Eleven police officers have been injured in protests in Paris, after three people were killed by a gunman in the centre of the capital on Friday morning.
The suspected gunman was identified in French media as 69-year-old "William M". He was arrested in the city's 10th district shortly after the three people were killed. The victims were later confirmed to be members of the Kurdish community.
Officials condemned the “heinous attack” that targeted a Kurdish cultural centre, restaurant and hair salon in the bustling neighbourhood near the Gare du Nord railway station.
A young woman and a musician were among the victims, the Kurdish Institute of Paris said in a statement.
The Kurdish Democratic Council of France held a minute of silence for the victims and said the head of the Kurdish Women's Movement in France is among the dead.
The alleged gunman was released from prison in recent weeks and had previously been convicted of racially motivated attacks, including attempted murder in a knife attack on a migrant camp last December.
His elderly father said he had been living at his parents' home in the capital since his release on December 12 and was "withdrawn."
"He didn't live like everyone else," he told AFP. "He said nothing when he left this morning."
Their home is now being searched by police.
The Kurdish community has been shaken by the attack, the institute said ahead of a press conference.
Crowds gathered at the Rue d'Enghien on Friday afternoon, clashing with police, who fired tear gas at demonstrators.
Confrontations broke out after Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin visited the scene of the attack.
The minister said the gunman "clearly wanted to kill foreigners" but said it was uncertain if he targeted Kurds in particular.
Despite his past, the alleged gunman was not known to intelligence services and was not previously known as a member of the far-right, Mr Darmanin said.
He is also a member of shooting club and had a number of declared weapons, the minister said.
The nearby Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis was “drowning” in tear gas as protesters hurled rocks at police, Le Monde reported on Friday evening.
Video footage posted to social media showed riot police running away as people threw traffic cones and bar stools in their direction. Bins were also set alight and barricades erected, Le Monde reported.
In the southern city of Marseille, mounted police took to the streets after crowds gathered with Kurdish flags in the city centre.
French President Emmanuel Macron denounced Friday's attack.
"The Kurds of France have been targeted in a hateful attack in the heart of Paris," Mr Macron said on Twitter.
"Thoughts to the victims and those fighting for their lives."
It came just weeks before the 10th anniversary of the murder of three Kurdish activists in the same district.
Three women were shot to death in broad daylight in January 2013, shocking France. One of the victims was a co-founder of the Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), a Kurdish group which has waged a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish government.
Police have said they will investigate racial motivations behind Friday's attack but said the gunman's motives remain unclear.
Jiu-jitsu calendar of events for 2017-2018:
August 5:
Round-1 of the President’s Cup in Al Ain.
August 11-13:
Asian Championship in Vietnam.
September 8-9:
Ajman International.
September 16-17
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, Ashgabat.
September 22-24:
IJJF Balkan Junior Open, Montenegro.
September 23-24:
Grand Slam Los Angeles.
September 29:
Round-1 Mother of The Nation Cup.
October 13-14:
Al Ain U18 International.
September 20-21:
Al Ain International.
November 3:
Round-2 Mother of The National Cup.
November 4:
Round-2 President’s Cup.
November 10-12:
Grand Slam Rio de Janeiro.
November 24-26:
World Championship, Columbia.
November 30:
World Beach Championship, Columbia.
December 8-9:
Dubai International.
December 23:
Round-3 President’s Cup, Sharjah.
January 12-13:
Grand Slam Abu Dhabi.
January 26-27:
Fujairah International.
February 3:
Round-4 President’s Cup, Al Dhafra.
February 16-17:
Ras Al Khaimah International.
February 23-24:
The Challenge Championship.
March 10-11:
Grand Slam London.
March 16:
Final Round – Mother of The Nation.
March 17:
Final Round – President’s Cup.
Key features of new policy
Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools
Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability
The winners
Fiction
- ‘Amreekiya’ by Lena Mahmoud
- ‘As Good As True’ by Cheryl Reid
The Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award
- ‘Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo’ by Oswaldo Truzzi; translated by Ramon J Stern
- ‘The Sound of Listening’ by Philip Metres
The George Ellenbogen Poetry Award
- ‘Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance’ by Fady Joudah
Children/Young Adult
- ‘I’ve Loved You Since Forever’ by Hoda Kotb
Final scores
18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)
- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)
-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)
-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)
-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)
-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)
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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
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