Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
The UN Human Rights Council on Friday demanded a halt in all arms sales to Israel, whose war in Gaza has killed more than 33,000 people, almost half of them children.
The resolution was passed with 28 of the council's 47 member states voting in favour, six opposing it and 13 abstaining.
It marked the first time the UN's top rights body has taken a position on the bloodiest war to beset the besieged Palestinian territory.
The text called on countries to “cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel … to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights”.
It stressed that the International Court of Justice ruled in January “that there is a plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza.
Friday's resolution, which was brought forward by Pakistan on behalf of all Organisation of Islamic Co-operation member states except Albania, also called for “an immediate ceasefire” and “for immediate emergency humanitarian access and assistance”.
“We need you all to wake up and stop this genocide, a genocide televised around the world,” Palestinian ambassador Ibrahim Mohammad Khraishi told the council before the vote.
Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, condemned the resolution as “a stain for the Human Rights Council and for the UN as a whole”, warning council members that “a vote yes is a vote for Hamas”.
Key ally Washington heeded Israel's call to vote no, as did Germany, Argentina, Bulgaria, Malawi and Paraguay.
Two of the countries who voted against – the US and Germany – provided 99 per cent of Israel’s major arms imports in the past four years, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Italy accounts for a small share, while others such as the UK and the Netherlands typically provide vital parts for American-made F-35 fighter jets supplied to Israel.
Italy is one of several countries, also including Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, and Belgium, that have suspended or limited sales since the offensive began. All are relatively small arms providers to Israel.
Activists have called on the UK to joint these states in reconsidering Israeli import licences since the start of war in Gaza.
Germany’s objections were that the text fails to mention Hamas, rejects Israel’s right to self-defence and makes unproven allegations against Israeli forces, said its representative on the council, Katharina Stasch.
The resolution “insinuates that Israel engages in apartheid, and it accuses Israel of collective punishment, deliberate targeting of the Palestinian civilian population and applying starvation as a method of warfare,” Ms Stasch said.
“While we believe that such allegations require thorough investigations, the result of such investigations should not be prejudged in a resolution of this council.”
US ambassador Michele Taylor agreed that “far too many civilians have been killed in this conflict and that every civilian death is a tragedy”, acknowledging that “Israel has not done enough to mitigate civilian harm”.
However, she said that Washington could not support the text, which she said contained “many problematic elements”, including its failure to specifically condemn Hamas and its October 7 attacks.
Friday's vote came after the UN Security Council in New York last week passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire, following an abstention from Washington.
The text of the UN resolution also urged countries to “prevent the continued forcible transfer of Palestinians within and from Gaza”.
It warned in particular “against any large-scale military operations in the city of Rafah”, in the south of the densely populated Gaza Strip, where almost 1.5 civilians are sheltering, warning of “devastating humanitarian consequences”.
It also condemned “the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in Gaza”, where the UN has warned that famine is looming.
The text insisted on the “imperative of credible, timely and comprehensive accountability for all violations of international law” in Gaza.
It called on UN war crimes investigators – tasked with investigating the rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories even before October 7 – to look into all “direct and indirect transfer or sale of arms, munitions, parts, components and dual use items to Israel” and “analyse the legal consequences of these transfers”.
Meanwhile, the Norwegian Refugee Council on Friday called for decisive action, such as suspending arms transfers to Israel, and the immediate cessation of hostilities in Gaza to avert further atrocities.
“The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, with nearly the entire population forcibly displaced and facing dire shortages of essential goods and services for survival,” said Jan Egeland, secretary general of the NRC.
“After six months of bloodshed, the UN Security Council must fulfil its responsibility to restore peace and security.
“It is beyond time for the international community to honour its commitments to prevent atrocity crimes and protect civilians,” said Mr Egeland.
In March, a UN investigator accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza urged countries to use sanctions and arms embargoes to force the Israeli leadership to change course.
Francesca Albanese said Israel would not “change on its own” after months of bloodshed in Gaza.
Her Anatomy of a Genocide report alleged that Israel is intentionally killing and harming Palestinians and making Gaza impossible for them to live in.
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
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
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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
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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