Economy

Internet: No Widespread Outage
Internet: No Widespread Outage

For some time now, the public provider of landline and Internet services, Ogero, has been reporting outages across the country. The cause is a lack of funds to purchase fuel to run the central office generators and to ensure maintenance. However, the outgoing Minister of Telecommunications seeks to reassure, asserting that no widespread outage is ...

Abboud Says BIA Is Witnessing 14,000 Daily Arrivals
Abboud Says BIA Is Witnessing 14,000 Daily Arrivals

“Around 14,000 people arrive daily at the Beirut International Airport (BIA), with 85 to 90 aircraft landing every day,”  revealed Jean Abboud, head of the travel and tourism offices syndicate, on Monday. He assured that the 2024 summer season is shaping up to surpass last year’s. He mentioned that “the aircraft occupancy rate is over ...

When the Lebanese State Embraces Mendicancy
When the Lebanese State Embraces Mendicancy

On Thursday morning, caretaker Minister of Energy and Water Walid Fayad announced that he received a call from the Director General of SOMO, the Iraqi Oil Ministry's company, informing him that the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammad al-Sudani, had permitted to load a fuel ship in solidarity with Lebanon and its people, allowing for the unloading of ...

EDL: Marjayoun Station Out of Service
EDL: Marjayoun Station Out of Service

An Israeli aircraft bombed on Saturday night the main Marjayoun power station, causing “serious damage,” according to a statement issued by Électricité du Liban (EDL). This station supplies electricity to around 40 villages in the south of the country. The public electricity supplier reported that, during Israel's latest series of attacks ...

China Posts Disappointing Growth as Officials Hold Key Meeting
China Posts Disappointing Growth as Officials Hold Key Meeting

China posted lower than expected growth in the second quarter on Monday, with all eyes on how top officials gathering for a key meeting in Beijing might seek to tackle the country's deepening economic malaise. The world's second-largest economy is grappling with a real estate debt crisis, weakening consumption and an aging population. Trade ...

Public Sector Employees' Retirement Age Raised to 68
Public Sector Employees' Retirement Age Raised to 68

The retirement age for public sector employees is set to be raised to 68 for many reasons, and lawmakers are moving forward to make this happen. Two bills have been put forward to implement this change. One comes from the Democratic Gathering bloc, and the other by three MPs from the Change Coalition, namely Waddah Sadek, Michel Doueihy and Marc ...

Crisis with Iraq Poised to Escalate
Crisis with Iraq Poised to Escalate

Tensions between Lebanon and Iraq are intensifying due to Lebanon's failure to fulfill its financial obligations under the diesel supply agreement for Electricité du Liban. Lebanese authorities, including the caretaker prime minister, the ministry of energy, and the ministry of finance, have been perceived as expecting Iraq to provide fuel ...

EDL: What is Happening to Lebanon’s Fuel
EDL: What is Happening to Lebanon’s Fuel

The Lebanese are now accustomed to seeing the threat of a total blackout reemerge occasionally, often accompanied by the threat of the shutdown of vital public facilities. This situation was narrowly avoided on Thursday thanks to the intervention of the Iraqi Prime Minister, who authorized the unloading of fuel before Lebanon paid the amounts due. ...

Electricity: Blackout Narrowly Averted
Electricity: Blackout Narrowly Averted

Caretaker Minister of Energy Walid Fayad announced in a press release that he had "received a call from the Oil Marketing Company’s (SOMO) General Manager and the Iraqi Ministry of Petroleum. They informed him of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Al-Sudani’s approval and his authorizing the unloading of diesel fuel at the Zahrani and Deir Ammar ...

BDL’s Bare Minimum Tasks
BDL’s Bare Minimum Tasks

  After delving into the topic of banks, let's assess the current state of their regulatory body, Lebanon’s Central Bank (BDL). Overall, the outcome is somewhat meager. However, we will refrain from preempting conclusions before outlining the pros and cons of this interim governorship, now in its one-year tenure. We will partially rely on ...

Hamiyeh Launches Bus Operation Plan in Beirut
Hamiyeh Launches Bus Operation Plan in Beirut

The Caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ali Hamiyeh, launched the operation plan for 96 public transport buses during a press conference on Wednesday. The plan includes specific routes for Beirut initially and will extend to the rest of the country's regions by September. After inspecting several vehicles and reviewing their ...

Postponement of the ABL General Assembly
Postponement of the ABL General Assembly

The general assembly of the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL), scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed due to a lack of quorum. According to the Al-Markazia news agency, a banking source indicated that the current mandate of the association's board of directors has not yet expired. Therefore, the board will continue to perform its duties until ...