The term of Lebanon's army commander Gen Joseph Aoun has been extended by a year after a vote in parliament weeks before his tenure was set to expire.
Gen Aoun was due to retire on January 10 next year but the law, backed by a majority of MPs, delays the retirement age of the heads of Lebanon's security services – including the army – by a year, meaning Gen Aoun is able to serve for another 12 months.
In theory it ends fears of yet another potential vacuum at the top of a key Lebanese institution. The country has been without a president since October 2022, has a caretaker cabinet and acting heads of the central bank and General Security.
Normally the army's chief of staff would step into the top job on an interim basis in the event of a vacuum but that position has also remained vacant for a year.
The Council of Ministers seemed set to eventually discuss the issue – having dragged its feet for months – early on Friday afternoon but that meeting was scrapped until Tuesday afternoon when not enough ministers turned up.
While the war in Gaza and the Israel-Hezbollah cross-border clashes in southern Lebanon have dominated the headlines since October, perhaps no recent issue has been more of a talking point in the country than the army commander.
Some factions had been deeply opposed to extending the term of Gen Aoun, particularly the Free Patriotic Movement, one of the largest parliamentary parties. The FPM, founded by Lebanon's previous president Michel Aoun – not related to the general – has a significant number of ministers from or allied to the party, including Defence Minister Maurice Sleem.
Supporters of extending Gen Aoun's term had warned of the risk of military instability if a solution was not found, particularly given the precarious security situation in which Lebanon finds itself.
Influential Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said as the vote was about to take place that “if we do not do this work today, we risk a vacuum” at the top of the army, pointing to the expected slowdown in parliamentary business over Christmas.
The bill to extend Gen Aoun's term was tabled by the Lebanese Forces, parliament's largest party.
"Many things have gone wrong in the country, except for the army institution," said LF leader Samir Geagea.
"Our main concern is for the institution to remain stable and continuous, and this is what prompted us to proceed with the extension of the army commander."
While the president is normally responsible for appointing the army commander, in his or her absence, head of state powers fall to the cabinet. But the latter is severely stripped of its powers given its caretaker status, with some politicians arguing it should not be meeting at all.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Western Clubs Champions League:
- Friday, Sep 8 - Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Bahrain
- Friday, Sep 15 – Kandy v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Friday, Sep 22 – Kandy v Bahrain
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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
More on Quran memorisation:
All Black 39-12 British & Irish Lions
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
PRESIDENTS CUP
Draw for Presidents Cup fourball matches on Thursday (Internationals first mention). All times UAE:
02.32am (Thursday): Marc Leishman/Joaquin Niemann v Tiger Woods/Justin Thomas
02.47am (Thursday): Adam Hadwin/Im Sung-jae v Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay
03.02am (Thursday): Adam Scott/An Byeong-hun v Bryson DeChambeau/Tony Finau
03.17am (Thursday): Hideki Matsuyama/CT Pan v Webb Simpson/Patrick Reed
03.32am (Thursday): Abraham Ancer/Louis Oosthuizen v Dustin Johnson/Gary Woodland
