Mali’s Fuel Crisis: A Nationwide Standstill
Christiane Tager 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Banks International Monetary Fund
Since early September, queues at gas stations in Bamako have been endlessly growing. The jihadist group JNIM (Jamaʿat Nuṣrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin) has blocked fuel convoys from Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, destroying nearly 100 tanker trucks, according to the Associated Press (AP). As a landlocked country, Mali relies on imports for more ...
Avocado, Lebanon’s New Orchard Star
Christiane Tager 28/10 12:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
In recent years, a new player has quietly transformed Lebanon’s agricultural scene. Once limited to a few experimental orchards, the avocado has become a true star in the markets. In just a few seasons, it has won over producers with its profitability, consumers with its flavor, and exporters with its potential. In a country where agriculture is ...
The Lebanese Tomato Takes Center Stage: Prices Skyrocket Across Markets
Christiane Tager 26/10 11:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Across produce stalls from Beirut to Zahlé, from the South to the North, conversations brim with disbelief and nostalgia: “Remember when a kilo of tomatoes cost 20,000 pounds?” That was only a few months ago. Today, the same kilo fetches up to seven times that price. According to one tomato grower, this surge is rooted in the heavy losses ...
Lebanese Households Struggle with Falling Purchasing Power
Christiane Tager 24/10 11:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
From Beirut to Tripoli and throughout the Beqaa Valley, a common refrain echoes: “Prices have skyrocketed, it’s becoming unbearable.” “We’re facing hardship after hardship,” laments Mona, a mother of three. According to the Central Administration of Statistics, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.6% in September and by 15% over ...
Honoring a Historic Visit: Lebanon Commemorates Pope Leo XIV with a Stamp
Christiane Tager 22/10 21:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Pope Francis Lebanon Pope Leo XIV
Ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lebanon, scheduled for November 30 to December 2, 2025, the Ministry of Telecommunications has confirmed to This is Beirut that the country will issue a special stamp commemorating the pontifical visit. According to Ministry sources, this official release has been entrusted to LibanPost, which will oversee its ...
Pope Leo XIV’s Visit: Bookings Soar, Hotels Remain on Standby
Christiane Tager 20/10 20:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Middle East Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV
With the historic visit of Pope Leo XIV, scheduled from November 30 to December 2, 2025, drawing near, Lebanon is experiencing a surge in travel bookings. Airlines report a strong rise in demand, while the hotel sector is still waiting to see tangible gains. The announcement of Pope Leo XIV’s first trip to the region has generated widespread ...
Cocoa: Has the Sweet Boom Come to an End?
Christiane Tager 18/10 16:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The frenzy that gripped the cocoa market seems to be fading. In December 2024, the price per ton hit nearly $12,000, a historic high driven by fears of a worldwide shortage. However, since the summer of 2025, prices have dropped below $6,000, reaching their lowest point since February 2024, according to Bloomberg. This shift signals the end of a ...
Global Markets 2025: From Soaring Peaks to Sudden Crashes
Christiane Tager 17/10 12:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
International Monetary Fund Markets economy stocks
Since January, major stock indices such as the S&P 500, Nasdaq and Euro Stoxx have shattered records. Fueled by surging optimism around artificial intelligence, global finance seems to be reliving its golden era. Yet beneath this spectacular rise, the ground is quaking. Every peak is followed by a dark day. In just hours, billions of dollars could ...
Lebanon’s Bananas Withstand TR4
Christiane Tager 15/10 20:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Under the southern Lebanese sun, banana trees proudly stretch their lush green leaves, standing tall against climate challenges, crises and conflict. In this fertile, humid region, bananas have become more than a crop; they are a national specialty. “We produce between 80,000 and 100,000 tons a year, and demand keeps rising,” says a grower ...
Music Hits Turned into Multi-Billion-Dollar Investment Assets
Christiane Tager 14/10 19:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
David Bowie Spotify Apple Goldman Sachs Concord
The music industry is increasingly merging with finance as artists and investors tap into the lucrative market of securitized music catalogs. Following David Bowie’s groundbreaking “Bowie Bonds” in 1997, which allowed him to raise $55 million by turning his song royalties into tradable bonds, this market has grown exponentially. In 2025, it ...
Lebanon Still Charms, but Tourism Numbers Fall
Christiane Tager 14/10 12:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Tourism Economy Lebanon
In the 2010s, Lebanon ranked among the world’s top tourist destinations, celebrated for its festivals, crowded beaches, boutique hotels and award-winning cuisine. Tourism then accounted for nearly a fifth of GDP and was at the very heart of the economy. Today, that postcard-perfect image has faded. Two years after a brief recovery, the sector ...
US Gas: Washington Secures Its Place in Europe’s Energy Market
Christiane Tager 10/10 21:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Europe USA Washington Donald Trump European Union
For more than two years, Europe has sought to reduce its reliance on Russian gas, an effort accelerated by the war in Ukraine and rising geopolitical tensions. According to RFI, European firms, long hesitant to commit to long-term deals, are now turning to US liquefied natural gas (LNG) to secure reliable supplies. This shift represents a ...
Foreign Competition Chokes Lebanese Agriculture
Christiane Tager 10/10 11:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Lebanon economy agriculture poultry market exports
With fields overflowing and fridges full, Lebanon’s potato and poultry producers are pleading with the government: curb chaotic imports, reopen land exports to Arab markets and guarantee fair prices to ensure their survival. The situation is both serious and absurd. In the agricultural sector, the talk is no longer about the weather but about ...
Lebanon Connects to the Stars with Starlink
Christiane Tager 09/10 21:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
In a country where a simple power outage can plunge entire neighborhoods offline, this marks a major turning point for a telecommunications sector long lagging behind and an ambitious gamble: connecting a fragmented country, from southern villages to northern towns and through downtown Beirut, not with cables but with stars. On Wednesday, October ...
Oil: Overflowing Supply, Clouded Outlook
Christiane Tager 03/10 19:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Oil markets face a striking paradox: crude prices remain resilient despite a looming oversupply. Global production is swiftly rising, yet the lack of reliable data on certain stockpiles and sanctioned oil makes it difficult to assess the true balance between supply and demand, according to Reuters and the Financial Times. Analysts agree that ...
When Art Becomes a Safe Haven
Christiane Tager 03/10 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
New York economy art investment Lebanon
In an uncertain economic landscape, art is no longer just about decorating walls. For some, it represents a financial refuge where value can literally skyrocket in just a few years. A canvas like Pablo Picasso’s Les Femmes d’Alger (Version ‘O’) sold for more than $179 million, while Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Untitled (1982) fetched $110 ...
Collectible Cars: Where Culture, Passion and Investment Meet
Christiane Tager 30/09 17:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon Collectible cars Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens
In a world where traditional investments fluctuate with economic and geopolitical crises, collectible cars seem to hold steady. They do more than captivate enthusiasts; they also attract investors. In the United States and Europe, auction prices are soaring, and museums compete for rare models. What about Lebanon? Between roaring American muscle ...
Trade War Redraws the Map: China Shifts Course
Christiane Tager 26/09 11:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Donald Trump Europe United States USA Washington
Since Donald Trump took office, Sino-American trade has sometimes resembled a high-stakes ping-pong match. Containers once destined for US ports now appear to have lost their way. In August 2025, exports to the United States fell 12% in a single month, representing around $5 billion worth of goods no longer crossing the Pacific, at least not ...
Olive Oil 2025: A Harvest That Leaves a Bitter Aftertaste
Christiane Tager 24/09 14:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon economy olives olive oil
In Lebanon, it’s hard to imagine a meal without a drizzle of olive oil. It flavors the morning man’oushe, enlivens salads, and graces every mezze platter. But this year, this staple of the Lebanese table risks becoming a luxury. The 2025 olive season is exceptionally poor, with serious consequences for both producers and consumers. A ...
Iraq–Lebanon: A Vital but Uneven Partnership
Christiane Tager 20/09 12:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon Iraq economy fuel trade
For the first time in a decade, the Lebanese–Iraqi Joint Commission reconvened in Baghdad in September 2025, concluding its second session with the signing of seven accords. These span the economy, industry, transport and justice, including a treaty on prisoner transfers. The move sends a strong political signal and builds on an already pivotal ...
Two-Wheelers: The New Hazard on Lebanon’s Roads
Christiane Tager 19/09 14:39 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon economy roads motorcycles traffic
Lebanon’s economic collapse has pushed many to seek cheaper modes of transport than cars. Motorcycles and mopeds, consuming less fuel and offering greater flexibility, quickly became the go-to solution, spreading chaotically across the country’s roads. Numbers speak for themselves: according to the Vehicle Registration Authority (known ...
Hawk III: A Ship, Fuel, and the Enduring Shadows of Lebanon’s Power Crisis
Christiane Tager 16/09 12:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
In Lebanon, even a single fuel ship can spiral into a political-judicial drama. Between Friday night and Saturday morning, the Lebanese navy intercepted Hawk III, carrying fuel destined for Électricité du Liban (EDL), as it attempted to evade territorial waters. Behind this incident lies a story of contradictions, suspicion, and opacity, ...
Lebanon’s Battle for Wheat: Between Aid, Loans and Food Security
Christiane Tager 13/09 08:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon, which is already weakened by an unprecedented economic collapse, has for years faced a vital challenge: ensuring steady access to wheat. The destruction of Beirut Port’s silos in the August 4, 2020, explosion laid bare Lebanon’s food insecurity, erasing a vital storage hub and turning every shipment and agreement into a matter of ...
Lebanese Potatoes: Tubers, Challenges and Export Hopes
Christiane Tager 11/09 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
European Union Gulf Saudi Arabia agriculture farmers
In a country where even bread is becoming a luxury, one might think the potato – king of family meals and star of mezze – is guaranteed a smooth ride. Yet behind every plate of crispy “batata” lies the story of farmers digging the soil… and digging deeper into debt. The Roots of the Problem According to the Ministry of Agriculture, ...
Bitter Brew: The Soaring Cost of Your Morning Espresso
Christiane Tager 10/09 12:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Coffee Price Arabica Brazil Espresso
Thought your morning espresso was safe? Think again. In 2025, Arabica prices soared nearly 80%, according to Bellwether Coffee, and the rise shows no signs of slowing. The impact is felt by producers, cafés, and consumers alike. In Lebanon, where every price hike stings twice as much, savoring your coffee has become a luxury, with bitterness ...
Cocaine Market: Low Prices, High Health Risks
Christiane Tager 07/09 09:44 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Europe United Nations Lebanon Drugs Cocaine
Cocaine prices are falling, but the risks are rising. In Lebanon, as elsewhere, a gram has never been cheaper. It may seem like a “good deal,” but behind the low price lies a harsh reality: regulated use, a growing number of addicts and mounting health risks. Cocaine, or “coke” to regular users, is circulating more freely than ever. ...
Mobile Plans: When ‘Better Deals’ End Up Costing More
Christiane Tager 02/09 15:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon economy communication Internet Mobile phone Alfa Touch
For years, Lebanon has struggled with failing essential services and soaring costs. This also applies to the mobile phone sector. With “adjusted” plans and unreliable networks, subscribers oscillate between resignation and frustration, all while waiting for a clear signal, both figuratively and literally. Here’s an example of a revision and ...
Summer 2025: Lebanon Reclaims Its Suitcases… and Its Traffic Jams
Christiane Tager 30/08 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
culture tourism Beirut international airport
Every summer in Lebanon carries a hint of uncertainty: a sunny getaway shadowed by geopolitical clouds. In 2025, the gamble partly paid off. While not quite reaching the golden era of 2018–2019, the season brought hope to a sector long on edge. Between July and August, Beirut welcomed more than 100 daily flights, with passenger numbers ranging ...
Schools and Universities: The Steep Price of Education
Christiane Tager 28/08 12:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
LAU AUB School Tuition Scholarship
Back-to-school season in Lebanon has never been more daunting. Several private schools have raised tuition fees by 50 % to more than 120 % for the 2025–2026 academic year, nearly reaching pre-2019 economic collapse levels. At the university level, dollarization has turned tuition into an almost insurmountable challenge. Annual fees at the ...
A Few Extra Hours of Power: Kuwait Helps Bring Back Light to Lebanon
Christiane Tager 25/08 18:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Kuwait Beirut Port EDL Gulf Hezbollah
Even a small relief can feel like a breath of fresh air in the daily lives of Lebanese families. But this shipment is more than just a tank of fuel: it represents a political gesture, much-needed financial support and a symbol of warming diplomatic ties with the Gulf monarchies. In a country where electricity has become a luxury and every hour of ...