Lebanon's people will have to make sacrifices, Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Monday, as the country's new government met for the first time.
Mr Mikati recently formed an administration, ending 13 months of caretaker government during which political leaders fought over ministerial posts as the economy collapsed.
“The country requires exceptional measures,” Mr Mikati said from the presidential palace in Baabda, a Beirut suburb.
“We all have to sacrifice.”
The Cabinet must now decide on a plan to save the country from a severe economic crisis and enact reforms crucial to unlock billions of dollars in loans and debt relief.
A view of Lebanon's capital, Beirut, with the lights on only in some buildings. Lebanese rely on highly polluting diesel generators run by private neighbourhood operators to make up for shortfalls in electricity supply from the state utility. EPA
A fisherman uses a headlamp at the seaside corniche in Beirut, Lebanon. EPA
A vendor sells LED balloons in full darkness at the corniche in Beirut. EPA
The near collapse of the national grid has increased the duration of power cuts across Lebanon. EPA
Residents of Beirut are experiencing power cuts of up to 20 hours a day. EPA
Mr Mikati, a telecoms billionaire, said his government would “deal with the issue of fuel and medicine to stop the humiliation of people".
Lebanon has been suffering from severe shortages of imported goods such as petrol and medicine, which are subsidised by the government. The central bank's foreign-currency reserves have dwindled since an economic crisis hit in late 2019, severely restricting the imports of subsidised products.
People have had to queue for hours at petrol stations to fill their tanks, with many calling them “lines of humiliation".
The shortage of fuel has also affected the supply of electricity, both from state-owned power plants that run on fuel oil and diesel-powered private generators that make up the shortfall in the state supply. Extended power cuts have affected the functioning of hospitals, as well as businesses such as food suppliers.
Political parties that have been widely blamed for the present crisis chose most of the 24 new ministers.
Mr Mikati said the government would restart negotiations with the International Monetary Fund this week. Securing international funding is critical to addressing an economic crisis that, according to the UN, has pushed nearly 80 per cent of the population below the poverty line.
The Cabinet is also expected to lift subsidies, which Mr Mikati has said the country can no longer afford. Ministers must also prepare for parliamentary elections in eight months' time.
President Michel Aoun, an ally of the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement that holds sway over Lebanese politics, led the Cabinet meeting.
Mr Aoun said he hoped the new government would restart negotiations with the IMF. Talks on an assistance package broke down last year after disagreements between the government, Parliament and the central bank.
At the end of the Cabinet meeting, the ministers formed a committee that will draft an outline of the government's policies.
They must submit the plan to Parliament, which needs to approve it for the government to be sworn in.
The government has one month to submit its plan, a presidential spokesman said.
“The first meeting took place today but they will need to meet many more times to get the plan done,” he said.
This step is seen as a formality because Lebanon's major political players, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, picked the new ministers.
Health Minister Firass Abiad, a gastrointestinal surgeon, is the chairman of the board of directors of Lebanon’s largest hospital, the Rafik Hariri Hospital. Photo: NNA
Minister of Administrative Development Najla Riachi is the only woman in the Cabinet and has served in a number of diplomatic positions, including as Lebanon’s permanent representative to the UN from 2007 to 2017. Photo: NNA
Foreign Affairs Minister Abdallah Bou Habib served as Lebanon’s ambassador to the US between 1983 and 1990 and has worked for the Wold Bank. Photo: NNA
Interior Minister Bassam Al Mawla was a judge of the Chamber of First Instance in Beirut before heading the North Lebanon criminal court. Photo: NNA
Social Affairs Minister Hector Hajjar has worked for NGOs including Caritas and 'Risala Assalam' which supports people with special needs. Photo: NNA
Economy Minister Amin Salam is a corporate lawyer and economist with a degree in leadership and management from the Harvard Kennedy School. Photo: NNA
Agriculture Minister Abbas Al Hajj Hassan is a former journalist who worked at France 24 in Paris. He studied law and political science in France. Photo: NNA
Defence Minister Maurice Salem served as the army's head of military medicine until his retirement at the rank of brigadier in 2012. Photo: NNA
Minister of the Displaced Issam Sharafeddine is a pharmacist by training who branched out into the business world in the 1990s when he started producing soaps, cosmetics and cleaning products. Photo: NNA
Information Minister George Kordahi worked as a journalist for MBC FM Radio in London and Lebanese television channel LBC. He is also a goodwill ambassador for the UN Environment Programme. Photo: NNA
Public Works and Transport Minister Ali Hamieh holds a PhD in electronics and optical communications from the University of Western Brittany in France. He is a lecturer at a number of local universities. Photo: NNA
Energy Minister Walid Fayyad is managing director of the Mena division at international consulting firm Partners in Performance. Photo: NNA
Tourism Minister Walid Nassar has worked as a consultant for Lebanon’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: NNA
Environment Minister Nasser Yassin is the current director of the Crisis Observatory at the American University of Beirut. Photo: NNA
Labour Minister Moustafa Bayram is one of Hezbollah’s ministers in the Cabinet. He was appointed head legal observer in the audit department of the Council of Ministers in 1998. Photo: NNA
Sports and Youth Minister George Kallas has held a number of administrative positions in Lebanese newspapers and universities and as a lecturer at the faculty of documentation and information at the Lebanese University. Photo: NNA
Education Minister Abbas Halabi is a former judge and vice chairman of the board of directors and legal counsel at Lebanese bank BBAC and holds a degree in French and Lebanese law from Saint Joseph University in Beirut. He is vice president of the Lebanese National Commission for Unesco. Photo: Unesco
Justice Minister Henry Khoury is the former head of the State Shura Council. Photo: NNA
Industry Minister George Boujikian is a businessman who has founded several Lebanese companies including pharmaceutical companies Technoline and BioDiamond Middle East. He holds both Lebanese and Canadian citizenship. Photo: NNA
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Tests: 53; Innings: 98; Not outs: 11; Runs: 4,594; Best score: 254; Average: 52.80; 100s: 11; 50s: 27
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
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
Goalkeepers: Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Adel Al Hosani
Defenders: Bandar Al Ahbabi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Mohammed Barghash, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Hassan Al Mahrami, Yousef Jaber, Mohammed Al Attas
Midfielders: Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Abdullah Al Naqbi, Majed Hassan, Abdullah Hamad, Khalfan Mubarak, Khalil Al Hammadi, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Harib Abdallah, Mohammed Jumah
Forwards: Fabio De Lima, Caio Canedo, Ali Saleh, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue
RACE RESULTS
1. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1hr 21min 48.527sec
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) at 0.658sec
3. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull) 6.012
4. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 7.430
5. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN/Ferrari) 20.370
6. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas) 1:13.160
7. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Force India) 1 lap
8. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Force India) 1 lap
9. Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams) 1 lap
10. Lance Stroll (CAN/Williams) 1 lap
11. Jolyon Palmer (GBR/Renault) 1 lap
12. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL/McLaren) 1 lap
13. Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Renault) 1 lap
14. Pascal Wehrlein (GER/Sauber) 1 lap
15. Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber) 2 laps
16. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso) 3 laps
Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
Priority access to new homes from participating developers
Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
Flexible payment plans from developers
Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
match info
Maratha Arabians 138-2
C Lynn 91*, A Lyth 20, B Laughlin 1-15
Team Abu Dhabi 114-3
L Wright 40*, L Malinga 0-13, M McClenaghan 1-17
Maratha Arabians won by 24 runs
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE results Lost to Oman by eight runs Beat Namibia by three wickets Lost to Oman by 12 runs Beat Namibia by 43 runs
UAE fixtures Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv
Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
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.
