Lebanon

US Treasury Aims to Cut Hezbollah’s Funding

The US Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, John Hurley, said the United States wants to seize a “favorable moment” in Lebanon to cut Iranian funding to Hezbollah and push the group to disarm. “There is a moment now in Lebanon. If we can get Hezbollah to disarm, the Lebanese people could get their country back,” ...

Amman Drift: Nael Madi Puts Lebanon on the Podium

Car park drift takes place on a closed parking lot, with a track drawn to the millimetre, zones to brush and trajectories to respect. We are not talking about a stopwatch but about scoring. The judges evaluate the line, the angle, the perceived speed and the cleanliness of the transitions. A good run reads in one go: committed entry, sustained ...

Switzerland Has Crossed the Mountains

Sometimes symbolism says it all. On Monday, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa will walk through the doors of the White House, a sight that would have seemed unthinkable a year ago. The world, it seems, has a soft spot for spectacular reinventions. Yesterday’s pariah has become today’s partner. Al-Sharaa, once a wanted man with a price on his ...

Hezbollah’s Financing Network: Another Arsenal to Dismantle

In an article published this week in Foreign Policy, Michael Jacobson and Matthew Levitt of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy argue that urging the Lebanese Army to disarm Hezbollah is not enough; the international community must also work to dismantle the group’s financial network. Although Israeli strikes have severely damaged ...

Israeli Strikes Continue in South Lebanon

An Israeli drone targeted a car in Barashit, Bint Jbeil district, this afternoon. According to a statement from the Public Health Ministry's Emergency Operations Centre, the attack left one dead and four injured. An Israeli airstrike targeted a car in Rachaya al-Wadi, in Lebanon’s Western Bekaa region, this morning, killing two ...

Raed Khoury: Eliminating Banks and Deposits Would Be a “Catastrophe”

As the financial collapse continues and losses keep mounting with no clear plan yet for their distribution, attention is once again turning to the stalled negotiations between the Lebanese government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), amid conflicting official approaches on how to address the crisis and restructure the banking sector. The ...

Public Finances Recovering, but Stability Remains Fragile

The rebound in Lebanese state deposits at the central bank (BDL), estimated at nearly $800 million, marks a rare financial upswing amid the prolonged crisis that began in 2019. It is a welcome breath of fresh air, but still far from a genuine structural recovery of public finances. Above all, this renewed momentum reflects the early stages of a ...

Bsat: IMF Seeks to Impose Losses on Banks... Say Goodbye to Deposits!

Lebanese Economy and Trade Minister Amer Bsat made several key statements during his appearance on the television program “Sar El Waet.” He addressed multiple sensitive issues, including the financial-gap law, bank restructuring, and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Bsat emphasized that it is not possible to commit to ...

When Samir Hammoud Sacrifices Depositors to Please the IMF

Negotiation skills refer to the capacities and methods used by an individual when engaging in discussions with another party in order to reach an agreement that satisfies both sides, without sacrificing the rights or interests of either. Key negotiation skills include planning, managing expectations, persuasion, problem-solving, decision-making, ...

Boukra Nour: Healing the Future, Training Adults, Rebuilding Hope

A modest room, chairs in a circle, guided breathing. At the end of the workshop, a middle-school girl scribbles “I feel lighter” on a sticky note. An ordinary scene in a pilot center of Boukra Nour, an NGO recently founded by Lea Jabre, Georges Debbas, and Me Nada Abdelsater. Their challenge: help children and adolescents reweave emotional ...

WASL: Riyadi Launches its Title Defense Without Fireworks

The film of the game Riyadi lived a real first, with highs, air pockets, and a money-time to manage under pressure. With 6'23 left, James Justice Jr. (37 points, 6/11 from three, 6 rebounds) puts Al Wahda ahead 71–69 on the line. Immediate answer from the hosts: Perrin Buford and Ivan Buva chain together and sign a 7–0 run to turn the tables ...