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ARN News Center
14 minutes ago
- Business
- ARN News Center
Over 3.5 million illegal excise goods seized in Dubai operation
In a major crackdown on tax evasion, inspectors from the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) have seized over 3.5 million illegal excise goods from a facility in Dubai. The raid uncovered tobacco and beverage products that were fraudulently packaged and smuggled into the UAE market—hidden inside shipments of clothing and footwear. Among the confiscated items were 1.56 million cigarette packs, 1.77 million electronic smoking devices, and thousands of packs of raw tobacco, hookah tobacco, and excise beverages. The total tax due on the goods is estimated at AED 133.2 million. All products have been confiscated, fines issued, and legal action taken against the violators. The FTA says the raid is part of ongoing efforts to tackle tax fraud and protect consumers. It emphasized the use of digital tax stamps and high-tech control systems to track excise goods—and urged all producers and importers to comply with UAE tax laws to avoid severe penalties.
Washington Post
14 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Fire at Massachusetts assisted-living home kills nine
National Fire at Massachusetts assisted-living home kills nine July 14, 2025 | 4:19 PM GMT Officials said at least nine people died and more than 30 were injured from the fire at Gabriel House in Fall River, Massachusetts.
CTV News
14 minutes ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Fireworks, warplanes and axes: How France celebrates Bastille Day
Jets from the acrobatic Patrouille de France fly over the Champs-Elysees avenue during the Bastille Day parade, Monday, July 14, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) PARIS — Swooping warplanes, axe-carrying warriors, a drone light show over the Eiffel Tower and fireworks in nearly every French town — it must be Bastille Day. France celebrated its biggest holiday Monday with 7,000 people marching, on horseback or riding armoured vehicles along the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysees, the most iconic avenue in Paris. And there are plans for partying and pageantry around the country. Why Bastille Day is a big deal Parisians stormed the Bastille fortress and prison on July 14, 1789, a spark for the French Revolution that overthrew the monarchy. In the ensuing two centuries, France saw Napoleon's empire rise and fall, more uprisings and two world wars before settling into today's Fifth Republic, established in 1958. Bastille Day has become a central moment for modern France, celebrating democratic freedoms and national pride, a mélange of revolutionary spirit and military prowess. The Paris parade beneath the Arc de Triomphe so impressed visiting U.S. President Donald Trump in 2017 that it inspired him to stage his own parade this year. What stood out The spectacle began on the ground, with French President Emmanuel Macron reviewing the troops and relighting the eternal flame beneath the Arc de Triomphe. Two riders fell from their horses near the end of the parade, and it was unclear whether anyone was hurt. Such incidents happen occasionally at the annual event. Each parade uniform has a touch of symbolism. The contingent from the French Foreign Legion was eye-catching, its bearded troops wearing leather aprons and carrying axes, a reference to their original role as route clearers for advancing armies. The Paris event included flyovers by fighter jets, trailing red, white and blue smoke. Then the evening sees a drone light show and fireworks at the Eiffel Tower that has gotten more elaborate every year. What's special about this year Every year, France hosts a special guest for Bastille Day, and this year it's Indonesia, with President Prabowo Subianto representing the world's largest Muslim country, which is also a major Asian economic and military player. Indonesian troops, including 200 traditional drummers, marched in Monday's parade, and Indonesia is expected to confirm new purchases of Rafale fighter jets and other French military equipment during the visit. Prabowo, who was accused of rights abuses under Indonesia's prior dictatorship, will be treated to a special holiday dinner at the Elysée Palace. 'For us as Indonesian people, this is a very important and historic military and diplomatic collaboration,'' the commander of the Indonesian military delegation, Brig. Gen. Ferry Irawan, told The Associated Press. Finnish troops serving in the U.N. force in Lebanon, and Belgian and Luxembourg troops serving in a NATO force in Romania also paraded through Paris, reflecting the increasingly international nature of the event. Among the dignitaries invited to watch will be Fousseynou Samba Cissé, who rescued two babies from a burning apartment earlier this month and received a last-minute invitation in a phone call from Macron himself. ''I wasn't expecting that call,'' he told online media Brut. ''I feel pride.'' What's the geopolitical backdrop Beyond the military spectacle in Paris are growing concerns about an uncertain world. On the eve Bastille Day, Macron announced 6.5 billion euros (US $7.6 billion) in extra French military spending in the next two years because of new threats ranging from Russia to terrorism and online attacks. The French leader called for intensified efforts to protect Europe and support for Ukraine. ''Since 1945, our freedom has never been so threatened, and never so seriously,″ Macron said. ''We are experiencing a return to the fact of a nuclear threat, and a proliferation of major conflicts.″ Security was exceptionally tight around Paris ahead of and during the parade. What else happens on Bastille Day It's a period when France bestows special awards — including the most prestigious, the Legion of Honor — on notable people. This year's recipients include Gisèle Pelicot, who became a global hero to victims of sexual violence during a four-month trial in which her husband and dozens of men were convicted of sexually assaulting her while she was drugged unconscious. Others earning the honor are Yvette Levy, a Holocaust survivor and French Resistance fighter, and musician Pharrell Williams, designer for Louis Vuitton. Bastille Day is also a time for family gatherings, firefighters' balls and rural festivals around France. Angela Charlton, The Associated Press
San Francisco Chronicle
14 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Man charged after kilt-wearing attacker smashes case holding Scotland's Stone of Destiny
LONDON (AP) — A man from Australia has been charged with 'malicious mischief' for allegedly smashing a glass case holding the Stone of Destiny, an ancient symbol of Scottish nationhood. Arnaud Harixcalde Logan, 35, appeared at Perth Sheriff Court on Monday to face the charge, which is similar to vandalism. Logan, whose address was given as Sydney, wasn't asked to enter a plea and was ordered detained until a hearing next week. Police said that they were called to a 'disturbance' at Perth Museum in central Scotland on Saturday, after reports of a kilt-wearing man attempting to smash the case containing the royal rock. The 335-pound (150-kilogram) sandstone block is also known as the Stone of Scone (Skoon) — and was used in the crowning ceremonies of medieval Scottish monarchs at Scone Abbey, near Perth. It was stolen by England's King Edward I in the 13th century and taken to Westminster Abbey in London, where it was installed under the seat of the coronation chair. It has been used in coronations at the abbey ever since — first of English and then of British monarchs The English and Scottish crowns were united under one monarch in the 17th century. The stone's presence in London long irked Scottish nationalists. In 1950, it was stolen from Westminster Abbey by four Glasgow university students, but was returned in time for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. It was given back to Scotland in 1996, 700 years after its seizure, and displayed in Edinburgh Castle, with the understanding that it would return to England for use in future coronations. Sensitivities around the stone meant that it had to be moved to London in secrecy and amid tight security for the coronation of King Charles III in 2023. Last year it was put on display at the newly renovated Perth Museum where, according to the building's website, there are 'a range of 24/7 security measures in place at the Museum to protect this precious object.'
ARN News Center
14 minutes ago
- Business
- ARN News Center
Emirates Road to undergo AED750 million makeover
Starting September, Emirates Road will undergo a massive makeover over the next two years at an estimated cost of AED750 million. Announcing the launch of Emirates Road development project, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure said it is aimed at regulating traffic flow and reducing travel time for inter-Emirate commuters by up to 45 per cent. The project will see the expansion of the road from three to five lanes in each direction over a stretch of 25 km, starting from Al Badee Interchange in Sharjah to Umm Al Quwain. This will increase the road's capacity by 65 per cent to approximately 9,000 vehicles per hour. It will also feature a comprehensive upgrade of Interchange No. 7 on Emirates Road, with the construction of six directional bridges totalling 12.6 km in length, and a combined capacity of 13,200 vehicles per hour. In addition, the development will include the creation of collector roads on both sides of Emirates Road, spanning 3.4 km. Implemented in collaboration with local government entities, the project will significantly reduce travel time for commuters traveling from Ras Al Khaimah, through Umm Al Quwain and Sharjah, to Dubai, and vice versa. 'This project represents a significant step toward realising the UAE's vision of establishing an integrated road network that meets the needs of the population and economic growth," said Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. "Enhancing road efficiency and upgrading key interchanges will reduce daily travel times, improve community satisfaction, and support sustainable development by ensuring smooth traffic flow that enhances quality of life. It also reflects the country's commitment to delivering innovative solutions for improving transportation, reducing congestion-related emissions, and raising overall living standards." Hassan Al Mansouri, Undersecretary for Infrastructure and Transport Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, said, 'The project will be implemented in accordance with the highest international standards in road and infrastructure planning, with a strong emphasis on ensuring long-term sustainability. It will significantly enhance traffic flow, particularly for transit movement between cities across the UAE.'
