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Rubio Visits Israel in Aftermath of Qatar Strike

Top US diplomat Marco Rubio prayed at Jerusalem's Western Wall Sunday as he opened his visit to Israel, reaffirming the Trump administration's steadfast support in its war with Hamas despite backlash over a strike in Qatar. The trip is taking place after President Donald Trump rebuked Israel over the unprecedented attack against Hamas ...

Lebanon: Real Estate Market Tied to Political and Economic Outlook

A study by the Research and Studies Department of Bank Audi, published in September 2025, lays out three scenarios for the next twelve months: a positive scenario with a 55 percent probability, a moderate scenario at 30 percent, and a negative scenario at 15 percent. In a positive scenario, such as the state gaining full control over weapons, ...

BDL, Lebanon’s Anchor of Trust on the Path to Recovery

In a country where figures are often subject to interpretation and fiscal data remains scarce or unreliable, Lebanon’s Central Bank (BDL) seeks to reaffirm its role as a reference point for institutional investors and international markets. It also aims to provide citizens with clear benchmarks to better understand the rationale and direction ...

A Crusader Organ Resurfaces in Jerusalem

The pipes of a medieval organ, buried for centuries and discovered near the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, are once more filling a Jerusalem monastery with ancient melodies. "This is a window into the past... we have the opportunity for the first time in modern history of listening to a medieval sound which is ...

Parliamentary Committee Approves New Banknote Amid Currency Collapse

The Finance and Budget Committee, chaired by MP Ibrahim Kanaan, approved on Wednesday a legislative amendment authorizing the Central Bank of Lebanon (BDL) to issue new banknotes, including a denomination of LBP 5 million. The move, seen as emblematic of the national currency’s collapse, was justified as a technical step to facilitate daily ...

EDL vs. Private Generators: Lebanon’s Daily Electricity Battle

Electricité du Liban (EDL) collection agents occasionally remember to bill subscribers. Neighborhood generator operators, on the other hand, never forget the last day of the month. They collect payments even before reading meters, already knowing exactly how much they will extract. The idea of EDL self-financing its fuel purchases remains ...

Friday Cabinet Meeting to Tackle Security, Energy and Military Issues

The cabinet’s upcoming meeting on Friday will discuss several issues, in addition to reviewing the Lebanese army’s plan to secure the state’s monopoly on weapons. According to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, an addendum was circulated on Wednesday for the September 5 session, adding “pressing issues” to the agenda ...

Gold Hits New Record High as Investors Flee Risk, Asia Stocks Slide

Asia markets were down on Wednesday while gold extended its six-day rally after reaching a record high as investors sought safe havens following a selloff in equity and bond markets. Bullion for immediate delivery hit a fresh record as Asia markets opened, climbing 0.4 percent to hit $3,546.96 an ounce. Prices have risen five percent over the ...

Lebanon and Syria: A New Diplomatic Era

A Syrian delegation is expected in Beirut later this month to address outstanding issues between the two countries. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 and the election of Ahmad al-Sharaa as Syria’s president, a new dynamic has emerged. For Lebanon, this represents both an opportunity to build a more balanced relationship with ...

Lebanon Secures $250 Million World Bank Loan for Reconstruction

Lebanon signed a $250 million loan agreement with the World Bank on Tuesday to begin repairing infrastructure damaged by Israeli airstrikes since October 2023, marking the first step in a broader reconstruction effort. Finance Minister Yassine Jaber signed the deal with World Bank regional director Jean-Christophe Carret in Beirut, in a ceremony ...

Israel Raid Wounds 14 in West Bank's Ramallah: Red Crescent

The Israeli army raided the West Bank city of Ramallah on Tuesday, leaving 14 people wounded as troops fanned out across the city centre, the Palestinian Red Crescent said. Tensions have remained high in the occupied West Bank since Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel which sparked the Gaza war, with repeated raids by the Israeli army on ...