Late last week, Saad Hariri, Lebanon’s former prime minister and the scion of the Hariri political and business clan, decided to nominate himself as a candidate to form the next Lebanese government.
Mr Hariri put his name forward unilaterally after Mustapha Adib, a former diplomat, failed in his bid to form a government of technocrats that could push through a raft of reform measures. The measures were sorely needed in order to save the country from economic collapse and unlock a financial aid package from the international community.
These measures were championed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited Lebanon in the aftermath of a cataclysmic explosion in Beirut in August, which levelled much of the city and rendered more than 250,000 people homeless. Mr Adib’s bid failed due to the intransigence of Hezbollah and Amal, the main Shia parties, who insisted on naming the new finance minister.
Mr Adib’s failure and Mr Hariri’s self-proclamation coincide with the one-year anniversary of a popular protest movement that began on October 17, 2019. The protesters have called for the removal of a craven and corrupt political class that has brought Lebanon to ruin.
The movement has won admiration around the world for its creativity and – most notably – the absence of sectarianism. Mr Hariri was in power at the time it began, and its popularity was responsible for his resignation.
His return does not bode well for any real departure from the political class that has proved so problematic for Lebanon. A lack of substantive change would be seen as a betrayal of the uprising.
The nominal spark that lit the protest movement in Lebanon was a proposed tax on WhatsApp calls, but it was only the latest stick to break the proverbial camel’s back. The Lebanese had weathered decades of poverty and nepotism under a system that distributed power based on sectarian affiliation.
Hezbollah, beholden to Iran, maintained military supremacy, a gun that it wielded to cow its opponents, and sometimes assassinate them. It created a state within a state.
The war in Syria worsened the destitution in Lebanon. One million refugees sought shelter across the border, adding to an existing population of 4 million. Hezbollah’s intervention to secure the regime of Bashar Al Assad in Damascus led to a spillover of violence, including suicide attacks by terrorist groups and sectarian clashes in major cities like Sidon and Tripoli.
Lebanon became the first Arab nation to experience hyperinflation
As citizens suffered, many of the country’s political elites continued to enrich themselves and wield influence to expand their patronage networks and protect their ill-gotten gains, leaving ordinary people without even basic services, like 24-hour access to electricity or water or garbage disposal.
The preeminent slogan of the uprising was “kellon yaani kellon”, or “all of them means all of them”, a brave proclamation that demanded nothing less than the ousting of the entire political class. The movement captured global attention last October with its good humour, musical prowess and sheer joy.
It did not last, largely because the depth of the depravity of most of the ruling class had not yet become apparent. A monumental economic collapse shortly began unravelling Lebanon's entire financial system, the very structure of which was morally corrupt.
Banks were reliant on fictionally high interest rates meant to attract US dollar deposits, which were then loaned to the government. As the state and banks ran out of foreign currency late last year, tens of billions of dollars were transferred abroad, and ordinary citizens paid the price, locked out of their bank accounts to preserve bankrupt institutions.
More people were plunged into poverty as the currency eventually lost 80 per cent of its value, and Lebanon became the first Arab nation to experience hyperinflation.
Then came the explosion in August of thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate that had simply been left unattended in the Beirut Port. The destruction is such that there is no word that quite captures the catastrophic levels of criminal negligence, and yet the same political elites who held power before remained in control after.
Finally, the coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage the country, with thousands of cases reported daily. The country now has over 55,000 officially recorded cases as of this writing.
The jubilation of the protest movement has been replaced by a hopelessness that things could ever change and an overwhelming desire among young people to leave.
Mr Macron’s initiative is laudable but ultimately unlikely to succeed. It may succeed in pushing some limited reforms that would head off further poverty, destitution and food insecurity. But in their essence, his proposals are meant to urge a shift in power away from a political elite that has long profited and cemented its power through the misery of ordinary citizens. Asking them to give it away voluntarily is a fool’s errand.
Mr Hariri himself may not be personally responsible for the calamity the country finds itself in, but he is still considered a member of the elite political class. So, it is difficult to see his return as a signal that meaningful change will materialise.
Kareem Shaheen is a veteran Middle East correspondent in Canada and a columnist for The National
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.
TV (UAE time);
OSN Sports: from 10am
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Hoffenheim v Liverpool
Uefa Champions League play-off, first leg
Location: Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim
Kick-off: Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
About RuPay
A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank
RuPay process payments between banks and merchants for purchases made with credit or debit cards
It has grown rapidly in India and competes with global payment network firms like MasterCard and Visa.
In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments
The name blends two words rupee and payment
Some advantages of the network include lower processing fees and transaction costs
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
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Sunday's Super Four matches
Dubai, 3.30pm
India v Pakistan
Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangladesh v Afghanistan
TCL INFO
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
MATCH INFO
Jersey 147 (20 overs)
UAE 112 (19.2 overs)
Jersey win by 35 runs
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: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
England-South Africa Test series
1st Test England win by 211 runs at Lord's, London
2nd Test South Africa win by 340 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
3rd Test July 27-31 at The Oval, London
4th Test August 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester
Bookshops: A Reader's History by Jorge Carrión (translated from the Spanish by Peter Bush),
Biblioasis
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TOUCH RULES
Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.
Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.
Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.
A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.
After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.
At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.
A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.
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