As Lebanon suffered yet another bout of sectarian flu on Sunday, I was at a conference in Turkey, a country where the legacy of Kemal Atatürk has cemented the stature of the 89-year-old secular republic.
The military's role might make lobster-pink liberals jumpy, but "Kemalism" works. Granted, Turkey still isn't Denmark, but it is a shining example of a regional superpower, a country that has been able to focus on growth and development. That's how I see it anyway, but then again, I live in a place where any hint of prosperity has been consistently derailed by religious extremism.
We Lebanese are culturally very similar to the Turks - they did, after all, rule us for 400 years - but in terms of economic and social development we are still in the Stone Age. We might sniff at Turkey's US$25 billion (Dh91.82bn) tourist industry as being a bit too mass market for our liking. We might argue our food is 10 times better than that being served up by our former Ottoman masters, and that almost everyone in the Lebanese service industry speaks better English and French.
But what Turkey can offer the tourist sector - apart from a cleaner, less built-up and litter-free country - is security; and having witnessed Lebanon unravel over the past six months, even a half-wit would conclude that without security there can be no genuine economic growth. Lawlessness means no confidence and no investment, a fact underlined on Monday when Lebanon's Byblos Bank/AUB Consumer Confidence Index fell to an all-time low, citing "security breaches" as one of the factors for the unfortunate record. In the meantime, the Lebanese government appears paralysed in the face of rampant sectarian lawlessness that threatens to spread across the country.
Tripoli, Lebanon's "second city" was the first to catch the virus that mutated out of the Syrian crisis. It was seen as a pressure valve. The feeling was that, as long as the sectarian anger was restricted to Tripoli, it could be contained, a feeling that was no doubt of little comfort to the Tripoli merchants' association, which must have had the worst tourist season on record since the end of the civil war.
Sidon, Lebanon's third city if you like, was always going to be next, especially ever since Ahmad Al Assir, the hard-line Sunni cleric, set up shop there this summer to oppose the militant Hizbollah. On Monday, the day after three people died in a gun battle between his supporters and Hizbollah, the government threatened to clamp down on anyone carrying what it called "non-state" weapons. So far it is nothing more than an onlooker as tensions escalate.
There had been considerable investment in Sidon in the past decade, especially in retail development. Malls have sprung up attracting a clutch of international brands names such as Zara and Mango, but in the past quarter, security concerns and general uncertainty have caused retail activity to drop by some 50 per cent.
Beirut is where what is left of commercial activity has taken refuge but still there is a huge sense of frustration, especially from a tourism industry that was decimated over the summer. Insult was added to injury in September when a no-smoking law was introduced in all public places, including bars and restaurants, a move that the food-and-drinks sector claims has resulted in revenues falling by more than 50 per cent. With businesses struggling to stay afloat until Christmas, many are simply ignoring the ban.
"I am letting people smoke," one restaurant owner told me this week. "I don't care. Let the state come and fine me. I will say, 'OK, I will pay as long as you arrest everyone in the shooting in Sidon on Sunday'. They know who they are. When they do that, I will pay my fine. Until then, I reckon they have bigger fish to catch."
Michael Karam is a freelance writer based in Beirut
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Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
- Taking hair from a dark to a light colour should involve a slow transition through warmer stages of colour
- When choosing a colour (especially a lighter tone), allow for a natural lift of warmth
- Most modern hair colours are technique-based, in that they require a confident hand and taught skills
- If you decide to be brave and go for it, seek professional advice and use a semi-permanent colour
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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 PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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.”
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'The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting up a Generation for Failure'
Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, Penguin Randomhouse
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
