Economy

Bank Dollar Rates: LBP 15,000, 25,000 or 30,000?
Bank Dollar Rates: LBP 15,000, 25,000 or 30,000?

For those wondering when the bank dollar exchange rate is going to increase, it is becoming increasingly clear that it won't happen anytime soon. It's a complete mystery. The causes are many. The government, the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) and the Ministry of Finance continue to pass the blame, leaving depositors frustrated. None of them is ...

Civil Servants Salary Increases to Be Unblocked
Civil Servants Salary Increases to Be Unblocked

Caretaker Finance Minister Youssef Khalil signed a decision on Friday to grant temporary compensation to all active and retired civil servants, as outlined in Decree 13020. The amounts set to be calculated with retroactive effect will be disbursed during the last week of March, precisely starting from March 22, 2024. It is worth noting that the ...

Thirty Million Stamps to Be Printed
Thirty Million Stamps to Be Printed

Lebanon's stamp crisis is finally on the way to resolution. On Friday, Caretaker Minister of Finance Youssef Khalil announced in a press release that his ministry had completed the preparatory procedures for the printing of thirty million stamps in denominations of twenty, one hundred, two hundred, and four hundred thousand Lebanese pounds, ...

Moldy Wheat: Judge Karkabi Clarifies Case
Moldy Wheat: Judge Karkabi Clarifies Case

Following media outlet reports and social media outbursts regarding the decision made by Metn judge of expedited matters, Ralph Karkabi, to unload a wheat shipment that was reportedly “moldy” based on initial analysis results on a grain sample, the Office of the Higher Judicial Council issued a statement providing clarification from Judge ...

Ministry of Finance Announces Disbursement of Civil Servants’ Salaries
Ministry of Finance Announces Disbursement of Civil Servants’ Salaries

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced on Thursday that the salaries and pensions of all civil servants have been disbursed. The MOF said in a statement that the Expenditure and Treasury Departments successfully transferred funds to the Central Bank. The concerned parties will be able to withdraw their money from their respective banks as of ...

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 ...