Lebanon’s 128 MPs are scheduled to attend the first Parliament session since their May 15 election on Tuesday.
For the first time in years, the streets surrounding Parliament will be, at least in part, cleared of large cement blocks that were erected during nationwide protests in 2019.
Legislators will be asked to elect a president, a deputy president, two secretaries and three commissioners.
Veteran Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, 84, is widely expected to be re-elected for the seventh time.
But analysts believe the he will probably not win as easily as before.
Representatives of Lebanon’s traditional sectarian political class, including former warlords such as Mr Berri, have become highly unpopular due to the country’s economic meltdown.
Mr Berri needs an absolute majority of 65 votes to be elected in the first round. A second and third vote are possible. On the final round, the winner is the person with the highest number of votes.
Local media reported on Monday that, while Mr Berri is guaranteed to be elected in the first or second round, he will probably receive much less support than in 2018. At this time, he won in the first round with 98 votes.
He will likely be supported by his own political party, the Amal Movement; its closest ally, Hezbollah; as well as the Druze Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and smaller parties and other people.
Those who said that they will not vote for Mr Berri include Lebanon’s two rival Christian parties, the Lebanese Forces (19 MPs) and the Hezbollah-allied Free Patriotic Movement (18 MPs).
While the LF have called against voting for Mr Berri since they rejoined political life 2005, the FPM used not to issue clear instructions for or against his election, giving their MPs space for personal initiative.
Due to Lebanon's sectarian politics, it remains important for a Parliament speaker to receive votes from Lebanon's main religious communities, including Christians.
This year, three Armenian Christian MPs are sure to vote for Mr Berri.
An FPM source also said that a handful of the party’s legislators, known for having a close personal relationship with Mr Berri, might break away and vote for him anyway.
There is no clear alternative to Mr Berri, who was first elected in 1992, two years after the end of a 15-year civil war. Lebanon’s sectarian political system dictates that the Parliament speaker is always Shiite Muslim.
Mr Berri called on his supporters on Monday to abstain from firing shots in the air to celebrate his seventh term as Parliament speaker.
Celebratory gunfire is frequent in Lebanon and often leads to fatalities.
All 27 Shiite MPs elected on May 15 are affiliated to either Amal or its ally Hezbollah, labelled a terrorist organisation in several Western countries.
Mr Berri’s opponents will likely cast blank votes.
With Mr Berri’s re-election believed to be assured, all eyes are on the second most important job in Parliament, which is always held by a Greek Orthodox Christian: deputy Parliament speaker.
This is a significant role. The deputy speaker presides over parliamentary commissions and joint commissions.
Here is a look at potential candidates.
Elias Bou Saab
Mr Bou Saab, 55, is a member of President Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement and the strongest candidate, according to Lebanese media.
He was first elected MP in 2018. He was also Education Minister from 2014 to 2016 and Defence Minister between 2019 and 2020.
State news reports that he was previously mayor of his home town of Dhour Choueir and co-founded the American University in Dubai.
He is married to famed Lebanese singer Julia Boutros, who has publicly supported Hezbollah and its ally, Syrian president Bashar Al Assad.
The FPM source told The National that Mr Bou Saab is guaranteed 22 votes from the party and its allies. Mr Bou Saab met with Mr Berri on Saturday, triggering rumours in local media that the former supported the latter’s candidacy.
The source denied such rumours. “He is going to be the next Parliament speaker. It was normal to visit him, but it doesn’t mean we’ll vote for him,” they said.
Sajih Attieh
Local media describes Mr Attieh as a figure close to former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who bowed out of politics earlier this year.
Mr Attieh was part of a delegation of four MPs from north Lebanon who visited Mr Berri on Monday.
They said that they would support Mr Berri’s candidacy as Parliament speaker and Mr Attieh’s as his deputy.
Adib Abdel Massih
Mr Abdel Massih, 55, is a businessman. His father, George, worked as a journalist with a newspaper affiliated to the Kataeb Party. He was assassinated by the Syrian Social Nationalist Party during the 1975-1990 civil war.
Mr Abdel Massih is supported by MP Michel Moawad and the Kataeb, a Christian party born during the civil war that has recently sought to distance itself from sectarian politics.
There are currently 4 Kataeb MPs in Parliament.
The Kataeb were lobbying independent and opposition MPs on Monday afternoon to vote for Mr Abdel Masih, Kataeb MP Elias Hankache told The National.
The vote of 13 opposition MPs, who are all new except for a journalist, Paula Yacoubian, who was first elected in the 2018 parliamentary election, is up for grabs.
None of those The National questioned on Monday would say who they would vote for as deputy speaker.
"No decision yet," replied MP Marc Daou, when asked for comment.
Mr Hankache said that negotiations were likely to continue into Monday evening.
Many opposition MPs prefer former head of the Beirut bar association, Melhem Khalaf, even though he publicly stated that he did not want the job of deputy Parliament speaker, according to Mr Hankache.
Ultimately, the Kataeb will "vote for whoever has the best chances," he said.
Ghassan Skaff
Local media purports that the 13 opposition MPs could also vote for Ghassan Skaff, a surgeon and independent MP elected for the first time on May 15 with the support of the PSP.
Mr Skaff told local daily L’Orient-Le Jour on Monday that he would receive votes from the Lebanese Forces, the PSP, the Kataeb, and opposition legislators.
A Lebanese Forces source told The National on Monday evening that its MPs would "allow more time for consensus around a deputy speaker", opening the door for further announcements on Tuesday morning, before the vote.
Mr Hankache declined to comment on whether the Kataeb would support Mr Skaff.
A PSP adviser did not answer a request for comment.
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Tuesday (UAE kick-off times)
Leicester City v Brighton (9pm)
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United (11.15pm)
Wednesday
Manchester United v Sheffield United (9pm)
Newcastle United v Aston Villa (9pm)
Norwich City v Everton (9pm)
Wolves v Bournemouth (9pm)
Liverpool v Crystal Palace (11.15pm)
Thursday
Burnley v Watford (9pm)
Southampton v Arsenal (9pm)
Chelsea v Manchester City (11.15pm)
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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.”
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Manchester United v Liverpool
Premier League, kick off 7.30pm (UAE)
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Cagliari v AC Milan (6pm)
Lazio v Napoli (9pm)
Inter Milan v Atalanta (11.45pm)
Sunday
Udinese v Sassuolo (3.30pm)
Sampdoria v Brescia (6pm)
Fiorentina v SPAL (6pm)
Torino v Bologna (6pm)
Verona v Genoa (9pm)
Roma V Juventus (11.45pm)
Parma v Lecce (11.45pm)
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
The biog
Prefers vegetables and fish to meat and would choose salad over pizza
Walks daily as part of regular exercise routine
France is her favourite country to visit
Has written books and manuals on women’s education, first aid and health for the family
Family: Husband, three sons and a daughter
Fathiya Nadhari's instructions to her children was to give back to the country
The children worked as young volunteers in social, education and health campaigns
Her motto is to never stop working for the country
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Scoreline
Al Wasl 1 (Caio Canedo 90 1')
Al Ain 2 (Ismail Ahmed 3', Marcus Berg 50')
Red cards: Ismail Ahmed (Al Ain) 77'
