Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah addresses an election rally via video link in a southern suburb of Beirut on April 13, 2018. Hussein Malla / AP Photo
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah addresses an election rally via video link in a southern suburb of Beirut on April 13, 2018. Hussein Malla / AP Photo

Drugs, diamonds and used cars: the Hezbollah network the US destroyed



The GCC and the US have Hezbollah's senior leadership firmly in their crosshairs with new sanctions against the Lebanese group's top officials.

“By targeting Hezbollah’s Shura Council, our nations collectively rejected the false distinction between a so-called ‘political wing’ and Hezbollah’s global terrorist plotting,” US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Wednesday.

The sanctions target leader Hassan Nasrallah, his deputy Naim Qassem and four other leaders. The US Treasury had previously sanctioned Mr Nasrallah for disrupting the Middle East peace process in 1995 and again in 2012 over its involvement in Syria.

Past investigations into Hezbollah financing have had far-reaching consequences.

In the case of the now-defunct Lebanese Canadian Bank, what was once one of Beirut’s major financial institutions folded and later forfeited $102 million (Dh375m) in assets after it was blacklisted by US authorities for its part in what the US said was a vast Hezbollah money-laundering network.

The investigation offered a rare glimpse into a secretive network linking Colombian cocaine cartels, West African conflict diamonds and North American used car lots through which Hezbollah-linked Lebanese businessmen worked around sanctions to bring assets from underworld sources into legitimate global financial systems.

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In the past Hezbollah was believed to have received up to $200m annually from Iran, but that amount diminished as Iran’s economy struggled under sanctions aimed at its nuclear programme. The militant group – which also maintains expensive social services – needed to diversify its funding sources.

A 2010 US Drug Enforcement Administration investigation found that account holders at the Lebanese Canadian Bank were receiving the profits from smuggling South American cocaine to Europe. Expatriate Lebanese businessmen were then channeling those profits into other businesses, including buying used cars in North America to sell in West Africa and the purchase of rough diamonds.

After another Lebanese bank, Societe Generale de Banque au Liban, agreed to buy Lebanese Canadian’s assets in 2011, an audit uncovered nearly 200 accounts involved in the money-laundering scheme, at the centre of which was Hezbollah.

In August 2012, the US government seized $150m of the Lebanese Canadian Bank’s assets, with the bank later agreeing to a $102m settlement. While the case put businesses on notice that they dealt with Hezbollah at their own risk, some have questioned the efficacy of sanctions.

While there has been no official reaction by Hezbollah or Iran, an editorial by the the pro-Hezbollah Al Akhbar newspaper on Thursday argued the new sanctions were a politically motivated response to Hezbollah's strong showing in the recent Lebanese parliamentary elections.

“The sanctions imposed on the Hezbollah leadership will not affect their lives or their work for the party operates outside the Lebanese and international banking system,” it said. “Therefore, the effect of these sanctions is political and nothing more and the target is not Hezbollah, but its partners in the next government.”

BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP

Group A

Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA

Group B

Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti

Group C

Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia

Group D

Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria

MATCH INFO

Day 1 at Mount Maunganui

England 241-4

Denly 74, Stokes 67 not out, De Grandhomme 2-28

New Zealand 

Yet to bat

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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

If you go…

Emirates launched a new daily service to Mexico City this week, flying via Barcelona from Dh3,995.

Emirati citizens are among 67 nationalities who do not require a visa to Mexico. Entry is granted on arrival for stays of up to 180 days. 

RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: JAP Almahfuz, Fernando Jara (jockey), Irfan Ellahi (trainer).

5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,400m​​​​​​​
Winner: AF Momtaz, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.

6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,400m​​​​​​​
Winner: Yaalail, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Listed (PA) Dh180,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Dahess D’Arabie, Fernando Jara, Helal Al Alawi.

7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2.200m
​​​​​​​Winner: Ezz Al Rawasi, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi.

RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile

Started: 2016

Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel 

Based: Ramallah, Palestine

Sector: Technology, Security

# of staff: 13

Investment: $745,000

Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors

Results

International 4, United States 1

Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods (US) beat Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann (International) 4 and 3.

Adam Hadwin and Sungjae Im (International) beat Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (US) 2 up.

Adam Scott and Byeong Hun An (International) beat Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau (US) 2 and 1.

Hideki Matsuyama and C.T. Pan (International) beat Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed (US) 1 up.

Abraham Ancer and Louis Oosthuizen (International) beat Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland (US) 4 and 3.

Results

United States beat UAE by three wickets

United States beat Scotland by 35 runs

UAE v Scotland – no result

United States beat UAE by 98 runs

Scotland beat United States by four wickets

Fixtures

Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland

Admission is free

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants

The Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize

This year’s winners of the US$4 million Sheikh Zayed Future Energy Prize will be recognised and rewarded in Abu Dhabi on January 15 as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week, which runs in the capital from January 13 to 20.

From solutions to life-changing technologies, the aim is to discover innovative breakthroughs to create a new and sustainable energy future.

South Africa's T20 squad

Duminy (c), Behardien, Dala, De Villiers, Hendricks, Jonker, Klaasen (wkt), Miller, Morris, Paterson, Phangiso, Phehlukwayo, Shamsi, Smuts.

TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel

World Cricket League Division 2

In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.

UAE fixtures

Thursday, February 8 v Kenya; Friday, February v Canada; Sunday, February 11 v Nepal; Monday, February 12 v Oman; Wednesday, February 14 v Namibia; Thursday, February 15 final

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Six things you need to know about UAE Women’s Special Olympics football team

Several girls started playing football at age four

They describe sport as their passion

The girls don’t dwell on their condition

They just say they may need to work a little harder than others

When not in training, they play football with their brothers and sisters

The girls want to inspire others to join the UAE Special Olympics teams

Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950

Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury

The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

The biog

Age: 30

Position: Senior lab superintendent at Emirates Global Aluminium

Education: Bachelor of science in chemical engineering, post graduate degree in light metal reduction technology

Favourite part of job: The challenge, because it is challenging

Favourite quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Gandi

Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)

Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg

Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD

Greatest Royal Rumble match listing

50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias

Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura

Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe

United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal

SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos

Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt

Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev

Singles match John Cena v Triple H

Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto

FINAL RESULT

Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)

Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2

Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross

Our House, Louise Candlish,
Simon & Schuster

Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury

Liverpool
Gordon (34'), Fabinho (44' pen, 90' 3), Firmino (78')

Shrewsbury
Udoh (27'minutes)

Man of the Match: Kaide Gordon (Liverpool)

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

MATCH INFO

Liverpool 0

Stoke City 0

Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)

Scores

Rajasthan Royals 160-8 (20 ov)

Kolkata Knight Riders 163-3 (18.5 ov)

Juventus v Napoli, Sunday, 10.45pm (UAE)

Match on Bein Sports

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MATCH INFO

Newcastle United 3
Gayle (23'), Perez (59', 63')

Chelsea 0

Predictions

Predicted winners for final round of games before play-offs:

  • Friday: Delhi v Chennai - Chennai
  • Saturday: Rajasthan v Bangalore - Bangalore
  • Saturday: Hyderabad v Kolkata - Hyderabad
  • Sunday: Delhi v Mumbai - Mumbai
  • Sunday - Chennai v Punjab - Chennai

Final top-four (who will make play-offs): Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore