Rail passengers enter Montparnasse station in Paris, France. Bloomberg
Rail passengers enter Montparnasse station in Paris, France. Bloomberg
Rail passengers enter Montparnasse station in Paris, France. Bloomberg
Rail passengers enter Montparnasse station in Paris, France. Bloomberg

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Europe

Two men arrested after Paris station explosion threat

Suspects had nine small camping gas bottles in their luggage, but no way to make them explode

Soraya Ebrahimi
Soraya Ebrahimi

December 30, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

French authorities arrested two men at Montparnasse train station in Paris on Friday after one threatened to blow himself up, even though he did not have the means to do so.

Security at Paris train stations was increased following the incident, an interior ministry representative said.

The two men were charged in connection with making an “apology” for a terrorist act, the ministry said, without elaborating.

One of the men, a French citizen, had been drinking and possibly has mental health issues. He shouted that he was going to blow himself up, the ministry said.

The ministry added that the two men had nine small camping gas bottles in their luggage, but no way of making them explode.

The second suspect, believed to be a Libyan citizen, had been under investigation for breaking immigration laws, the ministry said.

Three dead in Paris shooting — in pictures

  • Anti-riot police stand in a cloud of tear gas after a protest by members of the Kurdish community turned violent, in central Paris. AP
    Anti-riot police stand in a cloud of tear gas after a protest by members of the Kurdish community turned violent, in central Paris. AP
  • A protester kneels on the ground after he was detained during the clashes. AP
    A protester kneels on the ground after he was detained during the clashes. AP
  • Skirmishes erupted in the district a few hours after a gunman opened fire, in what is believed to be a racially motivated attack. AP
    Skirmishes erupted in the district a few hours after a gunman opened fire, in what is believed to be a racially motivated attack. AP
  • A bonfire lit by protesters.
    A bonfire lit by protesters.
  • Members of the Kurdish community gather near the scene where the gunman opened fire. AP
    Members of the Kurdish community gather near the scene where the gunman opened fire. AP
  • People gather behind a police tape at the crime scene. AP
    People gather behind a police tape at the crime scene. AP
  • The deadly shooting took place at a Kurdish cultural centre in the French capital's 10th district. AFP
    The deadly shooting took place at a Kurdish cultural centre in the French capital's 10th district. AFP
  • Residents and onlookers gather near the crime scene. EPA
    Residents and onlookers gather near the crime scene. EPA
  • A police officer lets emergency services workers through a cordon securing the area. EPA
    A police officer lets emergency services workers through a cordon securing the area. EPA
  • Police, firefighters and troops patrol the area. AFP
    Police, firefighters and troops patrol the area. AFP
  • Witnesses reported seeing the gunman shoot 'blindly into the street'. Reuters
    Witnesses reported seeing the gunman shoot 'blindly into the street'. Reuters
  • A police officer stands behind a cordon. EPA
    A police officer stands behind a cordon. EPA
  • Fire brigade medics at the scene. AP
    Fire brigade medics at the scene. AP
  • The shots fired shortly before midday caused panic in the district, a bustling area of shops, restaurants and bars. Reuters
    The shots fired shortly before midday caused panic in the district, a bustling area of shops, restaurants and bars. Reuters
  • Police secure the street after the gunman opened fire. AFP
    Police secure the street after the gunman opened fire. AFP
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While you're here
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.

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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. 

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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. 

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Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Tips for entertaining with ease

·         Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.

·         As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.

·         Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.

·         Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.

·         The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.

·         You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.

 

Updated: December 30, 2022, 10:55 PM
FranceEuropeParisTerrorism