Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s inauguration speech in Parliament on Thursday drew 30 rounds of applause in just 19 minutes. This was in part due to the newly elected head of state’s precise commitments to reviving the concept of the Lebanese state. His speech also presented a roadmap that reflects his political awareness and pragmatic determination to establish state authority.
Mr Aoun is neither a chance President nor simply a product of compromises among Lebanese leaders driven by local horse trading. He is the President of a new reality, shaped by regional and international developments in Lebanon and Syria, with far-reaching implications involving Iran, the Arab states, the US and even Israel.
His mission is far from impossible.
His election, for the first time since Lebanon’s independence, occurred through a democratic process free from the dominance of Israel or Syria and without Iranian hegemony. His presidency signifies Lebanon’s return to the Arab fold and Saudi Arabia’s re-engagement with the country.
This re-engagement is rooted in the Arab world’s confidence in Mr Aoun’s capacity to implement the Taif Agreement. The deal, which brought an end to the 15-year civil war in Lebanon in late 1989, was sponsored by Saudi Arabia before it was undermined by Iran and Syria.
In truth, the unique partnership between US President Joe Biden and president-elect Donald Trump on the Beirut file played a fundamental role in delivering Lebanon from an Israeli war that took aim at the country’s infrastructure.
The Biden administration waited for Israel to complete its campaign to neutralise Hezbollah, enabling it to achieve its strategic objectives against Iran and its strongest proxy. Mr Biden’s subsequent move, with Mr Trump’s assistance, was to pressure Israel to agree to a ceasefire, with an aim to facilitate the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 under US guarantees and create a roadmap for demarcating the Lebanese-Israeli land border within months.
Saudi Arabia’s diplomacy for a 'new Lebanon' seeks to revitalise the Taif Agreement
Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati played crucial roles in saving Lebanon from total destruction at Israel’s hands. They understood that the Biden-Trump tandem provided a rare opportunity to shield Lebanon and launch a new chapter under previously unimaginable circumstances.
When the time came to elect a president under American pressure, Mr Berri recognised the sole viable option, aligning with the strategic vision of US policymakers, who also understood the value of Arab powers’ active return to Lebanon.
Mr Berri, an astute observer of strategic shifts, also saw the necessity of Lebanon’s return to its Arab identity, especially for the reconstruction of the Israeli-ravaged south.
The end of Iran’s domination in Lebanon marks a monumental event, not a passing development.
Hezbollah’s diminished capability in Lebanon and the wider region, despite its ongoing rhetorical defiance, is self-evident. The collapse of Bashar Al Assad’s government in just two weeks has irreversibly ended Syria’s guardianship over Lebanon. These developments have made the Arab powers’ return to Lebanon, diplomatically and politically, both natural and necessary, while aligning with new regional power dynamics.
Saudi Arabia’s diplomacy for a “new Lebanon” seeks to revitalise the “skeleton” that the Saudi-sponsored Taif Agreement has become, as one informed source put it. This includes restoring Lebanese sovereignty, respecting constitutional principles, implementing administrative decentralisation and ensuring state monopoly over arms by disarming non-state actors, leaving security solely in the hands of official agencies.
These critical elements were articulated in Mr Aoun’s historic speech, representing a formal commitment to implementing the Taif Agreement, consistent with the full execution of Resolution 1701.
Mr Aoun intends to be firm with Israel in implementing the ceasefire agreement details and resolving outstanding issues, leading to Israel’s eventual full withdrawal from Lebanese territories followed by a border demarcation. The issue regarding the occupied Shebaa Farms, meanwhile, hinges on Syria’s recognition of the disputed area’s Lebanese ownership. If the new government in Damascus clarifies its stance, Israel will be required – in principle – to withdraw from the area.
Mr Aoun aims to normalise bilateral relations with Syria on equal footing, free from subjugation, while ensuring Lebanon’s sovereign decision-making ability. Demarcating borders between the two countries is also an important objective for the presidency.
Mr Mikati’s recent visits to Turkey and Syria prove that Beirut has grasped the significance of this issue and the pivotal Turkish role in achieving it. Ankara, which is likely to have plenty of influence in the power corridors of Damascus, has reportedly pledged support in this regard.
Syria’s transitional administration, represented by Ahmad Al Shara, appears to be pragmatic in its regional relationships. While Turkey remains his primary partner, Mr Al Shara has emphasised the importance of an organic connection with Saudi Arabia and the Arab world.
Riyadh is leading Arab efforts in playing an active role in the Levant, seeking stability in Syria and Lebanon through co-operation with other stakeholders such as Turkey, and pragmatic co-ordination with the US and concerned European states, while respecting sovereign decisions.
Saudi Arabia’s intentions are not to provoke Iran but to foster stability in the Arab Levant, which has been fragmented by Tehran’s expansionist, ideological pursuits and its proxies. The geopolitical shifts have prompted Riyadh to work towards drawing the weakened Arab countries back to the Arab fold through diplomacy, development and reconstruction.
This will involve an inclusive approach that aims to mend the Arab fabric in the Levant, which has suffered deeply under Iranian dominance.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
French Touch
Carla Bruni
(Verve)
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
The specs: 2018 Renault Megane
Price, base / as tested Dh52,900 / Dh59,200
Engine 1.6L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission Continuously variable transmission
Power 115hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 156Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.6L / 100km
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Pickford (Everton), Pope (Burnley), Henderson (Manchester United)
Defenders Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Chilwell (Chelsea), Coady (Wolves), Dier (Tottenham), Gomez (Liverpool), James (Chelsea), Keane (Everton), Maguire (Manchester United), Maitland-Niles (Arsenal), Mings (Aston Villa), Saka (Arsenal), Trippier (Atletico Madrid), Walker (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Foden (Manchester City), Henderson (Liverpool), Grealish (Aston Villa), Mount (Chelsea), Rice (West Ham), Ward-Prowse (Southampton), Winks (Tottenham)
Forwards: Abraham (Chelsea), Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Kane (Tottenham), Rashford (Manchester United), Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Sterling (Manchester City)
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%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Charlotte%20Lydia%20Riley%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Bodley%20Head%3Cbr%3EPages%3A%20384%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The view from The National
DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
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Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Most%20ODI%20hundreds
%3Cp%3E49%20-%20Sachin%20Tendulkar%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E47%20-%20Virat%20Kohli%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E31%20-%20Rohit%20Sharma%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E30%20-%20Ricky%20Ponting%2C%20Australia%2FICC%0D%3Cbr%3E28%20-%20Sanath%20Jayasuriya%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E27%20-%20Hashim%20Amla%2C%20South%20Africa%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20AB%20de%20Villiers%2C%20South%20Africa%2FAfrica%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20Chris%20Gayle%2C%20West%20Indies%2FICC%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20Kumar%20Sangakkara%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%2FICC%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E22%20-%20Sourav%20Ganguly%2C%20India%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E22%20-%20Tillakaratne%20Dilshan%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh234,000 - Dh329,000
On sale: now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3
Danilo (16'), Bernardo Silva (34'), Fernandinho (72')
Brighton & Hove Albion 1
Ulloa (20')
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
The Specs
Engine 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp (542bhp in GTS model)
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000 (Dh549,000 for GTS)
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
De De Pyaar De
Produced: Luv Films, YRF Films
Directed: Akiv Ali
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Rakul Preet Singh, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jaaved Jaffrey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
