Offre Joie Making Positive Impact During Corona Time

Years of adversities in Lebanon have only taught us that our governments are never capable of providing help to the unfortunate people. They never have a nation-wide plan to rescue the needy families, some remote areas always end up being disregarded, and whenever they actually start taking action it always comes too late for the people. On the other hand, we are blessed to have a number of really good NGOs who consistently

A very good example is the current crisis we are currently going through in Lebanon due to the bad economic situation and coronavirus pandemic. People are losing their purchasing power by the day for 6 months now, and the current government is still trying to figure out a way to provide help.

Meanwhile, and in 3 week’s time, Offre Joie managed with their humble resources to reach 8,500 people by distributing hundreds of food boxes and hygiene items across multiple regions in the country.

Yet, they of course can’t just keep going on their own and definitely need donations to fund their operations. So if you’re interested you can contribute by following any of the below two links or call +961 71 83 24 39.

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The Only Video You Need To Watch To Understand The Current Crisis

Back in July when the parliament was discussing the budget for the year 2019, not a lot of people probably focused much on the lawmakers’ speeches since most of them actually criticized it, but we were all amused by what MP Salim Saade had to say about falsifying our deficit in order to get the CEDRE funds “They [CEDRE donors] know that we are lying to them, and we know that they know that we are lying to them!”.

However, his joke was in fact a very small part of a thorough explanation for everything that has led to the economic and financial crisis that we are currently going through. Back in July, that economist had a very clear idea of where Lebanon was heading to, while other MPs and ministers were either not listening or making sarcastic comments instead of asking him to elaborate his claims further, they literally seemed uncocerned and it clearly shows in the below video which I highly recommend you watch. It is 24 minutes long and will explain to your the real reasons for the current state we are in now.

If you are interested in following similar experts who say things as they about our situation, then I recommend you check Nassim Taleb and Dan Azzi on twitter. (The latter regularly publishes interesting articles in Annahar and Al-Akhbar newspapers)

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Mobile Operators Now Obliged by Court Order to Price Their Services in Lebanese Lira

Beirut’s Court of First Instance, headed by Judge Zulfa Al-Hassan, issued a temporary decision today obliging Alfa and Touch to issue their bills and price all their services (including recharge cards) for the next three months in Lebanese Lira according to the official dollar exchange rate.

This should basically make subscribers’ lives easier until February 2020, and regulate the price of recharge cards since some dealers were overcharging people by selling the cards at higher exchange rates (1,600 and 1700 instead of 1500). It is a good step indeed, but the best solution in my opinion is to stop linking the prices to US dollars and simply setting the prices in Lebanese Lira to avoid all these conversion problems.

You can check the decision details in the below scans.

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Al Ahed FC Wins the AFC Cup For Lebanon!

As we go through turbulent times in Lebanon, Al Ahed Football Club became the first Lebanese club to claim the AFC cup after winning 1-0 over DPR Korea’s 4.25 (April 25) club in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

I personally didn’t watch the game and was following the updates online, but I found the highlights on the AFC website here. Al Ahed missed several chances before Issa Yakobo scored the winner in the 74th minute.

The fact that Korea’s April 25 club is backed by the North Korean army while Al Ahed is linked to Hezbollah, of course made it interesting enough for some international websites/newspapers to be highlighted in their headlines like these two below.

Original article here

Original article here

Anyway, congratulations to Lebanon, and here’s a video of the champions celebrating their win at the end of the game. To note that goalkeeper Mahdi Khalil was named the MVP of the tournament while the team also got the fair play award.

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How to Minimize the Effect of the Dollar Crisis on You

For over a month now we have witnessing a dollar shortage in Lebanon which caused two parallel markets to be established for the currency. The first market is the one regulated by the central bank where financial institutions are supposed to deal by the ~1,500L.L rate, while the other is controlled by money changers where the rate changes from day to day and follows the supply and demand principle. And as banks decrease their supply of dollars to the market, their clients feel obliged to turn to money changers who have been imposing a rate as high as 1,750 or 1,800L.L sometimes (20% difference).

This has unfortunately impacted a lot of people since most of us earn our salaries in LBP but pay for goods and services that are priced in USD. And the 20% variation in exchange rate has been translated as an increase in the price of goods. So if I am holding lebanese lira and want to buy a $10 item, it now costs me 18,000L.L instead of 15,000L.L in case a bank refuses my exchange transaction and I opt to do it at some money changer. A real example is now the price of mobile recharge cards which prices have significantly increased in case you want to pay in Lebanese lira.

To avoid this effect of prices inflation on me, I personally have been using digital channels to settle my payments using my credit card (i.e. dealing directly with the financial institutions at the ~1,500L.L rate) whenever I have the option to do so.

This is applicable to mobile recharge cards and bill settlement, internet subscription renewal, money transfers.

Mobile recharge cards & bill settlement

For touch lines you should first create a user on their website and then you can either recharge a prepaid line here or settle your bill here.

Alfa users also need to create an account on Alfa’s website and they can recharge a prepais line here or settle their bills here.

On the other hand, a lot of ATMs around the country gives you the capability of purchasing mobile recharge vouchers when using your card, and you will of course be charged in dollars at the official exchange rate.

Internet subscription renewal

Likewise, the most popular ISPs offer renewing or recharging your internet account online. To my knowledge, Cyberia, IDM, TerraNet, Sodetel, WISE, and MOBI, all offer the service.

Ogero

Ogero actually set their prices in lebanese lira but I’m including it here because I find it more convenient to pay my bill online than physically going to one of their central offices, or to one of their payment partner (like OMT for example) that impose 2,000L.L extra charge for every settled bill.

To settle your bill online, create an account here and then linkt you landline to it by inputting your number and your initial subscription date which you find on any old bill you have.

Money transfers

Last time I tried to transfer dollars outside Lebanon through one of the money transfer companies, the agent didn’t accept the money unless it was in the currency. However, Western Union recently launched a service that allows you to transfer money online using your credit card. I personally didn’t try it yet but you sign up to it here, and you are required to verfiy your identity by taking your ID card to one of the BoB Finance branches in town before starting to use the service.

Other services

Many service providers provide online services that are either not much advertised or people simply don’t know about. If you are subscribed with CableVision for example, you can pay onlin here instead of going through your dealer. And the same applies to beIN here. So always inquire with any solution provider about such possible payment options that can make your life easier.

The above all works as long as bank provide their clients with reasonable amount of dollars to settle their credit cards. So in sum, try as much as you can to perform your exchange operation at regulated institutions until we hopefully make it out of this crisis!

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Lebanon’s October Revolution – Where And How Do The Others Live?

I admit I have never participated in a demonstration prior to the October 17th uprising. I didn’t think any of the political movements represent me in 2005, and I didn’t believe the civil society was capable of bringing real change with the 2015-16 protests.

This however all changed two weeks ago when I decided to join the masses in Riad El Solh and The Martyrs’ Square to protest against the whole ruling class in Lebanon after watching people from all social levels and religions united against the politicians. For once, it felt like people were liberated from their politicians especially in some areas that were always thought to be fully controlled by ruling parties. For instance, people in the north rioted against Tripoli’s wealthy politicians, while some villages in the south dared for the first time in 30 years to revolt against the Hezbollah-Amal duo and go as far as cursing Nabih Berri who has always been regarded as second to god in the region.

Yet, and in this unique moment in our recent history, some sheep-like people from all communities have still chosen to keep acting submissive to their political leaders and conform to their will no matter what, and at this time I seriously don’t understand it.

Where and how do these people live? Aren’t they suffering in this country the same way as everyone else?

Are they getting 24/7 electricity at their homes and don’t pay extra for a generator subscriptions like everyone of us?

Do they get immediate admission to any hospital without paying a hefty deposit or calling their za3im?

Aren’t they paying the same taxes like us? Or are they getting anything in return if they do?

Don’t they feel forced to bribe government employees to get their things done sometimes?

Were money changer providing them with dollars at the official rate or at 1,600 and 1,700 like the rest of us?

Do these people find easy to buy an apartment nowadays? Are housing loans open to them?

Do they have decent internet connections at home?

When it rains continuously for two hours, do they get flooded in their cars like everyone else on the roads or they usually get immediately teleported to their homes?

Do they feel like their salaries are worth less and less every year like everyone of us or are their savings magically increasing?

Do they get free schooling for their kids?

I can keep going but seriously, it is 2019 and w are all sharing this land called Lebanon, why do people still sheepily follow politicians instead of rallying behind qualified people…? Despite all this, it is ironic that the protesters’ demands are for the greater good of everyone, including those hardcore fans of the current political leaders.

With 14 days since the uprising, PM Saad Hariri resigned yesterday and everybody seem clueless about what comes next. Whatever the outcome is though, let’s hope for less poor people beating each other and more wins against this rotten ruling class.

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Mobile Postpaid Users Soon To Be Deprived of Their Monthly 60 Free Minutes

Minister of Telecommunication Mohamed Choucair announced today that he is considering cancelling the 60 free minutes of local talk-time that postpaid subscriber get every month as part of setting the government budget for 2019.

Minister Choucair made that suggestion based on his own assumption that postpaid subscriber are wealthy people who can afford to pay additional fees on their bills. I’m not making that up as he really explained it to LBCI’s reporter..! Noting that the additional money generated from that move should make up for the decrease in revenue that Touch and Alfa have reported for the year 2018 (a decrease of $200 million from 2017).

Business people usually have a million ways to improve their offerings and their revenues at the same time and I’m sure increasing prices would never be on top of their list. This however doesn’t seem to be the case for Mohamed Choucair who did absolutely nothing for the telecom sector since he was appointed, and this doesn’t only show his lack of experience in the field, but also how desperate is the government to secure additional funds for the upcoming budget which is yet an additional proof of how bad is our monetary situation.

At a time where countries around us are making a progress everyday in the telecom field, we specialize in appointing people who excel at pulling us backwards. Ya3tina l 3afyeh.

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Uber and Careem No Longer Allowed to Pick Up Passengers from Beirut Airport

Several news websites reported last week that a new decision (number 1/247) was issued by the Minister of Transport that aims to organize the operation of Taxi cabs at the airport, an urged taxi drivers to abide with it as of the first of April. No details were provided about that decision and the ministry website didn’t have any information, so it all sounded vague.

A few days later I started hearing about people arriving to Beirut Airport not being able to meet their designated drivers at the exit and I just made sure yesterday it was because of that decision.

A friend of mine arrived last night and tried to use Careem, but a few minutes later the driver called and told him he can no longer go beyond the army check point (around 700m away from the airport entrance), and that he should meet him there to pick him up. With too much distance to walk, my friend decided to simply cancel the ride and book one of the official airport taxi cars, except that they told him it will cost “around $50” to drive him to Dekwane which is ridiculously exorbitant, so he just said thanks and called one of his relatives to come take him instead.

So whatever that decision states, it essentially no longer allows taxi river to pick up their arriving passengers from the parking lot as before in order to force people to use the official airport taxi drivers who are infamous for charging very high amount for a few kilometers rides. Therefore, in case you are arriving to Beirut anytime soon, make sure to arrange for a friend or relative to pick you up if you don’t want to bear unnecessary charges.

Keep in mind that our so called tourism season should start in a few weeks from now, and this decision is basically the best way to kick it off!

Update (April 5th 2019):

Private taxi companies can pick up passengers from the airport only if they apply for a special permit from the syndicate of Lebanese taxi drivers for every ride they want to make.

The permit should include the passengers name along with their flight details in order not to be used more than once.

Update 2 (April 5th 2019):

Minister of Transportation Youssef Fenianos just reversed his decision, so taxi drivers can pick up incoming passengers from the parking lot just like before.

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La Nuit des Musées 2019 is Taking Place This Saturday April 6th

The Ministry of Culture is organizing the 6th edition of La Nuit des Musées this Saturday April 6th. And this year, 14 museums around Lebanon will be open for free to the public starting 5:00PM until late at night.

Free shuttles will be available at LibanPark parking in the Mathaf area in Beirut for people wish to visit the museums in the north and south, but reservations are mandatory through Virgin Ticketing box office to secure your place.

I highly recommend you use public transportation to visit the participating museums in Beirut by the way because it tends to get very crowded around them on this day.

Here’s the list of the participating museums:

MUSÉE NATIONAL DE BEYROUTH
de 17h00 à 23h00
“Mathaf”, rue de Damas

MIM, MUSÉE DES MINÉRAUX
de 17h00 à 23h00
Campus de l’innovation et du sport, Université Saint-Joseph

MUSÉE DE PRÉHISTOIRE LIBANAISE DE L’UNIVERSITÉ SAINT-JOSEPH
de 17h00 à 23h00
Rue de l’Université Saint-Joseph, quartier Monot

VILLA AUDI
de 17h00 à 23h00
Rue Georges Choueri, Achrafieh

MUSÉE NICOLAS IBRAHIM SURSOCK
de 17h00 à 23h00
Rue St Nicolas, Achrafieh

MUSÉE ARCHÉOLOGIQUE DE L’AUB
de 17h00 à 22h00
Université américaine de Beyrouth, Ras Beyrouth

MUSÉE DE LA BANQUE DU LIBAN
de 17h00 à 23h00
Locaux de la Banque du Liban, Sanayeh

MUSÉE DU CATHOLICOSSAT DE CILICIE
de 17h00 à 23h00
Antélias

SENTIER CULTUREL À SAÏDA
MUSÉE DU SAVON
PALAIS DEBANNÉ
KHAN SACY
KHAN EL-IFRANJ
MADRASAT AÏSHA
de 17h00 à 22h00

MUSÉE DES ORPHÉLINS DU GÉNOCIDE ARMÉMIEN “ARAM BEZIKIAN”
de 17h00 à 23h00
Jbeil

MACAM – MUSÉE D’ART MODERNE ET CONTEMPORAIN
de 17h00 à 23h00
Alita, Jbeil

MUSÉE ETHNOGRAPHIQUE DE L’UNIVERSITÉ DE BALAMAND
de 17h00 à 22h00
Koura

MUSÉE NABU
de 17h00 à 23h00
El Heri, Batroun

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A Chinese Trading Hub is Set to Open in Bekaa

Business News announced today that Cascada Mall in Bekaa will soon transform into a Chinese trading hub called “Chinatown” that will serve the markets in Lebanon and the neighboring countries.

The hub will be similar to Dubai’s Dragon Mart which is massive mall full of low cost Chinese products and good bargains (think of it like the offline version of Ali Express). I once went to it there and it is so big that you can literally waste a whole day moving from one shop to another in it. Chinatown will not be that big though as the premises stretch over 60,000m2 but the area should double in the near future as the owners claim.

The project is expected to start operating by the end of April and will create no less than 5,000 job opportunities which is a great news to the Bekaa region.

Thanks @ghazayel

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