Boris Johnson issued an apology for the British military's role in the killing of 10 civilians in Belfast in 1971 after an inquest almost 50 years later established the victims' innocence.
The UK Prime Minister called First Minister of Northern Ireland Arlene Foster to apologise unreservedly on behalf of the British government for the events that took place in Ballymurphy as well as the five decades of delay in investigating. "The prime minister apologised unreservedly on behalf of the UK government for the events that took place in Ballymurphy and the huge anguish that the lengthy pursuit of truth has caused the families of those killed," a Downing Street spokesman said.
Hours earlier, former prime minister Tony Blair called for a truth and reconciliation commission for Northern Ireland to address historical crimes on both sides of The Troubles.
Modelled on South Africa's post-apartheid experience, the commission would be a better approach than endless recriminations in court prosecutions, Mr Blair said, a day after a coroner's inquest heavily criticised British troops over the 10 deaths.
"Obviously I sympathise with the government. We tried to deal with this ourselves when we were in government," he said.
The inquest came on the day that Mr Johnson had hoped to confirm he would press ahead with new legislation to try to draw a line under accusations of wrongful deaths in past conflicts through a statute of limitations for potential suspects.
The Ballymurphy families welcomed a judge's findings that British soldiers unjustifiably shot or used disproportionate force in the deaths of nine of the 10 innocent people in the 1971 incident.
A Catholic priest and a mother of eight who served soldiers tea were among the victims. "All of the deceased were entirely innocent of any wrongdoing on the day in question," Lady Justice Keegan ruled.
The bereaved families only came together after a 1998 event on the 'Forgotten Victims' of the three-decade conflict to bring Northern Ireland out of the United Kingdom.
The meeting was advertised in a newspaper and as it got under way individuals recognised the incident from other participants' tales.
Alice Harper, the daughter of victim Danny Teggart, said she could still vividly recall the day of August 9, 1971 when the father of 13 was shot 14 times near the British Army base in the Catholic Ballymurphy area of Belfast.
"We just wanted the truth and wanted people to know the truth," she said. "We know our loved ones were innocent and we've lived with that stigma."
Father Hugh Mullan, the 38-year-old priest who died, was helping an injured man and Francis Quinn, 44 was shot trying to retrieve his body.
Also killed in the shootings were John McKerr, 49, Edward Doherty, 43, John Laverty, 20, Joseph Corr, 43, Noel Phillips, 19, Joseph Murray, 41 and Joan Connolly, a 44-year-old mother of eight children.
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
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