Lebanese politicians have called for the resignation of the government as the country’s financial collapse deepens, with some pushing for former prime minister Saad Hariri to make a comeback.
“A government change is possible at any moment and in any circumstance,” Minister of the Displaced Ghada Shreim said in an interview on the Voice of Lebanon radio station on Saturday. “What is important is to find solutions to save the country.”
Government members have questioned the “benefit of continuing in light of the lack of achievements”, Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar said in a separate interview with the station.
Both ministers were appointed with the support of President Michel Aoun’s political party, the Free Patriotic Movement.
Mr Ghajar said cabinet members, including Prime Minister Hassan Diab, were not against a change of government if it “improves the country’s situation”, complaining that it must “carry the burden of dozens of years of policies that brought the country to the brink of the abyss”.
The current government was formed in late January, three months after the resignation of former prime minister Saad Hariri amid nationwide protests triggered by the country’s worst economic crisis.
Mr Diab’s government vowed that it was apolitical and that it would tackle corruption and shore up international support for the country.
But politicians quickly reverted to bickering. Bailout negotiations with the International Monetary Fund were paused recently as Lebanese officials could not agree on the size of the losses in the country’s banking sector.
The government has not been able to contain the Lebanese pound's free fall and soaring unemployment and inflation. Lebanon is also suffering from a major fuel and diesel shortage which has dramatically reduced electricity output.
Deputy Parliament Speaker Elie Ferzli, who is close to the FPM and its allies Hezbollah and Amal, said after a meeting with Mr Hariri on Thursday that “reconsidering the government composition has become necessary”.
Calling Mr Hariri a “real and true” component of Lebanese society, he said “we all agree that Prime Minister Saad Hariri is one of the main gateways, and even the main gateway, to reunite the Lebanese”.
Political analyst Imad Salamey told The National there was little chance that Mr Hariri would return to the premiership, which is always held by a Sunni Muslim to maintain Lebanon's fragile sectarian balance.
“Hariri is conditioning [his return] on a government that is free from Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement and that consists primarily of technocrats. Conditions are not ripe enough for Hezbollah to accept this,” he said.
“Instead, I think that right now we would have a more transitional type of government that can prepare for the 2022 parliamentary, presidential and municipal elections while stabilising the economy the best it can.”
More “neutral” political figures could replace Mr Diab, such as former prime ministers Najib Mikati and Tammam Salam, said Mr Salamey.
Iran-backed Hezbollah and its allies backed Mr Diab’s government at first but are becoming increasingly vocal in their criticism. Observers believe Hezbollah’s support has discouraged the West and Gulf states from bailing Lebanon out.
Although it is highly popular among Lebanon’s Shiite Muslim population, Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organisation by the US and other countries including Gulf states.
The UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash, said last month that Lebanon had burnt its bridges with Gulf states by allowing Hezbollah’s influence to grow, and that it would only provide support in concert with other countries.
Ms Shreim on Saturday called for Gulf countries to provide financial support to her country, saying that “the Arab Gulf has always stood next to Lebanon”.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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
Company%20Profile
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Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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SCHEDULE FOR SHOW COURTS
Centre Court - from 4pm (UAE time)
Angelique Kerber (1) v Irina Falconi
Martin Klizan v Novak Djokovic (2)
Alexandr Dolgopolov v Roger Federer (3)
Court One - from 4pm
Milos Raonic (6) v Jan-Lennard Struff
Karolina Pliskova (3) v Evgeniya Rodina
Dominic Thiem (8) v Vasek Pospisil
Court Two - from 2.30pm
Juan Martin Del Potro (29) v Thanasi Kokkinakis
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Jelena Jankovic
Jeremy Chardy v Tomas Berdych (11)
Ons Jabeur v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
MATCH INFO
Iceland 0 England 1 (Sterling pen 90 1)
Man of the match Kari Arnason (Iceland)
How to vote
Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.
They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi
Registered voters mark the ballot with their choice and must send it back by 6pm Eastern time on October 21 (2am next Friday)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
RESULT
Fifth ODI, at Headingley
England 351/9
Pakistan 297
England win by 54 runs (win series 4-0)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rest
(Because Music)
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
Napoleon
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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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
The%20Last%20White%20Man
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The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
