US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale met Lebanon’s political leaders through the weekend as protests on the streets continued in the wake of Hassan Diab being named prime minister-designate.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the Beirut home of Mr Diab, an academic at the American University of Beirut and former education minister. Security forces moved in quickly after his appointment last week to secure the apartment building and surrounding street.
Many have denounced the appointment of Mr Diab, calling instead for a true technocrat to lead the next administration despite the new appointee saying he will priorities experts over political candidates.
Mr Diab was propelled to the post on Thursday by Lebanon’s March 8 bloc – led by the backing of Hezbollah, Amal and the Free Patriotic Movement.
Lebanon has been rocked by two months of anti-government protest with thousands taking to the streets to denounce years of corruption, ineffectual leadership, crumbling public services and the worst financial crisis since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war.
Meanwhile, Mr Hale, who previously served as US ambassador to Beirut, met Progressive Socialist leader Walid Jumblatt, who described the conversation it in a tweet afterwards as “friendly and honest.”
He also met Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea and caretaker foreign minister Gibran Bassil, who is also head of the PFP.
Mr Hale met on Friday with President Michel Aoun and caretaker prime minister Saad Hariri.
In a press briefing from Baabda, Mr Hale said he was in Lebanon at the request of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss the situation. “I’m here to encourage Lebanon’s political leaders to commit to and undertake meaningful, sustained reforms that can lead to a stable, prosperous and secure Lebanon. And that was the content of the conversation I just had with President Aoun. It is time to put aside the partisan interest for the national interest advancing reforms and forming a government that is committed to and capable of doing so.
He said the US has no role in saying who should and who should comprise any cabinet but added that “the unified nonsectarian and largely peaceful protests over the last 65 days … [shows] the Lebanese people’s longstanding and quite frankly legitimate demand for economic and institutional reform, better governance and an end to endemic corruption.”
He urged the security forces to continue to protect the right of protesters and added that “violence has no place in civil discourse.” A statement released by the US government after the meetings said Mr Hale had called on the government, army, and security services to continue to guarantee the rights and safety of protesters.
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
TRAP
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The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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- 400m Olympic running track
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- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
