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At least three media workers died and three were injured after Israeli troops bombed a residential cluster housing journalists in south Lebanon's Hasbaya, early on Friday, in an attack described by a Lebanese minister as a war crime.
Those killed were a cameraman and an engineer working for Lebanese news channel Al Mayadeen and a cameraman working for Al Manar, a TV station backed by Hezbollah.
Al Mayadeen named the cameraman as Ghassan Najjar and the engineer as Mohammed Rida, while Al Manar said its cameraman Wissam Qassim was also killed in the attack. Hasbaya, at the foot of Mount Hermon, is a base for many media outlets covering Israel's war on Hezbollah in the south. Although the town is in south-east Lebanon, it has been spared from the fighting thus far and Israel has not commented on why it launched the attacks.
The media workers killed were staying in a group of bungalows in Hasbaya. Videos from the scene showed heavily damaged bungalows, while vehicles clearly marked 'press' were also caught up in the attack.
Eighteen journalists from seven media organisations were staying at the site and were asleep at the time of the strike, Lebanon's Minister of Information Ziad Makary said. He described the attacks as premeditated and a “war crime”.
Israel was “scared” of reports from the Lebanese press, said Farhat Muhammad, a correspondent for Lebanese channel Al Jadeed, who was also staying at the guesthouse.
“They tried to strike us into silence,” he said on air after the attacks. “But we, like the people of Lebanon and the honourable people everywhere in this country, will not be silenced.”
The Samir Kassir Foundation's monitor, the SKeyes Centre for Media and Cultural Freedom, described the strike as “another war crime and a direct attack on journalists resting after a day of covering intense attacks”.
The Committee to Protect Journalists said they were "outraged" by the attacks. "Deliberately targeting journalists is a war crime under international law," said CPJ Programme Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna.
"This attack must be independently investigated and the perpetrators must be held to account."
Earlier this week Israel attacked an office used by Al Mayadeen in south Lebanon which had already been evacuated. Two journalists from the channel were killed when Israel bombed their position last November.
Friday's attacks mark the deadliest day for the media in Lebanon since conflict broke out between Israel and Hezbollah more than a year ago.
Elsewhere, the Israeli military said on Friday that 10 soldiers were killed in fighting in southern Lebanon.
The attacks come more than a year after a cameraman from Reuters was killed and six other journalists injured by Israeli fire while covering cross-border shelling in south Lebanon. Human rights groups have called for the October 2023 attack that killed Issam Abdallah to be investigated as a war crime.
In Gaza, Israeli attacks have killed at least 128 journalists and media workers since Israel launched a military offensive in the Palestinian enclave on October 7 last year, according to the CPJ.
There was an uproar earlier this week after Israeli claimed that six journalists from Al Jazeera were current or former paid fighters for Palestinian militant groups. Al Jazeera said the accusations were “fabricated”.
Elsewhere, Israel continued its nightly bombardment of south Beirut with at least 13 attacks on various areas. The Israeli army issued a warning for residents to leave only moments before launching the attacks. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Israel resumed daily bombings of the Lebanese capital after a brief lull last week. Israel has ratcheted up its attacks on Lebanon In the past month, invading the country, destroying vast swathes of southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut despite international calls for a ceasefire.
The Lebanese government said Lebanon's two eastern border crossings with Syria are now shut after an Israeli strike early on Friday morning hit the Syrian side of the Qaa border crossing.
Strikes earlier this month put the main Masnaa crossing out of service, leaving Lebanon's northern border crossing as the only open route into Syria.
More than 2,500 people have been killed and 1.2 million displaced in Lebanon since Hezbollah and Israel began exchanging cross-border fire on October 8 last year.
UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said the country "is now facing a humanitarian crisis of catastrophic proportions". She also noted the impact Israeli attacks have had on hospitals, journalists and the wider healthcare sector.
"No effort should be spared to shield hospitals, protected unequivocally under international humanitarian law, from harm," she said.
Ms Hennis-Plasschaert said that "with each day that passes, the deadly cycle of violence in Lebanon expands, leaving ever more devastation and suffering in its wake".
Mikati meets Blinken in London
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati in London on Friday to discuss the continuing conflict.
Mr Blinken said there was a "sense of real urgency in getting to a diplomatic resolution" in Lebanon so that people could "have the confidence" to return to their homes.
US officials have pushed for a deal based on UN Resolution 1701, which was agreed in 2006 to end the last war between Hezbollah and Israel but was never fully implemented. Among the conditions is that Hezbollah must move north of the Litani River, and Israel leave Lebanese territory.
Reports in Israeli media suggest Israel wants additional measures to be included in any deal, that would be in addition to 1701.
Mr Mikati said after meeting Mr Blinken that Lebanon was committed to implementing 1701 "without amendment".
"First, what is required is a real commitment from Israel to a ceasefire," he said.
"Israel is also violating international law by attacking civilians, journalists and medical staff".
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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
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
Zayed Sustainability Prize
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Under-21 European Championship Final
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
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