Economy

Customs Revenues: Lebanon’s Unexpected Performance in 2025

Liliane Mokbel 31/07 17:36 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Customs revenues Fiscal revenues Economy

It’s both a welcome and surprising development: in 2025, Lebanon’s state treasury saw a significant rise in customs revenues – and this happened without any increase in customs duty rates. According to the World Bank (Lebanese Monitor report, Turning the Tide, Spring 2025), public revenues reached $4 billion in 2024, with $3 billion coming ...

SpotlightLebanese Weddings: A Factory of Bliss and Big Bucks

Christiane Tager 31/07 17:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Summer Weddings Economy

Today, Lebanese weddings are no longer just about love; they’re major financial productions. Each celebration activates an entire economic ecosystem: fully booked wedding planners, photographers and videographers charging thousands of dollars, gourmet caterers offering five-star menus, florists capable of transforming any venue into a lush ...

Lebanon, France Advance Budget Reform to Restore State Credibility

This is Beirut 30/07 22:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Yassin Jaber lebanon George Maarawi FDA

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber announced on Wednesday tangible progress in Lebanon’s public finance reform efforts, during a joint press conference with French Ambassador Hervé Magro and representatives from the French Development Agency (FDA) and Expertise France. The conference focused on the ongoing project “Strengthening Budget ...

SpotlightReforming PPPs in Lebanon: Modernizing Without Repeating Past Mistakes

Liliane Mokbel 30/07 15:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanon Economy Private sector Public sector

Jaber wants a smarter, more effective PPP law, one that reflects the lessons of what he describes as a disappointing past. He was rather clear in an early July statement to An-Nahar, as he sharply criticized the PPP contract between Electricité du Liban (EDL) and service providers, calling it a “big lie.” He believes the deal should have been ...

ExplainerWill Stablecoins Become Everyday Money?

This is Beirut 30/07 09:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump dollar Stablecoin

Stablecoins might not make people into surprise millionaires the way bitcoin did, but these cryptocurrencies are designed to be more useful when it comes to daily life. The GENIUS Act, a regulatory framework recently signed into law by US President Donald Trump, may boost stablecoins, digital currencies with values pegged to a country's ...

From K-beauty to C-beauty: The Asian Wave Sweeping the Beauty Market

Christiane Tager 29/07 12:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Europe United States Cosmetics Korea

What if the future of your makeup bag came from Seoul or Shanghai? This is no longer a passing craze, but a powerful wave sweeping through the industry. In just five years, Chinese beauty (C-beauty) and Korean beauty (K-beauty) products have won over the world, from TikTok influencers to pharmacy shelves. With natural ingredients, competitive ...

Palantir, the AI Giant That Preaches US Dominance

This is Beirut 29/07 09:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump New York Palantir AI

Palantir, an American data analysis and artificial intelligence company, has emerged as Silicon Valley's latest tech darling -- one that makes no secret of its macho, America-first ethos now ascendant in Trump-era tech culture. The company's reach spans the global economy, with banks, hospitals, the US government, and the Israeli military among ...

Work, Pensions and Wages on the Agenda of the Price Index Commission

This is Beirut 28/07 16:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

wages ministry of work pensions lebanon

Salaries, social security, pensions and educational cooperation were the focus of Monday's meeting of the Price Index Commission, chaired by Labor Minister Mohammad Haidar. The goal: to move beyond symbolic discussions and take action. At the end of the meeting, Minister Haidar told the press that these meetings will continue until December in ...

European Union Resigned to 15 Percent US Tariff

This is Beirut 28/07 08:55 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

European Union USA Trade Tariffs

The United States and the European Union clinched a trade agreement on Sunday that will see EU exports taxed at 15 percent, in a bid to resolve a transatlantic tariff stand-off that threatened to explode into a full-blown trade war. US President Donald Trump emerged from a high-stakes meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der ...

Figure of the weekQaraoun Water Crisis Triggers Hydropower Collapse in Lebanon

Liliane Mokbel 26/07 15:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

EDL Hydropower lebanon

What began as an environmental emergency is now fueling a national energy crisis. The severe drop in water levels at Lake Qaraoun is crippling Lebanon’s hydroelectric output and threatening power security across the country. In June 2025, hydroelectric production decreased by 76 percent compared to the same month in the previous year. Only 12 ...

Road Safety in Lebanon: Running on Empty

Liliane Mokbel 25/07 21:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

roads car lebanon safety

When it comes to road safety, Lebanon has reached a breaking point that elicits both outrage and sympathy. Ageing used cars that seem to defy the laws of mechanics, roads that resemble off-road rally tracks, haphazard or missing signage, and legislation that still feels like it’s in test mode. Despite this chaos, many Lebanese continue to hope ...

Lebanon Sees Modest Summer Travel Rebound

This is Beirut 25/07 18:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Beirut International Airport Gulf Kuwait Turkey lebanon United Arab Emirates

Lebanon's travel industry is experiencing a cautious recovery this summer, with Beirut International Airport (BIA) showing signs of revived activity since early July, according to Jean Abboud, president of the Lebanese Travel Agencies Association. Speaking on Friday, Abboud noted a noticeable uptick in both flight numbers and passenger traffic. ...