Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said on Monday he will resign before the end of his term on April 28, bringing an end to two decades in office.
Mr Bouteflika will take "steps to ensure state institutions continue to function during the transition period", the presidency said through a statement.
Under Algeria's constitution, Abdelkader Bensalah, chairman of the upper house of Parliament, would take over as caretaker president for 90 days until elections are held.
Ennahar and El Bilad TV channels reported on Sunday that Mr Bouteflika, 82, could leave office within days, after mass protests and pressure from the army demanding that he end his rule.
The reports came after the army chief of staff, Lt Gen Ahmed Salah, renewed a call on Saturday for the Constitutional Council to declare the ailing president unfit to rule.
Seeking to defuse the demonstrations, Mr Bouteflika said on March 11 that he was dropping plans for a fifth term. But he stopped short of stepping down immediately, to wait for a national conference on political change.
That further enraged protesters, prompting Gen Salah to propose last week that the council determine whether the president was fit for office.
Mr Bouteflika, who has rarely been in public since suffering a stroke in 2013, might announce his resignation on Tuesday, Ennahar TV reported.
Authorities have arrested Ali Haddad, a leading Algerian businessman who was a close ally of Mr Bouteflika.
Mr Bouteflika was said to be preparing his resignation in accordance with the constitution's Article 102, which allows him to quit or face the verdict of the council.
Late on Sunday, hundreds took to the streets in the capital, Algiers, demanding his exit.
Hours before the announcement, Mr Bouteflika signalled that he might resign by naming a caretaker cabinet. A caretaker president cannot appoint cabinets.
Incumbent Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui will lead the 27 ministers.
Central Bank Governor Mohamed Loukal was appointed finance minister, while the former head of the state power and gas utility Mohamed Arkab will be the energy minister.
Sabri Boukadoum, a former envoy to the UN, becomes foreign minister in place of Ramtane Lamamra, who spent less than a month in the role.
The UAE Mission to the UN congratulated Mr Boukadoum on his new appointment, tweeting that he was a "great diplomat whose contributions to multilateralism are too many to count".
Gen Salah kept his position as deputy defence minister in the reshuffle and Mr Bouteflika kept his title as defence minister.
He named the communications minister Hassane Rabhi as government spokesman, a rarely filled post in a secretive administration.
Demonstrators have rejected military intervention in civilian matters and want to dismantle the entire ruling elite, which includes veterans from the war of independence against France, army officers, the ruling party and business tycoons.
Thousands have taken to the streets of Algiers for more than a month, complaining of corruption, nepotism and economic mismanagement they say has tarnished Mr Bouteflika's rule.
But two opposition leaders have supported the army initiative.
"The merit of this approach is that it responds to a pressing popular demand," said Ali Benflis, a former head of the ruling FLN party. "We are facing a political, constitutional and institutional crisis."
Abderazak Makri, head of an opposition party, said he was against anything that threatened the stability and unity of the country or undermined the military.
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Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
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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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
