Turkey carried out air strikes in northern Iraq and destroyed 20 targets of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) after a terrorist attack in Ankara, the Turkish Interior Ministry said on Sunday.
The Turkish military increased air strikes in northern Iraq's PKK bases in Gara, Hakurk, Metina and Qandil, the statement said.
Earlier, the group, which is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and its western allies, claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at Turkey's Interior Ministry in the capital.
“A sacrificial action was carried out against the Turkish Interior Ministry by a team from our Immortal Brigade,” the PKK told the ANF news agency, which is close to the Kurdish movement.
Two police officers were injured hours before MPs were scheduled to meet at the nearby parliament building.
President Sheikh Mohamed expressed the UAE's solidarity with Turkey during a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday, according to state news agency Wam.
Sheikh Mohamed reiterated the UAE's condemnation of all forms of violence and terrorism, and stressed the need for international co-operation to combat terrorism in all its forms.
He also wished for a speedy recovery for all those injured in the bombing.
The suspects carried out a bomb attack in Ankara at about 9.30am local time, said Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who described the explosion as a terrorist attack.
“Two terrorists” arrived at the scene in “a light commercial vehicle”, he said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
One blew himself up while the other was “neutralised” by security forces, he added.
Shortly after Mr Yerlikaya's post, Mr Erdogan arrived at the parliament building, which is a few minutes’ walk from the site of the attack, surrounded by heavy security.
In a speech at the opening of parliament, Mr Erdogan briefly referred to the attack.
“This morning’s action, in which two criminals were neutralised as a result of the timely intervention of our police units, is the last struggle of terrorism," he said.
“The cowards who threaten citizens’ peace and security have not achieved their goals and will never achieve them.”
The attack came hours before Turkey’s parliament was set to reconvene after the summer break.
Ozgur Ozel, who heads the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in parliament, called for a comprehensive investigation into the attack.
“This attack, which took place on the opening day of the parliament, at a point very close to the parliament, should be revealed in all its dimensions as soon as possible,” he said.
Smoke could be seen rising from the site of the explosion, close to several government buildings in the heart of the city.
A police cordon has been set up and ambulances sent to the scene.
A controlled explosion was to be carried out in the area, authorities said, and an investigation had been opened into the attack.
In security camera footage posted online, a vehicle is seen pulling up outside the Ataturk Boulevard entrance to the Interior Ministry, which is separated from the main road by a slip road lined with security bollards.
A person gets out of the passenger door and runs towards the guardhouse at the entrance. When the attacker reaches the guardhouse, there is an explosion.
The driver also left the vehicle, a Renault Kangoo, and remained by its side, shielded from the blast by the vehicle.
The pro-government Daily Sabah newspaper reported that the vehicle used in the attack had been stolen on Saturday evening in a remote part of Kayseri province, a four-hour drive south-east of Ankara.
Ismail Yildirim, the head official from Cataloluk village, said the owner of the car, who was driving on mountainous forest roads, was murdered and his body dumped in a ditch.
“Terrorists stopped the vehicle of veterinarian Mikail Bozlagan near Avlaga,” he told the newspaper.
“They killed Mikail and stole his vehicle. They dragged him into a ditch on the side of the road,” he added.
Mr Yildirim added that the victim, whose body was discovered by his father, was married with a four-month-old son.
Mr Yerlikaya named the injured police officers as Alim Reis Demirel and Erkan Karatas. He said their injuries were not life threatening.
Devlet Bahceli, who heads the ultranationalist party allied to Mr Erdogan’s government, posted: “No matter what terrorist organisations and their supporters do, they will never succeed in their goals.
"Let it be known that the root of terrorism will be eradicated with the spirit of national unity and solidarity.”
Messages of support have begun to pour in from abroad.
The US embassy in Ankara condemned the attack against “our Nato ally”, in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
“We stand in solidarity with Turkey against terrorism,” the American embassy statement said.
Joseph Borrell, the EU’s external affairs commissioner, also expressed solidarity with Ankara and condemned the attack.
The site of the attack is only a few hundred metres from where a car bomb killed 37 people in March 2016. That attack, which targeted police but killed many rush-hour commuters, was blamed on the PKK. The group has waged an insurgency against Turkey since 1984 in which tens of thousands have died.
Parliamentary Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said Turkey would “always stand by our heroic security forces and institutions who fight determinedly to eliminate terrorists and the forces behind them”.
On social media, he wrote: “Our nation and state will not give any opportunity to treacherous forces and will continue their struggle in unity and solidarity.”
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was among ministers to condemn the “treacherous terrorist attack”.
“We will continue our fight against terrorism with determination at home and abroad,” Mr Fidan, the former head of Turkey’s intelligence agency, posted online.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for previous terrorist attacks in Turkey, as has Al Qaeda, which launched a string of attacks in Istanbul in 2003.
Six people were killed in a November bombing on Istanbul's busy Istiklal Avenue. Ankara blamed the attack on the PKK, which did not claim responsibility.
The busy shopping street was hit during a campaign of attacks across Turkey from 2015 to 2017. The bombings, mostly blamed on ISIS and the PKK, killed 500 people and wounded more than 2,000.
This year has been one of Turkey's most politically charged in recent times, marked by landmark elections and the aftermath of a devastating earthquake, which killed more than 50,000 people.
Mr Erdogan secured victory at the polls after a second round of voting in May.
Turkey's parliament was previously bombed by fighter jets during a failed coup attempt in 2016.
Ankara blamed the coup on US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, once a close ally of Mr Erdogan. Mr Gulen has rejected the claims.
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
RESULTS
Bantamweight:
Zia Mashwani (PAK) bt Chris Corton (PHI)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) bt Mohammad Al Khatib (JOR)
Super lightweight:
Dwight Brooks (USA) bt Alex Nacfur (BRA)
Bantamweight:
Tariq Ismail (CAN) bt Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Featherweight:
Abdullatip Magomedov (RUS) bt Sulaiman Al Modhyan (KUW)
Middleweight:
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) bt Christofer Silva (BRA)
Middleweight:
Rustam Chsiev (RUS) bt Tarek Suleiman (SYR)
Welterweight:
Khamzat Chimaev (SWE) bt Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA)
Lightweight:
Alex Martinez (CAN) bt Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Welterweight:
Jarrah Al Selawi (JOR) bt Abdoul Abdouraguimov (FRA)
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Specs
Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now
The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
More on Quran memorisation:
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
MORE ON INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
Ferrari
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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
