Lebanon's caretaker Transport Minister Ali Hamieh has denied a report published by UK newspaper The Telegraph that the Lebanese militia Hezbollah was smuggling in and stockpiling weapons at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport.
“This report defames the reputation of the Beirut airport and is completely false and not based in fact,” he said at press conference hours after The Telegraph published the report on Sunday.
The report, which cited anonymous “whistleblowers” working at the airport, said that Hezbollah had stored a large cache of Iranian weapons at the airport.
“It is a ridiculous article. I wish the newspaper had used a source at the British Ministry of Transport, which visited the airport on January 22, 2024 and inspected all its departments,” Mr Hamieh said.
The minister added that he and caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati were in the process of raising a lawsuit against the newspaper.
The sources quoted by The Telegraph said the airport had been receiving “unusually big boxes” from Iran but admitted they could not see what was inside as they were forbidden from opening them.
It was not made clear in the report how it was known the boxes contained weapons.
Mr Hamieh dismissed the claim, saying that only personnel from Lebanon’s Customs authority were mandated to inspect such packages.
The Telegraph’s article also originally cited an anonymous security source from airlines' trade association, the International Air Transport Association as saying it had been aware of the stockpiling of weapons for years and that it would ideally “close the airport and have all the weapons and explosives removed”.
The newspaper later made a correction to the story that changed the attribution to a “security source at a major international aviation body”.
Mr Hamieh received an email from IATA during his press conference, which he read out.
“To whom it may concern. It has come to our attention that a recent Telegraph newspaper article includes a quote attributed to an unnamed IATA source,” the email said.
“This quote is completely false and misattributed and IATA has not made and will not make any comment on the situation at Beirut's international airport.”
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Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
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What Super Bowl LIII
Who is playing New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams
Where Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States
When Sunday (start time is 3.30am on Monday UAE time)
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Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
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EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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Stars: 4
World Cup final
Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region
HOSTS
T20 WORLD CUP
2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland
ODI WORLD CUP
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh
CHAMPIONS TROPHY
2025: Pakistan; 2029: India
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 1 (Martinez 18' pen)
Juventus 2 (Dybala 4', Higuain 80')
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
Scorebox
Dubai Sports City Eagles 7 Bahrain 88
Eagles
Try: Penalty
Bahrain
Tries: Gibson 2, Morete 2, Bishop 2, Bell 2, Behan, Fameitau, Sanson, Roberts, Bennett, Radley
Cons: Radley 4, Whittingham 5
Race card:
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7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,200m.
8.15pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,200m.
8.50pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 1,600m.
9.20pm: Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m.
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 2,000m.
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Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
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