Economy

Traffic Management Authority: License Plates Now Available
Traffic Management Authority: License Plates Now Available

The Traffic and Vehicles Management Authority announced that vehicle license plates are now available. The Authority stated in a press release that it “distributed car and motorcycle license plates, per the approved model, to authorized license plate printing presses in all regions of Lebanon.” According to the press release, motorists who ...

Hamieh Holds Talks in Paris on Beirut Port Reconstruction Plan
Hamieh Holds Talks in Paris on Beirut Port Reconstruction Plan

Caretaker Minister of Transport and Public Works Ali Hamieh engaged in discussions in Paris with his French counterpart, Patrice Vergriete, regarding the reconstruction plan for the Port of Beirut. The unveiling of the French plan for the rehabilitation of the Port of Beirut is officially scheduled for March 13. More than a year ago, Hamieh had ...

Mount Lebanon Land Registry: Delivery of Property Deeds as of Tomorrow
Mount Lebanon Land Registry: Delivery of Property Deeds as of Tomorrow

The General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre announced on Thursday that “the land registry secretariats of Mount Lebanon will deliver the first batch of completed property deeds to the concerned parties or their proxies on Friday, March 8, 2024. This process will follow a regulated delivery mechanism.” Property titles can be ...

The Enigma of Public Employees’ Wages
The Enigma of Public Employees’ Wages

If you haven't fully grasped the new public sector employees’ salary scale, don’t sweat it. No one has, not even the main beneficiaries or those tasked with the responsibility of crushing the numbers every single month. The saga of the public sector employees’ salary scale is spiraling into unprecedented levels of absurdity that deserve a ...

The Incredible Journey of a Wheat Cargo
The Incredible Journey of a Wheat Cargo

Yet another scandal has unsettled the Lebanese population, shedding light on the deep-seated corruption within the country. It revolves around the delivery of wheat and rice into the Lebanese market, both of which are allegedly spoiled and a health threat. A statement from the Consumer Association in Lebanon, warning of “carcinogenic rice” ...

Dollar Retreats, Bitcoin and Gold Near Record Highs
Dollar Retreats, Bitcoin and Gold Near Record Highs

The dollar retreated on Wednesday ahead of the Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman's hearing before Congress, including data that could confirm expectations of an imminent interest rate cut, while bitcoin and gold remained close to their record highs. Fed chair Jerome Powell is due to answer questions from a House of Representatives committee on ...

Fayad: Stability Is a Prerequisite for Successful Energy Transformation
Fayad: Stability Is a Prerequisite for Successful Energy Transformation

Caretaker Minister of Energy and Water Walid Fayad, who took part in a conference in Paris on "the role of gas in energy transition in the Mediterranean basin," emphasized the importance of stability around the Mediterranean, so that coastal countries can achieve energy transformation, enabling them to meet international objectives related to ...

The Lebanese State’s Staggering Revenue Losses
The Lebanese State’s Staggering Revenue Losses

Every Lebanese government routinely and systematically tracks the state's expenditures and revenues. Yet, they consistently failed to accurately assess the substantial revenue losses, totaling around $3 billion. Despite persistently seeking assistance from the international community, they remain unwilling to implement the much-needed reforms that ...

Finance: Extension of Certain Payment Deadlines
Finance: Extension of Certain Payment Deadlines

On Tuesday, the caretaker Minister of Finance, Youssef Khalil, published four decisions extending the payment deadlines for certain taxes. The aim is to give taxpayers additional time to pay their dues, and thus avoid late payment fines. The payment deadline for the annual flat-rate and proportional tax levied on establishments selling alcoholic ...

CPI: +18.8% Year-on-Year in January 2024
CPI: +18.8% Year-on-Year in January 2024

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) jumped 18.8% year-on-year in January 2024 compared to the same month last year. All nine main indices showed increases in January 2024. The country recorded triple-digit inflation rates as it plunged into a multidimensional crisis. Policymakers still refuse to take responsibility and implement the structural reforms ...

Beirut Airport Traffic: 9% Less Flights in February
Beirut Airport Traffic: 9% Less Flights in February

Traffic at Beirut International Airport (BIA) recorded an increase in passenger numbers in February, but a fall in the number of flights. According to figures released by the airport, 413,111 departing and arriving passengers passed through the airport, an increase of 1% compared to February 2023. The number of arrivals in Lebanon rose by 2.57% ...

FAO: Red Sea Crisis Leads to Higher Prices
FAO: Red Sea Crisis Leads to Higher Prices

The Director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Liaison Office with Russia, Oleg Kobyakov, warned that the situation in Bab el-Mandeb and the Red Sea is affecting food trade and driving up product prices. He asserted that "the Houthis' siege of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea is negatively impacting world food trade," ...