This is Beirut 24/07 10:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Donald Trump United States Tariffs Trade
Japan and the Philippines bring to five the number of countries that have concluded trade deals with the United States ahead of an August 1 deadline set by President Donald Trump to avoid punitive tariff rates. The agreed levies are often higher than the new base rate of 10 percent that the United States has applied to most countries since April ...
Liliane Mokbel 23/07 13:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Following weeks of disruption caused by a flat-rate levy on gasoline and diesel, introduced to fund a military salary increase, the refined fuel market has returned to relative stability, with both products now widely available and no indication of shortages. The levy, set at LBP 100,000 and applied to domestic consumption under customs code 04H ...
This is Beirut 23/07 08:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Donald Trump Japan Trade deal Tariffs
Donald Trump announced Tuesday a "massive" trade deal with Japan, marking a key breakthrough for major US trade partners as they scramble to strike agreements before the end of the month. In an attempt to slash his country's colossal trade deficit, the US president has vowed to hit dozens of countries with punitive "reciprocal" tariffs if they do ...
Christiane Tager 22/07 23:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
hotels tourism expatriates economy
At first glance, everything points to a booming summer season: the diaspora is back in large numbers, the airport is stretched to its limits with nearly 100 flights a day, and the highways resemble a Lebanese remake of the Paris ring road. But behind the scenes, the tourism picture tells a different story. Hotels are struggling, occupancy rates ...
Christiane Tager 22/07 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Donald Trump US Congress Washington dollars Artificial intelligence
As technological advances accelerate, Washington has just passed two landmark pieces of legislation: the country’s first national framework for stablecoins and the ambitious Genius Act. The aim? To regulate digital assets while safeguarding human intellectual contribution in an increasingly automated world. What Is the Genius Act? Recently ...
This is Beirut 21/07 19:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company of the Truth Social platform, the upcoming streaming service Truth+ and the FinTech project Truth.Fi, announced that it has invested nearly $2 billion in bitcoin and bitcoin-related financial products. This initiative is part of the cryptocurrency treasury strategy previously outlined by ...
This is Beirut 21/07 13:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
In a new move to support Lebanon’s struggling hospital sector, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) announced on Monday an advance payment of 65 billion Lebanese pounds to contracted hospitals to cover hospitalization fees under fixed-rate agreements. This payment, expected in the coming days, is part of a broader strategy of regular ...
This is Beirut 21/07 13:25 - Reading : less than a minute
After a tense Monday morning marked by a halt in fuel deliveries due to customs delays, the situation is beginning to ease. The interruption came after the customs administration failed to implement the removal of a 100,000 Lebanese pound tax in line with a new pricing schedule issued on Friday by the Ministry of Energy. Although the new schedule ...
This is Beirut 21/07 13:20 - Reading : less than a minute
The Port of Tripoli has experienced a remarkable boost in activity since early July, according to Ahmad Tamer, Director General of Land and Maritime Transport and head of the port. Tamer reported a sharp rise in container traffic, especially over the past two days. In a statement, he noted that nearly 4,200 standard containers were handled last ...
Liliane Mokbel 19/07 18:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Turkey United Arab Emirates United States economy trade industry exports
According to data from the Higher Council of Customs, Lebanese exports rose by 21% between January and May 2025, reaching 1.5 billion dollars compared to 1.2 billion a year earlier. This increase reflects renewed competitiveness for “Made in Lebanon” products, which are seen as better suited to local purchasing power and more reliable in ...
Liliane Mokbel 19/07 15:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
The Lebanese arak industry is enjoying a remarkable revival. In 2024, exports of this iconic spirit reached 980,000 bottles, up from 700,000 in 2016. This represents a nearly 40 percent increase over eight years. In terms of value, the growth is even more impressive, rising from $3.7 million to $6.2 million, an increase of more than 67 ...
This is Beirut 18/07 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute
Lebanon Fuel Prices Tax Economy motorists
Fuel prices in Lebanon dropped significantly on Friday following the removal of a previously imposed tax. The measure, recently announced by the authorities, comes amid a challenging economic climate marked by persistent currency fluctuations and mounting pressure on consumers’ purchasing power. The decision had an immediate effect, causing a ...