• Swiss tennis champion Roger Federer serves a ball in Geneva during a presentation ahead of the Laver Cup tournament that will take place in Geneva next September. AFP
    Swiss tennis champion Roger Federer serves a ball in Geneva during a presentation ahead of the Laver Cup tournament that will take place in Geneva next September. AFP
  • Pakistani Naval personnel march as they carry the flags of the countries participating in the navy's Multinational Exercise 'AMAN-19' in Karachi. Exercise Aman is scheduled from February 8-12. AFP
    Pakistani Naval personnel march as they carry the flags of the countries participating in the navy's Multinational Exercise 'AMAN-19' in Karachi. Exercise Aman is scheduled from February 8-12. AFP
  • A man performs archery on a horse during a celebration on the third day of Losar, the Tibetan New Year, in Lhasa, Tibet. Reuters
    A man performs archery on a horse during a celebration on the third day of Losar, the Tibetan New Year, in Lhasa, Tibet. Reuters
  • A man dressed in Peking opera costume attracts customers on the third day of Chinese Lunar New Year of the Pig, at the ancient town of Ciqikou in Chongqing, China. Reuters
    A man dressed in Peking opera costume attracts customers on the third day of Chinese Lunar New Year of the Pig, at the ancient town of Ciqikou in Chongqing, China. Reuters
  • Canada's men's team competes in the team pursuit at the the ISU single distance Speedskating World Championships in Inzell, Germany. AP
    Canada's men's team competes in the team pursuit at the the ISU single distance Speedskating World Championships in Inzell, Germany. AP
  • Hershel Odle looks out toward the cityscape lost in a whiteout as he fishes from a pier during a snowstorm in Seattle. AP
    Hershel Odle looks out toward the cityscape lost in a whiteout as he fishes from a pier during a snowstorm in Seattle. AP
  • Dragon dancers perform at a park in Beijing on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. AFP
    Dragon dancers perform at a park in Beijing on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. AFP
  • The morning sun hits the skyline of lower Manhattan in New York City. AFP
    The morning sun hits the skyline of lower Manhattan in New York City. AFP

World in focus - best photos for February 9, 2019


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More galleries from The National:

Flying Aces: It's Red Bull Air Race time in Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed attends a camel race - in pictures

Volkswagens take over Abu Dhabi for Dub Drive 2019 - in pictures

Scorebox

Sharjah Wanderers 20-25 Dubai Tigers (After extra-time)

Wanderers

Tries Gormley, Penalty

Cons Flaherty

Pens Flaherty 2

Tigers

Tries O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly

Cons Caldwell 2

Pens Caldwell, Cross

How it works

A $10 hand-powered LED light and battery bank

Device is operated by hand cranking it at any time during the day or night 

The charge is stored inside a battery

The ratio is that for every minute you crank, it provides 10 minutes light on the brightest mode

A full hand wound charge is of 16.5minutes 

This gives 1.1 hours of light on high mode or 2.5 hours of light on low mode

When more light is needed, it can be recharged by winding again

The larger version costs between $18-20 and generates more than 15 hours of light with a 45-minute charge

No limit on how many times you can charge

 

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

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions