BDL’s Christmas Gift: 2 Additional Billion Dollars For The Authorities To Waste

A couple of months ago, Lebanon's central bank had around 800 million dollars in reserves remaining for basic subsidies, but this changed a week ago when BDL governor announced they now have 2 billion dollars left. Where did these 2 billion dollars come from? Obviously not from expats or foreign investments. Instead BDL managed to come up, once again, with a new "financial maneuver" to give more time and money for the authorities to waste.…

Lebanese Parliament Lifts Banking Secrecy For 1 Year

One month after the forensic audit was suspended, the Lebanese parliament has finally decided to lift the banking secrecy for 1 year to facilitate the audit of the Central Bank and other public institutions. The banking secrecy problem was raised since day1, but none of the ruling parties cared enough to raise it to parliament and pass it as a law. Instead, they did what they do best, waste more time and money. What's next?…

MEA Might Start Accepting “Fresh” Dollars Only

MEA Chairman told Reuters yesterday that "if MEA wants to ensure its stability, we will reach a time when we will need to have sales in 'fresh dollars', which means that very few people will be able to purchase MEA tickets when this rule will be introduced. I am not sure if other airline offices are accepting LBP or "lollars", but they will all reach a point where they request payment in fresh dollars. In…

Telecom Ministry & Ogero To Drop the ‘0’ From Landline Numbers Area Code

A memo by the Telecom Ministry & Ogero was issued yesterday informing all landline owners that the '0' for all area codes will be dropped and replaced by '2'. In other words, when you're dialing 01 444333 for example, it will become 21 444333 and the same applies to 04 05 06 07 08 09 which will become 24 25 26 27 28 29. It didn't make sense to have the '0' anyway since we…
Critiques

Lebanon To Allow Parties, Apply Social Dis-Dancing

5 years ago
The country’s COVID-19 measures were revised today ahead of the holidays, whereas the nighttime curfew is now set at 11:30PM instead of 11PM and businesses will be allowed to open until 10:30 pm instead of ...
Critiques

Who Should be Interrogated Over The Beirut Blast?

5 years ago
The answer is quite simple: Everyone in charge since 2013 from Presidents, PMs, Ministers, Heads of Parliament, Army Generals, officers,, Heads of Customs, Port officials, etc. Up until today, Judge Sawwan’s work as lead investigator ...
Baladi

Buy Local: 15 Alternatives to Nutella in Lebanon

5 years ago
Nutella is no longer affordable or even available in Lebanon due to the dollar crisis. As a result, people are looking into Lebanese-based alternatives and surprisingly, there are many. In fact, our friend Bassam Karam ...
Critiques

Government or Not, Hariri & Aoun Are Not Part of the Solution

5 years ago
It’s been over a month now that Saad Hariri was re-assigned to form a government and still nothing. Today, after a three-week pause, Hariri met Aoun and instead of agreeing on a final line-up, each ...
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