Police officers and protesters confront each other during the demostration. Reuters
Algerians shout slogans as they march to mark the first anniversary of the popular protests in Algiers. EPA
Algerian riot police block the progress of an anti-government demonstration heading towards the presidential palace in the capital Algiers. AFP
Algerian riot police block the progress of an anti-government demonstration heading towards the presidential palace in the capital Algiers. AFP
Algerian protesters take part in an anti-government demonstration in Algiers marking the first anniversary of the protest movement. AFP
Algerian riot police block the progress of an anti-government demonstration heading towards the presidential palace in the capital Algiers. AFP
Members of the Algerian police use a water cannon to disperse an anti-government demonstration heading towards the presidential palace in the capital Algiers. AFP
Members of the Algerian police block the progress of an anti-government demonstration heading towards the presidential palace in the capital Algiers. AFP
Members of the Algerian police block the progress of an anti-government demonstration in the center of the capital Algiers. AFP
Algerians shout slogans as they march to mark the first anniversary of the popular protests in Algiers, Algeria. EPA
Algerians shout slogans as they march to mark the first anniversary of the popular protests in Algiers, Algeria. EPA
Algerians shout slogans as they march to mark the first anniversary of the popular protests in Algiers, Algeria. EPA
Last month, Algeria set November 1 as the date for a referendum on a new constitution. The announcement from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s office came after months-long protests demanding political and economic reforms.
The draft for the new constitution, which includes proposals made by a committee of experts that would be ratified by Parliament before being presented to the public, is touted to give the legislature more powers and the country’s democratic aspirations a big boost. However, disappointed by previous referendums falling short of public expectations, and disillusioned by the government’s continued crackdown on protesters and journalists, ordinary Algerians are not holding their breath.
Indeed, this referendum is already a no-go in the eyes of many critics, for a simple reason. They view the process of drafting the new constitution, which began in December 2019 following the election of President Tebboune, as a smokescreen. They also believe that the new document, which will be ratified by Parliament on a yet-unspecified date, will only serve to keep the old, military-dominated regime in power and maintain the status quo.
Reactions to the announcement from the popular Hirak protest movement have been swift – and they are not buying it. Many activists have taken to social media to reject the referendum, demanding instead that the draft contain more radical reforms that would entail an overhaul of the country’s governance system and the removal of the old guard. They would also include the delivery of justice against those individuals allegedly involved in embezzlement and political corruption but seen to be close to the regime.
The Hirak movement began in February 2019, when the then president Abdelaziz Bouteflika – who had been in power for nearly two decades – decided to run for a fifth term. Despite his resignation two months later, protesters returned to the streets week after week for months, demanding the aforementioned reforms, which they do not believe the establishment is interested in enacting.
At the core of the Hirak’s cynicism is a lack of trust in the leadership and its agenda. The establishment’s repeated attempts to block the media have not helped either.
According to the National Committee for the Release of Detainees, an independent human rights group in the country, the government seems determined to squelch dissenting voices. A number of renowned journalists have been handed prison sentences for either voicing their opinion, or simply reporting about the Hirak protests without bias.
Said Boudour is a journalist, human rights advocate and member of the Algerian League for Human Rights. He is internationally known for covering the thorny issue of migrants from the Sahel now living in Algeria. It was his reporting of a corruption scandal that forced the previous government to dismiss General Abdelghani Hamel, its police chief and one of the pillars of the regime. Last year, a court in the western city of Oran ordered the detention of Boudour for “undermining the morale of the army”.
Last month, another journalist and political activist, Abdelkrim Zeghileche, criticised the judicial system on his Facebook page. Zeghileche was charged with “threatening national unity” by a court in the eastern city of Constantine and sentenced to two years in prison.
The government has also cracked down on television networks and social media platforms. Numerous news websites have been blocked. Authorities have admitted to blocking two online independent media outlets – Maghreb Emergent and Radio M Post – without prior notice. Algerie Telecom, the state-owned telecom operator, has cut access to news sites seen to be critical of the authorities, including the French-language Tout sur l’Algerie and Interlignes.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has been pushing for a new constitutional referendum for some time. Reuters
The government’s seemingly contradicting voices have, meanwhile, confounded the public.
While campaigning for the new constitution in April, President Tebboune reiterated his pledge to set up a “second Algerian republic” based on “true democracy and rule of law". Just last week, Ammar Belhimer, the Minister of Communication, guaranteed that authorities would respect “everyone’s freedom of opinion and expression”. Yet, members of the Parliament’s lower house, after debating the Penal Code, passed a series of amendments to punish any actions that are deemed detrimental to “national unity and public order”. Shortly after, Minister of Justice Belkacem Zeghmati asserted that “any publication or website which does not comply with the new regulations would be liable for prosecution”.
It is important to remember that it was Mr Tebboune, who served as prime minister for three months under Mr Bouteflika, who had been pushing for a new constitution that would curtail the president’s authority and guarantee the separation and balance of powers. But clearly, the establishment is not speaking with one voice.
The referendum date has been intentionally set to coincide with the anniversary of the onset of Algeria's 1954-1962 war of independence from France. For the powers that be, it is symbolically meant to be the birth of the second republic. Yet, it is worth noting that the constitution has been amended numerous times since independence in 1962, including during Bouteflika’s presidency, when it had been rewritten and amended to suit his needs and those of the power-brokers around him.
An outdoor market set up by the Algerian government to prevent crowding inside supermarkets, amid concerns over the coronavirus disease in Algiers, Algeria, April 19, 2020. Reuters
A man sweeps an alley of a food market in Algiers, Tuesday April 21, 2020. Algerians are shopping to prepare the month of Ramadan which starts on Thursday in Algeria. AP Photo
A man walks by closed shops in Algiers, Wednesday April 29, 2020. Algeria eased confinement measures from the first day of the holy month of Ramadan last Friday by shortening a night curfew and lifting a full lockdown for a province near the capital Algiers. (AP Photo/Toufik Doudou)
A man waits outside a food market in Algiers, on Tuesday April 21, 2020. Algerians are shopping to prepare the holy month of Ramadan which starts on Thursday in Algeria. AP Photo
Workers unload medical supplies from China at Houari Boumediene International Airport in Algiers, Algeria, April 15, 2020. The equipment was donated to Algeria amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. EPA
Workers unload medical supplies from China at Houari Boumediene International Airport in Algiers, Algeria, April 15, 2020. The equipment was donated to Algeria amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. EPA
A volunteer dentist works on converting a snorkel mask into a respirator, using 3-D printing technology, to reinforce hospitals and help patients suffering from the coronavirus in Algiers, Algeria April 15, 2020. Reuters
Volunteer dentists assemble snorkel masks and convert them into respirators, using 3-D printing technology, to reinforce hospitals and help patients suffering from the coronavirus in Algiers, Algeria April 15, 2020. Reuters
In this file photo taken on June 13, 2019, Algerian policemen guard the El Harrach prison in the suburbs of the capital Algiers. AFP
Meanwhile, as the government prepares for the referendum, demonstrations have petered out. Authorities had banned all gatherings since March in their effort to limit the spread of Covid-19. But activists maintain that the Hirak is not over by any means. It is, in their words, simply adjourned because of the pandemic.
A coalition of anti-government associations and political parties that call themselves the Forces of the Democratic Alternative have urged ordinary Algerians to “stay mobilised but vigilant in order to engage forcefully in the resumption of peaceful protests” when the lockdown is lifted.
It is little wonder, with all these developments, that the noise around November’s referendum has fallen on deaf ears in the public square.
Dr Abdelkader Cheref is an Algerian independent scholar in the US
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
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
