• Guests stand at the start of the state funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. Abe died at the age of 67 after being shot while campaigning in July. AFP
    Guests stand at the start of the state funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. Abe died at the age of 67 after being shot while campaigning in July. AFP
  • Abe's widow Akie carries her husband's ashes during the funeral. Protests opposing it have taken place across Japan for the longest-serving leader in its modern history and one of the most divisive. Getty Images
    Abe's widow Akie carries her husband's ashes during the funeral. Protests opposing it have taken place across Japan for the longest-serving leader in its modern history and one of the most divisive. Getty Images
  • Members of an honour guard carry Abe's ashes during his funeral. Abe was delivering a speech near a train station in the western city of Nara when he was shot dead by an assailant on July 8. It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese prime minister since the 1930s. AP
    Members of an honour guard carry Abe's ashes during his funeral. Abe was delivering a speech near a train station in the western city of Nara when he was shot dead by an assailant on July 8. It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese prime minister since the 1930s. AP
  • Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, leads the UAE delegation at the funeral. He was accompanied by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE ambassador to Japan, Shehab Al Fahim, as well as a number of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation. Photo: Abu Dhabi Government Media Office
    Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, leads the UAE delegation at the funeral. He was accompanied by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE ambassador to Japan, Shehab Al Fahim, as well as a number of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation. Photo: Abu Dhabi Government Media Office
  • India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi after offering flowers during the funeral. EPA
    India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi after offering flowers during the funeral. EPA
  • US Vice President Kamala Harris is among the foreign dignitaries at the funeral. Reuters
    US Vice President Kamala Harris is among the foreign dignitaries at the funeral. Reuters
  • Japan's Crown Prince Akishino, right, and Crown Princess Kiko pay their respects during Abe's final farewell. EPA
    Japan's Crown Prince Akishino, right, and Crown Princess Kiko pay their respects during Abe's final farewell. EPA
  • Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy arrives for the funeral. Getty Images
    Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy arrives for the funeral. Getty Images
  • Britain's former prime minister Theresa May arrives for the funeral. Getty Images
    Britain's former prime minister Theresa May arrives for the funeral. Getty Images
  • Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (C) arrives for the funeral. AFP
    Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (C) arrives for the funeral. AFP
  • Members of Japan's Ground Self-Defence Force take part in a 19-gun salute for the funeral. AFP
    Members of Japan's Ground Self-Defence Force take part in a 19-gun salute for the funeral. AFP
  • Protesters attend a rally outside Japan's parliament building as they demonstrate against the funeral. Opponents of the state-sponsored funeral, which has its roots in pre-war imperial ceremonies, say taxpayers’ money should be spent on more meaningful causes, such as addressing widening economic disparities caused by Abe’s policies. Reuters
    Protesters attend a rally outside Japan's parliament building as they demonstrate against the funeral. Opponents of the state-sponsored funeral, which has its roots in pre-war imperial ceremonies, say taxpayers’ money should be spent on more meaningful causes, such as addressing widening economic disparities caused by Abe’s policies. Reuters
  • People gather outside the National Diet Building to protest against the funeral. Getty Images
    People gather outside the National Diet Building to protest against the funeral. Getty Images
  • A woman holds a placard during a protest against the funeral. Getty Images
    A woman holds a placard during a protest against the funeral. Getty Images
  • People leave flowers and pay their respects to Abe in Tokyo. AFP
    People leave flowers and pay their respects to Abe in Tokyo. AFP
  • The queue to leave flowers at a park near the Nippon Budokan, where Abe's funeral was held. Getty
    The queue to leave flowers at a park near the Nippon Budokan, where Abe's funeral was held. Getty
  • A woman cries during an interview after leaving flowers. AFP
    A woman cries during an interview after leaving flowers. AFP
  • An altar was set up with Abe's picture outside the funeral venue. Reuters
    An altar was set up with Abe's picture outside the funeral venue. Reuters
  • Several current and former heads of state are in Japan for the funeral. Getty
    Several current and former heads of state are in Japan for the funeral. Getty
  • Security is tight at an altar set up for Abe. AFP
    Security is tight at an altar set up for Abe. AFP
  • Police officers stand guard in Tokyo during a protest against the funeral. Reuters
    Police officers stand guard in Tokyo during a protest against the funeral. Reuters
  • People make clear their feelings about the state funeral. Reuters
    People make clear their feelings about the state funeral. Reuters
  • A police officer prepares to close a gate on a road near the funeral venue, Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. Getty
    A police officer prepares to close a gate on a road near the funeral venue, Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. Getty
  • The funeral venue the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. AP
    The funeral venue the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. AP

Shinzo Abe funeral: world leaders honour assassinated ex-Japan PM


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Japan held the controversial state funeral for assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday — with Tokyo under maximum security.

Protests opposing the funeral took place across Japan for the longest-serving leader in its modern history and one of the most divisive.

Thousands of uniformed police were stationed around the Budokan hall, where the funeral was held, and at major train stations.

Hours before the ceremony began, dozens of people carrying bouquets queued at public flower-laying stands at nearby Kudanzaka Park.

Abe was delivering a speech near a train station in the western city of Nara when he was shot dead by an assailant, Tetsuya Yamagami, on July 8. It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese prime minister since the 1930s. He was 67.

The funeral service began with Abe's widow Akie entering the Budokan hall carrying the ashes of her late husband, before passing them to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, headed the UAE's delegation at the funeral. He conveyed the condolences of President Sheikh Mohamed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to the Japanese government.

World leaders including US Vice President Kamala Harris, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad attended the funeral with about 4,300 others and laid floral tributes to their late ally.

US Vice President Kamala Harris attends the state funeral for former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe at the Nippon Budokan. AP
US Vice President Kamala Harris attends the state funeral for former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe at the Nippon Budokan. AP

Mr Modi, who called the Japanese leader a "dear friend”, met Mr Kishida before the funeral. He underlined the contributions of Abe in strengthening the India-Japan partnership, as well his vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region — an alternative name for the Asia-Pacific region where a US-backed alliance is challenging Chinese influence.

“I conveyed my condolences on the tragic demise of former PM Shinzo Abe,” Mr Modi said.

Abe and Mr Modi shared a special relationship. From backing India's nuclear deal to lending diplomatic support and economic infrastructure development, he was considered a reliable friend of New Delhi during his tenure.

Japan's former prime minister Yoshihide Suga praised Abe's international outlook.

“You always said you wanted to make Japan better, that you wanted young people to have hope and pride,” Mr Suga said.

Mr Kishida expressed shock at Abe's early death.

“I had a firm belief that you were to contribute as a compass to show the future direction of Japan and the rest of the world for 10 or 20 more years,” he told the gathered mourners.

But Japan's opposition parties boycotted the funeral.

Opponents of the state-sponsored funeral, which has its roots in pre-war imperial ceremonies, say taxpayers’ money should be spent on more meaningful causes. These include addressing widening economic disparities caused by Abe’s policies.

Mr Kishida has been criticised for forcing through the costly event to honour his mentor.

There has also been a growing controversy about Abe’s and the governing party’s decades-long close ties with the ultra-conservative Unification Church, accused of raking in huge donations by brainwashing adherents.

People leave flowers and pay their respects to former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe outside the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on Friday. AFP
People leave flowers and pay their respects to former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe outside the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on Friday. AFP

Abe’s alleged assassin reportedly told police he killed the politician because of his links to the church. He said his mother ruined his life by giving away the family’s money to the church.

Mr Kishida said Abe deserved a state funeral.

The government also maintained that the ceremony was not meant to force anyone to honour Abe.

Most of the nation’s 47 prefectural governments, however, flew national flags at half-mast and observed a moment of silence.

Opponents say Mr Kishida’s one-sided decision, which was made without parliamentary approval, was undemocratic and a reminder of how prewar imperialist governments used state funerals to fan nationalism.

The prewar funeral law was abolished after the Second World War. The only postwar state funeral for a political leader, Shigeru Yoshida in 1967, faced similar criticism.

“Spending our valuable tax money on a state funeral with no legal basis is an act that tramples on the constitution,” protest organiser Takakage Fujita said on Monday.

About 1.7 billion yen ($11.8 million) was needed for the venue, security, transportation and accommodation for the guests, the government said.

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

History's medical milestones

1799 - First small pox vaccine administered

1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery

1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases

1895 - Discovery of x-rays

1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time

1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin

1953 - Structure of DNA discovered

1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place 

1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill

1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.

1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

The specs

  Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203S%20Money%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20London%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Zhiznevsky%2C%20Eugene%20Dugaev%20and%20Andrei%20Dikouchine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%245.6%20million%20raised%20in%20total%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
About Proto21

Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street

The seven points are:

Shakhbout bin Sultan Street

Dhafeer Street

Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)

Salama bint Butti Street

Al Dhafra Street

Rabdan Street

Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)

Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel

The bio

Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions

School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira

Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk

Dream City: San Francisco

Hometown: Dubai

City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala

THE BIO

Favourite author - Paulo Coelho 

Favourite holiday destination - Cuba 

New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field

Role model - My Grandfather 

Dream interviewee - Che Guevara

While you're here
Racecard

6pm: Mina Hamriya – Handicap (TB) $75,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

6.35pm: Al Wasl Stakes – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Turf) 1,200m

7.10pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,900m

7.45pm: Blue Point Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,000m

8.20pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (T) 2,810m

8.55pm: Mina Rashid – Handicap (TB) $80,000 (T) 1,600m

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm

Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km

Price: From Dh796,600

On sale: now

The Year Earth Changed

Directed by:Tom Beard

Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough

Stars: 4

The%C2%A0specs%20
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NATIONAL%20SELECTIONS
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GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers

1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.

Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

Updated: September 27, 2022, 12:54 PM