The winding road to holding Libya's upcoming presidential elections, scheduled for December 24, took a new turn on Sunday, when Saif Al Islam Qaddafi, the son of Libya's former dictator Muammar Qaddafi, confirmed his candidacy.
The news will be disconcerting for some, and his current political opinions are relatively unknown; he has been out of sight for the past decade. His life beyond politics might also raise eyebrows. He faces allegations of corruption and, most seriously, he is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes committed against protesters in 2011, when Libyans were demonstrating en-masse against his father's decades-long rule.
Ultimately, however, it is unsurprising that Saif, who is well-known in Libya and abroad, is making a bid. Many other candidates will also enter the race with questionable pasts, albeit slightly less famous ones than his. But whatever the backgrounds of individual candidates, the main feature of December's vote is about precedent, not personality. It will be the most important peaceful political event for the country in 10 years. Ghosts from the past cannot change that, but contemporary divisions could.
After so much violence during the past decade, holding even what will almost certainly be a flawed election marks good progress from a period of hugely destabilising strife and foreign interference. Former fighters are taking themselves away from the battlefield and to the ballot box, and that is no bad thing.
It is also a logical step in a longer chain towards sounder politics. The main task of the current provisional government, headed by President Mohammed Al Menfi and Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dbeibah and which governs on increasingly shaky ground, is to see through a UN-brokered political plan to hold December's elections. A government formed by a democratic vote will be harder for enemies and rivals to undermine.
All parties must keep focus on the bigger picture. Holding the election still remains fragile, a reason so many in the international community are ready to defend it robustly. Just last Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron held an international conference in Paris dedicated to keeping the "inclusive" vote on track and discouraging potential saboteurs with sanctions. Participants included Egyptian leader Abdel Fatah El Sisi, Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Also in attendance was US Vice President Kamala Harris, who before the meeting said she was going to “demonstrate our strong support for the people of Libya as they plan for elections”.
Qaddafi-era Libya was one of early, revolutionary hope that gradually morphed into isolation and oppression. Libyans emphatically rejected it in 2011 by taking to the streets and physically ousting the former dictator. Unfortunately, the post-uprising-era was one of extreme violence. For politics in Libya, then, the past five decades have been turbulent at best and deadly at worst.
However strange and fragile the buildup to the election might be, the end product can still be something created by the people, and perhaps the beginning of a long march to better times.
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet
The most expensive investment mistake you will ever make
When is the best time to start saving in a pension? The answer is simple – at the earliest possible moment. The first pound, euro, dollar or dirham you invest is the most valuable, as it has so much longer to grow in value. If you start in your twenties, it could be invested for 40 years or more, which means you have decades for compound interest to work its magic.
“You get growth upon growth upon growth, followed by more growth. The earlier you start the process, the more it will all roll up,” says Chris Davies, chartered financial planner at The Fry Group in Dubai.
This table shows how much you would have in your pension at age 65, depending on when you start and how much you pay in (it assumes your investments grow 7 per cent a year after charges and you have no other savings).
|
Age
|
$250 a month
|
$500 a month
|
$1,000 a month
|
|
25
|
$640,829
|
$1,281,657
|
$2,563,315
|
|
35
|
$303,219
|
$606,439
|
$1,212,877
|
|
45
|
$131,596
|
$263,191
|
$526,382
|
|
55
|
$44,351
|
$88,702
|
$177,403
|
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Paderborn (11.30pm)
Saturday
Bayer Leverkusen v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Schalke (6.30pm)
Union Berlin v Borussia Monchengladbach (6.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldof v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Cologne (9.30pm)
Sunday
Augsburg v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Mainz (9pm)
The Farewell
Director: Lulu Wang
Stars: Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Diana Lin, Tzi Ma
Four stars
The nine articles of the 50-Year Charter
1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
Ashes 2019 schedule
August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston
August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's
August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley
September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
More on Quran memorisation:
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
FA Cup fifth round draw
Sheffield Wednesday v Manchester City
Reading/Cardiff City v Sheffield United
Chelsea v Shrewsbury Town/Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United/Oxford United
Leicester City v Coventry City/Birmingham City
Northampton Town/Derby County v Manchester United
Southampton/Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
Portsmouth v Arsenal
Star%20Wars%3A%20Episode%20I%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Phantom%20Menace
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Big%20Ape%20Productions%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20LucasArts%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20PlayStation%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
