• Pedestrians pass the National Covid-19 Memorial Wall, opposite the Palace of Westminster, in London. EPA
    Pedestrians pass the National Covid-19 Memorial Wall, opposite the Palace of Westminster, in London. EPA
  • Lauren McLean, 15, receives a Covid-19 vaccine at the Excelsior Academy in Newcastle upon Tyne, in north-east England, as the country begins vaccinating children aged 12 to 15. Getty Images
    Lauren McLean, 15, receives a Covid-19 vaccine at the Excelsior Academy in Newcastle upon Tyne, in north-east England, as the country begins vaccinating children aged 12 to 15. Getty Images
  • Campaigners carry fake coffins in London to highlight the number of Covid-19 deaths globally. AP
    Campaigners carry fake coffins in London to highlight the number of Covid-19 deaths globally. AP
  • Most passengers on an underground train on London's Bakerloo Line wear masks as a precaution against Covid-19. AP
    Most passengers on an underground train on London's Bakerloo Line wear masks as a precaution against Covid-19. AP
  • A man wears a face mask as he walks in Piccadilly Circus, in London. The UK has the highest rate of infections in Europe, with new cases averaging 43,000 a day over the past week. AP Photo
    A man wears a face mask as he walks in Piccadilly Circus, in London. The UK has the highest rate of infections in Europe, with new cases averaging 43,000 a day over the past week. AP Photo
  • Commuters wait for an underground train to leave from a tube stop in central London. Data up to Sunday showed more than 300,000 confirmed cases reported over the last seven days, a 15 percent increase in cases on the previous week. AFP
    Commuters wait for an underground train to leave from a tube stop in central London. Data up to Sunday showed more than 300,000 confirmed cases reported over the last seven days, a 15 percent increase in cases on the previous week. AFP
  • Commuters, some wearing face coverings, walk through Waterloo train station in central London.
    Commuters, some wearing face coverings, walk through Waterloo train station in central London.
  • Chelsea fans show vaccine-related paperwork to a Covid-19 steward before entering the club's Stamford Bridge stadium in west London. Reuters
    Chelsea fans show vaccine-related paperwork to a Covid-19 steward before entering the club's Stamford Bridge stadium in west London. Reuters
  • People attend a candlelit procession and vigil in the northern city Manchester to remember all those who have died due to the pandemic. Getty Images
    People attend a candlelit procession and vigil in the northern city Manchester to remember all those who have died due to the pandemic. Getty Images
  • Chelsea Pensioner John Byrne talks to Deputy Chief Nurse Vanessa Sloane before receiving a Covid-19 vaccination at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, a retirement home for former soldiers, in London. PA
    Chelsea Pensioner John Byrne talks to Deputy Chief Nurse Vanessa Sloane before receiving a Covid-19 vaccination at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, a retirement home for former soldiers, in London. PA
  • A member of staff prepares a Covid-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccination centre at Westfield Stratford City shopping centre in east London. PA
    A member of staff prepares a Covid-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccination centre at Westfield Stratford City shopping centre in east London. PA
  • Artist Luke Jerram walks through his installation 'In Memoriam', in Bristol, west England. It was created to remember the losses experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic, and is made up of more than 100 flags made from NHS hospital bed sheets. PA
    Artist Luke Jerram walks through his installation 'In Memoriam', in Bristol, west England. It was created to remember the losses experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic, and is made up of more than 100 flags made from NHS hospital bed sheets. PA
  • Felix Dima, 13, receives his flu inoculation ahead of receiving a Covid-19 vaccine at the Excelsior Academy in Newcastle upon Tyne. Getty Images
    Felix Dima, 13, receives his flu inoculation ahead of receiving a Covid-19 vaccine at the Excelsior Academy in Newcastle upon Tyne. Getty Images

UK Covid daily deaths highest since March amid pressure for Plan B


Neil Murphy
  • English
  • Arabic

The UK has recorded its highest daily coronavirus deaths since March as pressure grows on the prime minister to implement his 'Plan B' for greater Covid restrictions.

The Department of Health on Tuesday said 223 people had died with coronavirus in its hospitals in the past 24 hours, a large jump from the 45 deaths recorded on Monday. On March 9 there were 231 deaths reported.

There is often a lag in reporting over the weekend, but there will be keen focus on the coming days to discover out if the rise is an anomaly, or part of a wider trend.

However, there was an unexpected drop in daily new infections to 43,738, after reaching nearly 50,000 on Monday, the highest level seen in several months. Infections are up 16.1 per cent in a week, while deaths are up 14.6 per cent.

Despite the decrease, the UK continues to have the highest rate of infections in Europe, with new cases averaging 43,000 a day over a seven day period.

The current spike has led to calls from scientists to reimpose tighter coronavirus restrictions and accelerate its vaccine booster drive.

Millions of people in Britain have already been being offered booster shots, but critics say the programme is moving too slowly.

“It’s critical we accelerate the booster programme,” said leading epidemiologist Prof Neil Ferguson, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage).

Prof Ferguson said the UK compared unfavourably with its European neighbours, which have been much slower to unwind mask mandates and have stricter vaccine passport requirements.

UK coronavirus cases since September 2020

“Most Western European countries have kept in place more control measures, vaccine mandates, mask-wearing mandates, and tend to have lower case numbers and certainly not case numbers which are going up as fast as we’ve got,” he said.

Mr Ferguson also warned that the UK's reliance on the AstraZeneca vaccine meant that it was more susceptible to the threat of dangerous Covid mutations, such as the Delta variant.

“While [AstraZeneca] protects very well against very severe outcomes of Covid, it protects slightly less well than Pfizer against infection and transmission, particularly in the face of the Delta variant.”

Adam Finn, a professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol, says "the rapid rise" was a "reflection of how people are behaving".

He added that unless there's a "clear message put out that that we've got more infection going on now than at any point in the pandemic", despite fewer hospitalisations, people are "not really going to take precaution".

Scientists have been closely monitoring a new variant of the Delta coronavirus strain, which is thought to account for 10 per cent of all new UK cases.

Sub-variant AY.4.2 could be 10 to 15 per cent more infectious than the original Delta variant that was first detected in India in December and has become the dominant Covid-19 strain.

Decreasing immunity is another major factor in the nationwide increase. Millions of people have been vaccinated for more than six months, and studies have suggested that vaccine protection gradually wanes over time.

The UK also waited longer than the US and many European nations to vaccinate children ages 12-15, and most in that age group have not been vaccinated.

Clearly we are keeping a very close eye on rising case rates
Downing Street spokesperson Max Blain

Last month, the prime minister said that England might need to move to a “Plan B”, by reintroducing measures such as mandatory masks and bringing in vaccine passes for public venues.

Boris Johnson’s spokesman Max Blain said “we always knew the next few months would be challenging.” But he said the government was trying to protect “both lives and livelihoods.”

“Clearly we are keeping a very close eye on rising case rates,” he said. “The most important message for the public to understand is the vital importance of the booster programme.”

Despite the rising case rate, Health Secretary Sajid Javid defended continuing some Covid-19 provisions in the face of Conservative backbench concerns, arguing they were “still necessary and proportionate to help with the pressure”.

“I think it is wise especially heading into the winter when we don’t at this stage know just how significant the pressures will be to have that flexibility.”

Cases climbing upwards for months

The UK recorded 49,156 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, the largest number since mid-July.

Last week, the Office for National Statistics estimated that one in 60 people in England had the virus, one of the highest levels seen in Britain during the pandemic.

In July, Mr Johnson’s government lifted all the legal restrictions that had been imposed more than a year earlier to slow the spread of the virus, including face coverings indoors and social distancing rules.

Some had feared a significant spike in cases after the opening up. That did not occur, but infections remained high, and recently have started to increase.

New cases reached 55,000 in July as England opened up, with many blaming the jubilant celebrations during the Euro 2020 football competition for creating a superspreader event.

However, hospital admissions and deaths have averaged more than 100 a day — far lower than at the height of the outbreak.

Some say people in Britain have been too quick to return to pre-pandemic behaviour.

Masks and social distancing are gone in most settings in England, including schools, though other parts of the UK are more strict. Even in shops, where masks are recommended, and on the London transit network, where they are mandatory, adherence is patchy.

A plan to require proof of vaccination to attend nightclubs, concerts and other mass events in England was dropped by the Conservative government amid opposition from lawmakers, although Scotland introduced a vaccine pass programme this month.

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
RACECARD
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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

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

What are the main cyber security threats?

Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.

TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%208
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Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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

Updated: October 19, 2021, 4:45 PM