Municipal Elections in Batroun: A Shifting Political Landscape

Samar El-Kadi 2025-04-27 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Free Patriotic Movement Lebanese Forces Gebran Bassil Hezbollah municipal elections Batroun

Nine years after they were last held—after a hiatus marked by repeated postponements—municipal elections in Lebanon are scheduled to take place over four consecutive Sundays beginning on May 4. The conditions under which the 2016 elections were conducted have changed dramatically. Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group, has lost significant ...

'The Constitution First', New Political Gathering Calls for Sovereignty, Reform, and Judicial Independence

This is Beirut 2025-04-26 20:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Hezbollah Lebanese Army United Nations 'Constitution First' Fares Soueid

A new political gathering, led by ex-MP and former Secretariat General Coordinator of the March 14 Alliance, Fares Soueid, was launched on Saturday under the name "The Constitution First." The main highlights of the group’s manifesto included: -The enactment of a new electoral law, including the redrawing of electoral districts ...

Washington: Hezbollah’s Financing and Disarmament are Interconnected

Bassam Abou Zeid 2025-04-26 18:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Hezbollah International Monetary Fund Qard al-Hassan World Bank US treasury

Combating the financing of terrorism was a central topic for the official Lebanese delegation at the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington. The most significant discussions were held with US Treasury Department officials, particularly involving Finance Minister Yassine Jaber and Central Bank ...

Municipal Federations in Lebanon: Strategic Tools with Political Implications

Alissar Boulos 2025-04-26 15:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Federation of Municipalities Elections Funding Decentralization

Created under Lebanon’s 1977 Municipal Organization Law, municipal federations (MFs) hold legal status and enjoy administrative and financial autonomy, similar to that of individual municipalities (Article 114). These federations can include an unlimited number of member municipalities—usually on a voluntary basis—to implement joint projects ...

Figure of the week Pharmacists Secure Top Retirement Pension Among Liberal Professions

Liliane Mokbel 2025-04-26 14:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Retired pharmacists in Lebanon now receive a monthly pension of $670 – the highest among all liberal professions in the country, according to Joe Salloum, the President of the Lebanese Order of Pharmacists. This milestone was achieved through a series of internal reforms, revised contribution structures, and the creation of a reserve fund in ...

A Story of Ill Will, Not Fair Representation

Johnny Kortbawi 2025-04-26 11:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Beirut Municipalities Saad Hariri Nawaf Salam Elections

All hidden intentions have come to light, and the undeniable truth is now clear: some are unwilling to ensure equal representation in Beirut’s municipality, or at least are unwilling to uphold it. The real crisis lies in the absence of unified Sunni support in the city, compounded by the inability to provide a political umbrella in the capital ...

VideosStray Dogs Are Being Poisoned Again

Rayan Chami 2025-04-26 09:05 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon Stray Dogs Poisoned

Stray dogs continue to suffer in silence, poisoned without consequence. In 2017, Law 47 criminalized abuse and poisoning, but weak enforcement has rendered it ineffective. While the killings go largely unnoticed, one truth remains: if no one speaks up, silence will keep costing lives.  

UNIFIL Patrol Briefly Intercepted in Tayr Dabba

This is Beirut 2025-04-25 20:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Lebanese Army unifil

A UNIFIL patrol was briefly intercepted twice near the southern Lebanese town of Tayr Dabba. According to local media, a group of young men on motorcycles blocked the convoy, making hostile remarks toward the peacekeepers. UNIFIL deputy spokesperson Candice Ardell confirmed the incidents in a statement. She said that the soldiers were ...

The Beauty and Wellbeing Forum Launches Its Second Edition in Beirut

This is Beirut 2025-04-25 18:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon The Beauty and Wellbeing Forum 2025

The second edition of the Beauty and Wellbeing Forum 2025 was officially launched on Thursday, at Seaside Arena on Beirut’s waterfront. The event, held under the patronage of the Ministries of Information and Economy, runs from April 24 to April 27, 2025, bringing together a distinguished gathering of specialists, institutions, as well as ...

InterviewsRony Mecattaf: One Eye Lost, a Wider Vision Gained

Bélinda Ibrahim 2025-04-25 18:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Rony Mecattaf Book Beirut Explosion Culture

In August 2020, Beirut was devastated by an apocalyptic explosion. Among the injured was psychotherapist Rony Mecattaf, who lost the use of his right eye. What could have remained a silent tragedy became the starting point for a powerful and unconventional narrative: La blessure qui guérit (“The Wound That Heals”), published in March 2025 by ...

62 Municipal Councils Elected by Acclamation in Mount Lebanon

This is Beirut 2025-04-25 17:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Chouf Baabda Mount Lebanon municipal elections

Ahead of the long-awaited municipal elections set to start on Sunday, May 4, a total of 62 municipalities in Mount Lebanon have been elected by acclamation, out of 330 in the region. In these areas, only one list of candidates was submitted per municipality, eliminating the need for a vote and automatically securing their election. The breakdown ...

Lebanon Resumes Repatriation of Syrian Refugees After Years-Long Pause

This is Beirut 2025-04-25 16:45 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon General Security Syria Syrian refugees repatriation

General Security (GS) has resumed the repatriation of Syrian refugees from Lebanon, marking a significant shift after years of suspension, Al-Jadeed TV reported on Friday. According to the report, the renewed efforts came after a prolonged halt in the implementation of the so-called “voluntary return” process, which was previously organized ...