A turtle rescued by Sheikh Fahim Al Qassimi will hopefully be released back into the wild after recovering from surgery at the Burj Al Arab Turtle Rehabilitation Sanctuary.
Sheikh Fahim spotted the 20-year-old turtle tangled up in fishing wire while on a free-diving trip off Sir Bu Nuair, a protected area 100km west of Dubai.
The Sharjah royal dived down seven metres to bring the distressed turtle to the surface.
About two metres from the surface, he discovered the wire wrapped around the turtle’s neck and flipper was attached to the seabed and holding her below the surface.
Sometimes plastic or rubbish get stuck around their flipper, and this means they can not swim and find food
Treading water and holding his breath, he managed to cut it free with a knife, and bring the turtle to the surface.
Turtles can hold their breath for between four and seven hours, but eventually drown if they are trapped under water.
“It was clear the turtle was badly injured, so I called the Environment and Protected Areas Authority [in Sharjah], who sent a boat to take her to Sharjah Aquarium. They said it was a bigger job than they could handle, so they contacted the Turtle Rehabilitation Sanctuary at the Burj Al Arab,” Sheikh Fahim said.
Dr Panos Azmanis, a vet from the Dubai Falcon Hospital, operated on the turtle at the sanctuary, but was sadly unable to save her flipper.
Despite her traumatic experience, the amphibian – named Farah – is now recovering well after surgery and started to eat normally over the weekend. She is still on antibiotics and the wound is healing well. The vets hope she will learn how to dive with one flipper, and be released back into the wild.
The turtle sanctuary based at the Burj Al Arab saves about 250 turtles each year.
The project started in 2004, and is funded by Jumeirah Group and Dubai Holding as part of their community outreach programme. In future, they hope to encourage schools to sponsor the treatment of injured turtles to teach children about conservation.
Once recovered, the turtles could be tracked by radar by the schools after their release.
A world-class turtle treatment centre in Dubai
"We have treated over 2,000 turtles over 16 years," said Tristan Delmas, manager of the Burj Al Arab.
"Some of the turtles come in to the sanctuary in a really bad way. Sometimes it is plastic in the water, and the turtles swallow it and it blocks their stomach so they can not feed.
"Sometimes plastic or rubbish gets stuck around their flipper, and this means they can not swim and find food, so eventually they die.
"Quite often jet skis hit the turtles on the back, and in this situation they need to be treated quickly.
"We have two rehabilitation areas. We have one in the hotel where we actually first receive the turtles in the care centre.
"Then the second phase comes to the release in the lagoon, where the turtles can get even stronger – start to swim by themselves, feed by themselves, and when we feel that they're strong enough, we will release," Mr Delmas said.
Tagged turtles are monitored from the Burj Al Arab. One amphibian called Dibba travelled 8,600km from the UAE to Thailand in 2008, before the transmitter stopped working. That journey has been beaten by only one other turtle, which swam from South Africa to Australia.
Four out of the five turtle breeds can be found in the waters of the UAE. Green turtles and endangered hawksbills can be found in the Gulf, and loggerheads and olive ridley turtles live in the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
In February, the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and the emirate's National Aquarium collaborate to help turtles “cold-stunned” by the cooler water temperatures.
At least 300 turtles affected by the condition are rescued every year on Abu Dhabi's beaches.
Members of the public are asked to call the Abu Dhabi Government Contact Centre at 800 555 if they spot a stunned turtle. In Dubai, turtles can be brought to the Burj Al Arab where the aquarium team take care of them.
Last year, in celebration of World Sea Turtle Day, the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, participated in the release of 65 hawksbills after they were nursed back to health in the sanctuary.
"We are very lucky that the community rallies round to save the turtles," Mr Delmas said.
"We work with many conservation organisations, including in Abu Dhabi, and the Prime Minister's office and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed have given us assistance with boats, equipment and medicine."
Sheikh Fahim has always had a close relationship with the sea, and co-founded Seafood Souk, a company set up in 2019 to improve the traceability of seafood as it makes its journey from fisherman to fishmonger.
“I grew up on the ocean, going out fishing, and I see turtles most weekends. But I was taken aback when I had to rescue two in nine months,” he said.
“The first was an easy save. We were diving off the coast of Northern Fujairah, near the Dibba Bay Oyster Farm, when I spotted a small turtle tangled in plastic and struggling to swim.
"I quickly removed the rubbish and released it back into the ocean. It was a magical moment."
Sheikh Fahim's interaction with the two turtles galvanised him into action, and he is now planning several projects to raise awareness of the amphibians' plight.
“It’s shocking to discover how many turtles are injured each year in the waters of the UAE. There are plenty of ways to help protect them,” he said.
“Boat strikes are a major problem, so if people drive their boats slower, that will immediately reduce the chance of a turtle being injured or killed."
Sheikh Fahim visited the turtle shortly after its surgery at the Burj Al Arab and joked about the level of emotion he felt.
“I’m not embarrassed to tell you it brought tears to my eyes to see her safe. My friends are already calling me the 'hero of the half shells'.”
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SupplyVan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2029%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MRO%20and%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20Znap%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarted%3A%202017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Uday%20Rathod%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%241m%2B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EInvestors%3A%20Family%2C%20friends%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
RESULT
Manchester United 1 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Man United: Dunk (66' og)
Man of the Match: Shane Duffy (Brighton)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
When is VAR used?
• Goals
• Penalty decisions
• Direct red-card incidents
• Mistaken identity
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
Super Saturday race card
4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
RESULTS
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m
Winner: Lady Parma, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m
Winner: Tabernas, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash.
2.45pm: Handicap Dh95,000 1,200m
Winner: Night Castle, Connor Beasley, Satish Seemar.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,400m
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Mutawakked, Szczepan Mazur, Musabah Al Muhairi.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner: Tafaakhor, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner: Cranesbill, Fabrice Veron, Erwan Charpy.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
