US prosecutors are expected to request the extradition of a former Libyan intelligence officer over the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988.
Abu Agila Mohammad Masud is now suspected of making the bomb that blew up the plane and killed 270 people over the Scottish town.
The terrorist attack, the deadliest on British soil, predominantly killed Americans returning home for Christmas holidays.
The Justice Department is expected to unseal charges against Mr Masud in coming days, US media reported.
Mr Masud was previously in custody in Libya on unrelated charges but his exact whereabouts are unknown, The New York Times reported.
The suspect is alleged to have been a top bomb-maker for the Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi.
Scottish prosecutors previously identified Mr Masud, as well as Qaddafi's former spy chief, Abdullah Al Senussi, as suspects.
The case against Mr Masud in part relies on the work of investigative journalist Ken Dornstein. His brother David was among those killed on the London-New York flight.
Mr Dornstein said Mr Masud’s name had been mentioned in the Lockerbie investigation but authorities could not track him down.
He told BBC's Radio 4 Today programme: "I decided to revisit the records and see if I could find something that was overlooked.
“Masud is a case of someone whose name had been in the record but it wasn’t a name anyone could do anything with ... people thought it wasn’t a real person
“He was essentially a ghost, he was a phantom. There was no reason to be certain he existed.”
Mr Dornstein said a breakthrough for his investigation came when he discovered Mr Masud was associated with the bombing of Berlin’s La Belle nightclub in 1986.
“When I matched that up I released Masud wasn’t a ghost, he was a bomb expert,” he said.
“I found the one man who confessed to the La Belle bombing and he had named Masud.
“He was the only person in the world who admitted to knowing him and could tell me who he was. He told me further that Masud had told him in private meetings he had been involved in Lockerbie.
“He could confirm that Masud was still alive, which was news to me, and he could tell me where to find him – he was in a Libyan prison.”
Mr Dornstein said he was “pretty satisfied that Masud put together the bomb” that blew up the plane.
Libyan citizen Abdelbaset Al Megrahi, also an intelligence operative, is the only man to be convicted over the bombing, in 2001. He died in 2012.
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Scores
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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