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by inc.com -- If you call yourself a leader or aspire to be one, Bill Gates said something years ago that should resonate deep within the collective conscience of leaders everywhere. The co-founder of Microsoft pointed out:

"As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others."

In two words, Gates nailed a defining characteristic of true leaders years in advance: empower others. Let's now reframe his quote to match the surreal circumstances in which we find ourselves today. When you think of what great leaders may be doing to pivot and meet the demands of a stay-at-home economy, what comes to mind? For starters, more are waking up to the stark reality to make virtual collaboration the norm. And to Gates' point, whatever you thought about leaders before the outbreak, one thing still remains true for either office or remote settings: Great leaders set themselves apart by effectively influencing and empowering other human beings.

By MEE staff -- The chairman of Lebanon's state-owned airline has defended a decision to charge nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic, at rates some have called exorbitant. Mohammad Hout, the chairman of Middle East Airlines (MEA), said on Monday that the company was "unable to support the expatriates returning from abroad" with free flights if it wanted to stay in business. On Sunday, Lebanese nationals stranded abroad began taking special flights home but Middle East Eye found that the tickets were being priced at prohibitive prices, ranging from $650-1,800 for economy class, and $1,300-3,900 for business. "Our priority is the continuity of the company," Hout said, explaining that "tickets are priced at cost without profit". But the cost of operating has skyrocketed due to global travel bans aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus, officially known as Covid-19. Last week, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned that airlines in the Middle East region had lost around $19bn in revenues since the start of the pandemic.

by middleeasteye.net — Lebanese banks are to apply an exchange rate of 2,600 pounds per dollar for withdrawals from small accounts of …

by middleeastmonitor.com -- Lebanese President Michel Aoun announced today that his country has entered an unprecedented crisis characterised by an economic recession, a severe shortage of foreign currencies, high unemployment and poverty rates and inflation. Aoun’s remarks came in a speech he delivered before members of the International Support Group for Lebanon (ISGL), during their meeting at the Presidential Palace in east Beirut, in the presence of Prime Minister Hassan Diab. The Lebanese president stated: “For these reasons, and to stop the depletion of reserves, the state decided to suspend the repayment of Eurobonds, and the appointment of two international financial and legal consultants to act as government counsellors.”

The ISGL, which was founded in 2013, announced at its meeting in Paris last year that the international community is willing to assist Lebanon in overcoming the ongoing financial crisis, provided that an effective, credible and capable government is established to fight corruption. “We heavily rely on the $11 billion aid pledge we received at the CEDRE conference in Paris, which will mainly be devoted to investment in infrastructure projects,” Aoun said. He added: “Today we are facing all these crises and repercussions, and we welcome any assistance from the friends of Lebanon. (…) We are working to prepare a comprehensive economic and financial plan to mend the economy’s imbalances.”