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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was scheduled to embark on Thursday on another trip to the Middle East, where he will hold talks with UAE officials and others as the Israel-Gaza war continues, the State Department announced.
Mr Blinken will also travel to Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank and Egypt “for meetings with foreign counterparts and others”, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
“The secretary will focus on a number of critical issues on this trip,” Mr Miller said.
Among the topics to be addressed during his meetings with regional officials will be the need to “substantially” increase humanitarian assistance into Gaza. He will also hold talks with Israeli officials on the continuing military campaign against Hamas.
Discussions with Israelis will include “plans to transition to the next phase of operations”, including steps Israel can take “to better protect civilians”, Mr Miller said.
This will be Mr Blinken’s fourth trip to the region since October 7, when Hamas militants stormed southern Israel in an attack that killed 1,200 people. The attack led to Israel's continuing invasion and bombardment of Gaza that has killed more than 22,000 people in the enclave.
The secretary’s first trip, which came days after the October 7 attack, showed the Biden administration's support for Israel.
Each subsequent trip has taken on its own tenor. As the war has dragged on and the devastation and death toll increased in Gaza, Mr Blinken has shifted his focus to calling for an increase in humanitarian access to Gaza and the protection of civilians, while still defending Israel’s war efforts.
“I think there's more and more focus in terms of what would the military operations look like after the high intensity phase,” said Ghaith Al Omari, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
“And what do you do for Gaza during that time, what do you do for humanitarian efforts? I think this is going to be more and more part of the conversation this time.”
This trip comes amid increased regional tension. On Tuesday, Saleh Al Arouri, the deputy leader of Hamas, was killed during a strike on Beirut that has been attributed to Israel. He was the highest-ranking Hamas official killed since the war began.
The targeted strike that killed Mr Al Arouri occurred in Beirut's southern suburbs, far from the border with Israel and in the heart of Hezbollah-controlled territory.
The killing prompted Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah to warn Israel that it would “regret” a war with the militant group.
“Whoever thinks of war with us will regret it,” Mr Nasrallah said in a televised speech. “War with us will be very, very, very costly.”
On Wednesday, at least 84 people were killed in twin explosions at a ceremony marking the fourth anniversary of the death of Iranian military commander Qassem Suleimani. ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack, putting the region on even higher alert.
As the threat of a broader regional conflict continues to percolate, the Biden administration has made clear that such a conflict should be avoided at all costs.
“It is in no one's interest – not in the interest of any country in the region, not in the interest of any country in the world – to see this conflict escalated any further than it already is,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
Washington said Mr Blinken will hold discussions on steps needed to prevent the conflict from spilling over into the region.
"He will discuss specific steps parties can take including how they can use their influence with others in the region to avoid escalation," Mr Miller said.
Mr Blinken's trip comes as White House adviser Amos Hochstein is in the region as well. Mr Hochstein, who was involved in helping broker the Israel-Lebanon maritime border deal in 2022, met Israel Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday.
Separately, Mr Blinken will visit Greece and Turkey to hold Ukraine and Nato-related talks.
The Cairo Statement
1: Commit to countering all types of terrorism and extremism in all their manifestations
2: Denounce violence and the rhetoric of hatred
3: Adhere to the full compliance with the Riyadh accord of 2014 and the subsequent meeting and executive procedures approved in 2014 by the GCC
4: Comply with all recommendations of the Summit between the US and Muslim countries held in May 2017 in Saudi Arabia.
5: Refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of countries and of supporting rogue entities.
6: Carry out the responsibility of all the countries with the international community to counter all manifestations of extremism and terrorism that threaten international peace and security
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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
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
MATCH INFO
Burnley 1 (Brady 89')
Manchester City 4 (Jesus 24', 50', Rodri 68', Mahrez 87')
