Prince Charles and his wife Camilla arrived in Canada on Tuesday to embark on a three-day tour of the country at time when affinity for the British Crown is waning among many in the Commonwealth country.
The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will visit the eastern-most province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the capital Ottawa and the Northwest Territories as Queen Elizabeth II celebrates seven decades on the throne during her Platinum Jubilee year.
Their visit, which will focus on indigenous issues and climate change, comes at a time when Canada is grappling with its racist colonial past and is questioning the purpose of having an unelected head of state 155 years after gaining independence.
The discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves at the sites of former indigenous residential schools across the country has sent Canada on a year-long soul-searching mission, and Prince Charles and Camilla will acknowledge the treatment of the schools' victims.
They will take part in a "solemn moment of reflection and prayer" in a garden dedicated to the thousands who died or were abused in the school system, Britain's PA news agency reported.
In April, Pope Francis officially apologised for the Catholic Church's role in the government-run residential schools that stripped indigenous Canadians of their language and culture and often left many subjected to abuse and mistreatment.
Prince Charles is expected meet local indigenous leaders throughout the trip.
“The Prince of Wales has long believed that we need to learn from indigenous peoples around the world how better we should live in and care for nature and the planet," the prince's Clarence House said.
"Canada is seeing the impact of climate change and so this tour will highlight an emphasis on learning from indigenous peoples in Canada as well as a focus on working with businesses to find a more sustainable way of living with global warming.”
While a recent poll by the Angus Reid Institute showed the vast majority of Canadians hold Queen Elizabeth in high regard, the same is not true for her kin.
According to the online poll, which surveyed 1,607 Canadians, 50 per cent say the royal family is no longer relevant to them.
More concerning for the monarchy, more than half of Canadians view Prince Charles unfavourably.
Fifty-one percent of those surveyed believe that Canada should become a republic.
“Historically, opinion for the Crown has been favourable” said Patrick Taillon, a staunch anti-monarchist, who challenged British royal succession law in a Quebec court. “Now it's 50-50.”
Mr Taillon, a law professor at the University of Laval in Quebec City, said the transition between Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles will be a crucial moment for the monarchy in Canada.
The royal family has come under strain in recent years over Prince Andrew’s relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations by Meghan Markle of racism within the family.
Mr Taillon said that has likely hurt the family’s standing abroad.
It’s not just in Canada. Last year, Barbados officially cut ties with the royal family and became a republic.
In March, Prince William and his wife Kate toured several Caribbean nations and were met with protests.
The couple’s trip to Jamaica included Prince William expressing “sorrow” for the horrors of slavery after a petition, signed by 100 prominent Jamaicans, called for a formal apology.
During the trip, Prime Minister Andrew Holness told the royal couple that Jamaica would eventually become independent.
Even if public opinion continues to sour on the royals, it is unlikely that relations between Canada and the monarchy will change much in the near term.
In order for Canada to become a republic, the Canadian constitution would have to be changed.
That would require Parliament and all 10 provinces to agree unanimously on the decision. It is a political headache that few politicians are likely to want to take on.
For those who support the Crown, it is difficult to even imagine parting ways.
"It's at the very foundation of Canadian society," said Nathan Tidridge, vice president of the Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada.
Mr Tidridge, who is also a high school civics and history teacher in the province of Ontario, said he was happy Prince Charles and Camilla had made the trip but was disappointed it would be for such a short amount of time.
"It's like a whistle-stop tour, which is problematic since his focus is in communicating and meeting with indigenous peoples as well as meeting with military personnel and speaking about the environment," Mr Tidridge told The National.
"More time is needed for for that."
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
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Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
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In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
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The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
The five pillars of Islam
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
More coverage from the Future Forum
Specs
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Set-jetting on the Emerald Isle
Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
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Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Day 1 at Mount Maunganui
England 241-4
Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28
New Zealand
Yet to bat
Results
STAGE
1 . Filippo Ganna (Ineos) - 0:13:56
2. Stefan Bissegger (Education-Nippo) - 0:00:14
3. Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:21
4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:24
5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) - 0:00:30
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 4:00:05
2. Joao Almeida (QuickStep) - 0:00:05
3. Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep) - 0:00:18
4. Chris Harper (Jumbo-Visma) - 0:00:33
5. Adam Yates (Ineos) - 0:00:39
