Armenia’s political crisis reached new heights today, as the country’s armed forces demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, raising fears of a military coup.
Just before noon local time, the general staff of the Armenian armed forces released an unprecedented statement. Declaring that the “inefficient governance of the current authorities” had brought the country “to the brink of collapse,” it stated that Mr Pashinyan and his government were “no longer able to make adequate decisions... for the Armenian people.”
Dozens of high-ranking officers, including the Chief of the General Staff, Onik Gasparyan, undersigned the statement.
The demand was immediately rejected by Mr Pashinyan, who called on his supporters to gather on the capital’s Republic Square and reject the army’s demands. He then led a crowd of supporters on a march through downtown Yerevan ahead of a planned speech.
The route almost brought the pro-government crowd into direct confrontation with an opposition rally. As Mr Pashinyan and his supporters passed by, anti-government protesters hurled cries of ‘traitor’ and ‘resign’ at him. Police broke up several scuffles between the two sides.
Mr Pashinyan then returned to Republic Square for a public speech, his first since the end of the war, railing against the army and his political opponents.
“The army cannot be involved in politics,” Mr Pashinyan told the crowd. “They must respect the electoral will of the people.”
He also issued a warning to his political opponents.
“Politicians should know that there is a line,” Mr Pashinyan said. “If you cross it, you will be arrested.”
The immediate trigger for the army’s statement came in the wake of Mr Pashinyan’s dismissal on Wednesday of the deputy army chief of staff, Tiran Khachatryan. This followed a scandal that first emerged on Tuesday, when the prime minister criticised the wartime effectiveness of a Russian ballistic missile system, leading to a sharp rebuke from both Russian officials and Armenian military brass.
Many Armenian oppositionists accuse Mr Pashinyan of alienating Russia, Yerevan’s chief military and political ally.
The country’s political crisis has been going on for months. Since signing a ceasefire deal, on crushing terms, that ended last autumn’s 44-day war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, Mr Pashinyan has faced regular protests against his rule.
The most prominent opposition bloc arrayed against him, the ‘Homeland Salvation Movement,’ consists of 17 parties that have held regular rallies. Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has also come out strongly against Mr Pashinyan.
While Mr Pashinyan has lost support, he is still widely seen in Armenia as the better choice than the opposition, dominated by members of the much-reviled old regime toppled in 2018’s ‘Velvet Revolution,’ which toppled the authoritarian government of his predecessor, Serzh Sargsyan.
“I don’t much like Nikol [Pashinyan], but what other choice do we have?,” said Vrezh, a 45-year old mechanic at Thursday’s pro-government rally. “The others robbed the country for thirty years,” he added.
Others chose not to attend either rally, out of broad dissatisfaction with both sides.
“Nikol is an idiot and needs to go, but the others are just thieves,” said Astghik, a 30-year old entrepreneur. “After 3,000 years as a nation, I can’t believe these are the best politicians we can come up with,” she said.
Moscow announced that it was watching Thursday’s developments ‘with concern,’ while noting that the turmoil in the country was ‘an internal matter’ for Armenia.
Regional experts saw today as a watershed moment for the country.
“The military’s intervention into politics is demonstrably unprecedented,” said Richard Giragosian, director of the Yerevan-based Regional Studies Center. “It challenges the entire stability of civil-military relations, especially given that over three dozen senior officers [signed the statement],” he added.
“The only way out is seeking a fresh mandate from new elections,” Mr Giragosian said, adding that the ruling My Step bloc was likely to still win a governing majority, albeit reduced, in any new vote.
At the time of writing, a large opposition rally was still taking place outside of Armenia’s parliament building.
All the Money in the World
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Charlie Plummer, Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer
Four stars
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Palestine and Israel - live updates
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets 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
