Tension was high in Beirut on Wednesday evening as anti-government protesters were intimidated by scores of young men supporting former prime minister Saad Hariri, who is expected to be nominated as premier again on Thursday.
About 40 protesters who gathered in late afternoon in downtown Beirut planned to march to Mr Hariri’s house to protest against his return to power, demonstrator Cherine Zein said.
But his supporters organised a counter-protest, forcing the demonstrators to stay downtown. The army and riot police intervened to separate the two groups.
Resident Ali was sitting with friends smoking shisha on Martyrs' Square when he saw "about 150 young men" arrive on motorbikes and burn down a giant cut-out fist that had become a symbol of Lebanon's anti-government movement.
“They insulted the revolution and parked the motorbikes in the middle of the road," Ali said.
"One of them had a bottle of fuel that he poured on the fist and they set it alight.
"I tried to stop them but they attacked me. They were chanting 'God, Hariri and Tarik Jdideh'."
Tarik Jdideh is a neighbourhood of Beirut that is famous for supporting Mr Hariri’s political party, the Future Movement.
By 7pm Mr Hariri’s supporters, who also broke a giant phoenix built by Lebanese artist Hayat Nazer in late 2019 in Martyrs' Square, had left downtown Beirut.
The Internal Security Forces said it arrested four people and was conducting an investigation into the incident.
Mr Hariri is the only candidate for prime minister and is expected to be chosen by parliamentary blocs during binding consultations on Thursday.
Caretaker prime minister Hassan Diab stepped down after a devastating explosion in Beirut’s port that killed at least 190 people on August 4.
After the incident at Martyrs' Square, Mr Hariri’s Future Movement denied any involvement and urged its followers “adhere to the highest levels of restraint".
Early on Wednesday evening, a small group of protesters escorted by riot police and soldiers marched towards Mr Hariri’s house.
They sang “Rise up Beirut,” and chanted “Solidere is dirty, dirty, and Hariri is the same”.
Solidere is a private development company that rebuilt downtown Beirut after the 1975-1990 civil war and was founded by Mr hariri's assassinated father and former prime minister Rafik Hariri.
Protesters have criticised Solidere in the past for only catering to the rich.
“We don’t want Hariri to come back. He is part of this corruption,” said Ms Zein, echoing widespread anger at the corruption of successive Lebanese governments.
“It’s going to take time but we’ll keep fighting.”
Ali said the burnt fist in Martyrs' Square would be replaced.
“My eight-year-old son called me crying," he said. "He said, ‘Look Papa, the fist is burning'. But tomorrow we’ll build another one.
It was first burnt down by an unknown man on a motorbike in late November, after it had been attacked by supporters of Hezbollah and Amal, two Iran-backed political parties that criticised the anti-government movement.
The fist was immediately rebuilt but the protest movement has significantly weakened since.
Mr Hariri repeatedly supported the protests since his resignation on October 29, 2019, nearly two weeks after the anti-government movement started.
Protesters called for the resignation of the entire political class, but Mr Hariri was the only politician to step down.
Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
The Lowdown
Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss
Rating: 4/5
From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
RESULTS
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m
Winner: AF Mozhell, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Majdi, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Athabeh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Eshaar, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi
4pm: Gulf Cup presented by Longines Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Al Roba’a Al Khali, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Younis Al Kalbani
4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Apolo Kid, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muahiri
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
- 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
- 2nd Test India won by innings and 53 runs at Colombo
- 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
Result
UAE (S. Tagliabue 90 1') 1-2 Uzbekistan (Shokhruz Norkhonov 48', 86')
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Man of the match Harry Kane
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'
Rating: 3/5
Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro
Writers: Walter Mosley
Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins
Indoor Cricket World Cup
Venue Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE squad Saqib Nazir (captain), Aaqib Malik, Fahad Al Hashmi, Isuru Umesh, Nadir Hussain, Sachin Talwar, Nashwan Nasir, Prashath Kumara, Ramveer Rai, Sameer Nayyak, Umar Shah, Vikrant Shetty
UAE v Zimbabwe A, 50 over series
Fixtures
Thursday, Nov 9 - 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 11 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Monday, Nov 13 – 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
Thursday, Nov 16 – 2pm, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 18 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Honeymoonish
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Match info
Uefa Champions League Group H
Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)
Joy%20Ride%20
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