DAMASCUS // The GCC called an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers tomorrow to discuss the violence in Syria as the death toll from protests crossed 3,000 yesterday.
An Arab League official said the GCC called for the meeting "to explore developments in Syria".
Foreign ministers from the 22-member Arab League will meet in Cairo to discuss the situation in Syria. Several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, have pulled their ambassadors out of Syria in protest against the government's crackdown on the protest movement.
The GCC said late on Thursday that the meeting would address "the situation in Syria, which has deteriorated sharply, particularly in its humanitarian dimensions, and steps that could help end the bloodshed and halt the machine of violence".
There was more violence in Syria yesterday. Security forces killed at least 12 people as they fired on rallies supporting army defectors.
"Twelve people were killed today" and dozens wounded, Rami Abdel Rahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Security forces killed seven people in Dael, a woman and a boy in Deraa, both in southern Syria, two in and around Damascus and another on the outskirts of Aleppo.
"There were massive demonstrations in several Syrian cities despite a significant deployment of security forces," Mr Abdel Rahman said, including a rally in Deir Ezzor, "the largest since military operations ended there in August".
Syrians also staged demonstrations in the province of Idlib, where thousands of people rallied in Maaret Horma, the central region of Homs, the city of Latakia and in Damascus, he said.
"Security forces opened fire in Homs and in Deir Ezzor. In Banias, they entered the Abu Bakr Saddiq mosque, where demonstrators had taken shelter, arresting five among them," he said.
Pro-democracy activists called for nationwide demonstrations yesterday in support of "free soldiers" - a reference to defectors - after 36 people, including 25 soldiers, were killed in clashes across Syria on Thursday.
The Observatory has reported mounting armed resistance to security forces. Clashes in Banash and Deraa on Thursday pitted troops against deserters, who apparently mutinied rather than obey orders to shoot civilian protesters.
Yesterday, it reported "violent clashes and heavy gunfire between the Syrian army and armed men, believed to be defectors", in Saqba.
Meanwhile, the Local Coordination Committees, an activist network spurring anti-regime protests, said gunfire was heard in the cities of Hama, Homs and Aleppo.
And official news agency Sana said an "explosive devise went off on the road connecting the Abu-Bakr and Omari mosque in Deraa causing several civilian casualties".
Western governments have issued increasingly shrill warnings that unless the Assad regime heeds popular demands for reform, the so far peaceful protest movement risks resorting to violence.
"More than 100 people have been reported killed in the past 10 days alone," UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said, raising the overall death toll since mid-March to more than 3,000.
At least 187 children were among civilians killed in the relentless clampdown on the protests movement, she said.
The heavy death toll came from "sniping from rooftops and indiscriminate use of force against peaceful protesters," said Ms Pillay.
"The onus is on all members of the international community to take protective action in a collective and decisive manner, before the continual ruthless repression and killings drive the country into a full-blown civil war," she said.
China and Russia vetoed a draft resolution UN Security Council resolution proposed by European governments that warned of "targeted measures," but not sanctions, against the regime.
* With reporting by Agence France-Presse and Associated Press
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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
