The Buzz

Economics and Policy Lebanon’s budget deficit jumped by more than 38 percent in the first four months of the year. More from The Daily Star   The Middle East and …

Economics and Policy A car bomb killed at least 21 people and wounded 250 in the southern suburb of Beirut on Thursday evening. More from The Daily Star   The …

Economics and Policy International oil companies are frustrated by the failure of politicians to form a Cabinet to designate the offshore gas and oil blocks for exploration. More from The …

Economics and Policy Russia has said an international peace conference on Syria is unlikely to take place before October because of "other events." More from AFP   Saudi Arabia’s inflation …

During the first year of the Syrian uprising, relatively few refugees registered with the UNHCR, the United Nations’ refugee agency. By the end of June 2012, only 25,000 had registered …

Economics and Policy A group representing tourism-related businesses in Lebanon has called on the government to take swift steps to remedy the problems facing the sector. More from The Daily …

Economics and Policy Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, a former Iranian oil minister who has been nominated by President Hassan Rouhani to take over the ministry again, pledged to boost Iran’s oil …

Economics and Policy Egypt’s urban consumer inflation quickened to its fastest in two years last month, the central bank has said, driven by higher food prices and a sliding currency. …

Economics and Policy Security concerns and travel restrictions from Gulf Arab states have driven Lebanese tourist arrivals down by 27 percent during the small Mediterranean state’s peak season, Lebanon’s caretaker …

What do a building, a billboard ad, a handbag and a website have in common? They all had a designer involved in their production.  Despite its wide scope — ranging …