Building hi-tech airline seats has become a huge business in Northern Ireland.

Children are among those pleading for hours for digital gifts, as the company takes a cut of up to 70%.

It is no secret that recent Arab uprisings have placed enormous burdens on the shoulders of BBC Arabic journalists responsible for reporting news from the region.

Covering the Arab world is not always an easy task - we need to mix sensible caution with a dose of courage in covering political issues that attract so many disputed views among Arabic-speaking audiences.

Our guiding principles are the BBC's values, its editorial guidelines, its ethical code, which are our reference points to maintain impartial, balanced and accurate reporting.

Across the Arab world - whether it's Tunisia, Yemen, Egypt or Libya, Bahrain, Syria and Iraq or the many other countries in the region - we know that audiences want access to objective and independent news, far removed from an agenda that favours one party, religion or sect against another. That is why audiences are turning to BBC Arabic.

Last year, our latest figures show that overall audiences to BBC Arabic have risen by more than 17% to a record high of 25.3 million adults weekly. That includes a big surge of 2.9 million in Saudi Arabia and 2.7 million in Egypt, where TV viewers in particular turned to the BBC to better understand the events happening in their own country. Our radio audiences are also holding up despite the reductions in transmission. Online is proving to be more of a challenge, but we are working hard to understand the needs of digital audiences and those for whom social media plays an increasingly important part in their lives.

In 2011, following the fall of the Mubarak leadership, we watched as ordinary Egyptians carried banners saying "Thank you, BBC!" But meeting the high expectation of audiences has a price and sometimes it's been a heavy one.

March 2011 brought a strong reminder of the risks that our staff face in covering the news - one of our reporters was arrested and tortured by Muammar Gaddafi's forces during the Libya uprising. In early 2012, our reporter in Yemen was beaten and received death threats from supporters of the outgoing president.

We are also challenged by those who disagree with our coverage. In countries such as Syria and Bahrain, BBC Arabic has been accused of bias.

The criticism comes from opposition and government alike. It may be a valid argument to say that getting criticism from both sides, in the case of Arab world certainly, is an indication of balanced coverage.

On Syria, for example, we had a series of documentaries looking at the civil war from a number of perspectives.

The first one, exploring what it's like to work for a Syrian television channel that's the mouthpiece of the government, was the butt of criticism and threats from Syrian opposition quarters. We followed it up with a programme charting a day in the lives of six Syrian women, five of whom were anti-government activists.

In our day-to-day news coverage, presenting a variety of voices from Syria is essential to us. And that is what distinguishes BBC Arabic from many media outlets in the Arab world which promote political views and agendas, and that is what we are determined to keep.

BBC Arabic marked its 75th anniversary in January. Arab politicians and ordinary people have expressed their appreciation of our track record of impartiality and trusted news. I am confident that the coming years will see further achievement on all our platforms - TV, radio and online.

David Coote's alleged video on Liverpool and former manager Jurgen Klopp fuels conspiracy theorists who question referees' integrity, says Phil McNulty.

The 17-year-old was being transported to custody when she left the vehicle and was hit by a car.

Russia is launching mass drone strikes on Ukraine. A 14-year-old girl was one of the latest victims.

Ecuador midfielder Marco Angulo dies just over a month after being seriously injured in a car crash.

San Francisco Giants clinch their second World Series title in three years, sweeping Detroit Tigers 4-0.

Montjeu, who sired three Epsom Derby winners, dies at the age of 16 following a short illness.

On May 25, 2020, the Dutch tax authority said that taxpayers receiving assessment notices for not submitting a value-added tax return on time can apply for a three-month filing extension.

The Dutch Government has submitted a bill to parliament that will restrict the amount that shareholders can borrow from their own companies without the imposition of tax.

The Dutch tax authority has issued a clarification of the repayment requirements for taxes deferred during the COVID-19 health crisis.

The Dutch Government is to establish a new supervisory body to improve oversight of the country's tax collecting agencies.

The International Monetary Fund has collated information on the tax and non-tax policy responses of some 193 jurisdictions to COVID-19.

Switzerland has signed protocols to its double taxation agreements with Cyprus, Liechtenstein, and Malta to implement minimum standards developed as part of the OECD's BEPS project.

Russia's double tax agreements with Hong Kong and Switzerland are next on the radar for authorities in Russia, who are seeking to ensure the country can subject to at least 15 percent withholding tax outbound dividends and interest payments.

The French Government has listed the businesses that may exceptionally benefit from a two-thirds reduction in local property tax.

France has extended the October 15 property tax payment deadline for businesses affected by measures to contain COVID-19.

African state Burkina Faso has ratified the BEPS multilateral instrument, to make changes to its double tax agreements to counter tax base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS).

On August 26, 2020, the Swiss Federal Council ratified a new double taxation agreement with Bahrain and a Protocol to revise its DTA with Kuwait.

At a plenary session on February 11, 2021, Belgium's parliament adopted a draft law for a new annual tax on securities accounts.

On July 24, 2020, a Council Implementing Decision was published in the official journal of the European Union authorizing the extension of Italy's value-added tax split payment mechanism scheme, applicable to contracts with public sector entities.

The Swiss Federal Council has launched a consultation on the amendments to the VAT law, with a focus on the tax treatment of mail order businesses and the administrative burden on SMEs.

Switzerland has signed protocols to its double taxation agreements with Cyprus, Liechtenstein, and Malta to implement minimum standards developed as part of the OECD's BEPS project.

On July 20, 2020, the French Government published in the Official Gazette a decree to expand the list of jurisdictions exempt from local filing reporting requirements under the country's country-by-country reporting regime.

Russia's double tax agreements with Hong Kong and Switzerland are next on the radar for authorities in Russia, who are seeking to ensure the country can subject to at least 15 percent withholding tax outbound dividends and interest payments.

On August 26, 2020, the Swiss Federal Council ratified a new double taxation agreement with Bahrain and a Protocol to revise its DTA with Kuwait.

Chinese scientists found that anomalies in tropical Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures can forecast the severity of global medlinkdengue outbreaks/medlink (!--ref1--).

On May 4, 2020, a bill was introduced in the United States House of Representatives to limit the impact of the Global Intangible Low Tax Income regime on businesses based in US territories and possessions.

On May 19, 2020, the United States Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued an Announcement which clarifies the interpretation of references in US income tax treaties to the North American Free Trade Agreement once it is replaced by the Agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada.

On June 24, 2020, the Belgian Ministry of Finance issued a clarification of tax payment deadlines for non-resident individuals after the tax authority issued tax statements with the wrong due dates.

On September 22, 2020, Germany provided further details about the government's tax policy priorities for its presidency of the European Union.

At a plenary session on February 11, 2021, Belgium's parliament adopted a draft law for a new annual tax on securities accounts.

Belgium has published in its Official Gazette legislation to introduce the country's new tax on securities accounts.

The United Arab Emirates' Federal Tax Authority has clarified the value-added tax rules that apply to e-commerce transactions.

The OECD has released its annual Consumption Tax Trends report, which highlights that with VAT rates at an all-time high, governments should ensure they have effective VAT frameworks in place to tax e-commerce.

The Irish Revenue has issued guidance for companies on the temporary acceleration of corporate tax loss relief for accounting periods affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.

The OECD has released its annual Consumption Tax Trends report, which highlights that with VAT rates at an all-time high, governments should ensure they have effective VAT frameworks in place to tax e-commerce.

Experts from UVA Health are issuing a warning about mushroom gummies marketed to enhance brain function, as they may contain the illegal hallucinogen

Starting in 2025, Australia will provide free respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccinations (!--ref1--) for newborns and pregnant women. Mark

Highlights: Experts highlight the strategies that blend procedural and pharmacological therapies to optimize dry ey

On July 20, 2020, the French Government published in the Official Gazette a decree to expand the list of jurisdictions exempt from local filing reporting requirements under the country's country-by-country reporting regime.

On September 22, 2020, Germany provided further details about the government's tax policy priorities for its presidency of the European Union.

Belgium has published in its Official Gazette legislation to introduce the country's new tax on securities accounts.

Experts speaking at the UN's Economic and Social Council's annual Special Meeting on International Cooperation in Tax Matters concluded that the international community must do more to tackle tax base erosion and profit shifting and offshore tax evasion.

HM Revenue and Customs is reforming late-filing and payment penalties to make them fairer and more consistent across taxes. The first stage of these reforms was set to come into effect early this year. However, on January 13, 2022, HMRC postponed the effective dates by nine months to one year.

Highlights: High prevalence of mental health challenges among prisoners, leading to 80% of unnatural deaths be

The medlinkSupreme Court/medlink of India has rejected the apologies given by Patanjali's founders, Baba Ramdev and Balkrishna, for their misleading advertisements.

In a tragic incident that highlights the dire consequences of medlinkmedical negligence/medlink, a 28-year-old woman lost her life during a sterilization

Lucy Letby is a British nurse who was arrested on suspicion of murdering eight babies and attempting to murder ten others while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital in England.