Source: Forbes
The official website of the Kataeb Party leader
Security & Justice
State Action Signals Change in Tackling Longstanding Illegal Land Grabs in Jbeil District
For years, the serene villages of Jbeil's highlands have been far from peaceful. Ghabat, a Maronite village nestled between the predominantly Shiite towns of Afqa and Lassa, has become a focal point of growing tensions due to territorial disputes.
Friday, December 20, 2024
Mawlawi Ensures Strict Monitoring for Wanted Syrian Regime Figures at Beirut Airport
Caretaker Minister of Interior, Bassam Mawlawi, conducted an inspection tour of Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut to review the security arrangements and measures implemented by the Airport Security Apparatus ahead of the holiday season.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Opinion
Lebanon After the Assads
The United States has important equities in Lebanon, including a desire for a generally friendly government’s economic and political stability; security cooperation; long-standing relations with the large Christian community in Lebanon and Lebanese diaspora in the United States; and ultimately peace between Israel and Lebanon within a broader regional settlement. Achieving these objectives will require navigating a tumultuous period in the country’s history following a war between Hezbollah and Israel that has devastated a large part of the country, exacerbating Lebanon’s already challenging economic conditions. But perhaps the most important dynamic will be how a likely Sunni-dominated state of uncertain composition in Syria will differ in its intentions toward Lebanon from the previous Alawite-led minoritarian Assad regime.
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Europe’s Syrian Dilemma
The news of the sudden and unexpected demise of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has met a mixed response in Europe. The jubilation that a murderous dictator and close ally of Russia and Iran has fallen is not just good for the Syrian people but serves as a morale booster for Eastern Europeans wondering whether Russia can be defeated
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Sports
Cristiano Ronaldo Unveils New Private Jet Worth $73 Million
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the richest global athletes, has unveiled his upgraded private jet reportedly worth $73 million. With its top-notch design, exceptional speed and range of 7500 nautical miles, the Gulfstream G650 is among the fastest jets in the world.
Monday, December 16, 2024
Guardiola Accepts Man City May Need to Sign More Players to Cope with Schedule
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes he will need a bigger squad to handle soccer’s ever-expanding fixture schedule.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Friday 19 August 2022 11:46:03
Starbucks Stores In Russia Reopening As ‘Stars Coffee’
The first of 130 former Starbucks coffee shops resuming business in Russia under the name Stars Coffee opened its doors in Moscow on Thursday — making it the latest rebranding of a Western chain since many exited the country in the wake of the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Photos of a Stars Coffee shop in Moscow emerged online this week, showing a logo resembling the iconic Starbucks mermaid — in this case wearing a Russian headdress called a kokoshnik — and menu items like “frappuccitos” replacing “frappuccinos,” Russian outlet RBK reported.
The rebranding comes two months after more than a dozen former McDonald’s restaurants reopened in Russia under the name Vkusno & Tochka, which translates to “tasty and that’s it.”
The new owners plan to open 90 Stars Coffee shops in Moscow, 15 in St. Petersburg and 15 in other locations, RBK reported — replacing the 130 Starbucks that had been in operation in Russia before the chain left in a mass exodus of Western companies including Adidas, H&M, Ikea, Little Caesars, McDonald’s and Nike.
The reopening was the work of Russian rapper and co-owner Timati, who posted photos of the reopening on Instagram, and restaurateur Anton Pinskiy, Reuters reported.
KEY BACKGROUND
In addition to Starbucks and McDonald’s, the accounting firm Deloitte’s former business in Russia rebranded as “Business Solutions and Technologies,” after the company suspended operations in Russia and Belarus, The Moscow Times reported. London-based accountancy Ernst & Young’s Russia operation has also been rebranded “Audit Technologies and Solutions Centre,” according to Reuters.
The rebranding of the Starbucks locations comes three months after the world’s largest coffee chain cut ties with Russia, where it had roughly 2,000 employees.
BIG NUMBER
Less than 1%. That’s how much of Starbucks’ annual revenue came from its 130 shops in Russia, according to analyst estimates reported by CNBC.