At least 34 people have been killed and dozens injured as wildfires swept across Algeria on Sunday and Monday, the Algerian Interior Ministry said.
Authorities said on Monday that 97 fires were burning, affecting forests and agricultural areas in 16 governorates on the country’s eastern coast.
Algerian Civil Defence teams and Armed Forces have evacuated dozens of trapped families in Bejaia governorate, 250km from the capital Algiers, as rescue and firefighting operations continue in other ravaged areas.
The Algerian Defence Ministry said 10 soldiers were killed and 25 injured in wildfires in the Beni Kesila area of Bejaia during rescue operations.
Meanwhile, Algerian meteorological services said a record heatwave would hit the country in the coming days, with temperatures reaching 48ºC in 31 governorates.
The wildfires have spread from Algeria to Tunisia's border city of Tabarka.
Dozens of families have been evacuated to youth hostels, nurseries and public spaces with help reaching the town slowly, eyewitnesses on the ground told The National.
“Tabarka is over, please send help,” Sami Khedaireya, a local resident in Tabarka told The National as he made his way with other locals to help rescue a group of children caught in a house in the middle of the wildfire.
“The only solution is for Algeria to provide assistance as well.”
The flames are spreading quickly into the Meloula forests and surrounding areas, locals said.
Tunisian authorities continue to evacuate the 2,500 Meloula village residents. Coastguard boats, military helicopters and army vehicles have been dispatched for the operation.
Local volunteers and fishermen are also assisting authorities in the evacuation process. However, it is hard to reach some people as most roads leading to the affected areas have been blocked by flames.
Brig Gen Adel Abidi of the Tunisian civil defence told Mosaique radio that saving lives was the priority pending the arrival of support from neighbouring governorates and more equipment to contain the blazes,
“Electricity was cut off and now all we can do is stick together. Everyone is doing their best to help those evacuated to downtown,” Tabarka resident Mahbouba told The National.
Last week another fire in Tabarka ravaged 500 hectares and destroyed four homes.
Forests cover 1.3 million hectares in Tunisia, with 70 per cent of them in the north-west and centre-west.
In Tabarka, fire, climate change and deforestation have sharply reduced tree cover by about 6 per cent since 2000.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, about 1.5 million hectares of Algeria is forested. Tree coverage has also decreased in recent years due to wildfires and climate change.
Global Forest Watch says tree cover loss reached a high in 2015, with 86 per cent of all losses for that year in Tunisia due to wildfires.
In Tunisia, the peak fire season typically begins in late June and lasts about 13 weeks. In recent years, fires have become more common, raising serious concerns.
Meanwhile, in Algeria, fire season typically begins in early June and lasts 22 weeks.
Last year, a wildfire in a forest near the Tunisian border with Algeria killed dozens and injured many others.
More than 100 fires raged in north-eastern Algeria in August 2022, affecting 14 governorates and killing 44 people. More than 500 families were displaced.
Algeria’s Public Prosecution Office in Bejaia and Jijel governorates said on Monday afternoon that an official investigation into the wildfires has begun.
The penalty for burning forests in Algeria is between 30 years and life in prison.
More wildfires also broke out in other Tunisian cities in the north-west, including Beja and Bizerte governorates.
Another fire erupted in Jbel Smema, Kasserine, in west-central Tunisia as record temperatures continue until the late hours of Monday evening.
Forest rangers and Tunisian military were reportedly able to contain the fire that ravaged 5 hectares of forest land, local authorities in Kasserine told Tunisian media outlets.
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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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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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The Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize
This year’s winners of the US$4 million Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize will be recognised and rewarded in Abu Dhabi on January 15 as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week, which runs in the capital from January 13 to 20.
From solutions to life-changing technologies, the aim is to discover innovative breakthroughs to create a new and sustainable energy future.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
