Stephanie Bechara

Economic Journalist for @LOrientLeJour and @LOrientToday 🇱🇧 | Economics instructor at @Lebamericanuni | News and views | Opinions expressed are my own.

[Stephanie Bechara @StephBechara]

Le Monde: HSBC Private Bank Suisse has been charged in France over its alleged role in helping former Banque du Liban governor Riad Salameh embezzle more than $300 million from Lebanon’s central bank.

The bank was charged with organized money laundering and conspiracy to commit offenses such as embezzlement of public funds, breach of trust, or bribery of a public official. It was ordered to pay €80 million in bail.

[Stephanie Bechara @StephBechara]

On René Mouawad Airport, Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny said the government is also “operating under the PPP law.”

He said Sky Lounge won the tender for airport management “in the immediate future,” while later phases will seek to attract investors and specialized companies, including potentially Sky Lounge or other bidders in upcoming tenders.

[Stephanie Bechara @StephBechara]

An agreement was signed today to launch IFC’s advisory partnership with the Lebanese government on public-private partnerships for the country’s airports, the National News Agency reported.

Under the partnership, the IFC will advise on structuring a PPP to support the rehabilitation, expansion, financing, operation and maintenance of Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport, and conduct a feasibility study for developing Qleiaat Airport as a second international gateway for Lebanon.

[Salah Hijazi @shijazi_tweets]

Woke up to the news of a ceasefire, two Israeli strikes and one operation by Hezbollah.
Nothing means anything anymore in this country

[U.S. State Dept - Near Eastern Affairs @StateDept_NEA]

Joint Statement of the United States of America, Republic of Lebanon, and State of Israel on the Latest High-Level Trilateral Meeting
https://t.co/kCdk9TCSpe

[Stephanie Bechara @StephBechara]

The WFP warned that Lebanon is facing a deepening humanitarian emergency nearly 3 months into the conflict, as mass displacement and rising prices continue to put food beyond the reach of vulnerable households. via @lorienttoday

[Barak Ravid @BarakRavid]

🚨Statement Issued by the Lebanese Embassy in Washington: "Within the framework of the efforts undertaken by the Lebanese state to preserve stability and spare Lebanon from further escalation—and following the communication that took place between the President of the Republic, General Joseph Aoun, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio—Lebanese authorities received confirmation of Hezbollah’s agreement to the U.S. proposal calling for a mutual cessation of attacks. Under the proposed arrangement, Israeli strikes on the Southern Suburbs of Beirut would cease in exchange for Hezbollah refraining from carrying out attacks against Israel, with the scope of the ceasefire subsequently being expanded to encompass the entirety of Lebanese territory. Subsequently, President Donald Trump placed a call to Lebanon’s Ambassador to the United States, Nada Maawad, informing her that he had secured the agreement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the proposed arrangement. Ambassador Maawad conveyed the outcome of these discussions to President Aoun, who, in turn, communicated this information to Hezbollah"

[Stephanie Bechara @StephBechara]

The IMF has released a Diagnostic of Governance and Corruption report on Lebanon, conducted at the request of the Lebanese authorities, warning that weaknesses in central bank governance and financial sector oversight, alongside pervasive corruption risks, outdated legal frameworks and fragile rule of law, remain major impediments to the country’s economic recovery.

The report calls for sequenced reforms to strengthen oversight, central bank governance, public financial management and accountability.

[Mounir Younès/منير يونس @Mouniryouniss]

📌نشر صندوق النقد الدولي على موقعه اليوم أحد أخطر التقارير عن لبنان والفساد المستشري فيه وانعدام الحوكمة في مؤسساته العامة. وهناك فصل خطير عن مصرف لبنان والمصارف. أدعو الجميع لقراءة هذا التقرير الاستثنائي

Lebanon: Diagnostic of Governance and Corruption https://t.co/NWLRCllgmV

[L'Orient-Le Jour @LOrientLeJour]

🤳De nombreux habitants de la banlieue sud de Beyrouth quittent leurs quartiers de manière précipitée, alors que des drones israéliens survolent la région.

Vidéo relayée par notre correspondant.

[Stephanie Bechara @StephBechara]

Relance de la série consacrée aux ouvertures de restaurants, en partenariat avec Hodema, qui identifie chaque semaine les nouvelles adresses ouvrant au Liban (et dans la capitale) + couvrant plusieurs angles : le montant de l’investissement, le ticket moyen, l’histoire derrière le concept et le type de cuisine proposé.

Cette semaine : l’ouverture de Ma NiNou, avec un investissement total de 750 000$:

https://t.co/PnYzhOY2r2

[Hanin Ghaddar @haningdr]

The IRGC began deploying hundreds of commanders to Lebanon in Nov 2024 to rebuild the group. This effort resembled the IRGC’s late-1970s collaboration with Amal and PLO elements inside Lebanon. The IRGC presence there is extensive.
More here👇 https://t.co/FIPDNxu8Tp

[Hiba Nasr @HibaNasr]

‼️ 200 social, and civic figures from Nabatieh declared the city open to the Lebanese state & its official security forces.

The move reflects a growing public call for state authority & legitimacy in Southern Lebanon, despite significant challenges on the ground & the likelihood of a response from Hezbollah.

[Stephanie Bechara @StephBechara]

Italian police have seized more than €200 million in assets tied to late Sicilian mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro.

Assets seized included villas, luxury cars, 12 kilograms of gold, offshore accounts, and a major stake in a Lebanese bank. Via @Telegraph

https://t.co/zJCwa6l0PY

[Stephanie Bechara @StephBechara]

The Cedar Waves, Lebanon’s new ferry, has arrived to the Jounieh port this afternoon.

[Stephanie Bechara @StephBechara]

🇫🇷: https://t.co/IDgA9qDdhQ

[Stephanie Bechara @StephBechara]

A long-awaited passenger ferry line linking Lebanon to Cyprus through Jounieh port is expected to begin operations in June, after a one-year delay. The ferry, branded Cedar Waves and operated by the Abou Merhi Group, will connect Jounieh to Larnaca in around four hours.

Additional routes are planned between Mersin in Turkey and Latakia in Syria.

Contrary to some erroneous information that circulated online, suggesting that the first trip would take place on June 10, maritime operator Abou Merhi and Cedar Waves confirmed to L’Orient-Le Jour that the first sailing is now scheduled for June 19.

https://t.co/MQeaSFtGhF

[Stephanie Bechara @StephBechara]

The BDL has awarded Alvarez & Marsal a contract to conduct a forensic audit of selected transactions involving BDL’s foreign assets between Oct. 1, 2019 and Dec. 31, 2023.

The audit will cover subsidy-related transfers worth several billion dollars, funds made available to public institutions, and BDL transfers to commercial banks’ foreign accounts.

[L'Orient-Le Jour @LOrientLeJour]

🚨 #Urgent | Netanyahu affirme qu'Israël va « intensifier » l'offensive au Liban pour « écraser » le Hezbollah

[Alex Rowell @alexjrowell]

آخر إنجاز للحزب: تحويل عيد التحرير إلى يوم التضامن مع النازحين.