• Parliament approved the $5.97 billion budget, up by nearly $1 billion from 2025
• Critics call it "accounting engineering" designed to produce zero deficit regardless of realistic projections or economic impact
• The budget remains one-third the size of pre-2019 spending, reflecting the diminished role of public sector investment

Why it matters: Lebanon's obsession with zero deficit budgets prioritizes optics over economic recovery—cutting public investment when the country desperately needs infrastructure spending and job creation.

• Banque du Liban launched a new tender for forensic auditing services, but depositors' lawyers remain doubtful about genuine accountability
• Depositors' Association lawyer Fouad Debs says Governor Karim Saeed "doesn't want real forensic auditing" that would hold banks accountable for losses
• Previous forensic audit attempts by Alvarez & Marsal stalled due to lack of cooperation from authorities

Why it matters: After years of delays, this tender could be another charade—unless there's real political will to uncover how $100+ billion vanished from Lebanon's financial system.

• Gold plummeted to $4,883 per ounce, its steepest daily fall since 1983
• Silver crashed nearly 30% in its worst day on record as Trump announced Kevin Warsh as Jerome Powell's replacement
• The appointment signals potential shifts in monetary policy that spooked precious metals investors

Why it matters: For Lebanese families who turned to gold as a hedge against lira collapse, this volatility is a reminder that even "safe havens" can deliver nasty surprises.

• Syrian government and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces agreed to a permanent ceasefire and gradual integration framework
• Washington called it a "historic milestone" as Kurdish forces will join Syria's new army through negotiations rather than battle
• The deal ends nearly a month of fighting and resolves tensions over Kurdish autonomy in northeast Syria

Why it matters: This agreement could stabilize Syria's northeast and create a model for integrating diverse military forces—crucial for preventing the country from fragmenting further.

• Israeli airstrikes killed at least 12 Palestinians including 6 children, one of the highest tolls since the Oct⁠ober agreement
• Strikes hit an apartment building in Gaza City and a tent in Khan Younis, targeting two families
• The attacks came one day before the Rafah crossing was scheduled to reopen for civilian movement

Why it matters: These violations threaten the fragile ceasefire mechanism and could derail efforts to establish lasting calm in Gaza after months of devastating conflict.

• President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Trump, Netanyahu, and European leaders of exploiting Iran's economic crisis to incite unrest
• Rights group HRANA reports at least 6,563 killed in two weeks of protests, including 6,170 protesters and 214 security forces
• The nationwide demonstrations began in late Dec⁠ember over soaring inflation and rising living costs

Why it matters: The scale of casualties reveals the depth of Iran's internal crisis, with economic grievances triggering the most significant unrest since the 1979 revolution.