For two Turkish teachers living in exile in Iraq, the plan seemed simple enough: travel from Iraq to Rava-Ruska, Ukraine, along the Polish border and, under the cover of New Year’s celebrations, slip undetected into the sanctuary of the EU.
Somehow, Salih Fidan and Samet Gure were found out and foiled by Ukrainian authorities while attempting to cross into Poland. Detained, they agreed to accept their crime of attempted illegal border crossing and return to Iraq. But after being transferred to Kyiv’s Boryspil airport, they were waiting for their flight to Erbil when Turkish officials grabbed them and whisked them to Turkey instead.
A decade ago, the movement led by Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen was among the world’s most influential religious organisations. Some 4 million members generated a billion dollars in revenue via Turkey-based media outlets, well-connected businesses and thousands of schools around the world, including 120 in the US. The movement also had its hands on the levers of power, with countless members in key roles in the Turkish military, police, judiciary and foreign office.
Today, that’s all in ruins. Ties between Mr Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the US, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) had already been in decline for a few years when a handful of Gulen-linked military officers launched a coup attempt in Turkey on the night of July 15, 2016.
After defeating the putsch, in which citizens clashed with rebels in the streets and more than 250 people died, Mr Erdogan began an unprecedented crackdown. Within Turkey, more than half a million Turkish citizens were investigated for Gulen links; 150,000 were fired from their jobs and nearly 100,000 were arrested.
The left has smelled blood, calling for Donald Trump's removal and arguing that anybody who amplified his views in the days before the Capitol rampage should be seen as a terrorist and removed or charged with treason
Beyond Turkey’s borders, Ankara embarked on a global witch hunt, requesting the extradition of more than 800 suspected Gulenists. Mr Fidan and Mr Gure are the latest examples; Turkish prosecutors claim they were deported from Ukraine for suspected ties to the Gulen movement. Human rights groups view these actions as illegal rendition and point to more than 100 similar incidents in 27 countries, which often end in interrogation and torture.
Tens of thousands of suspected Gulenists have fled Turkey in recent years, with most ending up in EU states like Germany and Sweden. Along with the US, which has repeatedly refused Mr Gulen’s extradition, the EU has denied Turkey’s requests, while countries like Iraq are often pressured to co-operate.
Back home, Mr Erdogan leveraged the post-coup surge of patriotic support to vastly increase his powers under a new presidential system and silence other perceived foes – charging, prosecuting and jailing countless leftists, activists, journalists and Kurdish leaders for dubious crimes.
“This uprising is a gift from God,” Turkey’s leader said before the coup had even been defeated.
Incoming US president Joe Biden might say the same of last week’s storming of the Capitol, an event that many, from journalists to Illinois Governor J B Pritzker, have described as an attempted coup led by current President Donald Trump.
At a rally on Wednesday, Mr Trump urged his supporters to keep fighting the result of the November election, and again called on Vice President Mike Pence to halt Congress’ official counting of electoral votes. Mr Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudolph Guiliani, called for “trial by combat”.
As the President’s role became clear, the ground shifted. Two Cabinet secretaries resigned to protest his “unconscionable” behaviour, as did several top national security advisers. The FBI launched an investigation and the Justice Department said it would not rule out pressing charges against Mr Trump.
Thursday evening, Mr Biden got the holiday gift he’d been waiting for. In a two-minute video, Mr Trump called the Capitol assault a “heinous attack” and publicly acknowledged his opponent’s victory for the first time. “My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power,” the President said.
In less than 48 hours, Mr Biden went from a President-elect facing significant challenges to his transition and his electoral victory to a brave defender of democracy with bipartisan support and, following Tuesday’s Senate runoff vote in Georgia, Democratic control of both the House and the Senate.
The left has smelled blood, calling for Donald Trump’s removal and arguing that anybody who amplified his views in the days before the Capitol rampage should be seen as a terrorist and removed or charged with treason. US publisher Simon & Schuster cancelled the planned publication of a book by Senator Josh Hawley, a supporter of Mr Trump. The firm said it “cannot support Senator Hawley after his role in what became a dangerous threat to our democracy.” Similarly, the Houston Chronicle called on another Trump ally, Senator Ted Cruz, to resign.
Neither senator made any public call for violence or an assault on the Capitol, but both did repeatedly support Mr Trump’s call to challenge the electoral result and issued fundraising calls during Wednesday's rampage. Distasteful, sure, perhaps worthy of investigation, but at this fraught moment, encouraging the left’s proclivity for knee-jerk cancellation has the potential to lead US democracy down a dark road.
After all, it was not the coup attempt that crushed Turkish democracy, but the response. In the years prior, Mr Erdogan had undoubtedly embraced some measure of authoritarianism – witness the 2013 Gezi Park protests. But the June 2015, election in which the main pro-Kurdish party cleared the electoral hurdle to enter Parliament, underscored Turkey’s continued commitment to pluralism.
In the years since its leader has trashed all democratic norms and pointed Turkey toward despotism. Just last week reports emerged that Turkish authorities have been stopping travellers at airport immigration, reviewing their recent social media activity and barring them from travel if they find anything problematic. Turkey is as polarised as it has been in decades, and Mr Erdogan faces his worst-ever poll numbers.
Mr Biden campaigned on unity and bipartisanship, but now finds himself in charge of “a party angrily bent on impeaching President Trump, forcing the resignation of [Republican] senators and making Republicans pay”, as the Washington Post put it. American liberals may be fantasising right now of Trump as the next Gulen – eking out his last days in exile as the movement that brought him to power is crushed. But following a legitimate challenge to democracy, it is not the defeated that need to be convinced to accept dissent, but the victorious.
Some sliver of the Gulen movement was likely treasonous and deserved prosecution, just as some measure of Trumpists are far-right extremists who sought to undermine the electoral process and should face justice. But the vast majority of Gulenists and Trumpists are not putschists, just normal people who seek security and stability like the rest of us.
What happened in Washington last week was less a coup than a sign of a sore loser with influence, and deeply problematic, even racist, American policing. Yet as with Turkey, the government’s response will shape the road ahead. The perpetrators should be held to account. But the pitchforks should be kept in the shed. American democracy is too important to the world for its politics to be based on anger and vendetta.
David Lepeska is a Turkish and Eastern Mediterranean affairs columnist for The National
Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30-December 2, at The Sevens, Dubai
Gulf Under 19
Pool A – Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jumeirah College Tigers, Dubai English Speaking School 1, Gems World Academy
Pool B – British School Al Khubairat, Bahrain Colts, Jumeirah College Lions, Dubai English Speaking School 2
Pool C - Dubai College A, Dubai Sharks, Jumeirah English Speaking School, Al Yasmina
Pool D – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Deira International School
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
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Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
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Price: Dh431,800
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Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Opening weekend Premier League fixtures
Weekend of August 10-13
Arsenal v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
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Price: Dh13,400,000
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The specs
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Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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