Warring sides in Yemen's long conflict offered support on Thursday for the UN's call for a ceasefire to protect civilians from the coronavirus pandemic.
Yemen this week marked the fifth anniversary of the war aimed at restoring the internationally recognised government of President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi after the Iran-backed Houthi rebels overran areas.
Saudi Arabia, leading the coalition to restore Mr Hadi's government, the Yemen government and the rebels all welcomed an appeal from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Mr Guterres this week called for an "immediate global ceasefire" to help avert disaster for vulnerable people in conflict zones.
"The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war," he said.
"That is why today, I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world."
The call was welcomed by the government.
"The government of Yemen welcomes the call of the UN chief for a ceasefire in the face of coronavirus, and to de-escalate acts of violence in the entire country," the Yemen government said.
"The political, economic and health situation requires halting all escalations to preserve people's lives and deal responsibly with this pandemic."
The Saudi-led coalition also backed the initiative.
Yemen's broken healthcare system has so far recorded no cases of coronavirus.
But aid groups warn that if it does hit, the impact will be catastrophic in a country already facing the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
"We have a global coronavirus pandemic threatening to overwhelm an already broken healthcare system," said Tamuna Sabadze, country director at the International Rescue Committee.
Ms Sabadze said that Yemen was already battling a large cholera outbreak.
The Yemeni government has been rushing medical staff from across liberated areas to Aden to undergo training on how to identify and treat coronavirus patients.
But government officials admitted their medical services had little of the needed equipment due to years of fighting.
Saudi Arabia this week flew in vital supplies, the World Health Organisation said.
It included protective equipment for staff handling cases as well as drugs to try and help recovery.
Millions are dependent on humanitarian aid in Yemen, which has been mired in conflict since the Houthis ousted the government from power in the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014.
The group still controls most major urban centres despite years of war.
The Houthis, who are entering the sixth year of the conflict with more strategic gains in recent months in the country's north, also welcomed Mr Guterres's call to wind back fighting.
"The coalition's announcement is welcome. We are waiting for it to be applied practically," Mohammed Al Houthi, a senior Houthi official, tweeted late on Wednesday.
But the Yemen conflict has been punctuated by failed agreements, and negotiating a pause could be difficult.
None of the parties to the conflict spelt out any mechanism for the process.
The conflict has created a security vacuum in parts of the country, allowing Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and ISIS to resurface.
The UN Security Council on Thursday tweeted its thanks to the UAE for progress made against the extremists.
"The UAE has enabled huge gains against Aqap and ISIS in Yemen, and we are continuing these important efforts together," it said.
"After five years of conflict, it is more important now than ever for all parties to work towards a bright, peaceful and secure future for Yemen."
Yemen had experienced a lull in military action after Saudi Arabia and the Houthis launched talks late last year.
But Yemeni ministers were angered when the Houthis then launched a major offensive in the north and centre of the country.
They used the reduction in fighting under an earlier deal for the Red Sea city of Hodeidah as an opportunity to regroup and prepare.
Arab Coalition officials have repeatedly called for trust-building measures, accusing the Houthis of negotiating in bad faith.
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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
Factfile on Garbine Muguruza:
Name: Garbine Muguruza (ESP)
World ranking: 15 (will rise to 5 on Monday)
Date of birth: October 8, 1993
Place of birth: Caracas, Venezuela
Place of residence: Geneva, Switzerland
Height: 6ft (1.82m)
Career singles titles: 4
Grand Slam titles: 2 (French Open 2016, Wimbledon 2017)
Career prize money: $13,928,719
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
The bio:
Favourite holiday destination: I really enjoyed Sri Lanka and Vietnam but my dream destination is the Maldives.
Favourite food: My mum’s Chinese cooking.
Favourite film: Robocop, followed by The Terminator.
Hobbies: Off-roading, scuba diving, playing squash and going to the gym.
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
'Dark Waters'
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper
Rating: ****
The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
MO
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RACE CARD AND SELECTIONS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
The National selections
5pm: RB Hot Spot
5.30pm: Dahess D’Arabie
6pm: Taamol
6.30pm: Rmmas
7pm: RB Seqondtonone
7.30pm: AF Mouthirah
