The Lebanon Daily Star reports that Dubai plans to impose 200% tax on tobacco by August.
Such a move would double the current levy of 100% which the emirate imposes on tobacco products. The announcement to increase the levy to 200% was made by the director general of the Dubai Health Authority during a cardiology conference. Whilst this planned increase in tobacco tax may seemingly be motivated by a desire to improve the health of Dubai's smoking population, we should not ignore the obvious benefit to Dubai's tax collectors. The current 100% levy contributes 1% to Dubai's annual income. Doubling the levy will certainly benefit the emirate's economy. I am sure that health has played some part in the decision making process leading to the 200% tobacco levy, but as Dubai continues along the path of economic recovery I am certain the opportunity to add to the sovereign coffers was a deciding factor. Russia Today reports of a charge of beheading for "witchcraft" in Saudi Arabia.
A Sri Lankan woman is facing decapitation on charges on witchcraft in Saudi Arabia. The charges were brought against the woman after a Saudi man complained his 13 daughter began to behave abnormally after being in close proximity to the Sri Lankan lady in a shopping mall in the Red Sea city of Jeddah. According to Wahhabist Islam, the strict form of Sunni Islam which governs Saudi Arabian Sharia law, witchcraft is still a recognised crime. The only recommended sentence is death. In this blog I try to avoid professing strong opinions on religion, but I am now going to break my self-imposed rule. The fact that this Sri Lankan lady is facing the death penalty for being a witch in a country which likes to consider itself a key player in regional and global politics is quite simply barbaric. Furthermore, the fact that Wahhabist Islam provides the rationale for beheading this lady makes, in my opinion, Wahhabist Islam equally barbaric. Many Saudi Arabians are very well educated, having attended some of the best further education institutions in the world. It is definitely time for the country to wake up and put some of this education into practice by recognising Wahhabist Islam for what it really is.
Bad news about Yemen has now become the norm. When searching on Google news for "Yemen" one receives a barrage of news pages reporting on the latest attacks, with daily death tolls almost always in double figures. As if that wasn't enough The Economist reports that Among other troubles, Yemen faces a creeping famine.
After such a protracted period of unrest in the troubled country it seems contingency is exhausted, not just at a government level but throughout the population with the richer families now unable to provide "zakat" (alms), one of the Five Pillars of Islam, to their poorer neighbours. Everything in Yemen, including food and the diesel required to fuel the country's water pumps travels by road. Throughout the months of unrest road routes have been cut or disrupted resulting in a food and water shortage throughout the country. As I have reported on this blog, Hadi's new government has almost no financial resources to improve the country's roads or increase fuel subsidies, both of which are vital steps to alleviate the worsening famine. More and more it seems the only solution is for international aid agencies to intervene. Unfortunately, such international programmes tend to gain momentum once famine is well and truly set in. It is unlikely that Yemen will receive the support it desperately requires until the situation reaches its nadir.
And finally...
Bahrain's Grand Prix has received ample press coverage in the last week Today, Reuters, amongst many others, reports that Protests rage as Bahrain Grand Prix practice begins.
Last night, as drivers prepared for the start of practice sessions on the Grand Prix track this morning protestors promised to mark the start of the small country's famous annual event with a "day of rage" against the ruling regime. Yesterday evening protests broke out in villages surrounding Manama. It seems unrest also spread into the capital as two members of the India Team asked to go home after seeing burning petrol bombs whilst travelling from the racing circuit back to their Manama hotel. Whilst I have sympathy with the plight of Bahrain's Shia majority population and the second-class treatment they receive at the hands of the Sunni minority leadership I do not believe disrupting the Grand Prix is the right way to transmit their message. Bahrain's Grand Prix is an annual event, much anticipated by Formula 1 fans around the world. As such, it is a major source of revenue from the country as well as a source of prestige on the global stage. Both the revenue and prestige are vital to anyone leading Bahrain and the event should be viewed as a key resource. In short, I think the protesters have adopted a self-harm approach by attacking the Grand Prix. The protesters also risk losing international support, without which they will struggle to progress their cause. My advice, although I very much doubt any Bahraini protesters read this blog, would be to leave the Grand Prix alone. Once, and not before, the last car has whizzed over the finish line the protesters should continue to push for an equal constitution.
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