A school apart: introducing the Pearson Online Academy

Introducing Pearson Online Academy UK Global

Pearson Online Academy UK Global is a high-quality personalised online private school delivering Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs and A Levels for students aged 14–18 that can be accessed virtually anywhere. We inspire and empower our students to achieve academic excellence through our affordable, online education that prepares them for brilliant futures.

Personalised Performance Learning

At Pearson Online Academy UK Global, our Personalised Performance Learning (PPL) approach gives EVERY student the best chance to flourish. We ensure they receive the one-on-one, tailored attention they deserve, and it starts from the point at which successful applications are made.

Personalising a student’s learning isn’t a one-time process, it’s ongoing with students, Success Coaches, parents, and  teachers  working together to set, review and adjust goals for the student and determine a timeline for accomplishing these individualised learning goals during the school years.

Pearson's online learning platforms are currently being used by over 105,000 students to power their learning

As students enter the school, they discuss their strengths, skills, and previous school performance with their teachers, Success Coaches and parents to help inform and guide the best teaching and personalised online learning approach.

These conversations along with assessments and other data are used to identify and evaluate a student’s strengths, weaknesses, and talents to help select courses and create a learning plan based on the student’s individual needs. We uncover skills that may need improvement and look for ways to enhance the student’s learning potential - a practice that continues throughout the school, where subject testing is used to identify areas of strength and weakness, measure progress, and establish learning goals.  Regular communication schedules and adjustments to learning plans and timetables as well as electives, means teachers, Success Coaches and students can collectively ensure individual needs are met.

Regular communication schedules and adjustments to learning plans and timetables as well as electives, means teachers, Success Coaches and students can collectively ensure individual needs are met. Pearson Online Academy

20 years of experience

Our PPL approach is over 20 years of experience supporting online schools to engage and flourish.

We’ve specifically created our educational programmes for online learning to ensure that every student is fully engaged in their learning and that our teachers are equipped to bring out the very best in them.

Within the structure of a complete school programme, students use our online learning platform to study from home, joining ‘LiveLesson’ sessions to deepen their understanding with expert teachers and their fellow students across the world. This ‘flipped classroom’ has been proven to increase student engagement and encourage critical thinking, whilst working alongside peers from other countries helps to broaden their understanding of different cultures and build an international network of friends.

Online learning platforms

Pearson’s online learning platforms are currently being used by over 105,000 students to power their learning.  Students follow an individual learning pathway, working through high quality, interactive, self-paced study materials, with teachers using LiveLesson sessions, office hours, and other contact time to stretch them where possible and offer more support when needed.

The flexibility of self-paced learning combined with the extracurricular activities and a Success Coach helps students stay on track to meet their personal targets and allows them to thrive with their education. By building and managing their own timetables, students receive a personalised experience that gives them control over their learning and fosters independence and self-discipline.

This approach sets our school apart from the rest and ensures each and every one of students is able to achieve their potential.

Kareem Shaheen on Canada

A second lockdown will be especially tough in cold countries

Hard-hit Canada is springing back to the cliched 'new normal'

Justin Trudeau 2.0 will need to take all of Canada with him

TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SE%20(second%20generation)

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Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie

Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)

Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

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

THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl

Transmission: eight-speed auto

Power: 190bhp

Torque: 300Nm

Price: Dh169,900

On sale: now

The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport

Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial

Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

Company%20profile

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How to wear a kandura

Dos

Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts

Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying

Uefa Nations League: How it works

The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.

The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.

Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.

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

How to avoid crypto fraud

Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.