Refugees from Ukraine rest inside an arrival centre set up in Chisinau, Moldova, on March 5. AP
Refugees from Ukraine rest inside an arrival centre set up in Chisinau, Moldova, on March 5. AP
Refugees from Ukraine rest inside an arrival centre set up in Chisinau, Moldova, on March 5. AP
Refugees from Ukraine rest inside an arrival centre set up in Chisinau, Moldova, on March 5. AP

UK to send more money to support Ukraine’s ‘indomitable people’


Soraya Ebrahimi
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Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine

The UK government is set to donate another £74 million ($97.7m) to Ukraine to support its “indomitable people” through the humanitarian crisis brought on by Russian attacks.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to begin a week of “focused engagement” with world leaders on Monday, as he tries to get support for his six-point plan to tackle Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The prime ministers of Canada and the Netherlands will visit London and accompany Mr Johnson to an RAF base to meet members of the UK armed forces.

The three leaders will have separate meetings and a joint meeting, where it is expected the British leader will continue to press for sustained support for Ukraine.

The three will then hold a public briefing at Downing Street.

  • Cars are left abandoned on a road as residents flee the town of Irpin, Ukraine after days of heavy shelling. Reuters
    Cars are left abandoned on a road as residents flee the town of Irpin, Ukraine after days of heavy shelling. Reuters
  • A Ukrainian soldier helps a family fleeing from Irpin. Reuters
    A Ukrainian soldier helps a family fleeing from Irpin. Reuters
  • A bus passes the Duke of Wellington statue, which has a traffic cone in the colours of the flag of Ukraine placed on top of it, in Glasgow, Scotland. AP
    A bus passes the Duke of Wellington statue, which has a traffic cone in the colours of the flag of Ukraine placed on top of it, in Glasgow, Scotland. AP
  • Ukrainian children sleep at the reception point at the train station in Przemysl, Poland. Reuters
    Ukrainian children sleep at the reception point at the train station in Przemysl, Poland. Reuters
  • Smoke rises as a Ukrainian soldier stands by the only escape route used by locals to flee from the town of Irpin. Reuters
    Smoke rises as a Ukrainian soldier stands by the only escape route used by locals to flee from the town of Irpin. Reuters
  • A man flees from Irpin. Reuters
    A man flees from Irpin. Reuters
  • A screengrab from footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry shows a purported Russian tank unit advancement in the Kyiv region. AFP
    A screengrab from footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry shows a purported Russian tank unit advancement in the Kyiv region. AFP
  • People walk on debris of residential buildings damaged by shelling in the Zhytomyr region. Reuters
    People walk on debris of residential buildings damaged by shelling in the Zhytomyr region. Reuters
  • A damaged residential building after Russian multiple rocket launchers shelled the area in the southern city of Mykolaiv. AFP
    A damaged residential building after Russian multiple rocket launchers shelled the area in the southern city of Mykolaiv. AFP
  • Ukrainian soldiers sit in their armoured vehicle after fighting against Russian troops and Russia-backed separatists near Zolote village, Luhansk region. AFP
    Ukrainian soldiers sit in their armoured vehicle after fighting against Russian troops and Russia-backed separatists near Zolote village, Luhansk region. AFP
  • A woman offers accommodation for people fleeing Ukraine at the main railway station in Berlin, Germany. Getty Images
    A woman offers accommodation for people fleeing Ukraine at the main railway station in Berlin, Germany. Getty Images
  • A soldier holds a helmet as a wedding crown during the ceremony for members of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces Lesia Ivashchenko and Valerii Fylymonov, at a checkpoint in Kyiv. AP
    A soldier holds a helmet as a wedding crown during the ceremony for members of the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces Lesia Ivashchenko and Valerii Fylymonov, at a checkpoint in Kyiv. AP
  • Ukrainian soldiers carry a woman fleeing the town of Irpin. AP
    Ukrainian soldiers carry a woman fleeing the town of Irpin. AP
  • A factory and warehouse burn after being bombarded in Irpin. AP
    A factory and warehouse burn after being bombarded in Irpin. AP
  • Ukrainian soldiers near Zolote. AFP
    Ukrainian soldiers near Zolote. AFP
  • A Ukrainian refugee boy, wearing a blanket on his shoulders, warms his hands with a gas heater shortly after crossing the Siret border into northern Romania. EPA
    A Ukrainian refugee boy, wearing a blanket on his shoulders, warms his hands with a gas heater shortly after crossing the Siret border into northern Romania. EPA
  • People demonstrate against the Russian military operation in Ukraine in Buenos Aires, Argentina. EPA
    People demonstrate against the Russian military operation in Ukraine in Buenos Aires, Argentina. EPA
  • First responders work at the scene after a missile hit a building at Havryshivka Vinnytsia International Airport in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. Reuters
    First responders work at the scene after a missile hit a building at Havryshivka Vinnytsia International Airport in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. Reuters
  • A woman at a checkpoint on the road to Kyiv after her evacuation from a nearby town. AFP
    A woman at a checkpoint on the road to Kyiv after her evacuation from a nearby town. AFP
  • A placard in the Ukrainian colours is held up at an anti-war demonstration the Bebelplatz square in Berlin, Germany. Reuters
    A placard in the Ukrainian colours is held up at an anti-war demonstration the Bebelplatz square in Berlin, Germany. Reuters
  • A Ukrainian serviceman helps an elderly woman in Irpin, 20 kilometres north-west of the capital Kyiv. AP Photo
    A Ukrainian serviceman helps an elderly woman in Irpin, 20 kilometres north-west of the capital Kyiv. AP Photo
  • Protesters cry during a demonstration in support of Ukraine at the Plaza Catalunya square in Barcelona. AFP
    Protesters cry during a demonstration in support of Ukraine at the Plaza Catalunya square in Barcelona. AFP
  • A man walks past a machine gun at a checkpoint next to the last bridge on the road that connects the town of Stoyanka to the outskirts of Ukraine's capital Kyiv. AFP
    A man walks past a machine gun at a checkpoint next to the last bridge on the road that connects the town of Stoyanka to the outskirts of Ukraine's capital Kyiv. AFP
  • Ukrainian servicemen put a wounded man on a stretcher in Irpin. AP Photo
    Ukrainian servicemen put a wounded man on a stretcher in Irpin. AP Photo
  • People board a train to return to Ukraine after getting supplies in Zahony, Hungary. AP Photo
    People board a train to return to Ukraine after getting supplies in Zahony, Hungary. AP Photo
  • Balloons in the colors of Ukraine during a demonstration against the Russian attack on Ukraine, in Mainz, Germany. AP
    Balloons in the colors of Ukraine during a demonstration against the Russian attack on Ukraine, in Mainz, Germany. AP
  • A Ukrainian girl helps to weave a camouflage net for the Ukrainian army, in Odesa. EPA
    A Ukrainian girl helps to weave a camouflage net for the Ukrainian army, in Odesa. EPA
  • Molotov cocktails prepared by a group of volunteers in Odesa. Hundreds are made every day. EPA
    Molotov cocktails prepared by a group of volunteers in Odesa. Hundreds are made every day. EPA
  • Ukrainian servicemen assist people fleeing the town of Irpin after crossing the Irpin River on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian air strike. AP Photo
    Ukrainian servicemen assist people fleeing the town of Irpin after crossing the Irpin River on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian air strike. AP Photo
  • A woman holds a dog while crossing the Irpin River on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike, while assisting people fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine. AP Photo
    A woman holds a dog while crossing the Irpin River on an improvised path under a bridge that was destroyed by a Russian airstrike, while assisting people fleeing the town of Irpin, Ukraine. AP Photo
  • Marina Yatsko and her boyfriend Fedor comfort each other at a hospital in Mariupol after her 18-month-old son Kirill was killed by shelling. AP Photo
    Marina Yatsko and her boyfriend Fedor comfort each other at a hospital in Mariupol after her 18-month-old son Kirill was killed by shelling. AP Photo
  • Ukrainian civilians receive weapons training in a cinema in Lviv, western Ukraine. AP Photo
    Ukrainian civilians receive weapons training in a cinema in Lviv, western Ukraine. AP Photo
  • Residents flee the town of Irpin, near Kyiv, Ukraine. AP Photo
    Residents flee the town of Irpin, near Kyiv, Ukraine. AP Photo
  • Ukrainian soldiers carry a sick woman as civilians flee Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, after Russian attacks. AP Photo
    Ukrainian soldiers carry a sick woman as civilians flee Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, after Russian attacks. AP Photo
  • Captured Russian soldiers at a press conference in the Interfax news agency in Kyiv, Ukraine. AP Photo
    Captured Russian soldiers at a press conference in the Interfax news agency in Kyiv, Ukraine. AP Photo
  • Ukrainians beneath a destroyed bridge in Irpin. AP Photo
    Ukrainians beneath a destroyed bridge in Irpin. AP Photo
  • A woman fleeing Ukraine on a bus near the border crossing in Korczowa, Poland. AP Photo
    A woman fleeing Ukraine on a bus near the border crossing in Korczowa, Poland. AP Photo
  • A Ukrainian soldier and a militia man help a fleeing family on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 5, 2022. AP Photo
    A Ukrainian soldier and a militia man help a fleeing family on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 5, 2022. AP Photo
  • Smoke rises after shelling by Russian forces in Mariupol. AP Photo
    Smoke rises after shelling by Russian forces in Mariupol. AP Photo
  • People at a hospital during shelling by Russian forces in Mariupol. AP Photo
    People at a hospital during shelling by Russian forces in Mariupol. AP Photo
  • Displaced Ukrainians at the Resurrection New Athos Monastery in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. AFP
    Displaced Ukrainians at the Resurrection New Athos Monastery in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. AFP

The £74m aid, provided through the World Bank, could go towards public sector salaries, allowing crucial state functions to keep operating, or supporting social safety nets and pensions for the Ukrainian people.

“In the time since Russia’s illegal and brutal assault, we have seen the world stand up tall in solidarity with the indomitable people of Ukraine," Mr Johnson said.

“UK aid is already reaching those who need it most, delivering essential supplies and medical support.

“While only Putin can fully end the suffering in Ukraine, today’s new funding will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation.”

More than £100m has been raised to provide aid for Ukraine in an “amazing show of support” from the UK public.

That is the equivalent of more than £1m an hour since the appeal was launched, the Disasters Emergency Committee said.

It said the funds are already being used by DEC charities inside Ukraine and at its borders to provide people fleeing the war with food, water, medical assistance, protection and trauma care.

The committee said the message from aid workers was that money was needed rather than specific donated items, which were often not what people needed and were difficult to transport.

More donations will help to increase the work of the charities, which include Save the Children, Age International and the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development.

The DEC, which is made up of 15 leading UK aid charities, said “generous donations” have been made by the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge, among others.

The latest total includes £25m in match-funding from the UK government, the largest commitment ever made to a DEC appeal through the British aid match scheme.

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Scoreline

Chelsea 1
Azpilicueta (36')

West Ham United 1
Hernandez (73')

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

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

25-MAN SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem, William Ekong, Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Jamilu Collins, Semi Ajayi 
Midfielders: John Obi Mikel, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu
Forwards: Ahmed Musa, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Henry Onyekuru, Odion Ighalo, Alexander Iwobi, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze 

On Standby: Theophilus Afelokhai, Bryan Idowu, Ikouwem Utin, Mikel Agu, Junior Ajayi, Valentine Ozornwafor

The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup 

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)

Power: 141bhp 

Torque: 250Nm 

Price: Dh64,500

On sale: Now

Landfill in numbers

• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane

• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming

• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi

• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year

• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away

• 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste is from construction and demolition

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

If you go

The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at. 
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.   

Updated: March 07, 2022, 12:01 AM