Government

Doha: Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign AffairsHE Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi held a phone call on Sunday with Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Lebanon HE Dr. Tarek Mitri. The call discussed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and develop them. It also discussed Lebanon's latest developments. His Excellency also voiced the State of Qatar's strong condemnation and denunciation of the continued Israeli attacks on the fraternal Republic of Lebanon, the expansion of the Israeli ground incursion into southern Lebanon and the targeting of civilians, considering it a blatant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and a clear breach of international law, and a dangerous escalation that threatens the region's security and stability and efforts to reduce escalation. He stressed the need to stop the Israeli attacks immediately, and to fully commit to the ceasefire agreement and implement Security Council Resolution No. 1701 in all its provisions. He urged the international community to assume its responsibilities and take a firm stance to stop the Israeli violations and respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity. HE the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated the State of Qatar's firm and supportive stance toward Lebanon and its continued support for the fraternal Lebanese people.

General

Doha, Qatar: The General Tax Authority has released a comprehensive guide outlining the implementation of Qatar's new Excise Tax Tiered Volumetric Model on Sweetened Drinks, which will come into effect on July 6, 2026. The comprehensive guide provides simplified explanations on how the excise tax will be applied to products classified as a "sweetened drink" in Qatar. The guide also details compliance requirements, registration procedures and reporting obligations for affected businesses in the country. Based on the framework, a sweetened drink is a product to which a source of sugar or an artificial sweetener is added and is intended for consumption as a drink. This includes ready-to-drink beverages, concentrates, powders, gels, extracts and any other form that can be converted into a drink. Under the new model, these drinks will be classified according to their total sugar content (both natural and added) per 100ml rather than applying a fixed uniform tax rate, which means that the tax rate hikes as the sugar level increases. Drinks that have low (total) sugar content (less than 5 grams of sugar per 100ml) will be exempt from excise tax, while beverages that has medium (total) sugar content (5g up to 7.99g of sugar per 100ml) will be subject to a tax of QR0.77 per litre. Drinks containing that contain high (total) sugar content (greater than or equal to 8g per 100ml) will incur a higher rate of QR1.06 per litre. Beverages containing only artificial sweeteners and no added sugar will also be exempt from the tax. The guide also outlines several products that fall outside the scope of the excise tax model, including 100 percent natural fruit and vegetable juices with no added sugar, milk and dairy products, infant formula, meal replacement products, beverages for special medical purposes, and drinks prepared in restaurants and served directly to customers in open containers. The authority also detailed the categories of persons liable to pay excise tax, excise tax return requirements under the new model, and transitional measures for businesses. The new model was introduced as part of Qatar's efforts to promote public health and encourage healthier consumption habits. The full guide is available through the GTA and Dhareeba platforms.

Government

Gaza: The accelerating perilous consequences of the disruption of electrical generators have entered an extremely dangerous phase after a fourth generator was rendered inoperable, Shuhada Al-Aqsa Hospital in the central Gaza Strip warned in a statement Sunday. The hospital said it is alarmed by this development, as it threatens the continuation of life-saving medical services, recalling that the operating generators have become decrepit due to three years of continuous operation amid the ongoing extraordinary conditions engulfing the Gaza enclave. These generators are no longer able to meet the daily needs of critical sections, despite all technical and engineering attempts to maintain their operation, the statement said. It added that the worsening crisis has forced the shutdown of operating rooms, while the dialysis unit, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), intensive care unit (ICU), and clinical laboratories face the risk of ceasing operations at any moment, posing a direct threat to the lives of hundreds of patients and injured individuals who depend on these critical services. The backup generator malfunction crisis has resulted in the suspension of more than 50% of the hospital's healthcare services, directly affecting the ability of medical staff to provide care for patients and the injured and maintain essential services, the statement cautioned. The statement further noted that the continuous spike in temperatures has increased the need for power to operate medical equipment as well as ventilation systems inside critical sections. Any potential shortages would aggravate the risks facing patients and medical personnel alike. Technical and engineering interventions by specialized personnel have become limited amid the extreme deterioration of the generators and severe shortages of essential spare parts, the statement warned. It appealed to international and humanitarian institutions to urgently spring into action to salvage the situation at this medical facility by supplying it with sustainable power lines through increased power supplies and the installation of new generators.