Charlie Appleby and William Buick team up to win the prestigious English Classic for the second time in three years following Coroebus in 2022
sports5 hours ago
Leading Lebanese businessman Najib Mikati secured enough votes in parliamentary consultations on Monday to be designated the next prime minister, raising hopes for an urgently needed viable government to tackle a crippling financial crisis.
Mikati, who has been prime minister twice before and unlike many Lebanese leaders does not hail from a political bloc or dynasty, received 72 votes out of a total of 118 members of parliament.
Like the previous nominee, Saad Al Hariri, he now faces major challenges in navigating Lebanon’s sectarian, power-sharing structure to secure agreement on a cabinet equipped to address the country’s financial meltdown.
While Lebanon has been run by a caretaker administration for nearly a year, since a huge blast devastated large parts of Beirut, its currency has collapsed, jobs have vanished and banks have frozen accounts. The economic freefall is Lebanon’s worst crisis since the 1975-90 civil war.
Hezbollah nominated Mikati in Monday’s consultations and most of the main parliamentary blocs endorsed the choice.
“Today, with signs that hint at the possibility of forming a government..., that’s why we named Mikati, to give an extra boost to facilitate forming a government,” Muhammad Raad, the leader of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, told reporters.
Among Mikati’s endorsers was Hariri, who abandoned his effort to form a new government last week after nearly 10 months of failing to agree its composition with Aoun.
Hariri told reporters after meeting Aoun that he hoped Mikati, a telecoms tycoon, would be chosen and succeed in forming a cabinet. “The country has a chance today,” he said.
The news of Mikati’s likely designation boosted the Lebanese pound on the unofficial parallel market earlier on Monday, where dollars changed hands at around 16,500 pounds, compared to over 22,000 at the height of the deadlock over the government.
Western governments have been piling pressure on Lebanon, one of the most heavily indebted states in the world, to form a government that can set about reforming the corrupt state. They have threatened to impose sanctions and said financial support will not flow before reforms begin.
Charlie Appleby and William Buick team up to win the prestigious English Classic for the second time in three years following Coroebus in 2022
sports5 hours ago
A UNESCO report found that journalists and news outlets reporting on environmental issues dealt with about 750 attacks in the past 15 years
world5 hours ago
Here is everything you need to have in hand before you register for the procedure
uae5 hours ago
The discovery was made after Sharjah National Oil Corporation drilled a well
uae6 hours ago
Over 500,000 people, who are not on the taxpayer list are liable to file their income tax returns for 2023
world6 hours ago
From interacting with authors to learning computer coding, an adventure awaits at every corner
uae6 hours ago
HD Revanna and son Prajwal Revanna are facing a probe over allegations of sexual harassment by a woman who worked in their household
world7 hours ago
Alsuwaidi bagged a second gold for the Emirates in the Adults Male -56 Kg category as Thailand topped the medal table on day one
sports7 hours ago