Australia has joined the growing ranks of countries that have banned both the political and military wings of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah party, calling the group a “real and credible threat” to the country.
For many countries, the question of whether to ban both wings has been a thorny issue, with some interested in keeping a diplomatic channel open with the political side of the group, as it is a part of the Lebanese government, despite the problems linked to that option.
That category includes France and the EU as a whole, with the bloc designating Hezbollah's military wing as a terrorist group in 2013, although it has yet to issue a complete ban.
For countries such the US – which lost 241 soldiers to an attack attributed to Hezbollah in Beirut in October 1983 – and Israel, which has been at war with the group since the mid-80s, a complete ban was an obvious move. However, France, which lost 58 peacekeepers in the Beirut attack, has been more cautious due to its longstanding links with Lebanon.
Most of the Arab League, with the exception of Algeria, Lebanon and Iraq, voted to condemn the group as a terrorist organisation in 2016. Hezbollah is entirely banned by Gulf Co-operation Council countries.
Other nations have considered whether to impose a ban for decades. Here is the state of play globally in 2021:
EU - military wing banned
Despite growing calls from some members of European Parliament, the EU has yet to issue a full ban on the group.
The bloc's most recent statement on the issue said the EU wishes to maintain "constructive dialogue with all political parties present in Lebanon". But there is growing pressure on the group among EU countries, including Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Serbia, which have issued complete bans.
US – complete ban
After the 1983 barracks bombing in Beirut, the US scrambled to find out who was responsible but Hezbollah was only one of many violent groups embroiled in the Lebanese civil war that was raging at the time.
The group did not issue an explicitly anti-American and anti-Israeli manifesto until 1985 and the US did not designate the group as a terrorist organisation until 1995. Since then, the US has considered the political and military wings of the group as being the same entity.
Gulf Co-operation Council - complete ban
The GCC sanctioned Hezbollah in 2013 after the group sent forces to support Bashar Al Assad, whose country had been expelled from the Arab League after a violent campaign against protesters that led to the Syrian civil war. The bloc – comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar – toughened its position in 2016, giving all entities linked to Hezbollah a terrorist designation.
GCC Secretary General Abdullatif Al Zayani said at the time that the council would "take the necessary measures to implement its decision ... based on anti-terrorism laws applied in the GCC and similar international laws”. In August 2020, Bahrain arrested an undisclosed number of men accused of working for Hezbollah to smuggle weapons into the country.
Canada – complete ban
Canada banned Hezbollah in its entirety in 2002 after having previously allowed fund-raising for the group’s political wing. That changed after Hassan Nasrallah advocated suicide bombing.
Britain – complete ban
The UK banned the military wing of Hezbollah in 2008 but a complete ban was not put into effect until 2019 as Lebanon faced economic and social chaos.
Jeremy Hunt, UK foreign secretary at the time of the ban, explained the country's rationale. "It is clear the distinction between Hezbollah's military and political wings does not exist, and by proscribing Hezbollah in all its forms, the government is sending a clear signal," he said.
Germany – complete ban
Germany’s ban on Hezbollah in April 2020 was accompanied by a number of police raids on the group across the country.
“Hezbollah is a terrorist organisation deemed responsible for numerous attacks and kidnappings worldwide," Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said at the time.
The Netherlands – complete ban
The Netherlands was one of the first countries in the world outside of the US and Israel to issue a complete ban of the group in 2004.
Czech Republic - complete ban
In October 2020, the parliament of the Czech Republic voted overwhelmingly in favour of a complete ban, saying that it considered all parts of Hezbollah as "internally interlinked".
Estonia – complete ban
Any Hezbollah affiliate cannot enter Estonia after legislation was passed in October 2020.
“Hezbollah poses a considerable threat to international – and thereby Estonian – security," Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said.
Lithuania – complete ban
Since August 2020, anyone linked to Hezbollah cannot enter Lithuania. The ban will have to be renewed by a new law in 2030.
Argentina – complete ban
Argentina was slow to ban Hezbollah despite a long history of opposition to the group after the 1994 Buenos Aires Jewish community centre bombing, attributed to the group, which killed 85 people.
But it was not until 2019 that a complete ban was put in effect, with the government saying the group represented a threat to the “security and the integrity of the economic and financial order of the Argentine Republic".
Colombia - complete ban
Aside from Argentina, Colombia is one of several Latin American countries including Paraguay, Guatemala and Honduras that have completely banned the organisation. Money laundering operations by the group in Latin America to try to escape sanctions, are just one reason for these countries banning the group, extending to its involvement in the drug trade.
Iraq – no designation announced
Iraq has had a complex relationship with the organisation. During the 2003-2011 US-led occupation of the country, Iraqi security forces worked with the US to track down Hezbollah operatives who had slipped into the country to smuggle arms and train Iran-backed fighters.
But after the US departed, a number of Iraqi militia commanders went into politics, including Qais Al Khazali, whose militia, Asaib Ahl Al Haq, has worked with Hezbollah. Iraq has no official position on the group and refrained from backing the 2016 Arab League vote which condemned Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation.
Lebanon – no designation announced
Hezbollah entered the political arena after the end of the Lebanese civil war and through successive governments since 2005 has controlled a number of ministries, including the agriculture and health portfolios while building influence in the civil service through loyalists and allies.
It has subsequently been difficult for the Lebanese government to form a coherent position on the group. However, former prime minister Saad Hariri called on the group in 2017 to adopt a position of non-interference in the region.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
Profile of RentSher
Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE
Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi
Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE
Sector: Online rental marketplace
Size: 40 employees
Investment: $2 million
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Tuesday, July 11
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court
Adrian Mannarino v Novak Djokovic (2)
Venus Williams (10) v Jelena Ostapenko (13)
Johanna Konta (6) v Simona Halep (2)
Court 1
Garbine Muguruza (14) v
Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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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
World%20Cup%202023%20ticket%20sales
%3Cp%3EAugust%2025%20%E2%80%93%20Non-India%20warm-up%20matches%20and%20all%20non-India%20event%20matches%0D%3Cbr%3EAugust%2030%20%E2%80%93%20India%20matches%20at%20Guwahati%20and%20Trivandrum%0D%3Cbr%3EAugust%2031%20%E2%80%93%20India%20matches%20at%20Chennai%2C%20Delhi%20and%20Pune%0D%3Cbr%3ESeptember%201%20%E2%80%93%20India%20matches%20at%20Dharamsala%2C%20Lucknow%20and%20Mumbai%0D%3Cbr%3ESeptember%202%20%E2%80%93%20India%20matches%20at%20Bengaluru%20and%20Kolkata%0D%3Cbr%3ESeptember%203%20%E2%80%93%20India%20matches%20at%20Ahmedabad%0D%3Cbr%3ESeptember%2015%20%E2%80%93%20Semi-finals%20and%20Final%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Ziyadd, Richard Mullen (jockey), Jean de Roualle (trainer).
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
Winner: Secret Advisor, Tadhg O’Shea, Charlie Appleby.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Plata O Plomo, Carlos Lopez, Susanne Berneklint.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20stats%20and%20facts
%3Cp%3E1.9%20million%20women%20are%20at%20risk%20of%20developing%20cervical%20cancer%20in%20the%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E80%25%20of%20people%2C%20females%20and%20males%2C%20will%20get%20human%20papillomavirus%20(HPV)%20once%20in%20their%20lifetime%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EOut%20of%20more%20than%20100%20types%20of%20HPV%2C%2014%20strains%20are%20cancer-causing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E99.9%25%20of%20cervical%20cancers%20are%20caused%20by%20the%20virus%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EA%20five-year%20survival%20rate%20of%20close%20to%2096%25%20can%20be%20achieved%20with%20regular%20screenings%20for%20cervical%20cancer%20detection%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EWomen%20aged%2025%20to%2029%20should%20get%20a%20Pap%20smear%20every%20three%20years%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EWomen%20aged%2030%20to%2065%20should%20do%20a%20Pap%20smear%20and%20HPV%20test%20every%20five%20years%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EChildren%20aged%2013%20and%20above%20should%20get%20the%20HPV%20vaccine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RACE CARD
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 (PA) Listed Dh230,000 1,600m
6.30pm: HH The President’s Cup (PA) Group 1 Dh2.5million 2,200m
7pm: HH The President’s Cup (TB) Listed Dh380,000 1,400m
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,200m.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Brief scores:
Everton 2
Walcott 21', Sigurdsson 51'
Tottenham 6
Son 27', 61', Alli 35', Kane 42', 74', Eriksen 48'
Man of the Match: Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur)
