A storm is brewing over the picturesque Lakshadweep islands off India’s western coast.
The islands' indigenous population is accusing a new administrator appointed by the Indian government of acting against their traditions and interests.
Since taking office in December, Praful Khoda Patel has closed dairies, demolished fishermen's huts on the shore, banned meat from school meals and reversed a nearly 50-year ban on alcohol licences on the islands, where 97 per cent of the 70,000 inhabitants are Muslim.
But it is his proposed law to enable the archipelago, with its white-sand beaches, coral atolls and 97 per cent green cover, to be turned into an international tourist destination like the Maldives that has raised the greatest concern.
The Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021, which is awaiting approval from the federal government, will give the administration sweeping powers to acquire land for infrastructure projects, even without the owner’s consent.
The inhabitants of Lakshadweep, who live on 10 of its 36 islands, fear they could be evicted from their ancestral land on the pretext of development.
One section of the legislation requires landowners to declare the use of their property every three years or else face penalties of about $3,000.
“These laws are an onslaught on our culture, food habits, land rights and employment. This is our forefathers’ land and he wants us to apply for permission to live here,” said P Pookunhi Koya, a former member of parliament for the islands and convener of the Save Lakshadweep Forum.
We have a history of living here since 1500 BC and they are trying to eliminate us from the islands
"Nearly 4,000 people are out of work … [Mr Patel] has closed down animal husbandry without any compensation, razed boats and shacks of fishermen, increased stamp duty charges eight-fold and snatched whatever little powers the village councillors had," Dr Koya told The National.
Residents observed a "black day" on Monday as Mr Patel arrived for a week-long visit. Dressed in all black, they held up banners demanding his dismissal.
Mr Patel said he was there to review the "status of various ongoing development projects".
More than three dozen people have been arrested in recent weeks during protests against Mr Patel. Last week, thousands of residents organised a 12-hour hunger strike and an underwater protest with divers holding placards that read "Save Lakshadweep" and "Remove Patel".
The official's decision in January to lift the quarantine rule for visitors was followed by the first Covid-19 infections on the islands since the pandemic began. There have been more than 9,000 cases and 43 deaths since then.
As one of India’s nine Union Territories, Lakshadweep is governed directly by the federal government in New Delhi, unlike the 28 states which have locally elected administrations. The territories are run either by federally appointed administrators or locally elected governments with limited powers.
Although unelected, administrators have total control of a territory and its people. They can draft new laws that require approval only from the federal government to take effect.
Lakshadweep’s previous administrators have been technocrats or bureaucrats, whereas Mr Patel is a career politician with close ties to the prime minister.
He served as home minister of Gujarat when Mr Modi led the state’s government. Two years after Mr Modi was elected prime minister in 2014, he appointed Mr Patel as the administrator of Daman and Diu, and later that year of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, another union territory.
Mr Patel was given the additional charge of Lakshadweep after the previous administrator died of an illness.
Since taking charge, Mr Patel has also proposed a law to criminalise cow slaughter and beef consumption, a policy promoted by Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. According to a report by the National Statistical Office in 2012, more than 65 per cent of the islanders eat beef.
He has also drafted a law barring anyone with more than two children from holding seats on the islands’ village councils. Another law includes a jail term of up to one year without trial for “antisocial activities”, in a region that recorded just 89 cases of petty crime last year.
"These draconian, unilateral regulations are an attempt to invade our culture and commit atrocities against the indigenous inhabitants of the island," Muneer Manikfaan, vice president of the village council on Minicoy island, told The National.
“We have a history of living here since 1500 BC and they are trying to eliminate us from the islands."
Mr Patel said that developing the islands into a tourist attraction like the Maldives will improve the lives of locals.
“The draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation will usher in development and go a long way in improving the social and economic indicators on the islands, which have so far lagged behind despite having the potential,” he told an Indian media outlet in May.
“The islands are similar to the Maldives and we want to develop them on similar lines. We want to develop sustainable infrastructure and promote sustainable tourism,” he said.
“You see the Maldives ... tourists are waiting in a queue to visit there.”
But residents fear the sudden interest in the region is driven by crony capitalism and religious motives.
“We have never experienced such a situation before,” Dr Manikfaan said. “They have their business and political interests and communal agendas.”
Mr Patel's actions have also caused outrage among activists and politicians on the mainland.
Members of the ruling Communist Party alliance in Kerala’s state assembly passed a resolution last month calling for Mr Patel’s removal.
Rahul Gandhi, leader of India’s main opposition Congress party, expressed support for the islanders.
“Lakshadweep is India’s jewel in the ocean. The ignorant bigots in power are destroying it. I stand with the people of Lakshadweep,” he wrote on Twitter.
Wajahat Habibullah, a former administrator of Lakshadweep, said the new regulations were a complete contradiction of development norms determined over decades.
He is one of a group of 93 former bureaucrats who have urged Mr Modi to reject Mr Patel’s draft laws, saying they “constitute an onslaught on the very fabric of Lakshadweep society, economy and landscape.”
"With a fragile coral ecology, the island territories needed a distinct approach to the entire concept of their development," Mr Habibullah told The National.
“The current administrator only holds additional charge of this union territory and is only an occasional visitor. The regulations also demonstrate that he has little understanding of the development needs of the islands,” he said.
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
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Fixtures
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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
Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
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1. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 171 points
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP) 151
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP) 136
4. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing) 107
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 83
6. Sergio Perez (Force India) 50
7. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) 45
8. Esteban Ocon (Force India) 39
9. Carlos Sainz (Torro Rosso) 29
10. Felipe Massa (Williams) 22
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
Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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Director: James Cameron
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Rating: 4.5/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
MEYDAN CARD
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group One (PA) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) $100,000 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m
8.50pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
9.25pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group Two (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,600m
10pm Dubai Trophy Conditions (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,200m
10.35pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
The National selections:
6.30pm AF Alwajel
7.05pm Ekhtiyaar
7.40pm First View
8.15pm Benbatl
8.50pm Zakouski
9.25pm: Kimbear
10pm: Chasing Dreams
10.35pm: Good Fortune
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Australia World Cup squad
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match info
Southampton 0
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Red card: Jack Stephens (Southampton)
Man of the match: Rob Holding (Arsenal)
57%20Seconds
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less