Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Almost a year has passed since the events of October 7, 2023, and for many families displaced from Gaza, the situation has only deteriorated.
Despite a feeling of immense gratitude for the love, support and shelter provided, this is the case for Palestinians taking refuge in Abu Dhabi's Emirates Humanitarian City.
Gaza's borders are sealed. There is no way in or out of the besieged enclave, leaving residents in a state of constant fear and uncertainty. Families separated by the conflict are scattered across different countries, their lives upended and futures uncertain.
More than 41,000 people have been killed and thousands remain trapped in Gaza, living in makeshift shelters and tents, struggling for water as winter approaches, with the flow of food, medicine and fuel supplies severely restricted.
For those who have found refuge in the UAE, the daily reports of more death and destruction back home not only haunt them, but instil a sense that returning is no longer an option, that the time has come to rebuild their lives away from Gaza.
Lives altered
Sabreen Mady and her daughter Lama arrived in the UAE on December 19, with Lama requiring urgent surgery on her hip. She spent three months in a wheelchair and has only recently started walking again but, for Sabreen, her daughter's recovery is just a small solace amid the chaos her family continues to endure.
“Our entire lives have changed. We are in three countries, not one. Twenty-five of our family members died, and those remaining are injured. Some are in Egypt, and others in Italy,” she told The National. “It has gone from bad to worse. Every day there are more deaths, more missiles. Life in Gaza isn’t guaranteed. The borders are closed. There is no way for me to go back. There is no plane to take me.”
Jamal Al Najar, 58, recalled how October 7 shattered his family's dreams as his son, Amjad, was planning to get married in July 2024. Amjad, 21, was seriously injured by shrapnel that became lodged in his left ureter and damaged his spine.
“Our lives are now very sad, very difficult, but without the UAE, its people, and their kindness, and President Sheikh Mohamed, my son wouldn’t be walking on his legs today or even alive. We thank God we are here,” Mr Al Najar said.
Reflecting on a possible return to Gaza, he continued: “There is no hope. Where is the hope? Where will we go? Even if we want to go back, what will we go back to? My kids in Gaza are in a tent. I was in a respectable, clean house, now I’ll go back to a tent. There aren't even toilets there. There are no landmarks. If I go now, I won’t be able to recognise it.”
About 2,000 patients are being housed at EHC as part of the UAE's humanitarian operations in solidarity with Palestinians. About 150 medical appointments are carried out each day, with a team of more than 50 doctors, nurses, therapists and administrators on site. A school serving more than 400 children has also been established.
Ibtesam Abu Nada, 49, a pharmacist, came with one of her daughters to the UAE for breast cancer treatment on March 26. She described the painful separation from her relatives who are now scattered and isolated.
The mother of four daughters said: “The situation is very hard. We are dispersed. Do you know what it’s like for a family to be in more than one country? My husband remained in the north. He’s an engineer working at the Ministry of Health, so when we were displaced, he refused to move and stayed in Sheikh Radwan.
“We moved and went to Deir Al Balah. After Deir Al Balah, we went to Khan Younis, and from there to Rafah. Two of my daughters remained in Khan Younis. One went to Egypt so her sisters could follow her later, but then the border closed, so one daughter remained alone in Egypt.
“Their father is in the north, and two are in Khan Younis. We follow the news daily, and there is no step forward. When we feel there is some hope, we go backwards.”
Watch: Gazan patients offered psychiatric care
Grateful but still praying
Alaa Al Nawajha, 30, is living in EHC with her daughter Jana, who has a weak immune system and requires a bone marrow transplant. Jana’s father, her donor, remains stuck in Gaza.
“I’m very tired. Neither my daughter nor I are able to cope with the new situation. Being separated from our family in Gaza is very hard,” Ms Al Nawajha said. “They are all our family. We feel like there is hope, and then suddenly that hope dies. The UAE took us in, and we are grateful, but we are now living in the unknown.
“We are praying to God that the situation will improve but, as human beings, we aren’t able to endure it for much longer,” she added. “Our hearts have gone weak. I can’t listen to the news of more deaths, every day more deaths and destruction. It is so hard. God willing, things will improve.”
For Jaser Abu Mousa, 45, the conflict was less of a surprise. The father of four was a political analyst who worked for the Swiss embassy in the enclave, and recalls drafting reports in the months preceding the attack that suggested “something was coming”.
Family and friends were at his Gaza home on October 15 when it was hit by two Israeli missiles. Two of his sons, his wife and other family members were killed. “I was very scared, and every night I thought it would be our last,” he said. “The first body I saw was my wife’s. There were body parts all over.
“The situation gets worse every day. My mother and sister are still in Gaza,” said Mr Abu Mousa, who arrived in the UAE on December 8.
“This is the reason I don’t sleep at night. I was in Switzerland once and was asked what I thought of the situation in Gaza. I answered that Hamas found legitimacy for its existence by calling themselves the resistance to Israel, and Israel found legitimacy to suffocate Gaza and kill its people by calling themselves defenders fighting terrorism.
“There is an unholy marriage between the two, and the victim is Gaza. It has been a year now, and I don’t see any light, at least not in the next two months.”
The Israel-Gaza war – one year on
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'C'mon C'mon'
Director:Mike Mills
Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman
Rating: 4/5
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
Company%20profile
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Stage 5 results
1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 3:48:53
2 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team -
3 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott -
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:04
5 Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) CCC Team 0:00:07
General Classification:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 20:35:04
2 Tadej Pogacar (SlO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:01
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 0:01:33
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:48
5 Rafał Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:02:11
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
AS IT STANDS IN POOL A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5
Remaining fixtures
Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am
Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm
Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm
Kibsons%20Cares
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 1 (Gundogan 56')
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Solomon 69')
ACC%20T20%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Championship
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Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population: 44.13 million
Armed conflict in Donbass
Russia-backed fighters control territory
box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
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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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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