• A demonstrator gestures near a bank, set on fire, during a protest organized by Depositors' Outcry, a group campaigning for angry depositors, against informal restrictions on cash withdrawals and deteriorating economic conditions in Beirut, Lebanon February 16, 2023. REUTERS / Mohamed Azakir
    A demonstrator gestures near a bank, set on fire, during a protest organized by Depositors' Outcry, a group campaigning for angry depositors, against informal restrictions on cash withdrawals and deteriorating economic conditions in Beirut, Lebanon February 16, 2023. REUTERS / Mohamed Azakir
  • A large group of protestors had gathered around the vandalised bank. AFP
    A large group of protestors had gathered around the vandalised bank. AFP
  • A FransaBank branch in the Badaro neighbourhood was also set on fire during the protest. EPA
    A FransaBank branch in the Badaro neighbourhood was also set on fire during the protest. EPA
  • With protesters later shouting outside it. EPA
    With protesters later shouting outside it. EPA
  • A protestor stands in front of burning tyres and Arabic graffiti on the ground that reads 'thieves' outside a bank in Beirut. AFP
    A protestor stands in front of burning tyres and Arabic graffiti on the ground that reads 'thieves' outside a bank in Beirut. AFP
  • A potester writes 'Depositors Outcry Association which is a depositors advocacy group. AFP
    A potester writes 'Depositors Outcry Association which is a depositors advocacy group. AFP
  • Others attempted to break into the banks. AFP
    Others attempted to break into the banks. AFP
  • Branch windows were also vandalised and smashed. AFP
    Branch windows were also vandalised and smashed. AFP
  • The protests occur one day after the Lebanese pound hit a record low against the dollar on the black market. AFP
    The protests occur one day after the Lebanese pound hit a record low against the dollar on the black market. AFP
  • Later firefighters arrived to extinguish the fires. EPA
    Later firefighters arrived to extinguish the fires. EPA
  • Protesters in Beirut set bank doors alight on Thursday. Nada Al Homsi / The National
    Protesters in Beirut set bank doors alight on Thursday. Nada Al Homsi / The National

Lebanese protesters set fires and break windows at Beirut banks


  • English
  • Arabic

Frustrated Lebanese protesters caused damage at banks in Beirut on Thursday as Lebanon’s commercial banking institutions marked the 10th day of their strike.

Protesters broke several windows and doors of at least five banks in the Badaro area of the city and set fire to tires outside.

After demonstrators dispersed, an intruder alarm rang endlessly from Badaro’s Fransabank branch as onlookers inspected the carnage.

An old woman stared at a burned ATM covered in petrol. She’d come in the hopes of withdrawing money.

“Don't worry,” a passerby interjected. “They hadn't filled it with money anyway. The open strike means they aren't filling the atms.”

Later, a handful set fire to objects outside the home - including the front gate - of Salim Sfeir, the chair of the Association of Banks in Lebanon.

Lebanese banks began their open-ended strike last week in protest at recent judicial actions. A court recently ruled in favour of a couple who had been involved in a dispute with Lebanon's Fransabank over their blocked deposits.

The Court of Cassation had ordered that the couple be paid cash, rather than a cheque — which would have been at a much lower value. The Association of Banks in Lebanon said they disagreed with this decision, and announced the strike soon after.

Banks have been accused of stalling efforts to open up their accounts to judicial investigators.

The protest was organised by depositor associations and protest groups.

“They’ve gone so far beyond any reasonable limits,” said Rami Ollaik, founder of United for Lebanon, referring to the banks and their actions. United for Lebanon is a collective of lawyers seeking to fight corruption and protect depositors' rights.

A bank customer smashes the glass of the entrance of BBAC bank during a protest organised by Depositors' Outcry, in Badaro neighborhood Beirut, Lebanon. EPA
A bank customer smashes the glass of the entrance of BBAC bank during a protest organised by Depositors' Outcry, in Badaro neighborhood Beirut, Lebanon. EPA

He warned that unless recent judicial decisions were implemented, the group was ready to go back to article 184 of the penal code, which according to United for Lebanon allows the use of force and the committing of an offence in defence of oneself or one's money.

“This is a demonstration of force and an act of defiance,” Mr Ollaik told The National, adding there would be “no tolerance for ripping us off further without complying to court decisions”.

Near a couple of banks that had been attacked, residents of Badaro lunched peacefully. Life in Lebanon has become punctured by popular displays of anger as living conditions deteriorate rapidly along with the economy.

The lunch crowd empathises, “but it's futile. It's just blowing off steam. What will it change?” a man asked. He had left his table at the cafe to inspect the damage to the next door bank’s facade.

“The only solution I see, short of throwing this whole political class into dumpsters, is emigration. I've lost hope in Lebanon.”

Lebanon has been entrenched in crippling economic crisis since 2019, which has been blamed on decades worth of corruption and mismanagement by the country's ruling elite - including its banks.

The pound has lost more than 98 per cent of its value against the dollar since the start of the collapse. Mr Ollaik said Thursday's developments were “indirectly related” to the severe deprecation of the local currency on the parallel market.

On Thursday, it was trading at more than 80,000 to the dollar, compared with 60,000 at the start of the month, according to websites monitoring the exchange rate.

The depreciation has meant a surge in fuel prices in a country where 80 per cent of the population now lives below the poverty line, according to the UN.

2021 World Triathlon Championship Series

May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China

A cryptocurrency primer for beginners

Cryptocurrency Investing  for Dummies – by Kiana Danial 

There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine. 

Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.

Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this  book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.

Begin your cryptocurrency journey here. 

Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104 

A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre V6

Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km

Price: Dh179,999-plus

On sale: now 

Skoda Superb Specs

Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol

Power: 190hp

Torque: 320Nm

Price: From Dh147,000

Available: Now

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.

The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?

My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.

The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.

So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.

 

 

CABINET%20OF%20CURIOSITIES%20EPISODE%201%3A%20LOT%2036
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGuillermo%20del%20Toro%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tim%20Blake%20Nelson%2C%20Sebastian%20Roche%2C%20Elpidia%20Carrillo%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

Oppenheimer
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChristopher%20Nolan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECillian%20Murphy%2C%20Emily%20Blunt%2C%20Robert%20Downey%20Jr%2C%20Florence%20Pugh%2C%20Matt%20Damon%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

Dunki
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rajkumar%20Hirani%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shah%20Rukh%20Khan%2C%20Taapsee%20Pannu%2C%20Vikram%20Kochhar%20and%20Anil%20Grover%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How%20to%20avoid%20getting%20scammed
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENever%20click%20on%20links%20provided%20via%20app%20or%20SMS%2C%20even%20if%20they%20seem%20to%20come%20from%20authorised%20senders%20at%20first%20glance%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAlways%20double-check%20the%20authenticity%20of%20websites%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EEnable%20Two-Factor%20Authentication%20(2FA)%20for%20all%20your%20working%20and%20personal%20services%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EOnly%20use%20official%20links%20published%20by%20the%20respective%20entity%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDouble-check%20the%20web%20addresses%20to%20reduce%20exposure%20to%20fake%20sites%20created%20with%20domain%20names%20containing%20spelling%20errors%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES

UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)

  • Saturday 15 January: UAE beat Canada by 49 runs 
  • Thursday 20 January: v England 
  • Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh 

UAE squad:

Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles
Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly,
Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya
Shetty, Kai Smith  

Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E400bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E563Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh320%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Getting%20there%20
%3Cp%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenationalnews.com%2Ftravel%2F2023%2F01%2F12%2Fwhat-does-it-take-to-be-cabin-crew-at-one-of-the-worlds-best-airlines-in-2023%2F%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3EEtihad%20Airways%20%3C%2Fa%3Eflies%20daily%20to%20the%20Maldives%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%20The%20journey%20takes%20four%20hours%20and%20return%20fares%20start%20from%20Dh3%2C995.%20Opt%20for%20the%203am%20flight%20and%20you%E2%80%99ll%20land%20at%206am%2C%20giving%20you%20the%20entire%20day%20to%20adjust%20to%20island%20time.%20%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERound%20trip%20speedboat%20transfers%20to%20the%20resort%20are%20bookable%20via%20Anantara%20and%20cost%20%24265%20per%20person.%20%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Updated: February 16, 2023, 2:37 PM