The Covid-19 outbreak in Germany, which is largely being spread among its unvaccinated population, reached an all-time high for new cases on Thursday.
There were 33,949 new cases registered in the previous 24 hours, up from 28,037 daily cases a week ago, the Robert Koch Institute said.
It was the highest daily increase since the start of the pandemic. The previous high of 33,777 new cases was recorded on December 18, 2020.
The RKI also reported 165 deaths, up from 126 a week ago. The overall number of people who have died from coronavirus in Germany has risen to 96,192.
Health Minister Jens Spahn, who said on Wednesday that the disease was spreading among the unvaccinated one third of Germany’s population, is meeting state health leaders.
As cases begin taking up intensive care beds and infections soar among children, Mr Spahn is pushing for more restrictions on people who have chosen not to be inoculated.
Senior health officials, including Mr Spahn, have repeatedly appealed to German residents who have not yet been vaccinated to get their shots.
About two thirds of Germany’s 83 million people have completed a first vaccination. About 16.2 million people age 12 or above are unvaccinated, including 3.2 million over-60s.
Although officials agreed in August to make booster shots available to over-60s and nursing home residents and staff, only a little more than two million have been administered so far.
But for some medical professionals, the moves being talked about are not enough.
“No unvaccinated person should have contact with such a vulnerable group, either professionally or as a visitor,” said Ulrich Weigeldt, the head of the association of family doctors.
“This applies to senior citizen homes and nursing homes as well as to intensive care units.”
Germany has not made coronavirus vaccinations obligatory for any professional groups, but regional governments have limited access to some indoor events and facilities to people who have been vaccinated, have recently recovered or been tested, and some are tightening those rules.
Europe has recorded an increase in Covid case numbers for the fifth consecutive week, the only world region where Covid-19 is still increasing, according to World Health Organisation figures released on Wednesday.
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
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
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About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
