Last week, the Democratic Gathering bloc in Lebanon’s Parliament, led in effect by the Druze leader Walid Joumblatt, announced it would support the candidacy of the army commander, Joseph Aoun, for Lebanon’s presidency. Several weeks ago, the Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, announced that the legislature would hold an electoral session on January 9 to end the 21-month vacancy in the presidency.
If Gen Aoun is elected, it would not be a surprise. From the moment the US managed to impose a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon in November, which was essentially a surrender agreement imposed on Hezbollah to end Israel’s onslaught on the country, it was evident that Washington would have a major say in the aftermath, whether the Lebanese wanted it or not. A central facet of this is the choice of a new president.
The ceasefire agreement, negotiated by US envoy Amos Hochstein, imposed an implementation mechanism for Security Council Resolution 1701, passed in 2006 to end the Hezbollah-Israel war at the time. The agreement expanded a Lebanese-UN-Israeli committee to also include the US and France, and is now led by an American general. It also gave Israel the implicit right to strike Hezbollah weapons inside Lebanon if the Lebanese army failed to disarm the party at the committee’s request.
The logical segue from this implementation structure is to ensure that the Lebanese army has the latitude to ensure compliance with Resolution 1701 and fill the vacuum that a weakened Hezbollah will leave. The best way to do so, the Americans perhaps feel, is to see to it that Gen Aoun, who is past his retirement age (but has seen his term extended twice), will remain in a position of power.
Over the years, the army has emerged as a rare outpost of normality and consensus in a deeply dysfunctional Lebanese state. Gen Aoun is one reason for this, given what appears to be his personal integrity and the fact that he is regarded as a “soldier’s soldier”.
However, it is also true that sectarian political leaders, as well as Hezbollah, are not keen to see such a figure in office. Traditionally, Lebanon’s politicians have been wary of armed forces’ commanders, principally because the latter can rely on the military, a powerful institution that can potentially counterbalance the politicians’ sway. But because the armed forces are popular, few politicians or parties openly oppose the commander.
Moreover, Gen Aoun, as a Maronite Christian, is seen as a threat by the leading Maronite-led parties, namely the Lebanese Forces and the Free Patriotic Movement. They worry that the general will be able to eat into their base of popular support. Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces, is likely to feel somewhat less threatened than his great rival Gebran Bassil, whose political base has more organic ties to the military, and therefore is more likely to swing toward Gen Aoun.
There are no other obvious candidates who have the capacity to rally a majority. Nor does it seem appropriate, in the aftermath of the recent war
What of Hezbollah, long seen as opposed to an Aoun presidency? It’s a sign of the party’s eroded power that it now seems more willing to accept his candidacy. Recently, a party official, Wafiq Safa, met with the commander, leading to two contradictory accounts of what came out of the meeting.
The first, apparently encouraged by the commander himself, was that the meeting went poorly, and that Gen Aoun took a hard line with Mr Safa. Certainly, the commander had a vested interest in wanting such a version to reach American ears, as this will help convince them they are making the right choice in supporting him.
A second account, spread by politicians close to parliamentary blocs opposed to Hezbollah, was that the meeting went well and that Hezbollah asked the general for a number of commitments, to which he agreed.
It’s difficult to know what really happened. However, it’s doubtful the commander, who has maintained a good relationship with Hezbollah, even as he has imposed his priorities on the party when required, had a bad meeting with Mr Safa. At a time when he needs a broad consensus to amend the constitution before his election (a requirement, as he is a serving grade-one civil servant), entering into a dispute with the party makes no sense.
Observers have suggested that the only remaining obstacle to the commander’s election is Mr Berri, who is said to oppose the move. That’s highly improbable. Mr Berri is a cunning operator and knows that if the US backs Gen Aoun, who also has good relations with Saudi Arabia, then a package deal bringing him to power will be forced on Lebanon. All the speaker wants to ensure is that he can extract promises of his own to facilitate the general’s election.
Moreover, Mr Joumblatt would never have endorsed the commander had he known Mr Berri was adamantly opposed to him. The speaker and Mr Joumblatt have long maintained strategic ties in the system, and Mr Joumblatt would not jeopardise that relationship.
It’s too early to assume that Gen Aoun’s victory is assured. There are still obstacles that need to be cleared, as all sides will want to get the most from a deal on the presidency. However, what is flagrant is that there are no other obvious candidates who have the capacity to rally a majority. Nor does it seem appropriate, in the aftermath of the recent war and the monumental regional changes in the last two months, to fall back on a weak consensus candidate who would only ensure that Lebanon’s status quo endures.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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
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.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Match statistics
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 36 Bahrain 32
Harlequins
Tries: Penalty 2, Stevenson, Teasdale, Semple
Cons: Stevenson 2
Pens: Stevenson
Bahrain
Tries: Wallace 2, Heath, Evans, Behan
Cons: Radley 2
Pen: Radley
Man of the match: Craig Nutt (Harlequins)
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
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEducatly%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohmmed%20El%20Sonbaty%2C%20Joan%20Manuel%20and%20Abdelrahman%20Ayman%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEducation%20technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%242%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEnterprise%20Ireland%2C%20Egypt%20venture%2C%20Plus%20VC%2C%20HBAN%2C%20Falak%20Startups%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The years Ramadan fell in May
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
