Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati has condemned comments by Information Minister George Kordahi that Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen are acting in self-defence.
His comments came from an Al Jazeera Online interview that was recorded in August, before Mr Kordahi became a minister.
Mr Mikati said that Mr Kordahi’s words “do not express the government’s position at all”, and reiterated his support for Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Co-operation Council.
But Mr Kordahi's statements drew anger for his support of an armed militia which took the capital Sanaa in a coup, displacing the legitimate government, in 2015.
Yemeni Information Minister Moammar Al Eryani said on Twitter that Mr Kordahi’s words reflect “a blind bias to the Houthi terrorist militia, and a disregard for the role of the Iranian regime and its expansionist agenda in Yemen”.
Saudi ambassador to Lebanon Waleed Bukhari retweeted the statement.
Yemen’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak said he had directed Yemen's ambassador in Beirut to hand the Lebanese Foreign Ministry a letter of condemnation over Mr Kordahi's statements.
The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation expressed its "strong condemnation and denunciation of these disgraceful and biased statements" and summoned the Lebanese ambassador.
It said the remarks "contradict diplomatic norms and the history of Lebanon’s relations with the countries of the Arab coalition to support legitimacy in Yemen, and reflect Lebanon’s growing distance from its Arab brothers," state news service Wam reported.
Mr Kordahi’s remarks threatened to spill into a diplomatic crisis with Lebanon’s historic allies in the Gulf. A Saudi-led coalition entered the conflict months after the fall of Sanaa to support Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
This is the second incident in which a Lebanese minister has openly criticised Saudi Arabia this year.
This threatens to further strain relations with a historic ally that have soured as the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement has expanded its influence on Beirut in recent decades.
In May, Charbel Wehbe, at the time caretaker foreign minister, suggested in a TV interview that Gulf states were responsible for the rise of ISIS and made derogatory remarks towards their people.
He resigned following an outcry from Gulf allies and Lebanese politicians.
Mr Mikati said in his first speech as prime minister in September that he is striving for closer ties to Gulf countries.
Mr Kordahi, a former TV show host who rose to fame for hosting the Arabic version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, is known for his controversial political opinions.
He has previously expressed support and admiration for Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I did not mean, in any way, to offend the kingdom of Saudi Arabia or the UAE,” Mr Kordahi said on Tuesday.
“I hope that my words and the uproar they caused can help stop this harmful war for the sake of Yemen and for the sake of both Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”
The UAE redeployed its forces from Yemen in 2019.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
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Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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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
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
UAE gold medallists:
Omar Al Suweidi (46kg), Khaled Al Shehhi (50kg), Khalifa Humaid Al Kaabi (60kg), Omar Al Fadhli (62kg), Mohammed Ali Al Suweidi (66kg), Omar Ahmed Al Hosani (73), all in the U18’s, and Khalid Eskandar Al Blooshi (56kg) in the U21s.
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Company%20Profile
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Genesis G80 2020 5.0-litre Royal Specs
Engine: 5-litre V8
Gearbox: eight-speed automatic
Power: 420hp
Torque: 505Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L/100km
Price: Dh260,500
