Europe

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

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 ...

MTV 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 ...

Block 8: Lebanon’s Energy Strategy Faces a Credibility Test

On Thursday at the Baabda Presidential Palace, Lebanon’s Council of Ministers took two decisive steps in the country’s energy policy by approving the oil exploration agreement for Block 8 and ratifying the maritime border with Cyprus. These decisions reflect the government’s determination to revive a strategic sector long stalled by ...

De-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 ...

Trump Slaps ‘Tremendous’ Sanctions on Russian Oil for Ukraine War

US President Donald Trump slapped sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies on Wednesday, complaining that his talks with Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine war "don't go anywhere." The European Union also unveiled a fresh wave of sanctions to pressure Russia to end its relentless, three-and-a-half-year invasion of its ...

EU Takes Aim at Plastic Pellets to Prevent their Nightmare Cleanup

At first glance, the tiny plastic pellets appear relatively harmless. No bigger than a lentil, these "nurdles" are destined to be melted down to make everything from car bumpers to salad bowls. But when tens of millions of them spill from trucks or cargo ships they are devilish to clean up, blighting landscapes and washing up around the world for ...

Internet Services Cut for Hours by Amazon Cloud Outage

Popular internet services ranging from streaming platforms to messaging services to banking were offline for hours Monday due to an outage in Amazon's crucial cloud network, illustrating the extent to which internet life depends on the tech titan. The disruption affected streaming platforms, including Amazon's Prime Video service and Disney+, as ...

3,500 Gas Stations for 10,452 km²

Lebanon is overwhelmed with gas stations. The country has 3,500 gas stations spread over 10,452 km². This amounts to one station for every 1,428 people, a ratio unique in the region and in Europe. For comparison: In France, one station serves 6,235 people. In Germany, one station serves 5,975 people. When considering land area, ...

Leonardo, Callas, Beethoven… Could Europe’s Icons Appear on Euro Banknotes?

Nearly a quarter of a century after their introduction, euro banknotes are set to be completely redesigned, both aesthetically and in terms of security. If the ECB stays on schedule, the new banknotes are expected to be unveiled from 2026, following an unprecedented public consultation and design process. Since 2002, euro banknotes have depicted ...

Between Moscow and Washington, India Charts Its Energy Course

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had committed to “cease purchasing Russian oil” within a “short timeframe,” while imposing 50% tariffs on Indian exports to the United States, with additional penalties for transactions involving Moscow. However, New Delhi stressed that its “top ...

EU Says Drone Defenses Not 'Optional' in Push to Face Russia

The EU had no choice but to build up anti-drone defenses against Russia, the bloc's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Thursday, as Brussels unveiled a "roadmap" to prepare for potential conflict by 2030. The initiative is one of several flagship projects in the EU's "readiness roadmap" aimed at preparing the bloc for a possible attack from ...