Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Yemen's Houthi rebels have said they will not be defeated by continued US attacks.
The group's heartland of Saada and Amran were hit 17 times by the US overnight on Tuesday and into Wednesday, the rebels said. Warplanes carried out “aggressive air raids … causing material damage to citizens' property”, they added. There were no further details given of deaths or injuries.
Mahdi Al Mashat, chairman of the Houthis' Supreme Political Council, told US President Donald Trump that the entire duration of his term in office would not be enough to stop their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. “Your decision to attack our country to dissuade us from supporting Gaza will not succeed, and will not stop until the aggression stops and the siege is lifted,” he said in a statement addressed to Mr Trump.
“Your entire presidential term will not be enough to dissuade us.”
The Houthis claimed solidarity with the Palestinian people by attacking international shipping routes after the start of the Israel-Gaza war. The rebels had paused their campaign when a ceasefire in Gaza took effect in January, however, they resumed attacks when the truce was broken by Israel.
“The reckless decisions of US President Donald Trump have no legitimacy at all and are a desperate attempt to protect the Zionist enemy and support its crimes, aggression and siege against the Palestinian people,” Mr Al Mashat said.
On March 15, the US announced another military offensive against the Houthis, promising to use overwhelming force until the group stopped firing on vessels in the shipping routes of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Washington said Houthi leaders had been killed in the first day of strikes that the rebel-run health ministry said took the lives of 53 people. Since then, rebel-held areas in war-torn Yemen have been struck on almost a daily basis, but the Houthis have vowed their attacks on shipping would not stop.
“The international community must declare a firm and unified position towards American recklessness and to stop them from supporting the criminal Zionists, who represents a threat to international peace and security,” Mr Al Mashat said.
Mr Trump has threatened to “annihilate” the Houthis and warned Tehran against continuing to aid the group.
The US this month placed sanctions on seven senior members of the Houthi militia, along with a Yemeni businessman linked to the Iran-backed group, for allegedly procuring weapons from Russia and supplying Moscow with fighters for its war in Ukraine.
Houthi leaders say they will escalate attacks in response to the US campaign. “Now we see that Yemen is at war with the US and that means that we have a right to defend ourselves with all possible means, so escalation is likely,” Jamal Amer, the Houthi foreign minister, told Reuters from Sanaa on Monday.
It comes as Yemen marked a decade since the Saudi-led coalition intervened in the conflict.
“For 10 years, Yemenis have endured relentless conflict, economic collapse and limited access to life-saving health and nutrition services,” said Caroline Sekyewa, International Rescue Committee country director in Yemen. In 2025, an estimated 19.5 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection – an increase of nearly seven per cent compared to 2024, according to the organisation.
The IRC has said Yemen's humanitarian response remains critically underfunded. Only five per cent of the $2.4 billion needed to help 10.5 million people has been provided, it said.
Aid agencies have had to scale back essential support such as food distribution and have limited their access to clean water and other services in 2024.
“Humanitarian aid has been their lifeline – preventing disease outbreaks, delivering health care, responding to natural disasters and helping families to survive. For donor governments to consider reducing or removing that support is not just short-sighted, it puts millions of lives at risk,” Ms Sekyewa said.
“After a decade of crisis, political solutions and economic recovery are now needed more than ever to secure long-term stability. Yet the fact is that today, aid is what stands between life and death for millions.”
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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