An Afghan journalist working for a US-funded radio network was killed when a bomb was attached to his car in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, just days after a former TV presenter was murdered in Kabul.
Radio Liberty reporter Aliyas Dayee was killed when a "sticky bomb" attached to his car exploded in the city of Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, a spokesman for the provincial governor said.
The killing of prominent figures, including journalists, clerics, politicians and rights activists, has become more common in recent months as violence surges in Afghanistan, despite peace talks between the government and the Taliban.
Dayee, 33, was on his way to the local press club with his brother when the car exploded, Radio Liberty chief editor Rateb Noori said. Dayee's brother and two others were wounded.
Lashkar Gah has been the centre of intense fighting between government forces and the Taliban in recent weeks.
"Without a doubt, the assassination of Aliyas Dayee is the work of the enemies of freedom of expression and media," Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, said on Twitter.
Mr Ghani said his government was "committed to preserving and expanding freedom of expression".
Radio Liberty, set up during the Cold War, is funded by the US government.
The top US envoy in Kabul, Ross Wilson, said Dayee's murder was "another attack on the freedom of the press".
"These attacks on journalists must stop immediately," Mr Wilson said on Twitter.
The Afghan Journalists Safety Committee, a group set up by media networks to oversee security for journalists in the country, urged its members to "keep safety as their highest priority".
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
Yama Siawash, a former Afghan TV presenter, was killed on Saturday in a similar bomb attack in Kabul.
There has surging violence across Afghanistan, much of it unleashed by the Taliban as they try to gain leverage in seemingly stalled peace talks in Qatar.
Taliban militants last month launched an offensive to seize Lashkar Gah, causing thousands of families to flee.
Helmand, a Taliban stronghold, is where international forces fought some of the bloodiest campaigns of Afghanistan's 19-year war.
On Wednesday, Vice President Amrullah Saleh accused the Taliban of planning to kill members of civil groups.
"They are soft targets," Mr Saleh said on Twitter.
"The killings are aimed at eroding and hurting the emotions of the society, which will lead to people's dissatisfaction with the government."
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The biog
Favourite Emirati dish: Fish machboos
Favourite spice: Cumin
Family: mother, three sisters, three brothers and a two-year-old daughter
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
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
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Henderson, Johnstone, Pickford, Ramsdale
Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Chilwell, Coady, Godfrey, James, Maguire, Mings, Shaw, Stones, Trippier, Walker, White
Midfielders Bellingham, Henderson, Lingard, Mount, Phillips, Rice, Ward-Prowse
Forwards Calvert-Lewin, Foden, Grealish, Greenwood, Kane, Rashford, Saka, Sancho, Sterling, Watkins
