http://www.zawya.com/middle-east/countries/lebanonen-usCopyright 2012 Zawya Ltd. All rights reserved.Wed, 16 May 2012 06:45:20 GMT3014476http://www.zawya.com/middle-east/countries/lebanonhttp://www.zawya.com/images/newsletter_zawya_logo.gifhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Lebanon_to_provide_15000_affordable_PC_tablets_to_students_through_Central_Bank_program-DS16052012_dsart*173523/Lebanon intends to provide 15,000 reduced-cost tablet PCs to public school students soon, ministers launching the initiative said Tuesday, adding that the step aims to improve the quality of education and boost a knowledge-based economy.Wed, 16 May 2012 05:22:30 GMTThe Daily Star DS16052012_dsart-173523Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/EU_urges_Lebanon_to_adopt_electoral_reform_before_2013-DS16052012_dsart*173534/The European Union urged Lebanon Tuesday to adopt a new electoral law ahead of the 2013 parliamentary elections, along with a host of other recommendations related to judicial, social and political reform in the country.Wed, 16 May 2012 05:21:35 GMTThe Daily Star DS16052012_dsart-173534Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Lebanese_Army_imposes_rule_of_law_in_Tripoli-DS16052012_dsart*173537/The Lebanese Army brought an end Tuesday to three days of clashes between the rival neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen in Tripoli which left at least seven people dead and over 100 wounded.Wed, 16 May 2012 05:20:57 GMTThe Daily Star DS16052012_dsart-173537Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Agreement_between_Bank_Audi_sal_Audi_Saradar_Group_and_Saham_Finances_sa_for_acquisition_of_a_majority_interest_in_the_capital_of_LIA_Insurance_sal-ZAWYA20120515102839/Bank Audi sal - Audi Saradar Group, the majority shareholder of LIA Insurance sal, has entered into an agreement with Saham Finances sa, the holding company of the Moroccan group leader of the African insurance market (excluding South Africa) for the acquisition by Saham Finances sa of 81% of the capital of LIA Insurance sal.Tue, 15 May 2012 14:42:55 GMTPress Release ZAWYA20120515102839Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/اتفاقية_بين_بنك_عوده_ش_م_ل__مجموعة_عوده_سرادار_وساهام_فايننس_شم-ZAWYA20120515095147/يعلن بنك عوده ش م ل - مجموعة عوده سرادار وشركة ساهام فينانس ش. م.أنّهما قد وقّعا اتّفاقيّة لتملّك مساهمة أكثريّة في رأسمال ليا للتأمين.Tue, 15 May 2012 10:23:25 GMTPress Release ZAWYA20120515095147Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/BMI_Middle_East_and_Africa_Food_and_Drink_May12-pdf_150512090206/BMI’s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) ratings assess a market’s attractiveness to industry investors in comparison with its peers. The reward part of the rating takes into account market size, current consumption levels, future industry growth prospects (based on our five-year industry forecasts), market fragmentation (with greater fragmentation indicating higher opportunities) and the size of the youth population. Meanwhile, the risk part of the rating takes into account the legislative environment, the level of development of the organised retail sector (with higher development leading to lower risks), as well as relevant aspects of the economic and political environment.Tue, 15 May 2012 08:58:00 GMTBusiness Monitor International Limited pdf_150512090206Subscriptionhttp://www.zawya.com/story/BMI_Middle_East_and_Africa_Oil_and_Gas_May12-pdf_150512085021/BMI View: The oil market will once again be tight in 2012, though the pressure should ease towards the latter half of the year as production starts to catch up with demand. This supply tightness has contributed to elevated oil prices and a high level of price volatility since 2010, which we expect to see again in 2012.Tue, 15 May 2012 08:47:00 GMTBusiness Monitor International Limited pdf_150512085021Subscriptionhttp://www.zawya.com/story/BMI_Middle_East_and_Africa_Telecommunications_May12-pdf_150512084547/Mobile content in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is evolving rapidly as a result of strong uptake of smartphones and mobile data services, as well as operators' moves to expand their revenue streams through value-added services (VAS) amid declining revenue growth from basic services. BMI notes that the development of mobile content in region is mainly homogenous, with a mixture of telecoms crossovers such as m-health and m-banking, and internet-based mobile applications, apart from a handful of markets where 3G network services have not been launched. Meanwhile, there are clear signs that VAS are also becoming increasingly important to businesses. BMI believes this development is the main driver growing investments in corporate mobile content such as machine-to-machine (M2M).Tue, 15 May 2012 08:41:00 GMTBusiness Monitor International Limited pdf_150512084547Subscriptionhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Banque_Audi_The_Lebanon_Weekly_Monitor_13May12-pdf_150512053213/This is a PDF report. Tue, 15 May 2012 05:30:00 GMTBanque Audi pdf_150512053213Subscriptionhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Hariri_urges_necessary_steps_to_end_deadly_Tripoli_fighting-DS15052012_dsart*173426/Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri urged Lebanese political, religious and military leaders Monday night to do “whatever it takes” to end clashes in Lebanon’s second city, political sources said, after intensified fighting drove the death toll of three days of armed confrontations to at least seven with another 98 wounded.Tue, 15 May 2012 05:08:46 GMTThe Daily Star DS15052012_dsart-173426Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/EDL_contract_workers_demand_security-DS15052012_dsart*173410/Electricite du Liban contract and part-time workers held a protest in the capital Monday demanding permanent employment with full benefits and voiced fears of losing their jobs to service providers contracted by the Energy and Water Ministry.Tue, 15 May 2012 05:07:34 GMTThe Daily Star DS15052012_dsart-173410Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Salameh_New_banknotes_helped_boost_currency-DS15052012_dsart*173430/New banknotes with modern security features helped the Lebanese pound regain value, Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh said Monday.Tue, 15 May 2012 05:07:21 GMTThe Daily Star DS15052012_dsart-173430Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Lebanons_Tripoli_fears_escalation_of_Syria_spillover-ANA20120514T141430ZTYA11/Residents of two rival neighbourhoods in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli cowered in fear on Monday as fresh sectarian clashes erupted linked to the unrest in neighbouring Syria.Tue, 15 May 2012 05:05:17 GMTAFP ANA20120514T141430ZTYA11Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Electricity_export_from_Iran_to_Lebanon_Syria_soon-ZAWYA20120514050718/Iran will export electricity to Syria and Lebanon in the near future, said the advisor to deputy energy minister for electricity and energy affairs. Abdol Hamid Farzam Behboudi said Iran is prepared to begin power export to Lebanon from next week.Mon, 14 May 2012 07:31:20 GMTIran Daily ZAWYA20120514050718Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Aridi_PSP_will_not_allow_its_influence_to_be_marginalized_by_electoral_system-DS14052012_dsart*173300/Public Works and Transportation Minister Ghazi Aridi Sunday spoke out in support of Walid Jumblatt’s opposition to proportional representation, saying the Progressive Socialist Party will not allow its influence to be marginalized by an electoral system.Mon, 14 May 2012 05:48:05 GMTThe Daily Star DS14052012_dsart-173300Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Torbey_Lebanon_bank_deposits_set_to_grow_by_at_least_8-DS14052012_dsart*173294/Deposits in Lebanese banks are set to grow by “no less” than 8 percent, head of the Lebanese Banks Association Joseph Torbey said over the weekend, reiterating the sector’s commitment to implementing international sanctions on Syria.Mon, 14 May 2012 05:46:56 GMTThe Daily Star DS14052012_dsart-173294Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Mikati_sees_solution_for_spending_crisis_this_week-DS14052012_dsart*173286/Prime Minister Najib Mikati is optimistic about finding a solution for the problem of extra-budgetary spending, which is threatening to throw the government into disarray, during Wednesday’s Cabinet session, Information Minister Walid Daouk said.Mon, 14 May 2012 05:45:57 GMTThe Daily Star DS14052012_dsart-173286Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/UAE_Lebanon_look_to_boost_economic_ties-DS14052012_dsart*173297/The United Arab Emirates and Lebanon are seeking stronger economic ties, officials from the two countries said over the weekend.Mon, 14 May 2012 05:44:45 GMTThe Daily Star DS14052012_dsart-173297Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/New_Syrialinked_clashes_in_Lebanons_Tripoli-ANA20120513T182616ZTVR25/One person was killed and seven others were wounded in fresh clashes on Sunday in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli between factions supporting and opposed to the revolt in neighbouring Syria, security sources said.Mon, 14 May 2012 05:34:46 GMTAFP ANA20120513T182616ZTVR25Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Byblos_Bank_Lebanon_This_Week_12May12-pdf_140512095348/This is a PDF report. Sat, 12 May 2012 09:52:00 GMTByblos Bank pdf_140512095348Subscriptionhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Blominvest_Bank__The_Lebanon_Brief_12May12-pdf_140512070425/This is a PDF report. Sat, 12 May 2012 06:57:00 GMTBlominvest Bank S.A.L. pdf_140512070425Subscriptionhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Lebanese_banks_cut_government_debt_exposure-DS12052012_dsart*173141/Lebanon’s banks are attracting more deposits and reducing exposure to government debt, Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh said, which benchmark rating companies note are critical to the most-indebted Arab nation’s creditworthiness.Sat, 12 May 2012 06:50:51 GMTThe Daily Star DS12052012_dsart-173141Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Syria_may_descend_into_Iraqlike_abyss_Nasrallah-ANA20120511T195606ZTRY94/Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah accused the US, Israel and some Arab states of stoking "terrorism" in Syria, during a speech broadcast to thousands of his supporters in southern Beirut.Sat, 12 May 2012 05:20:30 GMTAFP ANA20120511T195606ZTRY94Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/US_cautions_Lebanese_banks_on_Syria_Treasury-ANA20120510T184436ZTNQ13/The United States is urging Lebanese banks to take "extra" caution in handling financial transactions with Syria, to prevent the Assad regime and its supporters from stashing money abroad, a senior Treasury official said.Fri, 11 May 2012 06:13:06 GMTAFP ANA20120510T184436ZTNQ13Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Arab_world_population_to_double_by_2050_report-ZAWYA20120510065915/The urban population of the Arab States, which already quadrupled between 1970 and 2010, will more than double by 2050, according to the United Nations Human Settlements Programe's (UN-Habitat) new report.Thu, 10 May 2012 09:15:18 GMTJordan News Agency - Petra ZAWYA20120510065915Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/SinoArab_boom_to_benefit_all_Envoy-ZAWYA20120510030454/He was speaking ahead of the departure of an Arab media team to China at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing.Thu, 10 May 2012 05:43:40 GMTArab News ZAWYA20120510030454Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Lebanons_Waterfront_City_to_create_10000_jobs-DS10052012_dsart*172871/Leading real estate developer Waterfront City announced a $1.8 million corporate social responsibility initiative targeting non-governmental organizations in the vicinity of the Dbayyeh mega project.Thu, 10 May 2012 05:21:16 GMTThe Daily Star DS10052012_dsart-172871Openhttp://www.zawya.com/story/Overspending_row_imperils_Cabinet-DS10052012_dsart*172900/10Lebanon’s Cabinet plunged deeper into crisis with Prime Minister Najib Mikati warning that the continuation of deadlock over the controversial draft law on over-spending would threaten the survival of his government.Thu, 10 May 2012 05:20:47 GMTThe Daily Star DS10052012_dsart-172900Open