The aftermath of an Israeli air strike on Lebanon's Bekaa Valley in March. Reuters
The aftermath of an Israeli air strike on Lebanon's Bekaa Valley in March. Reuters
The aftermath of an Israeli air strike on Lebanon's Bekaa Valley in March. Reuters
The aftermath of an Israeli air strike on Lebanon's Bekaa Valley in March. Reuters

Hezbollah and Israel trade blows as region remains on edge


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Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

Lebanon's Hezbollah group fired a barrage of missiles at a military base in the Israel-occupied Golan Heights on Tuesday morning in response to Israeli air strikes on the Bekaa region.

At least 55 rockets were fired into the Golan, the Israeli army said. Some of the projectiles were intercepted while the others struck open areas. No deaths or injuries were reported.

Hezbollah said the salvo was a “response to the Israeli enemy’s attack on the Bekaa region”, where air strikes injured at least 11 people, including two children, in the Baalbek district on Monday evening.

Israel said the raids targeted a “number of Hezbollah weapons storage facilities”.

“Following the strikes, secondary explosions were identified, indicating the presence of large amounts of weapons in the facilities,” the Israeli army said.

Video circulating on social media showed massive explosions as Israeli jets flew away after the strikes.

On Saturday, 10 civilians were killed in an Israeli strike on what the army said was a weapons depot in Lebanon’s southern Nabatieh district. All of the victims, including a woman and her child, are believed to be Syrian and from the same family.

A Syrian woman mourns over the dead bodies of her loved ones killed by an Israeli air strike in Wadi Al Kfour, Nabatieh province, south Lebanon, on Saturday. AP
A Syrian woman mourns over the dead bodies of her loved ones killed by an Israeli air strike in Wadi Al Kfour, Nabatieh province, south Lebanon, on Saturday. AP

It was one of the deadliest strikes on Lebanon since the cross-border fire began on October 8.

The raid targeted a residential building in an industrial area close to the city of Nabatieh. Local residents disputed the Israeli claim that there was a weapons facility in the area.

Fears that the near-daily exchanges could lead to a full-scale war have escalated after an Israeli drone strike killed top Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut in late July, along with a number of civilians.

Hezbollah has promised to respond to the killing, while its main backer, Iran, has threatened Israel with retribution for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, hours after Mr Shukr's death. Israel has acknowledged killing Mr Shukr but has not commented on Mr Haniyeh's assassination.

More than 550 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon since the cross-border conflict broke out in October in parallel with Israel's war on Gaza. While most deaths have been Hezbollah members or allied fighters, dozens of civilians have also been killed.

On the Israeli side, the army has acknowledged the deaths of 22 soldiers and 26 civilians.

Tree of Hell

Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla

Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

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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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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Rating: 4.5/5

The bio

Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions

School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira

Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk

Dream City: San Francisco

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A discussion website

Redditor

The users of Reddit

Robinhood

A smartphone app for buying and selling shares

Short seller

Selling a stock today in the belief its price will fall in the future

Short squeeze

Traders forced to buy a stock they are shorting 

Naked short

An illegal practice  

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Liverpool 2 (Van Dijk 18', 24')

Brighton 1 (Dunk 79')

Red card: Alisson (Liverpool)

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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Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

Updated: August 21, 2024, 6:54 AM