Economy

Mali’s Fuel Crisis: A Nationwide Standstill
Mali’s Fuel Crisis: A Nationwide Standstill

Since early September, queues at gas stations in Bamako have been endlessly growing. The jihadist group JNIM (Jamaʿat Nuṣrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin) has blocked fuel convoys from Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, destroying nearly 100 tanker trucks, according to the Associated Press (AP). As a landlocked country, Mali relies on imports for more ...

Lebanese Insurers Approach Syrian Market with Caution
SpotlightLebanese Insurers Approach Syrian Market with Caution

Lebanese insurance companies have long been active in the Syrian market, establishing a presence decades ago when Hafez al-Assad’s regime opened the door to private sector activity. However, international sanctions forced most to withdraw, as the market became too risky. Today, any move to re-enter Syria is considered premature, according to a ...

Amazon Says Cutting 14,000 Jobs Globally
Amazon Says Cutting 14,000 Jobs Globally

US online retail giant Amazon said Tuesday that it is eliminating 14,000 jobs to streamline its operations as it invests in artificial intelligence, without saying where the cuts will come. Amazon said in a statement the reductions were a "continuation" of its efforts "to get even stronger by further reducing bureaucracy, removing layers, and ...

Avocado, Lebanon’s New Orchard Star
Avocado, Lebanon’s New Orchard Star

In recent years, a new player has quietly transformed Lebanon’s agricultural scene. Once limited to a few experimental orchards, the avocado has become a true star in the markets. In just a few seasons, it has won over producers with its profitability, consumers with its flavor, and exporters with its potential. In a country where agriculture is ...

Asia Stocks Surge on US-China Trade Deal Breakthrough
Asia Stocks Surge on US-China Trade Deal Breakthrough

Asian equities surged Monday as investors cheered a breakthrough in US-China trade talks that set the stage for leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to finalize a deal, averting an escalation in the world's biggest trade dispute. Markets rallied after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the threat of the US president imposing an additional ...

The Lebanese Tomato Takes Center Stage: Prices Skyrocket Across Markets
The Lebanese Tomato Takes Center Stage: Prices Skyrocket Across Markets

Across produce stalls from Beirut to Zahlé, from the South to the North, conversations brim with disbelief and nostalgia: “Remember when a kilo of tomatoes cost 20,000 pounds?” That was only a few months ago. Today, the same kilo fetches up to seven times that price. According to one tomato grower, this surge is rooted in the heavy losses ...

Gems over Gloom: Lebanon Still Shines ...
Figure of the weekGems over Gloom: Lebanon Still Shines ...

Despite its deep economic and political turmoil, Lebanon continues to perform strongly in foreign trade. As of August 2025, the country’s exports remain focused on a few key sectors and select international markets, yet their value tells a story of resilience and expertise. Leading the way are pearls, precious stones and precious metals, which ...

MTV Music: Farewell to an Icon
SpotlightMTV Music: Farewell to an Icon

The news broke quietly, first through news agencies and later confirmed by Paramount Global. MTV Music will cease broadcasting in several European countries by the end of 2025. Alongside its sister channels, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV and MTV Live, it will sign off in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and numerous other European and ...

Lebanese Households Struggle with Falling Purchasing Power
Lebanese Households Struggle with Falling Purchasing Power

From Beirut to Tripoli and throughout the Beqaa Valley, a common refrain echoes: “Prices have skyrocketed, it’s becoming unbearable.” “We’re facing hardship after hardship,” laments Mona, a mother of three. According to the Central Administration of Statistics, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.6% in September and by 15% over ...

Syria Urges Banks to Provision Their Claims on Lebanon
Syria Urges Banks to Provision Their Claims on Lebanon

The Central Bank of Syria has given domestic banks a six-month deadline to fully provision their claims on the Lebanese banking sector, estimated at $1.6 billion, according to a circular cited by Reuters. The directive does not specify the exact nature of these claims – whether deposits, placements or financial investments – making their ...

De-dollarization: Enduring Shift or Fleeting Illusion?
AnalysisDe-dollarization: Enduring Shift or Fleeting Illusion?

De-dollarization — whether an enduring trend or a fleeting declaration — reflects a growing determination among emerging powers to reduce global dependence on the US dollar, long the cornerstone of international trade and finance. The initiative seeks to rebalance a monetary system historically dominated by the greenback and move toward a more ...