Indian security personnel stand guard in Srinagar on Wednesday. AFP
Indian security personnel stand guard in Srinagar on Wednesday. AFP
Indian security personnel stand guard in Srinagar on Wednesday. AFP
Indian security personnel stand guard in Srinagar on Wednesday. AFP

Several Indian soldiers killed in Kashmir gun battles


Taniya Dutta
  • English
  • Arabic

Five Indian government soldiers including two senior army officers were killed in separate gunfights this week in Indian administered Kashmir, officials said. Four suspected rebels were also killed.

The two Indian army officers, Col Manpreet Singh and Maj Aashish Dhonchak, were shot dead during a gunfight that erupted on Tuesday night in Kokernag, southern Kashmir. Humayun Bhat, a senior policeman, also died.

The gunfight started after government forces laid a cordon around a forest after receiving a tip off about the presence of militants.

The Indian Army said it saluted "the valour and sacrifice of Col Manpreet Singh, and Maj Aashish Dhonchak, who laid down their lives in the line of duty".

The police said they had surrounded two men who belonged to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group. The group is a notoriously violent extremist organisation linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 175 people, the vast majority of them civilians.

"Our forces persist with unwavering resolve," police posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Relatives attend the funeral of Indian police officer Humayun Bhat in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian administered Kashmir. AP
Relatives attend the funeral of Indian police officer Humayun Bhat in the outskirts of Srinagar, Indian administered Kashmir. AP

Separately, four people including an Indian soldier, a police officer and two suspected rebels, were killed on Tuesday during a prolonged firefight in Rajouri city in the Jammu region, which has a border with Pakistan.

The Kashmir region is ruled by India and Pakistan in parts but has been claimed by both in its entirety since British colonisers left the subcontinent in 1947.

A decades-long armed rebellion against New Delhi’s rule has left tens of thousands of people dead, with anti-India sentiments running high. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of training and arming the militants, a charge denied by the rival nation.

There has been an increase in armed violence in the restive region following New Delhi’s shock decision to strip it of its limited autonomy in 2019 and bring it under its direct control.

Mr Modi’s government argued that the semi-autonomous status fuelled separatist sentiments in Kashmir, the centre of a territorial dispute with nuclear-armed Pakistan.

The valley has witnessed at least 62 militant attacks until May last year while more than 70 militants have been killed by government forces.

Nearly 900 people, including 144 security personnel, have died in attacks since 2019.

It remains one of the most militarised regions in the world, with at least 500,000 Indian armed personnel deployed there.

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Transmission: nine-speed automatic

Power: 310hp

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Price: Dh200,000

Fixture and table

UAE finals day: Friday, April 13 at Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

  • 3pm, UAE Conference: Dubai Tigers v Sharjah Wanderers
  • 6.30pm, UAE Premiership: Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins

 

UAE Premiership – final standings

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  2. Abu Dhabi Harlequins
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  5. Dubai Sports City Eagles
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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”.

NBA Finals results

Game 1: Warriors 124, Cavaliers 114
Game 2: Warriors 122, Cavaliers 103
Game 3: Cavaliers 102, Warriors 110
Game 4: In Cleveland, Sunday (Monday morning UAE)

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

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Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

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Director: Hansal Mehta

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Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

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CAF Champions League semi-finals first-leg fixtures

Tuesday:

Primeiro Agosto (ANG) v Esperance (TUN) (8pm UAE)
Al Ahly (EGY) v Entente Setif (ALG) (11PM)

Second legs:

October 23

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Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018

More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE

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The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023

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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

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Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)

Women's: 
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)

Ashes 2019 schedule

August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston

August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's

August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley

September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford

September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval

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Launched: 2018

Employees: 35

Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)

Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners

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UAE fixtures:
Men

Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final

Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final

How does ToTok work?

The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store

To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.

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Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.

 

Company%20Profile
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Jewel of the Expo 2020

252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome

13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas

550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome

724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses

Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa

Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site

The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants

Al Wasl means connection in Arabic

World’s largest 360-degree projection surface

Updated: September 14, 2023, 11:44 AM