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Ashraf Ghani's future as president is in the balance after the Taliban seized the capital on August 15, forcing him to leave Afghanistan.
Mr Ghani left Kabul for neighbouring Tajikistan and arrived in the UAE with his family three days later.
"The UAE has welcomed President Ashraf Ghani and his family into the country on humanitarian grounds," a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation said.
The Taliban takeover came only 18 months after Mr Ghani was sworn in for a second five-year term as president.
Who is Mr Ghani?
Born in 1949 into an affluent Afghan family, Mohammad Ashraf Ghani spent his childhood in the province of Logar and completed high school in Kabul.
As the son of a politician, Mr Ghani was immersed in political life from early on.
He went to Lebanon to study at the American University of Beirut, where he met his wife, Rula, and graduated in 1973.
A year later, he went back to Afghanistan where he taught Afghan studies and anthropology at Kabul University.
Mr Ghani then won a scholarship to New York's Columbia University for his postgraduate studies in 1977.
He was stranded in the US after pro-Soviet forces came to power in Afghanistan, imprisoning many of Mr Ghani's family members.
Mr Ghani completed his PhD at Columbia University and was invited to teach at the University of California, Berkeley and Johns Hopkins, specialising in Afghan politics.
He also became a commentator on Pashto and English media outlets, such as the BBC.
In 1991, he joined the World Bank as lead anthropologist. During 11 years at the bank, his work took him to China, India and Russia to manage large-scale development projects.
He returned to Afghanistan after the Taliban's defeat in 2001 and first served as special adviser to the UN special envoy to Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, working on a road map for a transitional government.
He also served as chief adviser to interim president Hamid Karzai before taking on the role of finance minister during the transitional period.
During his short time in the post, Mr Ghani issued a new currency, digitised the treasury department's operations, reformed the tariff system, fought corruption and made other significant contributions which ultimately benefited the Afghan public.
He took a tough stance against corruption within military ranks and "ghost soldiers" by refusing to pay the army until a credible roster of soldiers was provided.
He was named Best Finance Minister of Asia in 2003 by Emerging Markets magazine and was given Afghanistan's highest civilian award, the Sayed Jamal-ud-Din medal.
In 2004, he presented a seven-year investment plan at an international conference in Berlin which garnered the $8.2 billion needed for the first three years of the government programme.
Mr Ghani also worked with the Ministry of Communication on telecom licensing which gave rise to the number of mobile phones being used in the country from only 100 in 2002 to more than 1 million by the end of 2003.
After Mr Karzai's election in 2004, Mr Ghani declined to join the Cabinet and instead worked as Chancellor of Kabul University.
He went on to found the Institute for State Effectiveness which focused on enabling states to build more efficient systems of government. He co-authored a book called Fixing Failed States: A Framework for Rebuilding a Fractured World.
Mr Ghani lost in the 2009 presidential elections and went on to serve as chairman of the Transition Co-ordination Commission for the transfer of power from Nato troops to Afghan Security Forces.
He won the 2014 presidential election after defeating Abdullah Abdullah in a run-off and took office on September 29 that year.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
