Lebanon

In Tripoli, a New Christmas Tree Installed
In Tripoli, a New Christmas Tree Installed

A new Christmas tree has been installed in the square of the Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Tripoli's Zahiriya region. It is meant to replace the first tree, which was completely burnt down by flames caused by a Molotov cocktail thrown at it by unknown assailants at dawn on Sunday. The reinstallation of the Christmas tree was entirely ...

Audi Denounces a World Built on 'Interests'
Audi Denounces a World Built on 'Interests'

The Greek-Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut, Archbishop Elias Audi, denounced the behavior of a large portion of people who value "social rank," respecting only "the rich, feudal, and bourgeois" and "rejecting the poor, needy, and weak." “The world is now built on interests, and man is driven by his instincts, desires, and self-centeredness," he ...

The Pedagogical Legacy of Imam Chamseddine (2/2)
The Pedagogical Legacy of Imam Chamseddine (2/2)

In memory of Layan, Talin, and Remas Mahmoud Hejazi, killed on November 6, 2023, in South Lebanon. In this second part of the article concerning the educational and social legacy of Imam Mohammed Mehdi Chamseddine, This Is Beirut revisits the main institutions set up by the Charitable and Cultural Association (CCA), founded in 1966 by Imam ...

Christmas Tree Burned in Tripoli, Outraging Elected Officials
Christmas Tree Burned in Tripoli, Outraging Elected Officials

At dawn on Sunday, unknown assailants threw a Molotov cocktail at the Christmas tree set up in St. George's Church Square in Tripoli's Zahiriya region. The flames destroyed the tree. The region's political and religious leaders denounced this "suspicious act," which damaged Tripoli's image. Achraf Rifi, deputy of the region, called for the ...

Christmas in South Lebanon: A Glimmer of Enduring Hope
Christmas in South Lebanon: A Glimmer of Enduring Hope

The residents of southern Lebanon are gearing up for an unusual Christmas, given the difficult times that the region is going through. Yet, in this land that bore witness to the passage of Christ, hope remains. While it’s true that this holiday season may be particularly somber, there are still small things, small gestures, that persist in ...

Rise Up and Return to Lebanon
Rise Up and Return to Lebanon

"From the cradle to the crucifixion, God reveals to us a profound mystery." I woke up this morning with this familiar Christmas refrain. The mystery here isn’t a detective's puzzle. It’s a reality beyond reason. Or rather, both beyond reason and within reach, as God became man and, as a human being, cannot be incomprehensible. Not ...

MP Halima Kaakour Rescued After Near Drowning
MP Halima Kaakour Rescued After Near Drowning

MP Halima Kaakour nearly drowned while she was swimming in the sea in Jiyeh during the stormy weather. The MP lost consciousness after ingesting a substantial amount of water. This prompted a swift response from civil defense personnel, who rushed her to Labib Abou Daher Hospital in Saida. Close associates of Kaakour confirmed that she was ...

MENAFATF: Lebanon Deemed “Acceptable” in Technical Compliance
MENAFATF: Lebanon Deemed “Acceptable” in Technical Compliance

The Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF) released on Friday, December 22, the mutual evaluation report of the Lebanese Republic on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) measures. The Lebanese Republic’s report stated that Lebanon achieved acceptable outcomes in terms of technical ...

Presidential Elections: Al-Rai's Indirect Opposition to a National Dialogue Conference
Presidential Elections: Al-Rai's Indirect Opposition to a National Dialogue Conference

The Maronite Patriarch, Bechara al-Rai, implicitly expressed his opposition to a national conference for dialogue, still desired by the Speaker of Parliament, Nabih Berri, with the aim of reaching a consensus on the presidential election. He renewed his criticism of the Amal-Hezbollah tandem, holding them responsible for blocking the presidential ...

USJ and AUB Strengthen Academic and Financial Coordination
USJ and AUB Strengthen Academic and Financial Coordination

The Saint Joseph University (USJ) and the American University of Beirut (AUB) have renewed the memorandum of understanding they signed in 2018, committing to coordinate their efforts in the academic and financial domains. The agreement serves their common national mission of educating the country's elite, especially in the face of challenging ...

A deadly storm, floods and subsidence
A deadly storm, floods and subsidence

Lebanon has lost count of the damage caused by the storm, which is still battering the country and should begin to recede later this Saturday. Across Lebanon, since Friday, the storm left its mark, with numerous flooding and landslides, highlighting the official neglect of infrastructure maintenance. The storm was particularly deadly, with four ...