On the third day of the Fifa World Cup, Fadi Alayan stared at a frozen phone screen in his Beirut home. In the next room, his son was experiencing the same disappointment.
This is not an unusual occurrence in the Lebanese capital, but the timing of this Wi-Fi cut — during the second half of the France-Australia group game — was crucial.
“By the time it came back, France was already up 2-1 and I’d missed the goal,” Mr Alayan said.
His options for watching the game with his son elsewhere were as unreliable as the Wi-Fi connection.
Despite Minister of Information Ziad Makari’s efforts, the games are not being broadcast by Lebanon’s public television station, Tele Liban, meaning fans have few options for watching free of charge.
“This year, it’s like the government is telling us, ‘every man for himself',” Mr Alayan said.
For three years, Lebanon’s population has weathered a financial collapse that has led to savings being trapped in banks, their salaries and pensions devalued to a fraction of what they were once worth, their basic needs — electricity, water, bread and medicine — becoming scarce and their future becoming uncertain.
Now, even the world's biggest football tournament is out of reach.
Political vacuum hits home
For once, it is not an issue of finances for the bankrupt nation: the money is there to pay the Qatari broadcaster, said Mr Makari.
“We had a very good deal,” he said. “It’s half of what we paid to broadcast the World Cup in 2018.
“But because we have a caretaker government who can't meet, we can’t pay the private broadcaster without approval from the Council of Ministers.”
For many, the failure to secure the rights to broadcast the World Cup to fans in Lebanon — what would usually be a routine undertaking — is a worrying symptom of Lebanon’s political dysfunction.
The country is operating without a president and its cabinet is considered resigned, operating only in a caretaker capacity since the May 15 parliamentary elections took place.
Constitutionally, a caretaker government has no prerogative to meet or make major decisions except during extenuating circumstances. And a new government line-up cannot be made without the appointment of a new president — no easy task for a deeply polarised parliament that has so far been unable to agree on a candidate.
The resulting government vacuum has left the country in a state of paralysis.
Mr Makari acknowledged the message of impotence conveyed by the absence of the World Cup on the nation’s TV screens.
“If we had a fully empowered government, this wouldn’t have happened,” he told The National.
“I am sorry. I wish everyone could watch it for free.”
Pay to watch or don't watch at all
Inside an online gaming cafe, a group of young men, all of whom paid a minimum charge to watch, observed the France-Australia game quietly.
In most Beirut neighbourhoods the vibe is muted — not what would typically be expected of a World Cup evening in an Arab country.
“This is pretty par for the course,” said Tawfic Amayrat, the 25-year-old manager of the cafe. “I’m not surprised.”
If previous World Cups are any indicator, under normal circumstances, the cafes would be teeming with rowdy customers and fans, with cheers and jeers heard throughout the capital.
But on the third day of the World Cup, the streets are eerily quiet.
“Football,” Mr Amayrat said gloomily as he stood outside the cafe. “They even want to take that away from us.”
He and his customers are lucky the gaming centre has a yearly subscription to beIN Sports, the Qatari sports channel broadcasting the World Cup.
Whereas in previous years, the football cafes would have a melee of paying and non-paying customers piling over each other in eager anticipation of a goal, this year, establishments throughout the capital are charging entry fees or imposing a minimum charge.
Entry to a cafe can cost anywhere between $3 to $15, depending on the establishment.
Hashem Zoghby, a 21-year-old motorcycle mechanic in the Beirut suburb of Choueifat, said he used to watch World Cup matches with his family at home and would only go to a cafe with friends for the bigger games.
On the first day, Mr Zoghby and his parents watched news coverage of the opening ceremony of the World Cup. But without a monthly subscription to beIN Sports, that was as close as they got.
“Even the poorest countries in the world are broadcasting the World Cup. Everyone except Lebanon — we can’t even do that,” he said. “It’s absurd.”
For individuals, the monthly charge for a subscription to beIN Sports is $95 — discounted from $125, but still out of reach for many. By contrast, the salary of the average Lebanese government employee is the equivalent of $50 to $100 a month.
“I don't think anyone could afford this unless they owned a cafe,” Mr Zoghby said. “For normal people like me, it’s impossible to get this subscription. If they did, it would mean no food for the next month.
“Meanwhile our politicians are probably in Qatar, watching the games live.”
Inside the cafes
But even some cafes and bars that would normally broadcast the World Cup could not afford to this year due to sliding rates — depending on location and capacity — set by the Qatari sports channel.
A bar owner in the Hamra neighbourhood told The National that the company licensed to distribute beIN Sports was charging his two establishments $7,000 and $4,000 for subscriptions, respectively.
The rate would have been sustainable in previous years, he said, but with fewer customers able to afford a night out, the broadcast is no longer profitable.
“The generator bill alone is enough to worry about,” he said, referring to the costly generator subscriptions that the vast majority of people and establishments rely on in the absence of state electricity.
Outside a large, glitzy cafe in the centre of the capital, a small group of customers watch the match on big-screen TVs — a boon for the handful of valets standing across the street who have a clear line of sight to the game. They watch avidly from the sidelines.
“It’s good, at least we have these TVs to watch it on,” said valet Hassan Saffeye.
Mr Saffeye’s son, meanwhile, does not have the same luck.
“I feel bad. I can’t afford to give him an allowance to watch in a cafe every time there’s a match,” Mr Saffeye said dejectedly.
Despite this, his outlook is more pragmatic compared to that of younger football fans who spoke to The National: “We adapt. There’s no other option.”
But Mr Amayrat, the cafe manager, is angrier.
“This failed country is our problem. Football was our only outlet for forgetting and even watching it has become our problem. Soon they’ll make something as simple as breathing our problem, too.”
Mr Zoghby takes it further, tying the state’s failure to broadcast matches on public television to the future prospects of Lebanese youth.
“Lebanon took everything from us. We can’t live comfortably. We can’t afford to get married or furnish a house. And now we’re forbidden from the World Cup — the smallest entertainment — unless we can pay.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
- 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.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: Najem Al Rwasi, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
2.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Fandim, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
3pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Harbh, Pat Cosgrave, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
3.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Wakeel W’Rsan, Richard Mullen, Jaci Wickham
4pm: Crown Prince of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jawaal, Fernando Jara, Majed Al Jahouri
4.30pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh200,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
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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
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EImelda%20Staunton%2C%20Jonathan%20Pryce%2C%20Lesley%20Manville%2C%20Jonny%20Lee%20Miller%2C%20Dominic%20West%2C%20Elizabeth%20Debicki%2C%20Salim%20Daw%20and%20Khalid%20Abdalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWritten%20by%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPeter%20Morgan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%20stars%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: 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
Watch live
The National will broadcast live from the IMF on Friday October 13 at 7pm UAE time (3pm GMT) as our Editor-in-Chief Mina Al-Oraibi moderates a panel on how technology can help growth in MENA.
You can find out more here
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57%20Seconds
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ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.4-litre%204-cylinder%20turbo%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20366hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E550Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESix-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh360%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (11.30pm)
Saturday Freiburg v Borussia Monchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Dortmund, Cologne v Wolfsburg, Arminia Bielefeld v Mainz (6.30pm) Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig (9.30pm)
Sunday Werder Bremen v Stuttgart (6.30pm), Schalke v Bayer Leverkusen (9pm)
Monday Hoffenheim v Augsburg (11.30pm)
HOW TO WATCH
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What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
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
The biog
Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian
Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness
Goal: For Nefsy to become his legacy long after he is gon
