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The five layers of the AI economy

Behind the chatbots and software tools familiar to consumers lies an interconnected stack of energy, chips, cloud infrastructure, models and applications that together power the modern AI economy.

Lebanon opens a Golden door to investors

Lebanon is considering a Golden Residency program that would grant residency rights to investors who commit at least $500,000 to the country as part of efforts to attract capital, create jobs, and support economic recovery.

“Art is our capital:” Beirut art days returns

The four-day celebration seeks not only to showcase Lebanese creativity but also to reaffirm the sense of community, continuity, and vibrancy that art can help sustain.

Marks, scars, and tattoos: Evolving treatment options

Treating scars, pigmentation, and tattoos requires a tailored approach and a careful diagnosis.

Editors' pick

“Art is our capital:” Beirut art days returns “Art is our capital:” Beirut art days returns

“Art is our capital:” Beirut art days returns

The four-day celebration seeks not only to showcase Lebanese creativity but also to reaffirm the sense of community, continuity, and vibrancy that art can help sustain.
By The Beiruter
Can Lebanon and Syria truly reconcile? Can Lebanon and Syria truly reconcile?

Can Lebanon and Syria truly reconcile?

Can Lebanon and Syria overcome decades of conflict through the convergence of both interstate and intrastate reconciliation?
By Anthony Chamoun
Can underwater data centers power the AI age? Can underwater data centers power the AI age?

Can underwater data centers power the AI age?

As AI drives soaring demand for electricity, water, and computing power, companies and governments are exploring underwater data centers as a possible answer to the growing constraints facing digital infrastructure.
By The Beiruter
Lebanon’s children growing up with climate anxiety Lebanon’s children growing up with climate anxiety

Lebanon’s children growing up with climate anxiety

Climate change in Lebanon is reshaping childhood through water scarcity, heat, food insecurity, and collapsing systems, creating a generation growing up under layered environmental and social stress.

 
By Michella Rizk
Marks, scars, and tattoos: Evolving treatment options Marks, scars, and tattoos: Evolving treatment options

Marks, scars, and tattoos: Evolving treatment options

Treating scars, pigmentation, and tattoos requires a tailored approach and a careful diagnosis.
By Nada Merhi
On Music Day, Rodolphe Manoukian redefines the Derbake on global stages On Music Day, Rodolphe Manoukian redefines the Derbake on global stages

On Music Day, Rodolphe Manoukian redefines the Derbake on global stages

From playing on a can of milk to touring the world with his magical Derbake show.
By Grace Massoud
Music in the streaming age Music in the streaming age

Music in the streaming age

Advances from vinyl and cassette tapes to smartphones and streaming changed not only how music is distributed, but how it is experienced.
By The Beiruter
Two flags, two futures: What America and Lebanon can learn from each other Two flags, two futures: What America and Lebanon can learn from each other

Two flags, two futures: What America and Lebanon can learn from each other

Lebanon and the United States, exploring how civic identity, shared values, and responsibility shape national cohesion and how their erosion leads to division.
By Philip Honein
A China-Morocco trade deal: Opportunity or risk? A China-Morocco trade deal: Opportunity or risk?

A China-Morocco trade deal: Opportunity or risk?

 

Featuring exclusive interviews with Chinese affairs specialist Dr. Nader Rong Huan and Moroccan economist Dr. Khaled Al-Shatta, the report explores the economic and strategic stakes facing Morocco behind China's proposal for a free trade agreement.
By Josiane Hajj Moussa
Lebanese Zajal: The poetry that never stopped singing Lebanese Zajal: The poetry that never stopped singing

Lebanese Zajal: The poetry that never stopped singing

Lebanese zajal is a living poetic tradition rooted in ancient oral, musical, and spiritual practices that continues to shape cultural identity and collective memory in Lebanon.

 
By The Beiruter
Belinda: Sparking the Mystery Box movement Belinda: Sparking the Mystery Box movement

Belinda: Sparking the Mystery Box movement

How Wael Roumieh and Celine Mougarbel transformed a shoe retailer into one of Lebanon’s fastest-growing lifestyle brands.
By Grace Massoud
Lebanon and the Gulf-Europe rail vision Lebanon and the Gulf-Europe rail vision

Lebanon and the Gulf-Europe rail vision

A proposed Gulf-Europe railway could reshape regional trade routes while reopening questions about Lebanon’s historic and future role in Middle Eastern rail connectivity.

 
By Jenna Geagea
The price of war, the price of peace The price of war, the price of peace

The price of war, the price of peace

A new economic simulation suggests Lebanon could gain or lose nearly an entire economy’s worth of output by 2035 depending on whether conflict persists or regional stability emerges. 

 
By Jessica Habchy
Charbel Zoe: The Lebanese designer who’s conquered the world Charbel Zoe: The Lebanese designer who’s conquered the world

Charbel Zoe: The Lebanese designer who’s conquered the world

How a Lebanese fashion designer managed to sew a style all his own with an unapologetic, ultra-glamorous flair.
By Grace Massoud
The forbidden third The forbidden third

The forbidden third

On Pride Month, the long memory of the hunted, and the question no slogan allows.
By Jean Paul Boutros
Lebanon urges action to protect Tyre and Beaufort Castle Lebanon urges action to protect Tyre and Beaufort Castle

Lebanon urges action to protect Tyre and Beaufort Castle

Lebanon is urging international action as military activity threatens the historic sites of Tyre and Beaufort Castle, two landmarks of global cultural significance.

 
By The Beiruter
Operation Litani: The 1978 invasion that reshaped Lebanon's future Operation Litani: The 1978 invasion that reshaped Lebanon's future

Operation Litani: The 1978 invasion that reshaped Lebanon's future

Operation Litani was the culmination of a decade-long erosion of Lebanese sovereignty that transformed South Lebanon into a central battleground of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

 
By Dr. Elie Elias
Between reconstruction and despair Between reconstruction and despair

Between reconstruction and despair

As ceasefire negotiations remain volatile and both displacement and fighting persist, many Lebanese fear rebuilding may prove impossible after a second devastating war in less than two years.
By Katharine Sorensen
The last mile: Beyond the gallows The last mile: Beyond the gallows

The last mile: Beyond the gallows

As Lebanon moves closer than ever to abolishing the death penalty, The Beiruter speaks with anti–death penalty advocate Dr. Ogarit Younan and revisits powerful testimonies from victims' families, and children whose voices have shaped one of the country's longest-running human rights battles.
By Michella Rizk
Lebanon's mighty medieval castles face destruction Lebanon's mighty medieval castles face destruction

Lebanon's mighty medieval castles face destruction

Nearly 900 years after they were built, Lebanon’s Crusader castles remain strategic strongholds, placing some of the country’s most important medieval landmarks directly in the path of modern warfare.
By Tony McMahon
Child abuse… the wound that does not heal Child abuse… the wound that does not heal

Child abuse… the wound that does not heal

Child abuse remains one of Lebanon’s most urgent yet overlooked crises, leaving lasting scars on thousands of children and raising critical questions about protection, accountability, and healing.
By Jenna Geagea
David Satterfield: Hezbollah’s death grip on Lebanon continues David Satterfield: Hezbollah’s death grip on Lebanon continues

David Satterfield: Hezbollah’s death grip on Lebanon continues

Former U.S. Ambassador David Satterfield argues that only bold political action not military force can weaken Hezbollah’s hold on Lebanon and restore the country's sovereignty.

 
By Amal Chmouny
DJ Chloe Kteily: From Beirut nightlife to international stages DJ Chloe Kteily: From Beirut nightlife to international stages

DJ Chloe Kteily: From Beirut nightlife to international stages

How strategy, adaptability and music turned Chloe Kteily into an international act.
By Grace Massoud
Riding toward unity in Lebanon Riding toward unity in Lebanon

Riding toward unity in Lebanon

On World Bicycle Day, Bike Club Beirut highlights how cycling is bringing people together while encouraging safer, more sustainable mobility across Lebanon.

 
By The Beiruter
Iranians in London form new alliances Iranians in London form new alliances

Iranians in London form new alliances

Rival Iranian groups are increasingly bringing their political battles to London’s streets, exposing deep divisions over Iran’s future and the alliances being formed abroad. 

 
By Tony McMahon
Samir Kassir: Ideas that survived assassination Samir Kassir: Ideas that survived assassination

Samir Kassir: Ideas that survived assassination

20 years after his assassination, Samir Kassir’s writings, activism, and vision of freedom continue to inspire Lebanon and the Arab world.
By The Beiruter
The Lebanese girl who sang into Rome's heart The Lebanese girl who sang into Rome's heart

The Lebanese girl who sang into Rome's heart

From school performances in Lebanon to a viral moment in Rome, Adriana Diab’s journey reflects the power of talent, perseverance, and saying yes to unexpected opportunities.
By The Beiruter
New tobacco and nicotine products reshape smoking habits in Lebanon New tobacco and nicotine products reshape smoking habits in Lebanon

New tobacco and nicotine products reshape smoking habits in Lebanon

E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are gaining ground in Lebanon despite growing health concerns.
By Nada Merhi
The fall of Byzantium: A timeless warning for Lebanese Christians The fall of Byzantium: A timeless warning for Lebanese Christians

The fall of Byzantium: A timeless warning for Lebanese Christians

The fall of the Byzantine Empire stands as a stark warning of how internal division and external abandonment can endanger Lebanon’s Christian community and its long-term future.
By Anthony Chamoun
Ten years of the Lebanese Canadian Film Festival Ten years of the Lebanese Canadian Film Festival

Ten years of the Lebanese Canadian Film Festival

The Lebanese Canadian Film Festival marks its 10th edition, celebrating a decade of bringing Lebanese cinema and stories to audiences across Canada.
By Jenna Geagea
Bellamy to The Beiruter: France and Lebanon’s enduring partnership Bellamy to The Beiruter: France and Lebanon’s enduring partnership

Bellamy to The Beiruter: France and Lebanon’s enduring partnership

Exclusive interview to The Beiruter with François-Xavier Bellamy, Vice President of the European Parliament, on Lebanon’s sovereignty crisis, Hezbollah, France’s role, and the future of the Lebanese state.
By Josiane Hajj Moussa
For Americans, a distant war arrives through prices For Americans, a distant war arrives through prices

For Americans, a distant war arrives through prices

For many Americans, the Iran war registers not through casualties but through prices, an economic pressure that history shows can rapidly become political backlash.
By Katharine Sorensen
Why Lebanon needs a National Sorry Day Why Lebanon needs a National Sorry Day

Why Lebanon needs a National Sorry Day

Australia’s National Sorry Day raises questions of memory, accountability, and unresolved trauma that echo deeply within Lebanon’s own unhealed history of war and disappearance.
By Jenna Geagea
Lebanon is quietly running out of nurses Lebanon is quietly running out of nurses

Lebanon is quietly running out of nurses

Drawing on exclusive figures and insights from the Lebanese Order of Nurses, The Beiruter investigates the growing strain inside Lebanon’s hospitals as understaffing, burnout, and migration push the country’s healthcare workforce closer to its breaking point.
By Michella Rizk
Lebanon's golden cinema archive of the 1960s Lebanon's golden cinema archive of the 1960s

Lebanon's golden cinema archive of the 1960s

A look at Lebanon’s golden cinema archive of the 1960s, when Beirut’s film industry and landmark works turned the country into a regional cultural and cinematic hub.
By Jenna Geagea
The Strait of Hormuz and modern maritime coercion The Strait of Hormuz and modern maritime coercion

The Strait of Hormuz and modern maritime coercion

The crisis surrounding the Strait of Hormuz is exposing a widening gap between the rules governing global maritime trade and the technology now being used to undermine them.
By Katharine Sorensen
Table 3: A show putting humanity at the forefront Table 3: A show putting humanity at the forefront

Table 3: A show putting humanity at the forefront

Table 3 is raising awareness and giving a voice to marginalized Lebanese people.
By Grace Massoud
The E-shaped economy and the rise of three-tiered inequality The E-shaped economy and the rise of three-tiered inequality

The E-shaped economy and the rise of three-tiered inequality

As wealth concentration accelerates, the divide between rich and poor has evolved into a three-tiered system where economic scarcity literally narrows how the poorest can think about the future.
By The Beiruter
The Lebanese Constitution: A century of endurance and crisis The Lebanese Constitution: A century of endurance and crisis

The Lebanese Constitution: A century of endurance and crisis

Lebanon’s Constitution marks 100 years of endurance amid deliberate implementation, recurring crises, institutional fragility, and ongoing struggles over statehood and reform.
By Anthony Chamoun
Feminist icons on the wall, male directors on the screen Feminist icons on the wall, male directors on the screen

Feminist icons on the wall, male directors on the screen

Cannes 2026 honors Thelma & Louise while women behind the camera remain underrepresented in competition.
By The Beiruter

Politics

Economy

Lebanon opens a Golden door to investors Lebanon opens a Golden door to investors

Lebanon opens a Golden door to investors

Lebanon is considering a Golden Residency program that would grant residency rights to investors who commit at least $500,000 to the country as part of efforts to attract capital, create jobs, and support economic recovery.
By The Beiruter
Why the poor often pay more than the rich Why the poor often pay more than the rich

Why the poor often pay more than the rich

How Lebanon’s heavy reliance on VAT, fuel taxes, customs duties and import charges places a disproportionate burden on lower and middle-income households.

 
By Christiane Tager
Amendments to the banking sector reform law Amendments to the banking sector reform law

Amendments to the banking sector reform law

Amendments to Lebanon’s banking reform law spark debate over IMF demands, governance independence, accountability, and systemic financial crisis implications ongoing.
By Patricia Jallad
Public employees reach a breaking point Public employees reach a breaking point

Public employees reach a breaking point

As inflation continues to outpace wages, public sector employees are warning that temporary fixes are no longer sufficient and are calling for a broader plan to restore purchasing power and safeguard the functioning of state institutions.
By The Beiruter
The ecological risks of Iran's shadow fleet The ecological risks of Iran's shadow fleet

The ecological risks of Iran's shadow fleet

As Iran relies on an expanding shadow fleet to sustain oil exports despite Western sanctions, the network may represent not only a sanctions-enforcement challenge but also a growing environmental risk, as aging tankers operate through some of the world's most economically and ecologically important waterways.
By Katharine Sorensen
The labor market’s missing numbers The labor market’s missing numbers

The labor market’s missing numbers

The lack of reliable labor market data is obscuring the true impact of war and economic contraction on employment, incomes, and job opportunities in Lebanon.

 
By Rimah Hashem
When the State acknowledges a systemic crisis When the State acknowledges a systemic crisis

When the State acknowledges a systemic crisis

Recognition of Lebanon’s crisis as systemic shifts responsibility toward the state, reshapes reform debates, and redefines financial recovery efforts.
By Patricia Jallad
Lebanese industry's costly resilience Lebanese industry's costly resilience

Lebanese industry's costly resilience

Lebanese manufacturers have weathered years of economic crisis and war, but declining exports, weak demand and rising costs are placing unprecedented strain on the sector.
By The Beiruter
Tripoli's railway returns after 50 years Tripoli's railway returns after 50 years

Tripoli's railway returns after 50 years

After five decades of silence, plans to revive the Tripoli–Al-Aboudieh railway could reconnect Lebanon to regional trade networks and transform Tripoli into a key logistics hub.

 
By The Beiruter
Inflation returns to the forefront in Lebanon Inflation returns to the forefront in Lebanon

Inflation returns to the forefront in Lebanon

Lebanon's inflation rate climbed to 17.3% in March 2026, as rising food, fuel, transport, generator, and leisure costs continue to squeeze household budgets despite relative currency stability.

 
By Christiane Tager
Displacement: A growing burden on a fragile economy Displacement: A growing burden on a fragile economy

Displacement: A growing burden on a fragile economy

As internal displacement grows across Lebanon, economists warn that its long-term costs on public finances, infrastructure, and economic growth far outweigh any short-term boost in consumer spending.

 
By Rimah Hashem
Can Lebanon turn an IMF diagnosis into reform? Can Lebanon turn an IMF diagnosis into reform?

Can Lebanon turn an IMF diagnosis into reform?

Seven years after Lebanon's financial collapse, an IMF assessment offers a detailed roadmap for governance reform, but political will remains the decisive factor.
By The Beiruter
The Gini gap: When inequality becomes a crisis The Gini gap: When inequality becomes a crisis

The Gini gap: When inequality becomes a crisis

New research suggests that extreme inequality can create lasting consequences for economic mobility, social cohesion, and political trust.
By The Beiruter
War, trade, and the future of carbon credits War, trade, and the future of carbon credits

War, trade, and the future of carbon credits

As carbon markets expand into a major source of climate finance, sustained geopolitical tensions are raising questions about whether international cooperation can keep pace.

 
By The Beiruter
CBDCs and the future of state-controlled money CBDCs and the future of state-controlled money

CBDCs and the future of state-controlled money

CBDCs are reshaping the future of money as governments move toward state-controlled digital currencies with growing implications for privacy, finance, and economic power.
By Anna Kachouh
The economics of impulse The economics of impulse

The economics of impulse

From one-click checkout to buy-now-pay-later services, modern digital systems are being designed to make spending faster, easier, and harder to resist.
By The Beiruter
The billion-dollar health question The billion-dollar health question

The billion-dollar health question

As Lebanon’s healthcare costs continue rising, growing pressure is mounting for universal healthcare reform amid widening gaps in medical access and insurance coverage.
By Jessica Habchy
Could Lebanon follow Greece’s recovery model? Could Lebanon follow Greece’s recovery model?

Could Lebanon follow Greece’s recovery model?

Greece’s recovery offers a case study in how stronger tax administration and institutional independence can help rebuild fiscal credibility after a financial crisis.
By The Beiruter
New maritime routes to link Jounieh with Cyprus, Syria, and Turkey New maritime routes to link Jounieh with Cyprus, Syria, and Turkey

New maritime routes to link Jounieh with Cyprus, Syria, and Turkey

Lebanon is preparing to reconnect with the Eastern Mediterranean through a new ferry network linking Jounieh to Cyprus, Syria, and Turkey, marking the country’s first major regional maritime transport revival in nearly two decades.
By The Beiruter
A widening gap between global economies A widening gap between global economies

A widening gap between global economies

The Institute of International Finance warns that the U.S.–Iran conflict and energy shock are accelerating global economic divergence, slowing growth, destabilizing supply chains, and reshaping monetary policy across major economies.
By The Beiruter
Can governments tax their way to better health? Can governments tax their way to better health?

Can governments tax their way to better health?

A growing global debate is emerging over whether health taxes can simultaneously reduce preventable disease, encourage healthier consumption, and provide sustainable government revenue.
By The Beiruter
The long fight for mothers’ financial rights in Lebanon The long fight for mothers’ financial rights in Lebanon

The long fight for mothers’ financial rights in Lebanon

Lebanese mothers can now officially open accounts for their minor children under renewed enforcement of a long-overlooked financial rights directive.
By The Beiruter
War deepens contraction to 10 percent War deepens contraction to 10 percent

War deepens contraction to 10 percent

Lebanon’s economy faces severe contraction as war disrupts growth, deepens recession, weakens key sectors, intensifies unemployment and instability in 2026.
By Patricia Jallad
The more energy a product needs, the higher its price The more energy a product needs, the higher its price

The more energy a product needs, the higher its price

Lebanon’s inflation rate has surged to 17.3% as rising oil prices, import costs, and regional instability push food, transport, and housing expenses sharply higher. 

 
By Patricia Jallad
Captagon: The drug empire fueling the Middle East Captagon: The drug empire fueling the Middle East

Captagon: The drug empire fueling the Middle East

Captagon has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar shadow industry linking Syria, Lebanon, and the Gulf through war, smuggling networks, and organized crime, turning the drug trade into one of the Middle East’s most powerful parallel economies.
By Christiane Tager
Can AI power the clean energy revolution? Can AI power the clean energy revolution?

Can AI power the clean energy revolution?

AI is emerging as a powerful tool for accelerating the clean energy transition, but its own growing electricity demand puts its climate credentials under scrutiny.
By The Beiruter
When the economy falls ill… health does not survive When the economy falls ill… health does not survive

When the economy falls ill… health does not survive

Lebanese people are increasingly sacrificing social life, healthcare, and everyday comforts as the economic crisis forces survival to take priority over everything else.
By Rimah Hashem
Surveillance pricing: The invisible tax on your data Surveillance pricing: The invisible tax on your data

Surveillance pricing: The invisible tax on your data

From grocery apps to airline tickets, surveillance pricing is transforming digital commerce by tailoring prices to individual consumers based on their data, browsing behavior, and predicted purchasing patterns.
By The Beiruter
Lebanon returns to Arab financial leadership Lebanon returns to Arab financial leadership

Lebanon returns to Arab financial leadership

Lebanon regains regional financial prominence after BDL Governor Karim Saeed’s election to lead the Arab Monetary Fund’s Board of Governors.
By The Beiruter
The hidden water debt in every import The hidden water debt in every import

The hidden water debt in every import

The growing trade in “virtual water” is exposing how international supply chains increasingly rely on the depletion of already water-stressed regions.
By The Beiruter
Where childhood fails in the Arab world’s poorest countries Where childhood fails in the Arab world’s poorest countries

Where childhood fails in the Arab world’s poorest countries

Millions of children across the Arab world’s poorest countries remain excluded not only from education, but from the very systems meant to measure and protect their futures. 

 
By Jenna Geagea
Who wins and loses in the global energy shock Who wins and loses in the global energy shock

Who wins and loses in the global energy shock

The Iran war is accelerating a new global divide between countries insulated from fossil fuel volatility and those still deeply reliant on vulnerable energy imports and shipping routes.
By The Beiruter
The new economics of leisure The new economics of leisure

The new economics of leisure

Consumers are cutting back across much of the economy, but leisure spending has remained resilient as people grow more selective about how, and how much, they spend on enjoyment.
By The Beiruter
Paralysis strikes the used car sector Paralysis strikes the used car sector

Paralysis strikes the used car sector

Lebanon’s used car sector faces near-total paralysis amid economic collapse, security instability, declining demand, mounting losses, and collapsing liquidity nationwide.
By Rimah Hashem
The new geography of exit The new geography of exit

The new geography of exit

Rising living costs, remote work, and growing political fatigue are contributing to a new wave of outward migration from Western countries once defined primarily by immigration.
By The Beiruter
Lebanon's women farmers are still fighting for equality Lebanon's women farmers are still fighting for equality

Lebanon's women farmers are still fighting for equality

Despite making up nearly half of the agricultural workforce in Lebanon and the MENA region, women farmers continue to face deep inequalities in land ownership, wages, and decision-making power. 

 
By Jenna Geagea
$1 million market 26 years in the making $1 million market 26 years in the making

$1 million market 26 years in the making

After standing unused for 26 years, Beirut’s Central Market may finally reopen or be reinvented as part of a broader commercial and agri-food hub project.

 
By The Beiruter
How regional conflict pushed Lebanon back into recession How regional conflict pushed Lebanon back into recession

How regional conflict pushed Lebanon back into recession

Lebanon’s economy grew modestly in 2025 amid fragile reforms, recovering tourism, and persistent structural, financial, and regional challenges nationwide overall.
By Patricia Jallad
Lebanon’s public sector wages: A fiscal burden Lebanon’s public sector wages: A fiscal burden

Lebanon’s public sector wages: A fiscal burden

How Lebanon’s public sector wage system driven by pensions, hiring, and policy choices has become a major strain on state finances.
By Christiane Tager
Lebanon’s olive oil sector pays the price of war Lebanon’s olive oil sector pays the price of war

Lebanon’s olive oil sector pays the price of war

How war and destruction are pushing southern Lebanon’s olive oil sector into crisis, threatening both livelihoods and heritage.

 
By Christiane Tager

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