The stability of Lebanon is paramount, Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri told a meeting of regional bankers in Beirut on Thursday, a day after agreeing to suspend his resignation.
"Our primary concern in Lebanon is stability, and that is what we are going to focus on," Mr Hariri said at the opening of the annual Arab Banking Conference.
It was Mr Hariri's fourth public appearance since his return to Lebanon on Tuesday after announcing his resignation while in Saudi Arabia on November 4. His attributed his surprise decision in part to the meddling by Iran and the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hizbollah in regional affairs.
“The stage that passed constitutes an awakening for all of us to seek Lebanon's interests first before looking at the problems around us,” he said, referring to his sudden resignation and the subsequent political turmoil in the country.
"We must look at all means to reach the point where Lebanon stands back, in practice, and not just in rhetoric," he said.
Hizbollah, which is a part of Mr Hariri's government formed last December, has sent its fighters into the civil war in Syria on behalf of president Bashar Al Assad. Saudi Arabia, a supporter of Mr Hariri, has accused the group of assisting rebels in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is seeking to restore the UN-recognised government.
In its first remarks since Mr Hariri's return, Hizbollah said the move was "promising" and sent a signal that matters can "return to normal".
Hassan Fadlallah, a Hizbollah MP, said Mr Hariri's independence Day remarks on Wednesday could form the basis for efforts to find "appropriate" solutions to the country's crisis.
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Read more:
Hariri's return pulls Lebanon back from the brink
Lebanon PM Hariri says resignation on hold pending talks
Beyond the Headlines podcast: End to Syrian civil war could be in sight, while confusion circulates around Lebanon
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Besides stability, Lebanon also needed to focus on reviving its economy, Mr Hariri told the banking conference.
One of the main concerns following the his resignation was the prospect of a return to the political paralysis that affected growth since 2011. Lebanon’s economic stability has been maintained through the strength of its currency, the pound, which has remained stable at about 1,500 pounds to the US dollar since the 1990s.
Mr Salameh told the conference Lebanon was "on track for a 2.5 per cent growth this year".
Mr Hariri thanked the central bank governor Riad Salameh, who was able "to fortify the Lebanese pound, even when we politicians disagreed with each other".
The prime minister on Thursday also hosted a meeting of his Future Movement parliamentary bloc at his residence in Beirut.
Mr Hariri "provided essential updates regarding the political developments locally and regionally with his own assessment of the recent developments, and how we should monitor them and respond", according to a statement ready out by the bloc's deputy chief, Bassem Al Sabeh.
The bloc also praised Mr Hariri's decision to postpone his resignation, saying it showed his "commitment to protecting the independence of the country, and to avoid sliding into the risks and conflicts surrounding Lebanon”.
The prime minister also met with the French ambassador on Thursday. French president Emmanuel Macron was instrumental in arranging Mr Hariri's return to Lebanon following his resignation.
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
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Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
More on Quran memorisation:
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
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Company%20Profile
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Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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
The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
