Concrete barriers seal off access to Beirut’s government palace.
Photographer: Hasan Shaaban/Bloomberg
World
Lebanon’s Slow, Painful Slide Into Financial Meltdown
It’s been 30 years since the civil war ended, but the country has never been far away from a crisis.
Behind a black gate in an upscale Beirut suburb, the head of Lebanon’s banking lobby implored the government to hold firm against the latest crisis, pay the country’s debts and safeguard its financial industry.
“A stable economy is largely dependent on a strong banking sector,” said Salim Sfeir, perched on the edge of his chair near a large corner window overlooking the garden of his villa.