A cat rescuer in Dubai is appealing for help because she is having to leave the accommodation where she lives with her 26 animals.
Cynthia Lao, a 56-year-old from the Philippines, is trying to find people who could adopt or look after the cats, which have been rescued from the streets of Dubai.
Ms Lao, who works as a nanny, maid and driver, said that she could not afford to stay in the shared villa in Jumeirah 1 where she has been living after a friend who covered part of the rent moved out.
She said that the current situation could force her to release some of the cats back on to the streets, a situation that “breaks my heart”.
“Most of them were rescued from the streets around Satwa Road, Dubai, some from Al Wasl Park or around Al Bada'a,” she said.
One option Ms Lao has considered is finding a farm that could take the cats, although she said on a previous occasion when some of her cats were rehomed on a farm, the cats appeared to have disappeared. As a result, she is not confident that another farm would provide a safe long-term home for her animals.
She said that she was being “forced out” of her rental property because she cannot afford to cover the monthly rent of Dh4,300 on her own.
“I used to share with a friend for years, but my friend has left,” she said. “I was paying a higher portion because of the cats, but at least [the former roommate] had no problem with cats. It is hard to find someone to share a space that accepts cats.”
Temporary support, but no long-term solution
A friend has helped her to cover the additional cost of staying in the property on her own until the end of this month, but Ms Lao said that this was not a permanent solution.
So far, she said that she had been unable find suitable accommodation, with her large number of animals making the search for a new home particularly difficult.
As a result, she is looking for people who could adopt any of her cats or foster them temporarily while she tries to resolve her accommodation issue.
“It would break my hard to put them back on the streets,” she said of the cats, which include 22 healthy and vaccinated cats and kittens, and four that are undergoing veterinary treatment.
Ms Lao, who can be contacted through Facebook, has lived in Dubai since 2009 and initially fed stray cats before, in 2011, she began to rescue them.
“I rescue and treat cats because I cannot just ignore them if I see them suffering,” she said.
If she could keep one...
Given the difficulty of finding shared accommodation where she could keep any cats, Ms Lao is looking to rehome all of her animals, although she said that if she could keep one, it would be a male tabby cat called “Jego”, because “he’s so attached to me”.
Among the other cats Ms Lao has are Fido, who is white and tabby, Fuji, who is ginger, and Celine, a tabby.
The UAE has a large population of street cats, but many experience injury and illness. There is an active community of rescuers, although many struggle with the cost of veterinary treatment.
A proportion of street cats are thought to be former pets who have been abandoned, sometimes, rescuers have said, because owners cannot afford to keep them or are unable to take them with them when they leave the UAE.
Several hundred UAE former cats, at least, are rehomed abroad each year, with many travelling to countries such as the UK and Germany.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
Teaching in coronavirus times
The Comeback: Elvis And The Story Of The 68 Special
Simon Goddard
Omnibus Press
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
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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
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
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
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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