Analysis: The cost of Syria’s crackdown

Could the country’s economic decline, spurred on by the protests, pose a graver challenge to al-Assad than the uprising?

Euro crisis: Greek Children ‘dumped in streets by parents

Children are being abandoned on Greece’s streets by their poverty-stricken families who cannot afford to look after them any more.

Youngsters are being dumped by their parents who are struggling to make ends meet in what is fast becoming the most tragic human consequence of the Euro crisis. (more…)

Crude Oil Falls on Reduced Iran Concern

Oil declined for the first time in seven days as a surge in the European Central Bank’s balance sheet to a record highlighted the growing risks of the region’s debt crisis.

Oil declined for the first time in seven days (more…)

Nahhas: New wage hikes could result in many bankruptcy filings

Lebanon’s Economy and Trade Minister Nicolas Nahhas said on Friday that the economic institutions will not be able to implement the wage hikes recently decided by the cabinet and hinted that this could result in bankruptcy filings by many sectors of the economy, As Safir newspaper reported. (more…)

Moody’s downgrades Lebanon banking-system outlook

Moody’s Investors Service lowered its outlook on Lebanon’s banking system to negative from stable, citing slowed economic growth and regional political uncertainty.

The rating firm said Syria’s current instability was especially notable, as was the local banks’ exposure to countries with political unrest or economic slowdowns or both, such as Egypt or Jordan. (more…)

Mikati: Central Bank to take measures to protect the economy

Prime Minister Najib Mikati said on Thursday that the Central Bank of Lebanon is taking appropriate measures to protect the country’s economy sector.

“The Lebanese banking sector is essential for Lebanon’s economy,” he said according to National News Agency. (more…)

Greece Selects Prime Minister After Days of Wrangling

Lucas Papademos, a respected economist with an avuncular style, was named prime minister of Greece on Thursday. He will lead a unity government that has pledged to quickly approve the tough terms of a European aid package and save the country from bankruptcy. (more…)

Siniora: The wage increase is not based on solid research

Former PM and current Future bloc leader MP Fouad Siniora criticized on Friday the government over the way it is handling the economy by saying “the government is not tackling the economy correctly, ” National News Agency reported (more…)

World bank downgrades Lebanon growth from 7 to 4%

The World Bank revised downward the projected 2011 economic growth in Lebanon from the initial January forecast of 7 Per cent to 4 percent (more…)

Coop urges Mikati to provide LL 75 billion treasury loan

Coop of Lebanon shareholders called on the cabinet on Friday to provide the cooperative with a LL75-billion treasury loan, according to local reports

The Shareholders issued a statement reminding Prime Minister Najib Mikati that he should implement decree Number 109, which has already approved the loan. (more…)