Sudan's warring rival military forces have agreed in principle to a three-month humanitarian truce, with technical details now being discussed, US adviser for Africa Massad Boulos said on Monday.
Speaking to Sudanese and Egyptian reporters in Cairo, Mr Boulos said the Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have given their “initial and in principle” agreement to the proposed truce.
“They have no objections … we are discussing its implementation – monitoring mechanisms, defining existing front lines as well as logistical and security” issues, said Mr Boulos.
A US committee is in contact with the war's two sides to devise a way to swiftly distribute aid throughout the vast nation, Mr Boulos said.
The three-month humanitarian ceasefire is part of a peace proposal presented last month by the United States, Egypt, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The ceasefire, according to the plan, is to be followed by a return to civilian rule in which the Muslim Brotherhood is kept out of power.
The Brotherhood, declared an illegal or terrorist group in several Arab nations, served as the ideological vehicle of nearly three decades of rule by former dictator Omar Al Bashir, who was removed from power in 2019 by a popular uprising.
The Sudan war, which is at the midway point of its third year, has killed tens of thousands, displaced about 14 million people and left 30 million – more than half the population – facing hunger, with pockets of famine emerging in several locations in the ethnically and religiously diverse nation in north-east Africa.
The fall of the city of El Fasher to the RSF last week after an 18-month siege gave the paramilitary full control of the Darfur region and deepened the de facto division of Sudan.
The prosecutor's office at the International Criminal Court said on Monday that alleged mass killings and other abuses in El Fasher could constitute war crimes. It voiced “profound alarm and deepest concern” over reports from El Fasher about the claims.
“These atrocities are part of a broader pattern of violence that has afflicted the entire Darfur region since April 2023,” it said ."Such acts, if substantiated, may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute,” the founding text of the court in The Hague.
Besides Darfur, the RSF also holds parts of Kordofan to the south-west, while the army controls the capital Khartoum as well as the northern, eastern and central regions of Sudan.
Both sides have governments of their own, with the RSF's based in Darfur and the army-backed administration in Port Sudan on the Red Sea.
“Keeping Sudan united and ending the conflict is a priority, not only for Sudan, but also for the region, the entire world, including even the United States. Regional instability can have dangerous consequences,” said Mr Boulos.
The four nations that presented last month's a peace plan said the humanitarian truce should “lead immediately to a permanent ceasefire, then an inclusive and transparent transition process should be launched and concluded within nine months to meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people”.
Once allies, army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and RSF commander Gen Mohamed Dagalo, led a coup in 2021 that overthrew a civilian government and derailed the country's democratic transition. Relations between the two generals later soured, with both vying for control of Sudan. The tension boiled over into open warfare in April 2023.
On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV spoke about Sudan in an address at Saint Peter's Square in Vatican City. He said: “With great sorrow, I follow the tragic news coming from Sudan, particularly from the city of El Fasher in the afflicted northern Darfur region.”
He denounced “indiscriminate violence against women and children, attacks on unarmed civilians, and serious obstacles to humanitarian action” that have caused “unacceptable suffering to a population already exhausted by long months of conflict”.
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
'Operation Mincemeat'
Director: John Madden
Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton
Rating: 4/5
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
THE SPECS
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Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
