Prince Charles and Camilla visit a pop-up Covid-19 vaccination centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in London. Reuters
Prince Charles and Camilla visit a pop-up Covid-19 vaccination centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in London. Reuters
Prince Charles and Camilla visit a pop-up Covid-19 vaccination centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in London. Reuters
Prince Charles and Camilla visit a pop-up Covid-19 vaccination centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in London. Reuters

Prince Charles visits vaccine centre in London mosque as officials seek to boost uptake


Neil Murphy
  • English
  • Arabic

Prince Charles visited a mosque in London on Tuesday as authorities attempt to boost uptake of the Covid-19 shot among the UK's black and Asian communities.

The heir to the British throne was accompanied by his wife Camilla as they appeared at Finsbury Park Mosque in the north of the capital.

The royal said he was thrilled that his father Prince Philip was back at his Windsor Castle home after a month-long stay in hospital.

"Very good news, I'm thrilled about it. I've spoken to him – several times," he said.

  • Prince Charles speaks to a member of the public during a visit to a vaccination pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in north London. AP Photo
    Prince Charles speaks to a member of the public during a visit to a vaccination pop-up centre at Finsbury Park Mosque in north London. AP Photo
  • Prince Charles was accompanied by his wife Camilla as they appeared at Finsbury Park Mosque. Getty Images
    Prince Charles was accompanied by his wife Camilla as they appeared at Finsbury Park Mosque. Getty Images
  • Prince Charles tours the vaccination centre at Finsbury Park Mosque. AFP
    Prince Charles tours the vaccination centre at Finsbury Park Mosque. AFP
  • Camilla speaks to people as she is shown around the vaccination centre. AFP
    Camilla speaks to people as she is shown around the vaccination centre. AFP
  • Prince Charles said he was thrilled that his father Prince Philip was back at his Windsor Castle home after a month-long stay in hospital. Getty Images
    Prince Charles said he was thrilled that his father Prince Philip was back at his Windsor Castle home after a month-long stay in hospital. Getty Images
  • Prince Charles and Camilla during the visit. Getty Images
    Prince Charles and Camilla during the visit. Getty Images

During the visit, Camilla said she received the shot made by AstraZeneca when she had her first vaccine dose, and had not been concerned whether she received that or another shot made by Pfizer-BioNTech.

"I don't even ask because I hate injections so much that I shut my eyes ... so whatever comes out," said the duchess, who was vaccinated along with her 72-year-old husband last month.

Philip, 99, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, left a London hospital on Tuesday after a four-week stay for treatment for an infection and to undergo heart surgery.

The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to the private King Edward VII's Hospital on February 16 after he felt unwell and was given treatment for an unspecified illness.

Buckingham Palace issued a statement in which the duke thanked the medical staff and all those who had sent their good wishes. A royal source said he was in good spirits.

On Tuesday it was revealed that Prince Charles and Prince William spoke to Prince Harry for the first time since his bombshell TV interview earlier this month.

US breakfast show host Gayle King said she had called the Sussexes and was told Harry spoke to his father, the Prince of Wales, and brother the Duke of Cambridge – but no one has yet spoken to Meghan.

A friend of Meghan claimed initial talks were “not productive”.

King said on CBS This Morning: "I'm not trying to break news, but I did actually call them to see how they were feeling and it's true Harry has talked to his brother and he has talked to his father too.

“The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive, but they are glad that they have at least started a conversation.

“And I think what is still upsetting to them is that the palace keeps saying they want to work it out privately, but yet they believe these false stories are coming out that are very disparaging against Meghan still – no one in the royal family has talked to Meghan yet…”

Tips to keep your car cool
  • Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
  • Park in shaded or covered areas
  • Add tint to windows
  • Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
  • Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
  • Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
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

'My Son'

Director: Christian Carion

Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis

Rating: 2/5

The biog

Born November 11, 1948
Education: BA, English Language and Literature, Cairo University
Family: Four brothers, seven sisters, two daughters, 42 and 39, two sons, 43 and 35, and 15 grandchildren
Hobbies: Reading and traveling

Company%20profile
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57%20Seconds
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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, last-16, second leg (first-leg scores in brackets):

PSG (2) v Manchester United (0)

Midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
%3Cp%3EHigh%20fever%20(40%C2%B0C%2F104%C2%B0F)%3Cbr%3ESevere%20headache%3Cbr%3EPain%20behind%20the%20eyes%3Cbr%3EMuscle%20and%20joint%20pains%3Cbr%3ENausea%3Cbr%3EVomiting%3Cbr%3ESwollen%20glands%3Cbr%3ERash%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site

The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888