Beacons to be lit in 54 Commonwealth capitals to mark Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee

Jubilee beacons are to be lit in all 54 Commonwealth capitals for the first time, spanning five continents, as part of the celebrations marking the Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne.

With 70 days to go until the start of the platinum jubilee weekend, Commonwealth nations and organisations have shared their plans for the festivities.

Beacons will be set ablaze on the evening of Thursday June 2, starting in Wellington, New Zealand, and Canberra, Australia.

They will then be lit across the Pacific region, through Asia, then the 19 African Commonwealth member states, followed by Europe, and the Caribbean and Americas.

Bruno Peak, pageant master of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons, said the event would show the unity and friendship among the family of nations.

“I am so excited that for the first time ever, beacons will be lit across all 54 Commonwealth capitals to celebrate the queen’s 70-year service as head of the association,” Mr Peak said.

“Starting in the Pacific and then moving to the Americas, the beacons lit to celebrate Her Majesty will also serve as a testament to the unity and friendship that extends across all 54 nations.

“The queen has lit up the Commonwealth over 70 years through visits and other engagements. It is only fitting that we do likewise for her.”

The queen is head of the Commonwealth and has used her jubilee to reaffirm the pledge she made in 1947 at the age of 21 to devote her life in service to the nation and Commonwealth.

Baroness Scotland, the Commonwealth’s secretary general, said the queen’s jubilee was a “special and unprecedented milestone”.

“In a world of extraordinary change, she is a constant. Throughout Her Majesty’s life and reign, her devotion to the Commonwealth has been absolute," she said.

“The modern, thriving Commonwealth of 2022 is in many ways a reflection of the strength we have all been able to draw from her.”

Beacons will be lit by Rotary International at locations including Rotary Square in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the grounds of Ottawa City Hall in Canada, and on the football pitch near the Ledra Palace Hotel in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Young leaders will also fire up beacons through the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust in Lagos, Nigeria; Gurgoan, India; Couva, Point Lisas, Trinidad and Tobago; Sydney, Australia; and in Essex in the UK, among other places.

“The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust was set up in recognition of Her Majesty The Queen’s lifetime of service and her belief in young people as beacons of hope, the Commonwealth and service to others," said Lord Geidt, chairman of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust and her former private secretary.

“With over 60 per cent of the population of the Commonwealth being under 30 years of age, I am delighted that young people and young leaders will be represented in the Platinum Jubilee Beacons by beacons lit by members of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust Young Leaders network.”

More than 1,500 beacons will be set ablaze across the UK, with the principal beacon at Buckingham Palace part of a long tradition of marking significant royal occasions.

COMPANY%20PROFILE

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COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Lamsa

Founder: Badr Ward

Launched: 2014

Employees: 60

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: EdTech

Funding to date: $15 million

UAE currency

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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

The biog

Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.

Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books

Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella

Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"

Find the right policy for you

Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.

Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.

Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.

Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.

If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.

Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.

Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”

Pros%20and%20cons%20of%20BNPL

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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

Company profile

Name: Fruitful Day

Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie

Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2015

Number of employees: 30

Sector: F&B

Funding so far: Dh3 million

Future funding plans: None at present

Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries

INVESTMENT PLEDGES

Cartlow: $13.4m

Rabbitmart: $14m

Smileneo: $5.8m

Soum: $4m

imVentures: $100m

Plug and Play: $25m