Liliane Mokbel 13/08 13:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Law No. 11 was adopted in December 2023 and has already been challenged twice before the Constitutional Council: first by the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, and then by thirteen MPs. Parliament passed its latest amendments on Thursday, July 31, 2025, hoping this version would be definitive and escape further ...
Christiane Tager 13/08 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Tourism has long been the lifeblood of luxury, injecting vitality and a steady flow of affluent clients into prestigious fashion houses. Each summer, cities like Paris, Milan and Tokyo transform into prime destinations for wealthy international shoppers eager to find unique pieces and limited editions. In 2024, the system worked smoothly: a ...
This is Beirut 12/08 12:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Banque de L’Habitat Loan Lebanon Antoine Habib
Banque de l’Habitat has unveiled a new loan program worth LBP 2 billion, aimed specifically at financing home renovations. Open to all Lebanese citizens nationwide, this initiative forms part of a joint effort between the bank and the Lebanese government to ease access to financing for households with low to moderate incomes. Antoine Habib, ...
This is Beirut 11/08 22:49 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
China United States Trade Tariffs Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump reportedly signed an order delaying the reimposition of higher tariffs on Chinese goods on Monday, hours before a trade truce between Washington and Beijing was due to expire. The halt on steeper tariffs will be in place for another 90 days, the Wall Street Journal and CNBC reported, citing Trump administration ...
This is Beirut 11/08 21:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
United States Donald Trump Gold Tariffs
US President Donald Trump said Monday that gold imports will not face additional tariffs, days after confusion flared on whether recent hikes applied to certain gold bars, threatening to upend global trade of the precious metal. Trump's comments came after US customs authorities made public a letter saying that gold bars at two standard weights, ...
Christiane Tager 11/08 20:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Electricity Electricité du Liban Blackouts Heat wave
On the night of August 10 to 11, just after midnight, Lebanon plunged once again into total darkness. A “serious technical incident,” now a familiar phrase, struck the main Zouk power plant, a source at Électricité du Liban (EDL) told This is Beirut. The cause: a breakdown of insulation in a connection insulator, triggered by a dangerous ...
Liliane Mokbel 09/08 15:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
In just a few months, the sun has set on Lebanon’s booming solar panel market. According to customs data, imports dropped by 72% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year. The total value fell to $21 million, down from $75 million in 2024, with volumes shrinking from 34,000 tons to 11,000 tons. The contrast is even ...
Christiane Tager 08/08 16:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Economy Shopping Lebanon Sales
For many Lebanese, sales are the only time of year when long-desired items become remotely affordable: a pair of sneakers, a designer dress or a household appliance. With wallets worn thin by inflation, a devalued currency and eroding purchasing power, discounts provide a much-needed breather. But while some shoppers welcome the relief, others ...
This is Beirut 08/08 10:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Donald Trump United States Bitcoin
US President Donald Trump's media group and Tesla, the electric carmaker owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk, are among an increasing number of companies buying huge amounts of bitcoin. The aim? To diversify reserves, counter inflation and attract investors, analysts say. Who also invests? Companies frequently own bitcoin -- the largest ...
Liliane Mokbel 07/08 17:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
As in every summer, Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BIA) is overwhelmed by waves of Lebanese expatriates returning home for the holidays. This year’s record influx has turned the terminals into overcrowded hubs. Long queues stretch before the General Security counters, where wait times drag on. Congestion peaks when multiple flights ...
This is Beirut 07/08 11:40 - Reading : less than a minute
The League of Public Administration Employees announced on Thursday the suspension of its strike movement for the current week. The decision follows a request made by the directors general and the submission of an urgent list of demands to Prime Minister Nawaf Salam ahead of an upcoming meeting. In its statement, the League expressed hope for a ...
This is Beirut 07/08 11:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Ukraine Donald Trump Washington China Tariffs
The United States began charging higher tariffs on dozens of trading partners Thursday, in a major escalation of President Donald Trump's drive to reshape global commerce in America's favor. Shortly before the new levies kicked in, the United States separately announced it would double tariffs on India to 50 percent and hit many semiconductor ...