by Laurence Leigh

Retailing in Lebanon in 2014 felt the impact of global trends, as well as influences particular to the chaotic situation in the Middle East. In particular, Lebanon’s ailing economy and the influx of over 1 million refugees from Syria has had a major impact on the sector.

According to Business Monitor International, while sales of sporting goods, electrical appliances and consumer electronics have been down by 7 to 10 percent, grocery retail sales in supermarkets and hypermarkets were up more than 5 percent. Significantly, the UN sponsored exchange card program for refugees has put LBP 300,000 ($200) a week into the hands of each refugee family to spend on food. Coinciding with this boost to demand, many refugees themselves have started small stores, increasing competition significantly. In fact, An-Nahar has reported that the number of small grocery stores in Lebanon has increased by as much as 70 percent. This has made life even more difficult for the small native operators — particularly in areas of north Lebanon and the Bekaa valley, where many refugee families are concentrated. In addition to this, like everywhere in the world, independent food stores have had to face continued growth in the number, and market share, of the major supermarket chains, which have been successfully diversifying what they offer. In Lebanon, this has included deep discount chains such as Fahed Super Value, premium stores such as TSC Signature, and the local Monop’ mini-markets.

  BEIRUT: Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi denied Sunday that the recent decision to restrict dozens of types of jobs to Lebanese citizens was racist. Azzi called into a morning talk show on Al-Jadeed TV after former state minister Marwan Kheireddine told the program’s host that last week’s labor ministry decision was intended to bar Syrians […]

  BEIRUT: A blend of cultures and cuisines was on display in Verdun Sunday for the launch of SGR, an NGO that hopes to forge ties between Lebanese and the country’s migrant communities. The SGR Team is a group of women from a variety of different backgrounds who started the organization to offer free educational […]

  ARSAL, Lebanon: Fears that militant infighting by the unmarked border between Lebanon and Syria will spill over during the holiday season have gripped the beleaguered residents of Arsal. Security sources meanwhile contend the northeastern border town will not likely be targeted by ISIS or the Nusra Front. The Lebanese Army strictly monitors individuals, especially […]

  Two people were injured Sunday as a personal dispute erupted into gunfire in the Tripoli district of el-Mina, state-run National News Agency reported. “Sh. B. and B. B. were wounded and transferred to hospital for treatment,” NNA said. Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) meanwhile said “the army managed to contain a clash in Tripoli’s […]

By Thanassis Cambanis

Thanassis Cambanis, a fellow at The Century Foundation, is the author of the forthcoming “Once Upon a Revolution: An Egyptian Story.” He is an Ideas columnist and blogs at thanassiscambanis.com
An architect’s plan to revive a cosmopolitan dream of the Middle East

BEIRUT — As a symbol of a lost era in a region full of them, Beirut stands apart. For generations it thrived as a center of culture, commerce, and education, until the 16-year Lebanese civil war fragmented the city’s diverse population and shelled its vitality into rubble.

The war ended in 1991, and today Beirut is mostly peaceful. Some of its glamour and wealth have started to return. Dazzlingly dressed Lebanese fill gallery openings; boutique wineries do a brisk business. Glass towers have sprung up around the new marina.

But in many ways, Beirut is still a failed city. Hobbled by ubiquitous corruption, rampant criminality, and the legacy of sectarian militias, Beirut still doesn’t have any of the basic amenities of urban life, like traffic police, a planning board, even a functioning sewer, water, or electrical system. It is no longer a business capital; the money on display here was mostly made somewhere else. The war-shattered UNESCO building squats in the heart of the city like a crash-landed spaceship. To the west, two shell-pocked skyscrapers mark the horizon, both them uninhabited since the civil war broke out in 1975.

Most obviously, Beirut needs to attract investment and solve its infrastructure problems. But to truly revitalize the region, it will need to do more than that: It will need to recapture the cultural energy that long marked Beirut as the intellectual capital of the Arab world. A small city that welcomed big thinkers, it was historically home to writers, philosophers, political dissidents, artists, and other creative types from around the region. That, more than any of the trappings of wealth and celebrity, made it a beacon.

he UN General Assembly has passed a resolution asking Israel to pay Lebanon more than $850m (£544m) for a major oil spill during Israel’s 2006 war with Hezbollah.

The UN has asked Israel to compensate Lebanon before but this is the first time a figure has been given.

The assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour by 170 votes to six, but its resolutions are not legally binding.

Israel’s UN mission said the resolution was biased.

The slick was created when Israeli jets bombed a power station, releasing about 15,000 tonnes of oil into the eastern Mediterranean sea.

At its peak, it stretched for 120km (75 miles) along the shore.

The resolution calls the incident an "environmental disaster” which caused extensive pollution.

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Below horoscope for 2015-2016

For Fire Signs  Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, 2015 will feel natural, if not very comfortable. Your challenge is to avoid getting scattered and then fail to sufficiently narrow down your primary goals. Focus, and work away, so that none of your valuable energy goes up in smoke.

This year Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn all have retrograde periods in Fire Signs, giving you built-in breathers so you don’t burn out. With Uranus still in Aries, there will be ample chances to surprise the world, and to surprise yourself. Be bold but not reckless. Sometimes it’s wise to hold back and see what good things randomly find you.

The Earth Signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn)   it may seem a hectic year. With Pluto still in Capricorn, there are days of discomfort or displeasure for everyone, but you are best suited to deal with them and put aside days for rest and refuge. There should be few obstacles to obtaining and keeping what you need and want, but you can still get what you want if your pursuit is direct enough.

If the action is more high-paced than you like, you can patiently observe and act at the correct moment. 2015 starts with the Moon in an Earth Sign (Taurus). It’s a gift that can make other people more accessible and easier for you to read.

For Air Signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) , have the perfect year to think things through, to network, organize and motivate others. All three of the Mercury retrograde periods happen in Air Signs. This allows you to pinpoint where you apply your passions and to think and act with more precision than ever before. In a fiery, fast year, make the most of these slightly slower, more thoughtful times.

You may be busier and more involved with groups this year, and you may take on more responsibilities. The year starts with Mars in an Air Sign, and you should have energy to spare all year long.

Water Signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)   can turn up the heat and make intense progress in an inconspicuous way. Be dedicated and feel deeply about what you do, then look back on a year of long-lasting achievements.

Keep those passions perking and don’t be lulled into dozing off and losing precious days, or weeks – a hazard of Neptune in Pisces. If you think you’re in danger of drifting off into dreamland, keep lists or check in with friends. Instead of feeling left behind, you can calmly, quietly move ahead of the pack this year.