Follow the latest on the earthquake in Turkey
Members of America's large Turkish and Syrian communities are trying desperately to learn news of loved ones who may have been affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, which has killed more than 5,000 people.
In Dayton, Ohio, Eldar Muradov, the president of Osman Gazi Mosque, woke up on Monday to learn that the devastating quake had toppled buildings across central and southern Turkey.
“I heard the news this morning, so we have set up a GoFundMe appeal. This is all we can do,” Mr Muradov told The National.
Within a day of opening the fundraising site, more than $85,000 in donations had poured in.
“We’ll send the money to Kizilay [the Turkish Red Crescent] to help with reconstruction and humanitarian assistance,” Mr Muradov said.
“You know, it’s winter so people need blankets, food and shelter. And of course, most importantly, find people that are still under the rubble and hopefully are still alive.”
Dozens of cities across the Midwest are home to Turkish and Syrian immigrants who contribute significantly to medical, logistics and food services industries, and others.
Turkey has always been a helping hand to people in need, and now it needs urgent help
Betel Yuruk,
New York-based Turkish journalist
In recent years, refugees fleeing the war in Syria have helped to establish vibrant communities in places such as Dearborn, Michigan, and Columbus, Ohio.
Betul Yuruk, a Turkish journalist in New York, said the earthquake was one of the worst disasters in Turkish history, unlike anything since the 1999 Izmit earthquake that killed some 18,000 people.
“Turkish people are racing against time and hypothermia to save thousands of its people in freezing temperatures,” she told The National.
“Turkey has always been a helping hand to people in need and now it needs urgent help.”
Hundreds of buildings were destroyed in Monday's earthquake, with many people feared trapped under the rubble.
The quake and scores of aftershocks, one of which was almost as potent as the original earthquake, was felt across the region in Lebanon, Cyprus and Iraq, and as far away as Greenland.
The epicentre was just north of Turkey's border city of Gaziantep, in the province of Kahramanmaras, but eight provinces have been affected. The ripples ran across the border into north-west Syria.
Ayman Al Chihabi, a Syrian American in Aleppo, told The National that the quake was “intense”.
“It lasted for about 90 seconds. Many informal settlements collapsed on the eastern part of the city, many lives lost and hundreds of casualties,” Mr Al Chihabi said.
“The entire city is still in panic, people in the streets fearing the expected aftershocks.”
Halil Demir, Executive Director of the Zakat Foundation of America, arrived in Turkey on Tuesday to assess the situation on the ground.
“We plan on distributing emergency relief kits, hygiene kits, blankets, warm meals and cash stipends. Mr Demir will first tend to his family members,” said Amina Demir, the foundation's chief operating officer.
Ms Demir told The National that she hoped the international community provides significant help to Turkey, a country that has offered shelter to millions of refugees from Syria in recent years.
Sarah Naji, a Syrian-American business owner in Philadelphia who travels to Turkey frequently to buy products, said her family in Damascus were safe.
“My family group chat immediately started buzzing. We got news that everyone in our family was safe but our hearts were still broken for our people,” Ms Naji told The National.
“Syria has suffered so much loss and destruction over the last 10-plus years. They don’t deserve more pain.”
For Ms Naji, who said she had not been able to return to Syria since 2010 because of the war, the earthquake compounded a sense of “helplessness” over deteriorating conditions in her homeland.
Her family has long worked with the Syrian American Medical Society, which sends medical missions to the country, and she has helped to lead fundraising and clothing donations appeals.
Ms Naji, who frequently uses her social media platforms to draw attention to the Syrian cause, urges others to continue sharing news about the earthquake.
“I don’t want people to continue on with their days and forget about this tragedy, I want them to speak up and if they’re able to help, I want them to do so.”
Lina Attar, an Aleppo native who now lives in Chicago, has spent the last 12 hours desperately trying to reach family in Syria and colleagues across the affected areas of Turkey.
Ms Attar runs the Karam Foundation, a non-profit that helps to lift up young Syrian refugees in Turkey and the US.
The organisation has a base in Hatay province, near the quake's epicentre.
Ms Attar's team in Turkey is for the most part safe, but it has been a challenging night.
“We still have one person that we are checking on for her safety,” she said.
“The communications in Turkey right now is very spotty, the internet is very spotty, as well as the phone communications.”
While relieved that her team is for the most part safe, she fears the long-term effects the earthquake may have on the staff, which comprises Syrian refugees who have already endured more than a decade of violence and instability back home, only to find themselves confronted with another life-altering tragedy.
“I’m just thinking about the traumatic effects of this on our students who have been through so much trauma, witnessing violence, experiencing displacement, not feeling belonging and all of the discrimination that they faced in their journeys,” Ms Attar said.
“And now to actually go through a night like last night, and reliving all of their past trauma, there's a lot of long-term work to be done.”
The Karam Foundation’s centre in Hatay survived the earthquake with only minimal damage and has been opened up to the community.
Racecard
6.35pm: The Madjani Stakes – Group 2 (PA) Dh97,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
7.10pm: Evidenza – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,200m
7.45pm: The Longines Conquest – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 2,000m
8.20: The Longines Elegant – Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (D)
8.35pm: The Dubai Creek Mile – Listed (TB) Dh132,500 (D) 1,600m
9.30pm: Mirdif Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (D) 1,400m
10.05pm: The Longines Record – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,900m
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Switzerland, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Lord Giltters, Adrie de Vries, David O’Meara
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm Al Fahidi Fort Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Land Of Legends, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
10pm Dubai Dash Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner Equilateral, Frankie Dettori, Charles Hills.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
