• People relax in the sunshine, as lockdown restrictions are eased, in St. James's Park, London. Reuters
    People relax in the sunshine, as lockdown restrictions are eased, in St. James's Park, London. Reuters
  • Passengers, some wearing protective face coverings and some not, travel on the London Underground. AFP
    Passengers, some wearing protective face coverings and some not, travel on the London Underground. AFP
  • Visitors to Greenwich Park pose for photographs with cherry blossom trees in London. Reuters
    Visitors to Greenwich Park pose for photographs with cherry blossom trees in London. Reuters
  • A woman releases coloured smoke, as she takes part in an anti-lockdown 'Unite for Freedom' protest in London. Reuters
    A woman releases coloured smoke, as she takes part in an anti-lockdown 'Unite for Freedom' protest in London. Reuters
  • Demonstrators take part in the 'Unite for Freedom' protest in central London. AFP
    Demonstrators take part in the 'Unite for Freedom' protest in central London. AFP
  • Visitors to Greenwich Park sit and look towards Canary Wharf financial district in London. Reuters
    Visitors to Greenwich Park sit and look towards Canary Wharf financial district in London. Reuters
  • Workers wait to admit fans to Wembley Stadium to watch the English League Cup final football match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, in northwest London. AFP
    Workers wait to admit fans to Wembley Stadium to watch the English League Cup final football match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, in northwest London. AFP
  • Fans of Manchester City wear protective face masks in the stands prior to the English League Cup final at Wembley in London. EPA
    Fans of Manchester City wear protective face masks in the stands prior to the English League Cup final at Wembley in London. EPA
  • People relax in St. James's Park, London. Reuters
    People relax in St. James's Park, London. Reuters

Passengers to UK extending quarantine over test delays amid fears system could collapse


  • English
  • Arabic

Some passengers arriving in the UK are forced to extend their quarantine because private labs are failing to deliver Covid-19 tests on time.

An investigation by consumer advocate Which? found travellers were paying hundreds of pounds to alternative test providers, while others were missing work as they were required to stay at home.

Anyone arriving in the UK must quarantine at home for a mandatory 10 days. Travellers are required to take a PCR test on day two and day eight of their quarantine, and are allowed to leave quarantine if they test negative twice.

Arrivals from red-list countries must quarantine in a government-approved hotel – with tests supplied as part of the £1,750 accommodation package.

Tests delivered to households by private providers typically cost £160 to £200, but some are more than £500, Which? found.

Travellers are not entitled to free tests supplied by the National Health Service.

But it is understood only four private test providers of more than 500 on a government list are accredited.

There are concerns that the travel test system – already struggling to handle demand – could be overwhelmed when travel restrictions are lifted.

Erkal Taskin, who returned from Turkey after visiting his ill father in early April, said he didn’t receive his day-two test kit from government-listed provider Anglia until a week after arrival.

He received his day-two result 15 days after arrival and he is still to receive his day-eight result.

“I wasn't sure when I could leave my house and there was no one to ask,” he said.

“I ended up waiting for so long before I could go back to work, which was a huge problem.”

Arrivals at Heathrow Airport. Getty Images
Arrivals at Heathrow Airport. Getty Images

Another traveller complained on Trustpilot about a different provider, claiming that after failing to receive day-two test results, they paid for a ‘Day Five Test to Release Kit’ – which would have allowed an early end to quarantine on receipt of a negative result.

The traveller said “now on day nine, we still have no results, so it was a waste of £110 plus £175”.

Royal Mail said there were no reported delays in its network related to use of the company’s priority post boxes for managing travellers’ test results, after some providers blamed delayed postal deliveries.

Oncologica, one of the largest laboratories to partner many government-listed test providers, apologised for delays and said there has been an “unprecedented increase in Covid testing enquiries and kit orders received since government travel rules were introduced”.

Nationwide Pathology, another major private test supplier, also apologised for “large scale disruption to the delivery of both kits and samples”.

Travel editor at Which? Adam Boland said the system couldn’t cope with the current level of demand.

“It’s clear the system could buckle under the pressure when mass international travel restarts and hundreds of thousands more people are reliant on it,” he said.

“Travellers shouldn’t have to shop around for something as crucial as a test provider – they simply need a service that is accessible, reliable and delivered on time. It is critical that the government addresses issues with testing ahead of restarting international travel.”

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said it raised every public complaint with private test providers.

“We also monitor all providers’ performance, including their delivery and test turnaround times,” he said.

“We will take rapid action against any company that is providing an inadequate service. In the first instance, they will receive a warning and are given five days to demonstrate they have addressed concerns, and if not, they are removed from the gov.uk list.”

UAE v Zimbabwe A, 50 over series

Fixtures
Thursday, Nov 9 - 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 11 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Monday, Nov 13 – 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
Thursday, Nov 16 – 2pm, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 18 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai

Results

Stage 7:

1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29

2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time

3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious

4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep

5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM

General Classification:

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35

3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02

4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42

5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45

While you're here
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'The worst thing you can eat'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines: 

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

RACE CARD

6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,200m

7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,900m

7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 2,000m

8.15pm: Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,600m

8.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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”.

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

About Proto21

Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Planes grounded by coronavirus

British Airways: Cancels all direct flights to and from mainland China 

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific: Cutting capacity to/from mainland China by 50 per cent from Jan. 30

Chicago-based United Airlines: Reducing flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong

Ai Seoul:  Suspended all flights to China

Finnair: Suspending flights to Nanjing and Beijing Daxing until the end of March

Indonesia's Lion Air: Suspending all flights to China from February

South Korea's Asiana Airlines,  Jeju Air  and Jin Air: Suspend all flights

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Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Trump v Khan

2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US

2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks

2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit

2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”

2022:  Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency

July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”

Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.

Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”

VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Bharatanatyam

A ancient classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Intricate footwork and expressions are used to denote spiritual stories and ideas.

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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat