US president-elect Donald Trump nominated Lebanese American businessman Massad Boulos as his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs on Sunday.
Referring to Mr Boulos as a “dealmaker”, Mr Trump said he has been a long-time proponent of Republican and conservative values, “an asset to my campaign, and was instrumental in building tremendous new coalitions with the Arab-American community”.
It was the second time in recent days that Mr Trump chose the father-in-law of one of his children to serve in his administration.
On Saturday, Mr Trump said that he had picked his son-in-law Jared Kushner's father, real estate mogul Charles Kushner, to serve as US ambassador to France.
Mr Boulos, whose son Michael is married to Tiffany Trump, has been a prominent supporter of the Trump campaign, rallying Lebanese and Arab-American voters as US-backed Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon heightened regional tensions.
With strong connections to the US and Lebanon, Mr Boulos brings a complex legacy to the role. His family has long-standing ties to Lebanese politics, with his father and grandfather playing notable roles.
His father-in-law was a significant financial backer of the Free Patriotic Movement, a Christian party aligned with the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Karim Bitar, professor of international relations at St Joseph University of Beirut, told The National that Mr Boulos is in close contact with several political actors in Lebanon and his nomination will be "well received".
"He knows the country extremely well and he is perceived as a moderate who could bring Arab public opinion closer to the inner circles of Washington, DC," Prof Bitar said.
Prof Bitar added that Mr Boulos's nomination indicates that Mr Trump "pretty much like many Middle East leaders is a family man and likes to work or trusts mostly his family".
Mr Boulos has engaged with crucial players across Lebanon's fragmented political landscape, Reuters reported.
Notably, he has maintained relations with Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shiite party holding significant influence through parliamentary seats and government ministers.
At the same time, he has cultivated ties with the Lebanese Forces, an anti-Hezbollah Christian faction, and has engaged with independent politicians, the sources said.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
More on Quran memorisation:
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
The biog
Favourite food: Tabbouleh, greek salad and sushi
Favourite TV show: That 70s Show
Favourite animal: Ferrets, they are smart, sensitive, playful and loving
Favourite holiday destination: Seychelles, my resolution for 2020 is to visit as many spiritual retreats and animal shelters across the world as I can
Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home
Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big
The chef's advice
Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.
“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”
Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.
The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
F1 2020 calendar
March 15 - Australia, Melbourne; March 22 - Bahrain, Sakhir; April 5 - Vietnam, Hanoi; April 19 - China, Shanghai; May 3 - Netherlands, Zandvoort; May 20 - Spain, Barcelona; May 24 - Monaco, Monaco; June 7 - Azerbaijan, Baku; June 14 - Canada, Montreal; June 28 - France, Le Castellet; July 5 - Austria, Spielberg; July 19 - Great Britain, Silverstone; August 2 - Hungary, Budapest; August 30 - Belgium, Spa; September 6 - Italy, Monza; September 20 - Singapore, Singapore; September 27 - Russia, Sochi; October 11 - Japan, Suzuka; October 25 - United States, Austin; November 1 - Mexico City, Mexico City; November 15 - Brazil, Sao Paulo; November 29 - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi.
