Economy

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 ...

Honoring a Historic Visit: Lebanon Commemorates Pope Leo XIV with a Stamp
Honoring a Historic Visit: Lebanon Commemorates Pope Leo XIV with a Stamp

Ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lebanon, scheduled for November 30 to December 2, 2025, the Ministry of Telecommunications has confirmed to This is Beirut that the country will issue a special stamp commemorating the pontifical visit. According to Ministry sources, this official release has been entrusted to LibanPost, which will oversee its ...

Gold Falls Again as Rally Comes to Halt, Asian Markets Drop
Gold Falls Again as Rally Comes to Halt, Asian Markets Drop

Gold and silver tumbled for a second day Wednesday, bringing a rally in the precious metals to a juddering halt, while equities also sank after US President Donald Trump remarked that a meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping might not take place. Bullion has seen an eye-watering run-up since the turn of the year, helping it climb more than ...

OpenAI Unveils Search Browser in Challenge to Google
OpenAI Unveils Search Browser in Challenge to Google

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI on Tuesday announced an "Atlas" search browser, leveraging its artificial intelligence prowess in a direct challenge to Google Chrome. "This is an AI-powered web browser built around ChatGPT," OpenAI chief Sam Altman said in a streamed presentation. OpenAI has ramped up its challenge to Google, which has responded by rapidly ...

Consumer Price Index Up 0.6% in September
Numbers & FiguresConsumer Price Index Up 0.6% in September

Lebanon’s Consumer Price Index rose 0.6% in September 2025, compared with August 2025, according to official data. Year-on-year inflation reached 15.06%. At the governorate level, monthly increases varied significantly: Mount Lebanon, +0.90%; Beqaa, +0.69%; Nabatieh, +0.64%; Beirut, +0.27%; South Lebanon, +0.22%; and North Lebanon, ...

Pope Leo XIV’s Visit: Bookings Soar, Hotels Remain on Standby
Pope Leo XIV’s Visit: Bookings Soar, Hotels Remain on Standby

With the historic visit of Pope Leo XIV, scheduled from November 30 to December 2, 2025, drawing near, Lebanon is experiencing a surge in travel bookings. Airlines report a strong rise in demand, while the hotel sector is still waiting to see tangible gains. The announcement of Pope Leo XIV’s first trip to the region has generated widespread ...

OpenAI Commits to Over $100 Billion in AI Chip Orders Amid Uncertain Financing Plans
FocusOpenAI Commits to Over $100 Billion in AI Chip Orders Amid Uncertain Financing Plans

OpenAI is ordering hundreds of billions of dollars worth of chips in the artificial intelligence race, raising questions among investors about how the startup will finance these purchases. In less than a month, the San Francisco startup behind ChatGPT has committed to acquiring a staggering 26 gigawatts of sophisticated data processors from ...