Palestinian workers clear the rubble of a building destroyed by an Israeli air strike in in Gaza city. Israel launched strikes on a Hamas position on Monday after what it said was gunfire from the Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinian workers clear the rubble of a building destroyed by an Israeli air strike in in Gaza city. Israel launched strikes on a Hamas position on Monday after what it said was gunfire from the Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinian workers clear the rubble of a building destroyed by an Israeli air strike in in Gaza city. Israel launched strikes on a Hamas position on Monday after what it said was gunfire from the Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinian workers clear the rubble of a building destroyed by an Israeli air strike in in Gaza city. Israel launched strikes on a Hamas position on Monday after what it said was gunfire from the Gaz

Israeli jets strike Hamas site after bullet 'from Gaza Strip' hits building


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Israel launched strikes on a Hamas position in the Gaza Strip on Monday after gunfire from the Palestinian enclave, its army said on Tuesday.

"Following the firing of a bullet from the Gaza Strip into Israel, the IDF [Israeli Defence Forces] is currently striking a Hamas military post in the northern Gaza Strip," the Israeli Army said in a statement.

It said on Twitter that "fighter jets" were carrying out the strikes.

"Earlier today [Tuesday], a bullet was found in the community of Netiv Haasara," the army statement said, referring to an Israeli agricultural community adjacent to Gaza's northern border.

"After an inquiry, it was found that the bullet hit an industrial building earlier today after being fired from the Gaza Strip."

A witness in Gaza's Beit Hanoun area told AFP they saw a number of strikes on a security site controlled by Hamas, the militant group that rules the enclave.

The latest attacks come after Israeli warplanes targeted a Hamas site in the Gaza Strip at the weekend in response to rocket fire from the enclave, the military said.

Israeli air strikes hit Gaza city - in pictures

  • Fires are seen following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city. AFP
    Fires are seen following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city. AFP
  • Fires are seen following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city. AFP
    Fires are seen following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city. AFP
  • A Palestinian inspects the destruction following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city. AFP
    A Palestinian inspects the destruction following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city. AFP
  • A Palestinian inspects the destruction following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city. AFP
    A Palestinian inspects the destruction following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city. AFP
  • A Palestinian man stands at the site of an Israeli air strike carried out in Gaza City. Reuters
    A Palestinian man stands at the site of an Israeli air strike carried out in Gaza City. Reuters
  • A general view of the destruction following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city. AFP
    A general view of the destruction following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city. AFP

That exchange of fire came hours after US President Joe Biden had visited Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem condemned Saturday's strikes, which the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said caused no injuries.

Israel announced late on Saturday that it was suspending a decision to increase the number of permits granted for Gazans to work in the Jewish state.

The quota was raised before Mr Biden's visit by 1,500, allowing 15,500 Gazan workers into Israel.

Impoverished Gaza, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, has been under Israeli blockade since 2007 when Iran-backed Hamas seized power from the secular Fatah movement of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid said on Sunday that Israel would respond "quickly, forcefully and without hesitation" to any fire from Gaza.

Lapid warns Hezbollah over aggression

Mr Lapid paid an unannounced visit to the border with Lebanon on Tuesday, threatening to unleash a harsh military response to what he described as “unacceptable” aggression by Lebanon's Hezbollah group.

The visit came at a time of heightened tension with Hezbollah, a heavily armed group that fought Israel during a month-long war in 2006.

On Monday, Israel said it intercepted a drone that crossed from Lebanese territory. Last week, Hezbollah’s leader threatened Israel with military escalation if a dispute over a maritime border is not resolved in Lebanon’s favour.

“Israel is prepared to act against any threat,” said Mr Lapid, who took over as Israel’s caretaker prime minister on July 1.

“We have no interest in escalation but Hezbollah’s aggression is unacceptable and is liable to lead the entire region into an unnecessary escalation.”

He was joined by Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz and high-ranking military officials as he toured the area.

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

Match info

Huddersfield Town 0

Chelsea 3
Kante (34'), Jorginho (45' pen), Pedro (80')

AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street

The seven points are:

Shakhbout bin Sultan Street

Dhafeer Street

Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)

Salama bint Butti Street

Al Dhafra Street

Rabdan Street

Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal

Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.

School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.

“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.  

“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”

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%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-cylinder%2C%204.8-litre%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5-speed%20automatic%20and%20manual%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E280%20brake%20horsepower%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E451Nm%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh153%2C00%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying

Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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.

Chatham House Rule

A mark of Chatham House’s influence 100 years on since its founding,  was Moscow’s formal declaration last month that it was an “undesirable
organisation”. 

 

The depth of knowledge and academics that it drew on
following the Ukraine invasion had broadcast Mr Putin’s chicanery.  

 

The institute is more used to accommodating world leaders,
with Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher among those helping it provide
authoritative commentary on world events. 

 

Chatham House was formally founded as the Royal Institute of
International Affairs following the peace conferences of World War One. Its
founder, Lionel Curtis, wanted a more scientific examination of international affairs
with a transparent exchange of information and ideas.  

 

That arena of debate and analysis was enhanced by the “Chatham
House Rule” states that the contents of any meeting can be discussed outside Chatham
House but no mention can be made identifying individuals who commented.  

 

This has enabled some candid exchanges on difficult subjects
allowing a greater degree of free speech from high-ranking figures.  

 

These meetings are highly valued, so much so that
ambassadors reported them in secret diplomatic cables that – when they were
revealed in the Wikileaks reporting – were thus found to have broken the rule. However,
most speeches are held on the record.  

 

Its research and debate has offered fresh ideas to
policymakers enabling them to more coherently address troubling issues from climate
change to health and food security.   

 
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Various Artists 
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
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Updated: July 19, 2022, 4:36 PM