Salam Publishes Three Laws That Mikati Requested to Be Rejected

Maurice Matta 03/04 22:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Nawaf Salam The Landlords’ Syndicate The Tenants’ Committee The Teachers’ Syndicate

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam requested the publication of three laws in the Official Gazette. Former Prime Minister Najib Mikati had previously demanded that these laws be sent back to Parliament for reconsideration. One law is related to the teaching staff in private schools and the regulation of the school budget. The second law is about granting ...

ExplainerCommercial Leases: Publication of the New Law in the Official Gazette

Liliane Mokbel 03/04 21:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

The new law on commercial leases has been published on Thursday in the first edition of the Official Gazette following the Eid al-Fitr holiday. This sets a precedent in Lebanon’s legislative history, as no law has ever been published in the Official Gazette a year after its promulgation. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stated that its publication is ...

Saddi Streamlines Solar Panel Installation Process

This is Beirut 03/04 18:30 - Reading : less than a minute

Joe Saddi Directorate General of Urban Planning Energy Ministry Solar Panels

In a bid to simplify the administrative procedures for installing solar panels for personal electricity use of up to 1.5 megawatts, Lebanese Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi announced that prior approval from his Ministry is no longer required. This change, based on Law 462/2002, allows citizens to install solar panels without needing ...

Oil Prices Plunge Amid Trade War Fears and OPEC+ Production Boost

This is Beirut 03/04 18:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump

Oil prices plunged on Thursday after the announcement of U.S. protectionist measures by President Donald Trump, triggering fears over the potential impact on global economic growth and oil demand. Adding to the downward pressure, OPEC revealed a larger-than-expected increase in production. By 12:05 GMT (14:05 Paris time), Brent crude for June ...

Fitch Downgrades China's Rating to 'A', Outlook Stable

This is Beirut 03/04 17:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States China Tariffs

Global ratings agency Fitch downgraded China's long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating from 'A+' to 'A' on Thursday, noting weakening finances and debt concerns. "The downgrade reflects our expectations of a continued weakening of China's public finances and a rapidly rising public debt trajectory during the country's economic ...

Dollar, Stocks Sink as Gold Hits High on Trump Tariffs

This is Beirut 03/04 15:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump European Union Europe New York United States

The dollar and equity markets tumbled Thursday after President Donald Trump's latest tariffs salvo against countries worldwide, fanning a trade war that many fear will spark recession and ramp up inflation. The dollar slumped by as much as 2.6 percent versus the euro, its biggest intraday plunge in a decade, and suffered sharp losses also against ...

Finance Minister and Banque de l’Habitat CEO Sign Agreement for Online Property Certificate

This is Beirut 03/04 14:40 - Reading : less than a minute

Yassine Jaber Finance Minister Housing Loan Lebanon

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber and General Manager of the Banque de l'Habitat (BDH) Antoine Habib signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday, launching an electronic link between the two organizations. This new system allows the bank to instantly and at no cost access an online certificate of non-ownership for borrowers, streamlining the ...

The Ongoing Gold Rush

Liliane Mokbel 02/04 21:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Liban Banque du Liban Or Réserves

Gold prices continue to soar, drawing increased interest from investors and central banks worldwide. Since January 2025, the price of an ounce of gold has surged by 12%, fueling a surge in demand for the precious metal. This surge is driven by President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies and his pledge of “the mother of all trade ...

US Stocks Advance Ahead of Looming Trump Tariffs

This is Beirut 02/04 19:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States Dollar Financial Markets

Wall Street stocks rose ahead of US President Donald Trump's fresh wave of tariffs, while European stocks ended the day lower. The dollar was mostly lower, oil prices wobbled, while gold, viewed as a safe-haven investment, came close to achieving a fresh all-time high. After Tokyo's stock market closed up slightly and Chinese indices steadied, ...

Launch of the National Wine and Alcoholic Beverages Commission

This is Beirut 02/04 18:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

On Wednesday, Minister of Agriculture Nizar Hani signed a decree establishing the National Commission for Wine, Arak and Alcoholic Beverages. The commission, chaired by Louis Lahoud, the General Director of the Ministry of Agriculture, aims to strengthen the impact of Lebanon's wine and alcoholic beverage sector on the national economy. The ...

Tesla First Quarter Sales Sink Amid Anger Over Musk Politics

This is Beirut 02/04 18:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

USA Elon Musk Tesla

Tesla reported a 13 percent drop in first-quarter auto sales Wednesday amid lower production during factory upgrades and blowback over CEO Elon Musk's work for the Trump administration. Musk's electric vehicle company delivered 336,681 autos in the quarter ending March 31, missing analyst expectations, as it pointed to the "loss of several weeks ...

ExplainerSwitch 2: The Legacy of a Global Success

This is Beirut 02/04 12:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Switch Nintendo Video games

Gaming giant Nintendo is set to unveil the successor to its phenomenally popular Switch console on Wednesday. Here are some facts about its success: 150 million sold Nintendo has sold around 150 million Switch machines since the gadget's launch in March 2017. That makes it the third best-selling console in video game history, behind Sony's ...