Liliane Mokbel 31/08 20:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon economy Budget 2026 Taxes Reforms
For 2026, the Finance Minister has promised a deficit-free budget, with revenues and expenditures in balance. An attractive prospect, but at what cost to Lebanese households? Tax hikes and new levies could quickly turn that balance into a burden for taxpayers. The draft budget has been submitted to the General Secretariat of the Council of ...
Liliane Mokbel 30/08 16:00 - Reading : less than a minute
The 2025 wedding season in Lebanon has seen an unprecedented decline, confirming the continued downturn of a sector already weakened in recent years. According to industry professionals, the number of weddings has dropped to just 35% of pre-2019 levels, compared to 50% in 2023 and 40% in 2024. A total decrease of 65% since the beginning of the ...
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 ...
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 ...
Liliane Mokbel 27/08 18:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon Gold Counterfeirt gold
On August 20 in Jounieh, a sweep by the Internal Security Forces led to the arrest of several members of a network selling counterfeit gold. While the operation highlights the need for vigilance, political, security and economic uncertainty continues to push Lebanese citizens toward the precious metal. But how can one tell a fake ounce from a ...
This is Beirut 27/08 15:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Buoyed by a net profit and revenue increase of more than 10% in the first half of the year, Danish toy giant Lego plans to continue gaining market share despite a volatile global environment, the company’s CEO said in an interview with AFP on Wednesday. “In recent years, we’ve consistently outpaced market growth and gained share,” said ...
This is Beirut 27/08 09:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
USA Donald Trump Europe India Tariff
US tariffs of 50 percent took effect Wednesday on many Indian products, doubling an existing duty as President Donald Trump sought to punish New Delhi for buying Russian oil. Trump has raised pressure on India over the energy transactions, a key source of revenue for Moscow's war in Ukraine, as part of a campaign to end the conflict. The latest ...
This is Beirut 26/08 19:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
United States Tariffs Donald Trump Postal Service
At least 25 countries have decided to suspend package deliveries to the United States, as concern grows over the impact of President Donald Trump's looming tariffs, a UN body said Tuesday. The Trump administration said late last month that it will abolish a tax exemption on small packages entering the United States from August 29. The move ...
This is Beirut 26/08 16:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Lebanon Banks United Nations Yassin Jaber Fayez Rassamni World Bank Joe Saddi
Lebanon signed a $250 million loan agreement with the World Bank on Tuesday to begin repairing infrastructure damaged by Israeli airstrikes since October 2023, marking the first step in a broader reconstruction effort. Finance Minister Yassine Jaber signed the deal with World Bank regional director Jean-Christophe Carret in Beirut, in a ceremony ...
This is Beirut 26/08 16:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon AUB Joe Saddi UNICEF FDA
Lebanon is grappling with one of its worst water crises in decades after rainfall this year fell by 51% compared to the annual average, Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi warned Tuesday. In his remarks at a press conference, Saddi said the sharp decline in precipitation, compounded by fewer rainy days and intense bursts of rain that the soil ...
This is Beirut 25/08 21:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Syria Syrian Central Bank Currency
Syria's central bank governor, Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya, said Monday that his country would change its currency by removing two zeros and printing new banknotes to replace those issued under ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad. Since the start of Syria's civil war in 2011, the pound has plunged from 50 to about 10,000-11,000 against the greenback, ...
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 ...