• An anti-government protester carries a national flag as she shouts slogans in front of the Lebanese army soldiers during a protest on the road leading to the Presidential palace in Baabda, east Beirut, Lebanon. EPA
    An anti-government protester carries a national flag as she shouts slogans in front of the Lebanese army soldiers during a protest on the road leading to the Presidential palace in Baabda, east Beirut, Lebanon. EPA
  • An anti-government protester holds up a Lebanese flag as army soldiers stand guard during a demonstration against deteriorating economic conditions as politicians are deadlocked over forming a new government, in the town of Jal el-Dib, north of Beirut, Lebanon. AP
    An anti-government protester holds up a Lebanese flag as army soldiers stand guard during a demonstration against deteriorating economic conditions as politicians are deadlocked over forming a new government, in the town of Jal el-Dib, north of Beirut, Lebanon. AP
  • A demonstrator waves a Lebanese flag during anti-government protests on August 8, which were ignited by a massive explosion in Beirut's port. Lebanon's economy was already tanking due to a currency crisis, economic mismanagement and politicial turmoil when the blast hit. Reuters
    A demonstrator waves a Lebanese flag during anti-government protests on August 8, which were ignited by a massive explosion in Beirut's port. Lebanon's economy was already tanking due to a currency crisis, economic mismanagement and politicial turmoil when the blast hit. Reuters
  • Demonstrators carry an injured man during anti-government protests that were ignited by a massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon. Reuters
    Demonstrators carry an injured man during anti-government protests that were ignited by a massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon. Reuters
  • nti-government protesters write on a road sign as they hang mock gallows symbol to execute Lebanese politicians during a protest on the road leading to the Presidential palace in Baabda, east Beirut, Lebanon. EPA
    nti-government protesters write on a road sign as they hang mock gallows symbol to execute Lebanese politicians during a protest on the road leading to the Presidential palace in Baabda, east Beirut, Lebanon. EPA
  • Demonstrators gather as they hold Lebanese flags during a protest against the government performance and worsening economic conditions, in Beirut, Lebanon. Reuters
    Demonstrators gather as they hold Lebanese flags during a protest against the government performance and worsening economic conditions, in Beirut, Lebanon. Reuters
  • Demonstrators throw stones during anti-government protests in Beirut. A perfect storm of economic woes and political turmoil has given the country's well-educated, often multilingual, young people little hope of a viable future there. Reuters
    Demonstrators throw stones during anti-government protests in Beirut. A perfect storm of economic woes and political turmoil has given the country's well-educated, often multilingual, young people little hope of a viable future there. Reuters
  • A demonstrator sits on the ground in front of Lebanese police officers during a protest against growing economic hardship in Beirut, Lebanon. Reuters
    A demonstrator sits on the ground in front of Lebanese police officers during a protest against growing economic hardship in Beirut, Lebanon. Reuters
  • Protesters sit outside tents at Martyr's square in downtown Beirut in August. The Arab Youth Survey found 77 per cent of Lebanese 18 to 24-year-old's had considered or were actively trying to emigrate in hope of a better life. Reuters
    Protesters sit outside tents at Martyr's square in downtown Beirut in August. The Arab Youth Survey found 77 per cent of Lebanese 18 to 24-year-old's had considered or were actively trying to emigrate in hope of a better life. Reuters

Hezbollah is losing its ability to intimidate anyone


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  • Arabic

Last week, Lebanon’s Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, announced that an agreement had been reached on a framework for negotiations with Israel to delineate the two nations' maritime boundaries. The agreement, mediated by the US, could allow them to resolve their dispute over offshore gas fields in the Mediterranean.

Mr Berri is a close ally of the militant political party Hezbollah, and the fact that he approved of the framework suggested the party had given him the go-ahead to do so. But it didn’t make the decision any less remarkable. By agreeing to indirect negotiations, Hezbollah implicitly acknowledged that a compromise could be reached when it had argued that Lebanon’s rights to its offshore gas were inviolable. That prior insistence meant, in principle, that there was nothing over which to compromise.

Stark reality, however, has trumped ideology. Lebanon is going through a terrible economic crisis, exacerbated by the resistance of the country’s politicians and parties to introducing reforms that would unlock financial aid from the International Monetary Fund. Such reforms would threaten their networks of corruption and patronage. That is why the prospect of offshore gas reserves represents a valuable lifeline for them, especially when Hezbollah’s and Mr Berri’s supporters are increasingly unhappy with Lebanon's economic situation.

Hezbollah’s acceptance of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel has raised profound questions, too. First, if Lebanon looks to natural gas as an economic lifesaver, this could create dynamics that impose quiet collaboration with Israel – something Hezbollah officially claims to be a nonstarter. But things may not be so simple.

For instance, both countries will need to find a means of exporting natural gas so that the price remains competitive internationally. That means that Israel and Lebanon, along with Cyprus, would benefit from investing in a shared export infrastructure, thereby reducing costs. Lebanon would have an economic incentive to feed its gas into the EastMed Pipeline that those countries, together with Greece, plan to complete by 2025, and which aims to transport natural gas to Italy.

The Lebanese continue to claim that they would not allow their gas to be exported in the same pipeline as Israeli gas. Should Beirut seek to collaborate with the Israelis in exploiting the gas fields, this would put Lebanese officials in a particularly awkward position – claiming that gas has a nationality when it is being exported, but not when it is being extracted.

Competing with the EastMed Pipeline is the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline, which crosses much of Turkey and also reaches Europe. It could represent an alternative path for Lebanese gas. But taking a circuitous route that cuts across northern Anatolia instead of one that is already being planned with two of Lebanon's maritime neighbours would be an odd – and very expensive – move. In other words, should Lebanon want to enter the gas game on the best economic terms, dealing with Israel may be the most sensible option.

An Israeli soldier on board the Israeli naval ship 'Lahav' during a tour of Israel's offshore Leviathan gasfield in the Mediterranean. AP
An Israeli soldier on board the Israeli naval ship 'Lahav' during a tour of Israel's offshore Leviathan gasfield in the Mediterranean. AP
Hezbollah's acceptance of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel has raised profound questions

If financial realities are forcing Hezbollah to reconsider Lebanon’s negotiations with Israel over maritime boundaries, then the country’s economic collapse is having more pernicious implications for the party. Hezbollah’s missile arsenal is there as a deterrent to protect Iran and its nuclear programme from Israeli attacks. Yet to what extent is that even conceivable today?

With over 50 per cent of the Lebanese living under the poverty line, and many of them believing Hezbollah to be part of the corrupt political elite, a war with Israel could turn the population decisively against the party. Worse, Lebanon would be so devastated that the very idea of Hezbollah’s “resistance” could be permanently discredited, with the party blamed for acting primarily to benefit Iran instead of Lebanon.

The recent explosion in a Hezbollah arms cache in Ayn Qana in southern Lebanon has led to speculation that it was caused by a surreptitious Israeli military operation. This needs to be confirmed, but people in the south reportedly believe stories of Israeli involvement, and think that Hezbollah declined to react because the party could not afford a conflict with Israel now.

Protesters concerned about Lebanon's worsening economic conditions have been a consistent presence on the country's streets for much of the past year. AP Photo
Protesters concerned about Lebanon's worsening economic conditions have been a consistent presence on the country's streets for much of the past year. AP Photo

If Hezbollah is unable to retaliate against Israeli or American strikes on Iran because of the domestic repercussions, and if it looks the other way while Lebanon undertakes negotiations Israel, then of what value is its contract with Tehran? The party’s strength was always its ability to impose its agenda on its compatriots, and to threaten those who opposed it. But today, Hezbollah knows that such methods will not work.

That doesn’t meant that Tehran has any intention of giving up on the party. Hezbollah serves many roles besides that of a deterrent against Israel. It is a valuable instrument of Tehran’s influence on the Mediterranean. But it’s also true that Hezbollah’s disregard for the discontent in Lebanon, along with its refusal to help revive the country through economic reform, has meant that it has poisoned its own environment, limiting its margin of manoeuvre on Iran’s behalf.

Iran’s expansion in the Arab world has produced results, but also destruction. Tehran has played on the contradictions in places like Iraq, Yemen, Syria, the Palestinian Territories, and Lebanon in order to advance. But its legacy is fields of ruin. Today, Hezbollah is paying the price for this at home. The party has taken an inflexible position in preserving the mendacious Lebanese political class, thereby collapsing the consensus that had once protected it.

Michael Young is a senior editor at the Carnegie Middle East Centre in Beirut and a columnist for The National

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Boulder shooting victims

• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65

Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

The Beach Bum

Director: Harmony Korine

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg

Two stars

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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Ticket prices
  • Golden circle - Dh995
  • Floor Standing - Dh495
  • Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
  • Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
  • Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
  • Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
  • Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
  • Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile

Name: Tratok Portal

Founded: 2017

Based: UAE

Sector: Travel & tourism

Size: 36 employees

Funding: Privately funded

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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixtures

Friday Leganes v Alaves, 10.15pm; Valencia v Las Palmas, 12.15am

Saturday Celta Vigo v Real Sociedad, 8.15pm; Girona v Atletico Madrid, 10.15pm; Sevilla v Espanyol, 12.15am

Sunday Athletic Bilbao v Getafe, 8.15am; Barcelona v Real Betis, 10.15pm; Deportivo v Real Madrid, 12.15am

Monday Levante v Villarreal, 10.15pm; Malaga v Eibar, midnight

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Tree of Hell

Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla

Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Global Fungi Facts

• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil

Three tips from La Perle's performers

1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.

2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.

3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.

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.

How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

TOURNAMENT INFO

Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia

UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now