Lebanon’s president said on Saturday he was hopeful a Cabinet would be formed soon to tackle the country’s worst economic crisis in decades.
“The path to forming a government is clear, and I hope that 'white smoke' will come out soon,” Michel Aoun said, referring to the sign used by the Vatican to indicate that a new pope has been elected.
His remarks come days after prime minister-designate Najib Mikati said a draft Cabinet arrangement was being discussed and that talks were on the “right track”.
Mr Mikati, a billionaire businessman and former prime minister, was nominated in July to form a Cabinet that the international community says must enact reforms before global financial support is unlocked.
His predecessor, Future Movement leader Saad Hariri, gave up after nine months of disagreements with Mr Aoun over the Cabinet’s make-up.
Mr Hariri, the country’s top Sunni politician, later backed Mr Mikati for the post.
Mr Mikati has met Mr Aoun regularly in an attempt to finalise the make-up of the government.
Lebanon's year-long political paralysis since the resignation of current caretaker prime minister Hassan Diab's government has exacerbated an economic crisis, leading to shortages in fuel and vital commodities.
Earlier this week, the central bank announced it would stop subsidising fuel purchases and sell dollars to importers at the market rate.
An Energy Ministry official told The National it was waiting for Banque du Liban to set the exchange rate for future fuel purchases before it announced a revised price list.
Fuel importers have halted deliveries pending new prices being issued and pumps across the country have closed.
On Saturday, the central bank governor defended his decision to halt fuel subsidies that have drained currency reserves.
He said the government could resolve the problem by passing legislation allowing the central bank to use its mandatory reserves.
Fuel shortages led to power cuts that forced many retail outlets across Beirut to close at the weekend.
Security forces on Saturday penalised petrol stations that stopped sales but were found to be holding stocks of previously purchased petrol and diesel.
Fuel importers were set to resume deliveries on Saturday, after the central bank agreed to maintain subsidies on the existing stock of fuel at 3,900 Lebanese pounds to the dollar.
Mr Diab described the subsidy cut as “illegal” but did not convene his caretaker Cabinet, arguing that the constitution did not allow for such meetings.
Lebanon has been without a government since the massive Beirut port blast that killed more than 200 people in August 2020 and forced Mr Diab to resign.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Lampedusa: Gateway to Europe
Pietro Bartolo and Lidia Tilotta
Quercus
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
The Comeback: Elvis And The Story Of The 68 Special
Simon Goddard
Omnibus Press
Read more about the coronavirus
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
