Fadel Chaker's hit single Ahla Rasma raises as many questions as it answers.
The song – a lush ballad in the style he’s renowned for – reaffirms the timeless notion that love is best expressed without conditions. But that clarity doesn’t extend to his place in the Arabic music industry or his complex relationship with regional audiences.
Despite his undeniable appeal as a talented singer and composer, Chaker, 56, remains a convicted fugitive, with a 22-year prison sentence still in place.
That he continues to release music and enjoy regional acclaim while evading justice in Lebanon highlights both the fractures in Lebanese society and a disconnect between fans and the man behind the music.
Ahla Rasma continues Chaker’s return to the musical limelight, more than a decade after embracing a strictly conservative view of Islam that rejects popular music, which brought him into conflict with the Lebanese army.
Following his retirement in 2012, he adopted the name Hajj Chaker and pledged allegiance to Lebanese Sunni firebrand cleric Ahmed al-Assir – a move that led him to take up arms with supporters during the 2013 clashes against the Lebanese army that left 18 soldiers dead.
Chaker was later sentenced in absentia to 22 years of hard labour. The ruling remains unenforced, with Chaker reportedly still in hiding at the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp.
Despite his confined circumstances, Chaker continues to release music to significant success. Ahla Rasma has already been streamed more than 40 million times since being released on YouTube in April. It follows a steady number of releases since his return to popular music after years spent exclusively recording Islamic hymns – a shift that began with 2018 comeback single Shab’an Min Al Tamtheel.
How does Chaker still release music?
Chaker’s growing playlist is made possible through geography and technology. He remains elusive in Ain al-Hilweh – a self-governed enclave inaccessible to Lebanese police and army due to a reportedly unofficial understanding stemming from the now-annulled 1969 Cairo Agreement between the Lebanese government and the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
When it comes to recording the songs themselves, Chaker provided insight into the process in a 2018 interview with website Arabic Post, in which he described recording Shab'an Min Al Tamtheel, the theme song for Egyptian television drama Ladina Aqwal Okhra, by having the song’s arrangements recorded abroad – in this case, Egypt – before being sent to him. Chaker would then add his vocals and send it back to the producers for mixing and mastering.
That straightforward approach is also reflected in Chaker’s music videos, which are often performance-based and shot in a studio space.
The songs’ presence on major streaming platforms – including Spotify and Apple Music – despite lacking a record label, suggests Chaker is using digital distribution services. Platforms such as DistroKid, TuneCore, or CD Baby enable independent artists to release music globally by providing proof of ownership. Chaker or his representatives have yet to make an official statement on which service he uses.
How has the response to Chaker's new music been?
Chaker’s re-emergence drew mixed reactions. While his comeback single Shab’an Min Al Tamtheel went regionally viral, the public backlash prompted Egyptian production company AG Group to remove the song from the television drama Ladina Aqwal Okhra.
Series creator Medhat El Adl later described the decision to use the track as an error of judgment, telling broadcaster Sada El Balad: “We didn’t study the legal standpoint regarding Fadel Chaker in Lebanon. We basically made our decision from a purely artistic perspective.”
The outcry had a chilling effect on the music industry, with peers rarely mentioning or expressing support for Chaker.
One notable exception was Egyptian singer Sherine Abdelwahab, whose controversial visit to Ain al-Hilweh in 2022 for an undisclosed meeting with Chaker led to her being summoned for questioning by Lebanese authorities, before being released without charge.
This year’s documentary series Ya Ghayeb … Fadel Chaker – featuring a sit-down interview in which Chaker tells his side of the story – was also met with ambivalent critical reception, with some critics accusing it of downplaying the crimes he stands convicted of.
All of this points to a career in limbo. Chaker’s return is neither a full-fledged comeback nor a rebranding. His songs are recorded in undisclosed locations and released without co-ordinated promotional efforts or supporting concerts.
While the appeal is undeniable, Chaker’s career and personal life remain stalled until his legal status is definitively resolved.
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Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
RESULTS
Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
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On racial profiling at airports
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Glossary of a stock market revolution
Reddit
A discussion website
Redditor
The users of Reddit
Robinhood
A smartphone app for buying and selling shares
Short seller
Selling a stock today in the belief its price will fall in the future
Short squeeze
Traders forced to buy a stock they are shorting
Naked short
An illegal practice
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
Tentative schedule of 2017/18 Ashes series
1st Test November 23-27, The Gabba, Brisbane
2nd Test December 2-6, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
3rd Test Dcember 14-18, Waca, Perth
4th Test December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
5th Test January 4-8, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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