by egypttoday.com — CAIRO – 25 November 2018: The total number of Lebanese companies investing in Egypt is about 1,645 companies with …

By Tamara Qiblawi, CNN -- Beirut, Lebanon (CNN Business)When Carlos Ghosn was arrested on suspicion of financial misconduct, a joke went around in Lebanon that the auto industry legend had finally qualified to be president of the tiny country with a reputation for corruption. But his detention in Japan and subsequent removal as chairman of Nissan (NSANY) have also stunned a country where he has been hailed as national icon for his business success. Many hoped the "white knight" who rescued Nissan could perhaps one day do the same for Lebanon, relieving the country of its debilitating debt, and cleaning up the economy. (Lebanon is ranked 143rd out of 180 countries on Transparency International's most recent index of perceived corruption in the public sector.) "He wasn't an ever present force in the Lebanese economy or political thinking. But whenever a president's term was up, he was always one of the names that came up as a possible president," said Lebanese blogger and commentator Gino Raidy. "But why would he even do that?"

Ghosn was born in Brazil but grew up in Beirut after moving with his Lebanese mother back home when he was six years old. He studied at Beirut's College Notre Dame — a Jesuit school — and still serves on the Strategic Council of Saint Joseph University in the city. During a speech in Beirut in 2003, Ghosn said Lebanon could learn from his rapid turnaround of Nissan a few years earlier when restructuring its debt. Lebanon's government continued to revere the business magnate over the years, and in 2017 it issued a postal stamp with his face on it. But Ghosn repeatedly shrugged off suggestions he should run for political office. "Naturally people looked at him and said 'Well, here's a guy who can help us restructure debt. He has Lebanese citizenship. Why doesn't he get involved in politics?'" said Habib Battah, editor at beirutreport.com who interviewed Ghosn in 2003. "As Lebanese, we tend to really root for people of this tiny country who made it somewhere because the country has been through so many wars and difficult crises." Government backing When news broke that Ghosn had been detained, reportedly after stepping off a flight to Tokyo from Beirut, Lebanon's government spared little time declaring its support for him. And members of the business community, including some of Ghosn's close friends, said they would defend his legacy.

by arabnews.com — NAJIA HOUSSARI — BEIRUT: “Every day is Black Friday in Lebanon.” The term Black Friday in the Lebanese vocabulary has …

This article does not necessarily represent khazen.org opinion  by Bassem Mroue – Associated Press — BEIRUT – Lebanon is marking 75 years …