Sana Richa Choucair 14/08 20:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
On Wednesday, the Lebanese government announced a crackdown on one of the most visible symbols of the country’s failed public electricity sector: private generators. During a ministerial meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, operators were given a maximum of 45 days to comply with legal and environmental standards. After that ...
This is Beirut 14/08 12:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Beirut Port EDL lebanon Beirut
In a statement released Thursday, Electricité du Liban (EDL) said Lebanon’s electricity network continues to struggle after years of neglect and chronic underinvestment, with key infrastructure destroyed in the 2020 Beirut Port explosion still unreplaced. EDL identified three main causes for the recurring power cuts: production capacity at ...
This is Beirut 14/08 09:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Bitcoin hit a record high on Thursday during early Asian trading, surpassing $124,000, driven by favorable US legislation and a rise in US equities. The cryptocurrency rose above its previous July record, briefly exceeding $124,500 before retreating. US stocks ended higher Wednesday, with the S&P 500 index and the tech-heavy Nasdaq reaching new ...
Mario Chartouni 13/08 21:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Waste management Crisis Municipality Environment
The Parliamentary Environment Committee met on Wednesday under the chairmanship of MP Ghayath Yazbeck, joined by Minister of Environment Tamara el-Zein and Minister of Finance Yassine Jaber. Lawmakers discussed amending Article 28 of Law No. 80/2018 to allow municipalities to charge for waste treatment at actual cost in the currency currently in ...
Liliane Mokbel 13/08 13:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Law No. 11 was adopted in December 2023 and has already been challenged twice before the Constitutional Council: first by the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, and then by thirteen MPs. Parliament passed its latest amendments on Thursday, July 31, 2025, hoping this version would be definitive and escape further ...
Christiane Tager 13/08 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Tourism has long been the lifeblood of luxury, injecting vitality and a steady flow of affluent clients into prestigious fashion houses. Each summer, cities like Paris, Milan and Tokyo transform into prime destinations for wealthy international shoppers eager to find unique pieces and limited editions. In 2024, the system worked smoothly: a ...
This is Beirut 12/08 12:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Banque de L’Habitat Loan Lebanon Antoine Habib
Banque de l’Habitat has unveiled a new loan program worth LBP 2 billion, aimed specifically at financing home renovations. Open to all Lebanese citizens nationwide, this initiative forms part of a joint effort between the bank and the Lebanese government to ease access to financing for households with low to moderate incomes. Antoine Habib, ...
This is Beirut 11/08 22:49 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
China United States Trade Tariffs Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump reportedly signed an order delaying the reimposition of higher tariffs on Chinese goods on Monday, hours before a trade truce between Washington and Beijing was due to expire. The halt on steeper tariffs will be in place for another 90 days, the Wall Street Journal and CNBC reported, citing Trump administration ...
This is Beirut 11/08 21:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
United States Donald Trump Gold Tariffs
US President Donald Trump said Monday that gold imports will not face additional tariffs, days after confusion flared on whether recent hikes applied to certain gold bars, threatening to upend global trade of the precious metal. Trump's comments came after US customs authorities made public a letter saying that gold bars at two standard weights, ...
Christiane Tager 11/08 20:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Electricity Electricité du Liban Blackouts Heat wave
On the night of August 10 to 11, just after midnight, Lebanon plunged once again into total darkness. A “serious technical incident,” now a familiar phrase, struck the main Zouk power plant, a source at Électricité du Liban (EDL) told This is Beirut. The cause: a breakdown of insulation in a connection insulator, triggered by a dangerous ...
Liliane Mokbel 09/08 15:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
In just a few months, the sun has set on Lebanon’s booming solar panel market. According to customs data, imports dropped by 72% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year. The total value fell to $21 million, down from $75 million in 2024, with volumes shrinking from 34,000 tons to 11,000 tons. The contrast is even ...
Christiane Tager 08/08 16:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Economy Shopping Lebanon Sales
For many Lebanese, sales are the only time of year when long-desired items become remotely affordable: a pair of sneakers, a designer dress or a household appliance. With wallets worn thin by inflation, a devalued currency and eroding purchasing power, discounts provide a much-needed breather. But while some shoppers welcome the relief, others ...