Iran's newly inaugurated president Ebrahim Raisi has appointed his Cabinet members all of whom are hardliners and conservatives.
The first two appointments came earlier this week. Mohammad Mokhber was named first Vice President, while Gholamhossein Esmaili becomes Mr Raisi's chief of staff.
Mr Mokhber was director of the Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order, a government-owned enterprise. He was also part of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's executive staff.
In that role, he established the Barakat Foundation, the Ehsan Foundation, the Barakat Knowledge Foundation and the Tadbir Economic Development Group.
A veteran of the Iran-Iraq War, the US imposed sanctions on Mr Mokhber because of his role in the supreme leader's office.
Mr Esmaili is the former spokesman of Iran's judiciary and is the former head of the country's prison organisation.
Mr Raisi has two weeks to announce the rest of his Cabinet and present the names to MPs for approval. He is expected to make the rest of his appointments over the coming week.
Mr Raisi announced his full list of cabinet appointees on Thursday just two days before the next parliamentary session where members will vote to approve his cabinet.
On Wednesday, it was announced that Hossein Amir-Abdollahian will succeed Javad Zarif as the nation's next foreign minister. Mr Amir-Abdollahian is of the hardline camp and was formerly Iran's deputy foreign minister for Arab and African Affairs under conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and outgoing moderate Hassan Rouhani.
Who is in the rest of Iran's Cabinet?
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance- Seyed Ehsan Khandouzi
Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance- Mohammad Mehdi Ismaili
Ministry of Defense, Support and Armed Forces- Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani
Department of Justice- Mohammad Mehdi Ismaili
Ministry of Health and Medical Education- Bahram Ainullahi
Ministry of Education- Hossein Baghgoli
Ministry of Roads and City Planning- Rostam Ghasemi;
Oil Ministry- Javad Oji
Ministry of Information- Hujjatul Islam and Muslims Seyyed Ismail Khatib
Ministry of Power- Ali Akbar Mehrabian
Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade- Seyed Reza Fatemi Amin
Ministry of Agriculture- Seyed Javad Sadati Nejad
Ministry of Labour, Cooperation and Social Welfare- Hojjatullah Abdul Maleki
Ministry of Sport and Youth- Seyed Hamid Sajjadi Hazaveh
Ministry of Foreign Affairs- Hossein Amir Abdullahian
Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism-Seyed Ezatullah Zarghami
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology-Issa Zarepour;
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SERIES%209
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Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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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
McLaren GT specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh875,000
On sale: now
Results
4pm: Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
4.35pm: Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m; Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
5.10pm: Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Canvassed, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Lord Glitters, Daniel Tudhope, David O’Meara
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
7.30pm: Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Final Song, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
Results
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1hr 32mins 03.897sec
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull-Honda) at 0.745s
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 37.383s
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 46.466s
5.Sergio Perez (Red Bull-Honda) 52.047s
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 59.090s
7. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 1:06.004
8. Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) 1:07.100
9. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri-Honda) 1:25.692
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:26.713,
Favourite book: ‘The Art of Learning’ by Josh Waitzkin
Favourite film: Marvel movies
Favourite parkour spot in Dubai: Residence towers in Jumeirah Beach Residence
Tips for SMEs to cope
- Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
- Make sure you have an online presence
- Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
- Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
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%20profile
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'Joker'
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix
Rating: Five out of five stars
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury
Liverpool
Gordon (34'), Fabinho (44' pen, 90' 3), Firmino (78')
Shrewsbury
Udoh (27'minutes)
Man of the Match: Kaide Gordon (Liverpool)
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2A)
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THE%20STRANGERS'%20CASE
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