Lebanon–US diplomacy: President Joseph Aoun is set to meet Donald Trump at the White House, after Rome talks with the US ended without a timetable, as Beirut presses for stronger US guarantees on Israel’s withdrawal from southern “pilot zones,” plus reconstruction and support for the Lebanese Armed Forces. Lebanon–Israel impact on industry: A Beirut museum exhibition of “keys without homes” highlights how ongoing strikes and demolitions in south Lebanon are keeping displaced families from returning—an economic hit for housing, local services, and rebuilding. Energy infrastructure: Cyprus and Lebanon have agreed on terms for a World Bank-backed feasibility study on a possible electricity interconnection, aiming to link Lebanon toward the European grid via Cyprus. Local business resilience: With Lebanon’s economy still battered, Lebanese small businesses are using TikTok as a low-cost sales channel, with a cited 2024 study estimating $150m a year generated for the economy. Defense supply chain pressure: A Canadian campaign targeting Elbit Systems’ supply chain ramps up, with calls to pressure ministers and suppliers—relevant to defense-linked industrial procurement. Regional risk to shipping: The US-Iran confrontation keeps threatening commercial routes around the Strait of Hormuz, raising uncertainty for energy and logistics costs that Lebanon’s import-dependent economy feels quickly.