Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday issued an executive order to remove the US state's mask mandate in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, saying businesses can reopen at 100 per cent with no capacity limits to stop the spread of Covid-19.
The move makes Texas the biggest US state to lift a mask mandate.
"Covid-19 has not disappeared, but it is clear from the recoveries, vaccinations, reduced hospitalisations and safe practices that Texans are using that state mandates are no longer needed," Mr Abbot said in his statement.
Mr Abbott introduced the mandate in July while the state was facing a summer surge, along with other states in the south-eastern US.
However, through the eight months it has been in place, local reports have shown that authorities were not enforcing the order.
Texas currently has a seven-day average of 228 daily deaths to Covid-19, according to a tracker from The New York Times.
Mayors from two of the state's largest cities, Austin and Houston, issued statements calling for Mr Abbott to keep the mask mandate in place.
The state is also overcoming the aftermath of a rare February winter storm that left millions without power or running water for nearly a week. Dozens died in the historic storm.
Mr Abbott defended his decision by saying that Texans know how to take care of themselves.
Texas ranks third behind California and New York in number of Covid deaths, with more than 43,942 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Mr Abbot's order states that local county judges "may use Covid-19 mitigation strategies" if a healthcare system sees hospital bed capacity rise above 15 per cent.
He also said judges were not allowed to sentence people to either fines or prison for not following health measures or for not wearing masks.
The state of Mississippi also announced the removal of its mask mandate on Tuesday.
North Dakota, Montana and Iowa have also lifted their mask mandates in recent weeks.
The decisions were made despite recommendations from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention not to rush into reopening.
"I’m really worried about reports that more states are rolling back the exact public health measures we have recommended to protect people from Covid-19," agency director Dr Rochelle Walensky said on Monday.
Coronavirus cases had been declining across the country but have recently stalled. Daily recorded infections remain at levels akin to the summer surge experienced in 2020.
There is also rising concern over Covid variants that have higher transmissibility and could evade Covid medical treatments or vaccines.
Mr Abbott cites the vaccine distribution programme in his decision to remove the mask mandate and allow for a full reopening.
"With the medical advancements of vaccines and antibody therapeutic drugs, Texas now has the tools to protect Texans from the virus," Mr Abbott's statement said.
Texas, the second most populated state in the US, has 6.8 per cent of its population fully vaccinated, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. About 12.9 per cent of people have received only one dose of a vaccine.
"We must now do more to restore livelihoods and normalcy for Texans by opening Texas 100 per cent," the governor said.
The governor said businesses can impose their own Covid-related safety rules, including capacity limits or other measures. His executive order ends the state's role in such pandemic restrictions.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
