Finland to decide on Nato membership in weeks amid Russia threats


Tim Stickings
  • English
  • Arabic

Finland will decide in weeks whether to join Nato, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Wednesday, as the Nordic country and its neighbour Sweden rethink their security posture after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

It came as a landmark review of Finland’s defence policy said joining Nato would help it deter an attack from its large eastern neighbour and that the window could close if Russia builds pressure against an expansion.

But it also warned that joining Nato would double the alliance’s 1,200-kilometre border with Russia, bring its forces closer to St Petersburg and thereby risk provoking the Kremlin.

Russia has threatened consequences for Finland and Sweden if they abandon their Cold War-era neutrality in favour of joining Nato, with both countries on guard for potential meddling as they weigh up the pros and cons.

The leaders of the two nations are seeking cross-party consensus before lodging any application, after Russia’s onslaught on Ukraine shifted public opinion towards Nato.

“We have to wonder: what is the best way to secure that this wouldn’t ever happen in Finland?,” Ms Marin said at a press conference in Stockholm with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.

Finland’s parliament will next week begin considering the report published on Wednesday, but “I think it will happen quite fast … within weeks, not within months”, said Ms Marin, who said there were pros and cons to Nato membership.

Ms Andersson said a Swedish defence review was due by late May and that the debate should not drag on into an election campaign in the autumn.

Nato will update its first strategic blueprint for the first time in 12 years at a June summit, making that meeting in Madrid a possible decision point for any application by Sweden and Finland.

All 30 current members would have to approve their membership, but they already have close ties with Nato and the US says it would not expect any major resistance to them joining.

Allies have increased co-operation with Sweden and Finland since Russia invaded Ukraine and invited them to several diplomatic summits. They recently took part in 30,000-troop Nato drills in Norway, known as Cold Response.

Ukraine, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina also have Nato aspirations, although Kyiv has signalled it would be willing to drop that in a potential peace agreement with Russia.

President Vladimir Putin has long viewed Nato’s expansion towards Russia’s borders as a threat to his country and accused western leaders of breaking promises made after the break-up of the Soviet Union.

Nato rejects this narrative and says Russia only has itself to blame for motivating neighbours such as Poland and the Baltic states to shore up their troop numbers.

Finland and Sweden recently took part in 30,000-troop Nato drills in Norway known as Cold Response. Reuters
Finland and Sweden recently took part in 30,000-troop Nato drills in Norway known as Cold Response. Reuters

But the 53-page Finnish review said Russia was likely to keep pressing its demands to stop Nato expansion and that failing to react to its aggressive posture could lead to a “narrowing of Finland’s room for manoeuvre”.

It said Nato membership would change a relationship with Russia which Finland has long tried to stabilise, in view of their 1,340km border and troubled history, but that it would “aim to continue functioning relations with Moscow.

Ms Andersson had said as recently as December that Sweden “will not apply for membership of Nato”, while Ms Marin said in January that a Finnish application was “very unlikely” during her term, but both described the security environment as having changed since Russia's invasion.

Nato’s Article 5 guarantee that allies will come to each other’s defence would provide a “considerably stronger” deterrent to any Russian aggression and thereby improve the stability of the Baltic, the Finnish report said.

Ms Andersson said the security offered by Article 5 could not be replaced by other arrangements, although it would commit Sweden to defending 29 other countries if they were attacked.

Any enlargement would bring the countries under the umbrella of Nato’s nuclear-weapons sharing agreement, although it would not require British, French or American nuclear weapons to be stationed in Finland.

However, Finland’s accession would also “significantly expand the area of the alliance, double its land border with Russia, and move the alliance closer to strategically important areas in Russia” such as St Petersburg and the Arctic Kola Peninsula, the report said.

Officials say attempts to meddle in the Finnish debate could include cyberattacks, increased tensions on the border with Russia, or other risks that are difficult to anticipate.

“We do have a big next-door neighbour which acts like this,” said Ms Marin, who added that it would be preferable if Sweden and Finland made similar decisions, but did not come down on one side or another herself.

“There are both short-term and long-term risks,” she said of the possibility of Finland joining Nato. “These risks are there both if we apply and if we do not apply.”

Ukraine latest - in pictures

  • A boy rides a bicycle past a house that was damaged by shelling in Andriivka village, not far from Kyiv. EPA
    A boy rides a bicycle past a house that was damaged by shelling in Andriivka village, not far from Kyiv. EPA
  • A destroyed residential building in Mariupol, south-eastern Ukraine. Reuters
    A destroyed residential building in Mariupol, south-eastern Ukraine. Reuters
  • Firefighters at work on the outskirts of Kharkiv, north-east Ukraine. EPA
    Firefighters at work on the outskirts of Kharkiv, north-east Ukraine. EPA
  • A torn Ukrainian flag in front of a ruined Mariupol apartment building. Reuters
    A torn Ukrainian flag in front of a ruined Mariupol apartment building. Reuters
  • Residents who cleared debris after Russian shelling eat lunch outside a damaged building in Makariv, near Kyiv. EPA
    Residents who cleared debris after Russian shelling eat lunch outside a damaged building in Makariv, near Kyiv. EPA
  • Children play with a therapeutic dog at a shelter organised by volunteers in Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine. Reuters
    Children play with a therapeutic dog at a shelter organised by volunteers in Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine. Reuters
  • A girl stands by the door of a bunker in Severodonetsk, in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, as Russian troops intensify a campaign to take the strategic port city of Mariupol. AFP
    A girl stands by the door of a bunker in Severodonetsk, in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, as Russian troops intensify a campaign to take the strategic port city of Mariupol. AFP
  • A firefighter at work following a missile attack near Kharkiv International Airport. Reuters
    A firefighter at work following a missile attack near Kharkiv International Airport. Reuters
  • A Ukrainian fighter walks in front of a destroyed house in Bohdanivka village, north-east of Kyiv. AFP
    A Ukrainian fighter walks in front of a destroyed house in Bohdanivka village, north-east of Kyiv. AFP
  • Two women hug outside a heavily damaged apartment block following an artillery attack in Kharkiv. Reuters
    Two women hug outside a heavily damaged apartment block following an artillery attack in Kharkiv. Reuters
  • Ukrainian soldiers guard the village of Barvinkove, as Russia's invasion on Ukraine continues. Reuters
    Ukrainian soldiers guard the village of Barvinkove, as Russia's invasion on Ukraine continues. Reuters
  • Leonid Serdiuchenko, a Ukrainian commander, stands next to destroyed vehicles outside Barvinkove. Reuters
    Leonid Serdiuchenko, a Ukrainian commander, stands next to destroyed vehicles outside Barvinkove. Reuters
  • A woman carries the portrait of Dmytro Stefienko, 32, a civilian killed during the war, during his funeral in Bucha, Ukraine. AP
    A woman carries the portrait of Dmytro Stefienko, 32, a civilian killed during the war, during his funeral in Bucha, Ukraine. AP
  • A Russian soldier collects weapons from inside the Mariupol drama theatre in Ukraine. AFP
    A Russian soldier collects weapons from inside the Mariupol drama theatre in Ukraine. AFP
  • Relatives and friends attend the funeral of Andriy Matviychuk, 37, who served as a territorial defence soldier, who was captured and killed by the Russian army in Bucha, Ukraine. AP
    Relatives and friends attend the funeral of Andriy Matviychuk, 37, who served as a territorial defence soldier, who was captured and killed by the Russian army in Bucha, Ukraine. AP
  • Anatoliy Morykin, 45, left, mourns the death of his mother, Valentyna Morykina, 82, who died in a retirement home in Bucha during the Russian invasion. AP
    Anatoliy Morykin, 45, left, mourns the death of his mother, Valentyna Morykina, 82, who died in a retirement home in Bucha during the Russian invasion. AP
  • Nadiya, 65, shows a hole in a wall of a building after shelling in Zalissya, Ukraine. EPA
    Nadiya, 65, shows a hole in a wall of a building after shelling in Zalissya, Ukraine. EPA
  • A booby trap found by locals near their home in Zalissya. EPA
    A booby trap found by locals near their home in Zalissya. EPA
  • Debris of a school bus near a damaged school that was a base for Russian troops in Bohdanivka, Ukraine. EPA
    Debris of a school bus near a damaged school that was a base for Russian troops in Bohdanivka, Ukraine. EPA
  • A man examines the debris of a destroyed Russian tank in Bohdanivka. EPA
    A man examines the debris of a destroyed Russian tank in Bohdanivka. EPA
  • President Joe Biden speaks to the media before boarding Air Force One at Des Moines International Airport, en route to Washington. AP
    President Joe Biden speaks to the media before boarding Air Force One at Des Moines International Airport, en route to Washington. AP
  • Valentina Saroyan sits in the basement of a school in Yahidne, near Chernihiv, Ukraine. AP
    Valentina Saroyan sits in the basement of a school in Yahidne, near Chernihiv, Ukraine. AP
  • Vasyl Cherepenko stands next to a mass grave at a cemetery in Yahidne, near Dnipro, Ukraine. AP
    Vasyl Cherepenko stands next to a mass grave at a cemetery in Yahidne, near Dnipro, Ukraine. AP
  • Oksana, second from left, and Yevhen, right, talk with police officers next to their apartment building damaged by shelling in Irpin, Ukraine. AP
    Oksana, second from left, and Yevhen, right, talk with police officers next to their apartment building damaged by shelling in Irpin, Ukraine. AP
  • Women bid farewell to relatives as they leave the Slovyansk central station in the Donbas region. AFP
    Women bid farewell to relatives as they leave the Slovyansk central station in the Donbas region. AFP
  • The partially destroyed Mariupol drama theatre in Ukraine, hit on March 16 by an air strike. AFP
    The partially destroyed Mariupol drama theatre in Ukraine, hit on March 16 by an air strike. AFP
  • A man embraces his wife as she prepares to board a train at Slovyansk central station in the Donbas region. AFP
    A man embraces his wife as she prepares to board a train at Slovyansk central station in the Donbas region. AFP
  • A woman walks through a damaged apartment building after a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP
    A woman walks through a damaged apartment building after a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP
  • A missile pierces the road in front of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration building amid Russia's attack on Ukraine. Reuters
    A missile pierces the road in front of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration building amid Russia's attack on Ukraine. Reuters
  • A boy walks by unexploded Russian shells in the village of Andriyivka close to Kyiv, Ukraine. AP
    A boy walks by unexploded Russian shells in the village of Andriyivka close to Kyiv, Ukraine. AP
  • Ukrainian tanks move down a street in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
    Ukrainian tanks move down a street in Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
  • A man walks past a storage place for burned armed vehicles and cars, on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
    A man walks past a storage place for burned armed vehicles and cars, on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
  • Local residents stand on top of a Russian tank on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
    Local residents stand on top of a Russian tank on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
  • Ukrainian families, who have fled Kherson amid the Russian invasion, watch a dolphin show at a hotel in Odesa, Ukraine. Reuters
    Ukrainian families, who have fled Kherson amid the Russian invasion, watch a dolphin show at a hotel in Odesa, Ukraine. Reuters
  • Residents stand outside their apartments as shops burn after a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP
    Residents stand outside their apartments as shops burn after a Russian attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP
  • Irina Szymanska holds her baby in a temporary shelter at the central train station for displaced people heading to Poland in Lviv, Ukraine. Getty Images
    Irina Szymanska holds her baby in a temporary shelter at the central train station for displaced people heading to Poland in Lviv, Ukraine. Getty Images
  • A man walks in his yard, damaged by shelling, in the village of Andriivka, Ukraine. EPA
    A man walks in his yard, damaged by shelling, in the village of Andriivka, Ukraine. EPA
  • Sixty-two-year-old Luba hugs a Ukrainian servicewoman in Andriivka. EPA
    Sixty-two-year-old Luba hugs a Ukrainian servicewoman in Andriivka. EPA
  • A woman washes clothes in the yard of a ruined house in Andriivka. EPA
    A woman washes clothes in the yard of a ruined house in Andriivka. EPA
  • Russian soldiers patrol a street in Volnovakha, in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic. The picture was taken during a trip organised by the Russian military. AFP
    Russian soldiers patrol a street in Volnovakha, in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic. The picture was taken during a trip organised by the Russian military. AFP
  • Russian mine clearers search for explosive objects in a building the Russian authorities say was damaged by Ukrainian shelling. AFP
    Russian mine clearers search for explosive objects in a building the Russian authorities say was damaged by Ukrainian shelling. AFP
  • A woman reads a book as residents find shelter from shelling in a metro station in Kharkiv. Reuters
    A woman reads a book as residents find shelter from shelling in a metro station in Kharkiv. Reuters
  • Firefighters try to contain a fire at a plant in Kharkiv following Russian shelling. Reuters
    Firefighters try to contain a fire at a plant in Kharkiv following Russian shelling. Reuters
  • Farm owner Zlobina Lubov tends to her animals in the village of Malaya Rohan, Ukraine. Reuters
    Farm owner Zlobina Lubov tends to her animals in the village of Malaya Rohan, Ukraine. Reuters
  • A bathtub is seen inside a building that was heavily damaged by shelling in Kharkiv. Reuters
    A bathtub is seen inside a building that was heavily damaged by shelling in Kharkiv. Reuters
  • A man looks out of his window, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Borodianka. Reuters
    A man looks out of his window, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in Borodianka. Reuters
  • Soldiers 'came to my house and said go to the basement' Zinaida Makishaiva, 82, said, before they started to shoot around her. 'God saved my life,' she said. Reuters
    Soldiers 'came to my house and said go to the basement' Zinaida Makishaiva, 82, said, before they started to shoot around her. 'God saved my life,' she said. Reuters
  • A mother waits for police officers to exhume the body of her son from a well at a fuel station in Buzova, Kyiv region. According to the head of the village, he was killed by Russian soldiers. Reuters
    A mother waits for police officers to exhume the body of her son from a well at a fuel station in Buzova, Kyiv region. According to the head of the village, he was killed by Russian soldiers. Reuters
Results

5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions Dh90,000 2,200m

Winner: Mudaarab, Jim Crowley (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer).

5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,400m

Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Hassan Al Hammadi.

6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m

Winner: Salima Al Reef, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige Dh100,000 1,600m

Winner: Bainoona, Ricardo Iacopini, Eric Lemartinel.

7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m

Winner: Assyad, Victoria Larsen, Eric Lemartinel.

8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1 Dh5,000,000 1,600m

Winner: Mashhur Al Khalediah, Jean-Bernard Eyquem, Phillip Collington.

THE LOWDOWN

Photograph

Rating: 4/5

Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies

Director: Ritesh Batra

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

The%20Emperor%20and%20the%20Elephant
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Ottewill-Soulsby%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrinceton%20University%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E392%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJuly%2011%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Start-up hopes to end Japan's love affair with cash

Across most of Asia, people pay for taxi rides, restaurant meals and merchandise with smartphone-readable barcodes — except in Japan, where cash still rules. Now, as the country’s biggest web companies race to dominate the payments market, one Tokyo-based startup says it has a fighting chance to win with its QR app.

Origami had a head start when it introduced a QR-code payment service in late 2015 and has since signed up fast-food chain KFC, Tokyo’s largest cab company Nihon Kotsu and convenience store operator Lawson. The company raised $66 million in September to expand nationwide and plans to more than double its staff of about 100 employees, says founder Yoshiki Yasui.

Origami is betting that stores, which until now relied on direct mail and email newsletters, will pay for the ability to reach customers on their smartphones. For example, a hair salon using Origami’s payment app would be able to send a message to past customers with a coupon for their next haircut.

Quick Response codes, the dotted squares that can be read by smartphone cameras, were invented in the 1990s by a unit of Toyota Motor to track automotive parts. But when the Japanese pioneered digital payments almost two decades ago with contactless cards for train fares, they chose the so-called near-field communications technology. The high cost of rolling out NFC payments, convenient ATMs and a culture where lost wallets are often returned have all been cited as reasons why cash remains king in the archipelago. In China, however, QR codes dominate.

Cashless payments, which includes credit cards, accounted for just 20 per cent of total consumer spending in Japan during 2016, compared with 60 per cent in China and 89 per cent in South Korea, according to a report by the Bank of Japan.

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

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
RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).

5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Sawt Assalam, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.

6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Foah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.

6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Faiza, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: RB Dixie Honor, Antonio Fresu, Helal Al Alawi.

7.30pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Boerhan, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard.

How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

AUSTRALIA SQUAD

Aaron Finch, Matt Renshaw, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (captain), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Jon Holland, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle

While you're here
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

Price: from Dh94,900

On sale: now

EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

Prop idols

Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.

Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)

An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.

----

Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)

Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.

----

Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)

Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.

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

 

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
LIGUE 1 FIXTURES

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Friday
Nice v Angers (9pm)
Lille v Monaco (10.45pm)

Saturday
Montpellier v Paris Saint-Germain (7pm)
Bordeaux v Guingamp (10pm)
Caen v Amiens (10pm)
Lyon v Dijon (10pm)
Metz v Troyes (10pm)

Sunday
Saint-Etienne v Rennes (5pm)
Strasbourg v Nantes (7pm)
Marseille v Toulouse (11pm)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

Countries offering golden visas

UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.

Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.

Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.

Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.

Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence. 

Cinco in numbers

Dh3.7 million

The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown

46

The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.

1,000

The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]

50

How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday

3,000

The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

1.1 million

The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETuhoon%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYear%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFares%20Ghandour%2C%20Dr%20Naif%20Almutawa%2C%20Aymane%20Sennoussi%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Ehealth%20care%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E15%20employees%2C%20%24250%2C000%20in%20revenue%0D%3Cbr%3EI%3Cstrong%3Envestment%20stage%3A%20s%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWamda%20Capital%2C%20Nuwa%20Capital%2C%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Updated: April 13, 2022, 3:42 PM