My barber does a lucrative sideline in cigars. He's got to really, as he wouldn't make any money otherwise. He spends half his day dozing on his ancient swivel chair, sleeping off the side effects of his medication, while the flow of people who want a haircut has slowed to a trickle.
When you can get him to cut your hair, the process is often interrupted by the appearance of paunchy middle-aged men in leisure wear, who furtively pop in to buy a few cut-price tall panatellas.
It is at this point that the clippers are carefully put down next to the basin, and the buyer is escorted into a back room to examine the latest stock. "No robustos then? OK, I'll take the double coronas. The best, you say? OK, done. See you next week."
Buyer hurries out and my barber returns, clears his throat and carries on where he left off.
I consider it rude to inquire where he gets his supply, and like to think that he in turn appreciates my discretion. For US$4 (Dh14.60), it is great theatre.
Cigars, and the notion of sophistication that follows their blue, pungent haze, could have been made for the shamelessly ostentatious and image-conscious Lebanese.
I do not have the figures to hand but we are among the heaviest, if not the heaviest, smokers per capita in the world. (The Cypriots claim to smoke a lot, but I have never noticed it.) Riad Salameh, the governor of the Lebanese central bank, is a famous puffer, the prime minister Saad Hariri is also known to partake.
The list of high-profile Lebanese who spark up is endless and the message simple: the rest of the world might have moved on from such unhealthy and anti-social decadence, but in Lebanon a cigar still conveys power, sophistication and affluence.
It helps that Lebanon is a great place to smoke, because, like most of Lebanese life, there are no boundaries.
Cigar smokers will often puff away throughout dinner at restaurants without caring a jot for their fellow diners. It is also not uncommon to see them in action pushing a trolley in the supermarket.
But these halcyon days may be numbered with a proposed item of legislation that seeks to ban smoking in public places, and which is currently under debate.
If passed, one wonders how successfully it will be enforced, and what impact, negative or otherwise, it will have on Lebanon's $3 billion tourist industry, especially the shisha cafes that are hugely popular with chilled-out Gulf nationals.
By and large, the Lebanese are cheerfully indifferent to laws that promote social niceties.
True, there is very little violence, while armed robbery is virtually unheard of.
But those rules and regulations that curb what the Lebanese see as their self-expression - driving, smoking, standing in line and parking and so on - are rarely tolerated. That said, we are beginning to come to grips with traffic lights, and even the new parking meters, a joint venture between the government and the private sector, are catching on.
Cynics like me, who scoffed upon hearing of a smoking ban, were reminded by earnest anti-smoking advocates of a similar edict in Gaza that has been in place since December 15.
Quite how successful this ban has been is still unclear, as one would have felt the long-term effects of tobacco inhalation would not be a priority in a city that is constantly levelled by the Israeli air force. Still, good on Hamas for trying.
Staying with health concerns, if you believe World Health Organisation statistics, the Lebanese are on average more likely to die from smoking related illnesses (3,000 per year) than from road accidents (600 per year).
I am not convinced and I defy anyone, especially those who have gone toe-to-toe with the grim reaper on Lebanon's apocalyptic road network, to tell me that implementing a smoking ban is more urgent than tightening up traffic laws.
More to the point, for a country that places so much emphasis on tourism, it does not appear to care what visitors to Lebanon think of its roads, the cars on them and people who drive them.
The argument for dropping import duties on new cars - Lebanese dealers pay prohibitive import tax and 10 per cent value added tax - to spur consumption is one that has been long running.
Lebanon's cartel importers argue that cutting duty will see a marked increase in the 20,000 new vehicles sold each year in Lebanon.
The state, they argue, would see revenue levels remain as a result of the increased volume in sales, while the Lebanese would drive newer, safer and environmentally friendlier cars.
Such a move would also be good for Lebanon's image. One only has to travel to Cyprus and compare the spanking new Mercedes that wait at Larnaca Airport with the ageing jalopies that cruise for fares at Beirut to see the car importers may have a point.
But then, do we really need any new cars? When all Beirut's new high-rise residential developments are built, the extra traffic they will generate - 1,000 more cars in my square km of Ashrafieh alone - will see the city descend into environmental meltdown.
Not only will there be more emissions, the new tower blocks up along the seafront will block the sea breezes that traditionally dissipate the smog.
When faced with this scenario, it hardly matters who smokes what where? At least, that's what my barber would tell you. "A nice robusto for the weekend, sir? Just got them in this morning."
Michael Karam is a PR and media consultant based in Beirut
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
About Tenderd
Started: May 2018
Founder: Arjun Mohan
Based: Dubai
Size: 23 employees
Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
Freezer tips
- Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
- If you’re cooking in large batches, divide into either family-sized or individual portions to freeze.
- Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
- The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
bundesliga results
Mainz 0 Augsburg 1 (Niederlechner 1')
Schalke 1 (Caligiuri pen 51') Bayer Leverkusen 1 (Miranda og 81')
The biog:
Favourite book: The Leader Who Had No Title by Robin Sharma
Pet Peeve: Racism
Proudest moment: Graduating from Sorbonne
What puts her off: Dishonesty in all its forms
Happiest period in her life: The beginning of her 30s
Favourite movie: "I have two. The Pursuit of Happiness and Homeless to Harvard"
Role model: Everyone. A child can be my role model
Slogan: The queen of peace, love and positive energy
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The past Palme d'Or winners
2018 Shoplifters, Hirokazu Kore-eda
2017 The Square, Ruben Ostlund
2016 I, Daniel Blake, Ken Loach
2015 Dheepan, Jacques Audiard
2014 Winter Sleep (Kış Uykusu), Nuri Bilge Ceylan
2013 Blue is the Warmest Colour (La Vie d'Adèle: Chapitres 1 et 2), Abdellatif Kechiche, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux
2012 Amour, Michael Haneke
2011 The Tree of Life, Terrence Malick
2010 Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Lung Bunmi Raluek Chat), Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2009 The White Ribbon (Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte), Michael Haneke
2008 The Class (Entre les murs), Laurent Cantet
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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
Bio
Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro
BIOSAFETY LABS SECURITY LEVELS
Biosafety Level 1
The lowest safety level. These labs work with viruses that are minimal risk to humans.
Hand washing is required on entry and exit and potentially infectious material decontaminated with bleach before thrown away.
Must have a lock. Access limited. Lab does not need to be isolated from other buildings.
Used as teaching spaces.
Study microorganisms such as Staphylococcus which causes food poisoning.
Biosafety Level 2
These labs deal with pathogens that can be harmful to people and the environment such as Hepatitis, HIV and salmonella.
Working in Level 2 requires special training in handling pathogenic agents.
Extra safety and security precautions are taken in addition to those at Level 1
Biosafety Level 3
These labs contain material that can be lethal if inhaled. This includes SARS coronavirus, MERS, and yellow fever.
Significant extra precautions are taken with staff given specific immunisations when dealing with certain diseases.
Infectious material is examined in a biological safety cabinet.
Personnel must wear protective gowns that must be discarded or decontaminated after use.
Strict safety and handling procedures are in place. There must be double entrances to the building and they must contain self-closing doors to reduce risk of pathogen aerosols escaping.
Windows must be sealed. Air from must be filtered before it can be recirculated.
Biosafety Level 4
The highest level for biosafety precautions. Scientist work with highly dangerous diseases that have no vaccine or cure.
All material must be decontaminated.
Personnel must wear a positive pressure suit for protection. On leaving the lab this must pass through decontamination shower before they have a personal shower.
Entry is severely restricted to trained and authorised personnel. All entries are recorded.
Entrance must be via airlocks.
Tour de France
When: July 7-29
UAE Team Emirates:
Dan Martin, Alexander Kristoff, Darwin Atapuma, Marco Marcato, Kristijan Durasek, Oliviero Troia, Roberto Ferrari and Rory Sutherland
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
