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As Fadi stood under a bridge on a busy roundabout near Beirut’s Justice Palace, several taxis stopped to offer their services. One asked for £5,000 instead of £4,000, arguing that his destination was far away and passengers few. Fadi refused. Sitting nearby, a young man nodded approval. “Drivers who want £5,000 are crooks,” he said. Demanding a higher price than that decided by the ministry is technically illegal. But drivers asking for £5,000, a 66 per cent rise, say they are following the decision of one of the country’s taxi unions. Here lies the problem. Four confederations represent the country’s 37,808 registered taxi drivers. One is excluded from the decision-making process because of a long-standing feud. As a result, its decisions are different than those agreed between the Ministry of Public Works and other unions. ....