This year in Lebanon, hope and perseverance are symbolised by a Christmas tree.
The holidays in Byblos are a dazzling sight, despite the country entering the fourth year of a financial crisis that has paralysed state institutions, caused basic services to collapse and impoverished most of the population.
For the second year in a row, the ancient city of Byblos — known for its extravagant Christmas festivities — inaugurated the holiday season with its famous tree-lighting ceremony.
Christmas tree lifts Lebanese spirits in Byblos - video
“It’s always a magnificent sight,” said Namir Abdel Qader, a university student and resident of Byblos.
Although they are not Christian, Namir and her family attend the lighting ceremony every year.
“It’s famous. People from all over the country wait for it.”
A marching band in red suits and Santa hats opened the ceremony, playing a mix of Christmas music accompanied by the traditional derbake, or Arabic drum. A dance performance followed.
When the Christmas tree was lit following a countdown, fireworks erupted overhead.
For most, the lighting ceremony was a comforting break from the worries of daily life amid political and economic instability, and a signal of better times ahead.
In 2020, the city could not afford to display a Christmas tree due to the prolonged economic crisis, compounded by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The next year saw its return, but this year — with political paralysis preventing even the most basic of economic reforms and the trajectory of Lebanon’s future uncertain — many residents worried the tree would not make an appearance.
The tree’s resurrection on Friday assuaged those concerns.
“It’s smaller than previous years,” said Mariam, who attended the tree-lighting ceremony with her husband and four children. “But its presence here … it tells us everything will be OK.”
But she added: “If you came to Byblos four or five years ago, before the economic crisis — the tree was even better.”
Her son Joseph chimed in, saying: “I’m glad they put it up this year during such a difficult situation, even though it’s small.”
The lighting ceremony was accompanied by a Christmas market, similar to others set up throughout the country. Stalls brimmed with food and crafts, toy salesmen distributed balloon animals, and dancers performed on stage.
For the average person, the event was an inexpensive, wholesome family-friendly activity in a country where care-free fun has become a rarity.
But authorities hope to leverage the holiday season to draw tourism to the struggling country, which relies on remittances and tourism income from its extensive diaspora.
Byblos has always attracted visitors during the holidays, but the tourism sector was hit hard by Lebanon’s financial collapse and by successive lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The prospect of tourism during these difficult days ahead will give us so much hope,” Lebanon’s caretaker tourism minister Walid Nassar told the crowd of hundreds gathered for the ceremony.
Wissam Zaarour, mayor of the Byblos municipality, told those assembled that he wanted the city to focus on better days.
“We hope to shed light on the positive things in Lebanon, because that will reflect positively on our tourism.”
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Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
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Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
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Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
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Price: On request
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Step by step
2070km to run
38 days
273,600 calories consumed
28kg of fruit
40kg of vegetables
45 pairs of running shoes
1 yoga matt
1 oxygen chamber
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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Bantamweight:
Zia Mashwani (PAK) bt Chris Corton (PHI)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) bt Mohammad Al Khatib (JOR)
Super lightweight:
Dwight Brooks (USA) bt Alex Nacfur (BRA)
Bantamweight:
Tariq Ismail (CAN) bt Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Featherweight:
Abdullatip Magomedov (RUS) bt Sulaiman Al Modhyan (KUW)
Middleweight:
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) bt Christofer Silva (BRA)
Middleweight:
Rustam Chsiev (RUS) bt Tarek Suleiman (SYR)
Welterweight:
Khamzat Chimaev (SWE) bt Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA)
Lightweight:
Alex Martinez (CAN) bt Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Welterweight:
Jarrah Al Selawi (JOR) bt Abdoul Abdouraguimov (FRA)
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
