About 75 per cent of UN member states recognise Palestinian statehood. AFP
About 75 per cent of UN member states recognise Palestinian statehood. AFP
About 75 per cent of UN member states recognise Palestinian statehood. AFP
About 75 per cent of UN member states recognise Palestinian statehood. AFP

Which countries recognise Palestine?


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President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will recognise a Palestinian state, as anger mounts over the death toll and worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza.

More than 140 countries recognise Palestinian statehood, but Israel and the US are staunchly opposed. France would become the biggest European power and first G7 state to do so. It will join fellow European countries Norway, Ireland and Spain in recognising Palestine.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called the French decision a 'slap in the face' to the victims of the attack on October 7, 2023. Reuters
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called the French decision a 'slap in the face' to the victims of the attack on October 7, 2023. Reuters

To date, only nine EU members have taken the step, making France’s move significant, especially given its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

But worldwide, about 75 per cent of UN members recognise Palestinian statehood. They are as follows:

  • Algeria
  • Bahrain
  • Indonesia
  • Iraq
  • Kuwait
  • Libya
  • Malaysia
  • Mauritania
  • Morocco
  • Somalia
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Yemen
  • Afghanistan
  • Bangladesh
  • Cuba
  • Jordan
  • Madagascar
  • Nicaragua
  • Pakistan
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • UAE
  • Serbia
  • Zambia
  • Albania
  • Brunei
  • Djibouti
  • Mauritius
  • Sudan
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Slovakia
  • Egypt
  • The Gambia
  • India
  • Nigeria
  • Seychelles
  • Sri Lanka
  • Namibia
  • Russia
  • Belarus
  • Ukraine
  • Vietnam
  • China
  • Burkina Faso
  • Comoros
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Cambodia
  • Mali
  • Mongolia
  • Senegal
  • Hungary
  • Cape Verde
  • North Korea
  • Niger
  • Romania
  • Tanzania
  • Bulgaria
  • Maldives
  • Ghana
  • Togo
  • Zimbabwe
  • Chad
  • Laos
  • Sierra Leone
  • Uganda
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Angola
  • Mozambique
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Gabon
  • Oman
  • Poland
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Botswana
  • Nepal
  • Burundi
  • Central African Republic
  • Bhutan
  • Rwanda
  • Ethiopia
  • Iran
  • Benin
  • Kenya
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Vanuatu
  • Philippines
  • Eswatini
  • Kazakhstan
  • Azerbaijan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Georgia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Tajikistan
  • Uzbekistan
  • Papua New Guinea
  • South Africa
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Malawi
  • Timor-Leste
  • Paraguay
  • Montenegro
  • Costa Rica
  • Lebanon
  • Ivory Coast
  • Venezuela
  • Dominican Republic
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Bolivia
  • Ecuador
  • Chile
  • Guyana
  • Peru
  • Suriname
  • Uruguay
  • Lesotho
  • South Sudan
  • Syria
  • Liberia
  • El Salvador
  • Honduras
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Belize
  • Dominica
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Grenada
  • Iceland
  • Thailand
  • Guatemala
  • Haiti
  • Sweden
  • Saint Lucia
  • Colombia
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Barbados
  • Jamaica
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • The Bahamas
  • Ireland
  • Norway
  • Spain
  • Slovenia
  • Armenia
  • Mexico
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Manchester United 50 appearances, 5 goals

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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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

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

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

Fixtures and results:

Wed, Aug 29:

  • Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
  • Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
  • UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs

Thu, Aug 30: 

  • UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
  • Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
  • Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets

Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal

Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore

Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong

Thu, Sep 6: Final

Fringe@Four Line-up

October 1 - Phil Nichol (stand-up comedy)

October 29 - Mandy Knight (stand-up comedy)

November 5 - Sinatra Raw (Fringe theatre)

November 8 - Imah Dumagay & Sundeep Fernandes (stand-up comedy)

November 13 - Gordon Southern (stand-up comedy)

November 22 - In Loyal Company (Fringe theatre)

November 29 - Peter Searles (comedy / theatre)

December 5 - Sinatra’s Christmas Under The Stars (music / dinner show)

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

The%20Roundup
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Match info

Deccan Gladiators 87-8

Asif Khan 25, Dwayne Bravo 2-16

Maratha Arabians 89-2

Chadwick Walton 51 not out

Arabians won the final by eight wickets

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2A)
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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:

Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona

Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate

Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid

Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

Updated: July 25, 2025, 9:50 AM