• Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi at sunset. Victor Besa / The National
    Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi at sunset. Victor Besa / The National
  • People queue near Tower Bridge, London to pay their respects after the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth. Reuters
    People queue near Tower Bridge, London to pay their respects after the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth. Reuters
  • Pilgrims of the Mouride Brotherhood wait to enter the Grand Mosque during the Grand Magal of Touba annual pilgrimage in Senegal. AFP
    Pilgrims of the Mouride Brotherhood wait to enter the Grand Mosque during the Grand Magal of Touba annual pilgrimage in Senegal. AFP
  • Flooding caused by the Sanguerone river after an overnight rain bomb in Sassoferrato, central Italy. At least eight people died after the floods in the province of Ancona. EPA
    Flooding caused by the Sanguerone river after an overnight rain bomb in Sassoferrato, central Italy. At least eight people died after the floods in the province of Ancona. EPA
  • Members of the Korean Financial Industry Union at a rally during a general strike in Seoul, South Korea. The protesters were demanding a salary increase and better working conditions. EPA
    Members of the Korean Financial Industry Union at a rally during a general strike in Seoul, South Korea. The protesters were demanding a salary increase and better working conditions. EPA
  • A parade for the 201st anniversary of independence in the main streets of Montes de Oca, Costa Rica. The parade was the first after two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic. EPA
    A parade for the 201st anniversary of independence in the main streets of Montes de Oca, Costa Rica. The parade was the first after two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic. EPA
  • The drought-stricken Lake Mead in Boulder City, Nevada. Located outside Las Vegas near the Nevada-Arizona border, the lake provides electricity to several parts of Arizona, California and Nevada and is also the source of water for rural, urban and tribal lands across the south-west. AFP
    The drought-stricken Lake Mead in Boulder City, Nevada. Located outside Las Vegas near the Nevada-Arizona border, the lake provides electricity to several parts of Arizona, California and Nevada and is also the source of water for rural, urban and tribal lands across the south-west. AFP
  • Chinese soldiers with caskets containing the remains of Chinese soldiers who were killed in the 1950-1953 Korean War during the handing over ceremony at Incheon International Airport in South Korea. AP
    Chinese soldiers with caskets containing the remains of Chinese soldiers who were killed in the 1950-1953 Korean War during the handing over ceremony at Incheon International Airport in South Korea. AP
  • An opponent of the government of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele during a protest against Mr Bukele's security policies, during El Salvador's 201st anniversary of independence in San Salvador. AFP
    An opponent of the government of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele during a protest against Mr Bukele's security policies, during El Salvador's 201st anniversary of independence in San Salvador. AFP
  • A destroyed school in Verbivka, recently recaptured from Russia by the Ukrainian army in a lightning counter-offensive. AFP
    A destroyed school in Verbivka, recently recaptured from Russia by the Ukrainian army in a lightning counter-offensive. AFP
  • Iraq's holy city of Karbala as Shiite Muslim pilgrims gather to mark Arbaeen, a religious anniversary. Every year, Shiite pilgrims converge in large numbers on the cities of Najaf and Karbala for Arbaeen, which marks the 40th day after Ashura, commemorating the seventh-century killing of Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Hussein. AFP
    Iraq's holy city of Karbala as Shiite Muslim pilgrims gather to mark Arbaeen, a religious anniversary. Every year, Shiite pilgrims converge in large numbers on the cities of Najaf and Karbala for Arbaeen, which marks the 40th day after Ashura, commemorating the seventh-century killing of Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Hussein. AFP
  • Revellers enjoy a fireworks display during Independence Day celebrations at Mexico City's main square, the Zocalo. AP
    Revellers enjoy a fireworks display during Independence Day celebrations at Mexico City's main square, the Zocalo. AP
  • Tiger dancers wait to perform on the last day of Onam celebrations in Kochi, India. AFP
    Tiger dancers wait to perform on the last day of Onam celebrations in Kochi, India. AFP

Today's best photos: from sunset over Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to tiger dancers


  • English
  • Arabic

More from The National:

Thursday's best photos: from an immersive Monet experience to the Bledisloe Cup

Wednesday's best photos: from a Kardashian fashion show to calm before the storm

Tuesday's best photos: from Lizzo's Emmy win to a Berlin ballet tour

Monday's best photos: from Burj Khalifa Queen tribute to Red Bull cliff diving

Sunday's best photos: from donkey racing to New York Fashion Week

Saturday's best photos: from Indra Jatra to an ancient martial art in Sri Lanka

Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information. 

3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
  • George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
  • Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
  • Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
  • Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills. 
Hunting park to luxury living
  • Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
  • The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
  • Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds

 

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

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.
RESULT

Copa del Rey, semi-final second leg

Real Madrid 0
Barcelona 3 (Suarez (50', 73' pen), Varane (69' OG)

What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

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 specs

Common to all models unless otherwise stated

Engine: 4-cylinder 2-litre T-GDi

0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)

Power: 276hp

Torque: 392Nm

Transmission: 6-Speed Manual/ 8-Speed Dual Clutch FWD

Price: TBC

The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont

Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950

Engine 3.6-litre V6

Gearbox Eight-speed automatic

Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm

Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km

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Brief scoreline:

Wolves 3

Neves 28', Doherty 37', Jota 45' 2

Arsenal 1

Papastathopoulos 80'

Company%20profile
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Updated: September 16, 2022, 11:27 AM