News

Lebanon Preparing To Build New $70 Million Airport Terminal

The construction of the second terminal is hoped to increase the capacity of the airport from 8 million passengers a year today to 20 million by 2030.

Published

2 years ago

June 16, 2022

David Morelo

lebanon preparing to build new $70 million airport terminal

Directorate General Of Civil Aviation

Lebanon’s only international airport in Beirut is moving one step closer to the construction of its second terminal. According to Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamie, the crisis-stricken country will soon launch an international tender for the $70 million project.

Once constructed, the state-of-the-art terminal will be used for chartered and low-cost flights, as well those carrying Muslim pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The construction of the new terminal, together with other expansions and technological improvements, is hoped to increase the capacity of the airport from 8 million passengers a year today to 20 million by 2030, as stated on the website of national carrier Middle East Airlines.

beirut international airport terminal 2

In the coming months, large numbers of travelers are expected to visit Lebanon and generate substantial revenue for the country, whose tourism sector alone corresponds to 7.5 percent of its gross domestic product.

“Occupancy rates are full at airlines and hotels,” Minister of Tourism Walid Nassar said in reference to the summer season. “Lebanese expatriates and foreigners who love Lebanon will come to Lebanon and it will be a promising summer.”

Also Read: Google Contributed Billions To The Middle East Economy In 2021

The capacity to comfortably welcome more travelers to the country would provide a nice economic boost for Lebanon, which is experiencing the first financial crisis in its modern history. What’s more, the terminal construction project, which will be carried out by the private sector, should create hundreds of new jobs.

The last time when the Beirut Airport underwent a modernization was in 1990, after the Lebanese Civil War, which left it in shambles and in need for major improvements. For the last several years, the airport has been operating at peak capacity, and the two large explosions at the Beirut port in 2020 only made the situation worse.

News

Samsung Smart Glasses Teased For January, Software Reveal Imminent

According to Korean sources, the new wearable will launch alongside the Galaxy S25, with the accompanying software platform unveiled this December.

Published

2 days ago

December 4, 2024

Nour Nasir

samsung smart glasses teased for january software reveal imminent

Samsung appears poised to introduce its highly anticipated smart glasses in January 2025, alongside the launch of the Galaxy S25. According to sources in Korea, the company will first reveal the accompanying software platform later this month.

As per a report from Yonhap News, Samsung’s unveiling strategy for the smart glasses echoes its approach with the Galaxy Ring earlier this year. The January showcase won’t constitute a full product launch but will likely feature teaser visuals at the Galaxy S25 event. A more detailed rollout could follow in subsequent months.

Just in: Samsung is set to unveil a prototype of its augmented reality (AR) glasses, currently in development, during the Galaxy S25 Unpacked event early next year, likely in the form of videos or images.

Additionally, prior to revealing the prototype, Samsung plans to introduce…

— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) December 3, 2024

The Galaxy Ring, for example, debuted in January via a short presentation during Samsung’s Unpacked event. The full product unveiling came later at MWC in February, and the final release followed in July. Samsung seems to be adopting a similar phased approach with its smart glasses, which are expected to hit the market in the third quarter of 2025.

A Collaborative Software Effort

Samsung’s partnership with Google has played a key role in developing the smart glasses’ software. This collaboration was first announced in February 2023, with the device set to run on an Android-based platform. In July, the companies reiterated their plans to deliver an extended reality (XR) platform by the end of the year. The software specifics for the XR device are expected to be unveiled before the end of December.

Reports suggest that the smart glasses will resemble Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in functionality. They won’t include a display but will weigh approximately 50 grams, emphasizing a lightweight, user-friendly design.

Feature Set And Compatibility

The glasses are rumored to integrate Google’s Gemini technology, alongside features like gesture recognition and potential payment capabilities. Samsung aims to create a seamless user experience by integrating the glasses with its broader Galaxy ecosystem, starting with the Galaxy S25, slated for release on January 22.