Christiane Tager 31/05 21:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Europe United States USA tobacco Lebanon
For decades, cigarettes were a real nicotine cash cow for governments. A thriving industry, lucrative taxes, countless jobs and mass consumption that, despite health warnings, was an integral part of the global economic and social landscape. But that was before public health got seriously involved. On May 31st, we take a collective breath: it’s ...
This is Beirut 31/05 19:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
United States Tarrifs Donald Trump European Union
US President Donald Trump's announcement that he would double steel and aluminum import tariffs to 50 percent from next week drew ire from the European Union Saturday in the latest salvo in his trade wars aimed at protecting domestic industries. The EU warned it was "prepared" to retaliate against the latest tariffs, adding the sudden move ...
Liliane Mokbel 31/05 12:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Save the Children conducted a survey of 4,099 Lebanese households, excluding those in the North and Akkar governorates. The findings reveal that 66% of families surveyed face serious difficulties accessing quality food. The situation is especially critical in the Baalbeck-Hermel region, where 11% of households were unable to obtain enough food to ...
Christiane Tager 31/05 10:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Could Lebanon finally be on the cusp of fast, stable, uninterrupted internet? For once, fingers are crossed—not to reboot the router, but in genuine anticipation. After years of trudging through a digital experience as slow and congested as traffic on the Dora highway, Lebanon may be looking skyward for solutions. Starlink, which provides ...
Liliane Mokbel 30/05 13:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Power plant maintenance is resuming, the local fuel market is well supplied, and electricity rationing is beginning to ease gradually. These improvements raise the prospect of an average electricity supply of twelve hours per day. Yet, without activating the Regulatory Authority – mandated by law for more than twenty years – the resolution of ...
Christiane Tager 29/05 22:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
lebanon Beirut corruption Achrafieh Baabda
The “political stabilization” that followed Aoun’s election in January delivered an immediate boost to Lebanon’s real estate market. “All the buyers who had been hesitant for years rushed in during the first quarter,” says Karl Kanaan, Sales Director at S. Gestion, speaking to This is Beirut. As a result, “A significant number of ...
Liliane Mokbel 29/05 13:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
EDL Europe Hezbollah US Congress Energy
Arab support for the revival of Lebanon’s energy sector is back in the spotlight. On the sidelines of the Arab Summit in Amman, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reopened this crucial file with his Jordanian counterpart. Shortly after, Lebanese Finance Minister Yassine Jaber and Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi discussed the main points of energy ...
Marc Saikali 29/05 11:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
International Monetary Fund Europe Gulf Hezbollah
The International Monetary Fund wants to lend $3 billion to Lebanon. On paper, it’s an "opportunity" to get a devastated country back on its feet. In reality, it’s a cruel joke. Lebanon is staring into an $85 billion abyss - a gaping hole dug by decades of mismanagement, clientelism, and public governance as cynical as it is incompetent. In ...
This is Beirut 28/05 20:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Banks Los Angeles Yassin Jaber Jean-Christophe Carret World Bank
In a bid to accelerate Lebanon’s post-war recovery, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber met with Jean-Christophe Carret, the World Bank’s Regional Director, on Wednesday to discuss the imminent launch of the Lebanon Emergency Assistance Project (LEAP), a reconstruction initiative designed to channel international aid into rebuilding efforts through ...
This is Beirut 28/05 20:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Ministers of the OPEC+ oil alliance, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, discussed production on Wednesday as another hike looms despite falling prices. The 22-nation group began a series of cuts in 2022 to prop up crude prices, but Saudi Arabia, Russia and six other members surprised markets recently by sharply raising output for May and June. The ...
This is Beirut 27/05 21:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Banks Hassan Nasrallah Central Bank of Lebanon Hezbollah Israel
Al-Qard al-Hassan, a financial institution linked to Hezbollah and operating through 34 branches in areas controlled by the militia, has recently drawn attention for its role in the group’s financial operations. The Israeli think tank Alma Research and Education Center, which focuses on security issues in northern Israel, has provided ...
Mario Chartouni 27/05 20:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Under the patronage of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, the third edition of the “Tripoli, Yes We Can” conference took place at the Beirut Arab University Tripoli campus on Monday. Bringing together political decision-makers and Lebanese diaspora representatives, the event aimed to map out a bold vision for national economic recovery – extending ...