, the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, wished Sheikh Zayed a speedy recovery on Twitter.
“Praying this morning to God to save Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan and his comrades, wishing them a speeding recovery," he wrote.
"They are a great asset to our society.”
The other two soldiers were Rashid Al Balushi and Rashid Al Dhuhoori.
Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Federal Council Affairs, also paid tribute, writing "May God heal Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan and Rashid Al Balushi and Rashid Al Dhuhoori. They are our pride."
In April, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan, married the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces at Mushrif Palace.
He graduated from the Royal Military College of Sandhurst in 2009 before joining the UAE Armed Forces. Official photographs from the Crown Prince's Court show him training with the Presidential Guard.
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Shamma Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth also passed on her wishes.
“We ask Allah to heal Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan and his comrades,” she said.
Abdulla Al Basati, secretary general of the UAE Cabinet, also said "may God heal Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan and his fellow comrades".
Dr Ali bin Tamim, director general of Abu Dhabi Media, the government-owned broadcaster, also wished the three soldiers well.
"They are the youth that put their lives on the line in defence of their homeland’s future”.
Mr Tamim added “between Zayed our founding father, who was a symbol of union, and Zayed the defender of our rights is a foundation of sacrifice and honour” .
Mohammed Al Wabir, a Saudi poet expressed his pride that Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan's grandchildren are at the forefront of the army and battle.
Mr Al Wabir said that "everyone needs to realise that we are fighting a dignified battle, may God heal Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan”.
Abdualla Naser Al Janibi, chairman of UAE Pro League, said there is a clear distinction between the UAE's troops and their adversaries in Yemen.
"There is a big difference between those that bring the mercenaries to protect their land, those that leave their country to suffer, and those that are willing to push their sons to fight for their nation's security".
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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
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In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
