THE HAGUE // Though they were long anticipated, Lebanon was rocked yesterday by four indictments from an international tribunal over the assassination of the former prime minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005.
The indictments remain officially sealed but the names were leaked in unconfirmed reports and two of the suspects are said to be members of Hizbollah.
The names that were given to news organisations by judicial sources were Salim Ayyash, Hassan Issa, Assad Sabra and Mustafa Badreddine, who is known as Sami Issa. Mr Badreddine and Mr Ayyash are said to be Hizbollah commanders.
Mr Badreddine is a cousin and brother-in-law of the late Hizbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh, who was assassinated in Damascus in 2008. Mr Badreddine is a member of Hizbollah's advisory Shura council and is said to be the group's former deputy military commander.
Mr Ayyash is said to have been the head of the Hizbollah unit that planned and carried out the assassination of Mr Hariri.
The indictments have been a divisive issue in Lebanon as they appear to implicate the powerful Hizbollah movement in the murder of Hariri, the country's pre-eminent Sunni leader at the time.
This January, Hizbollah brought down the unity government led by Hariri's son, Saad, because he refused the party's demand to cut ties with the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is based in The Hague.
The tribunal was established to investigate the case.
The country's new prime minister, Najib Mikati, who finally took over last month from Saad Hariri, called for calm. "We should set the country's peace above all else as the indictments aren't verdicts. The sensitivity of the circumstances call on us to act reasonably to prevent those seeking to create strife from achieving their goals," he said.
In a sign of the tense atmosphere as the indictments were handed down, employees of the STL were sent home from their offices in Beirut as a security precaution.
Saad Hariri immediately called on the government to co-operate with the STL.
"The Lebanese government is invited politically, nationally, legally and morally, to implement Lebanon's obligations towards the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and nobody has an excuse to escape from this responsibility," he said.
In an emotional statement, he called the indictment an "historic moment". Lebanon, he said, "has paid the price of this moment, in decades of killings and assassinations without accountability".
The murder of his father led to the Cedar revolution that ended decades of Syrian military presence in Lebanon. It was followed by a series of assassinations of anti-Syrian politicians and journalists. International investigators initially blamed Syria for the Hariri assassination but Damascus has always denied involvement.
At the moment there are no indications from the STL that it will issue indictments against any Syrians in the near future. Syria, along with Iran, is a major backer of Hizbollah.
It took the STL's pre-trial judge, Daniel Fransen, since January to rule on the evidence handed to him by the prosecutor, Daniel Bellemare. The indictment was amended and extended in March.
In a statement, the STL emphasised the Lebanon's obligation to cooperate with the tribunal. "Under the STL's Rules of Procedure and Evidence, the Lebanese authorities have to report to the STL on the measures that they have taken to arrest the accused, at least within 30 days of the transmission of the indictment."
Hizbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, vowed in November to "cut off the hand" of anyone daring to arrest members of his movement. Hizbollah denies responsibility for the assassination and says the charges are part of an Israeli and American plot against the group.
A delegation from the international tribunal handed over the indictments and arrest warrants to the country's prosecutor just as Mr Mikati was putting the finishing touches to his new cabinet's policy statement, which he needs in order to govern. The sticking point had been the new government's attitude towards the tribunal, as Mr Mikati insisted that Lebanon abide by international agreements.
In the end the statement was left deliberately vague, saying that "the government confirms that it will follow the progress of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which was set up in principle to see justice served in a manner that is neither politicised nor vengeful, and as long as it does not negatively affect Lebanon's stability and civil peace".
In a press conference afterwards, Mr Mikati said the government will deal with the indictments "responsibly and realistically".
Michael Young, a Lebanese political analyst who contributes to The National, said the timing of the indictments was not linked to the political situation. The STL "assured me that the tribunal's clock is not a political one", he said.
The indictments pose a problem both for Mr Mikati and for Hizbollah, Mr Young said. The new prime minister will be faced with international demands and Hizbollah will in the longer term be faced with an undermining of its legitimacy, he said. The movement has also been shaken by the violence in Syria, its major ally. But Mr Young did not expect "blood in the streets" in Lebanon at this point.
The STL has the option to try the suspects in absentia if they cannot be brought to The Hague. But it stressed in a statement that the presence of the suspects in the courtroom was the "best option" for all.
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Company%20Profile
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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
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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.
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)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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