Lebanon

Presidential Election: No Breakthrough Before US Elections
Presidential Election: No Breakthrough Before US Elections

Optimism conveyed by the Qatari envoy regarding Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri’s position on the presidential issue didn’t resonate the way it should have. The cautious hope by the ambassadors of the five-nation group, known as the Quintet (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, US, France and Qatar), about a potential – even modest – breakthrough in the ...

Retired Soldiers Demand a Return to Dignity 
Retired Soldiers Demand a Return to Dignity 

Retired military personnel blocked the main roads in front of the Ministry of Finance, the port of Beirut and Bechara el-Khoury on Tuesday morning. These simultaneous protests come in reaction to the 2024 Budget vote, which failed to answer the calls of these former civil servants, outraged at the lack of consideration shown by the state that they ...

Hajjar Instead of Oueidate: A Guarantee for Politicians?
Hajjar Instead of Oueidate: A Guarantee for Politicians?

Jamal Hajjar is to succeed Ghassan Oueidate as the prosecutor general at the Court of Cassation. It would be the latest politico-judicial attempt by officials to ensure that "delicate" cases concerning them remain dormant. That's what This is Beirut has learned from well-informed sources. What is really happening behind the scenes? What are the ...

S. Gemayel: We Refuse to Be Under Hezbollah's Authority
S. Gemayel: We Refuse to Be Under Hezbollah's Authority

Kataeb leader Samy Gemayel has denounced the media campaign orchestrated against him by Hezbollah, which he was subjected to last week, as well as the direct threats made against him following an interview with BFMTV. Gemayel retorted, "We're used to dealing with this type of attack, but when it becomes a topic of discussion on Manar and Akhbar's ...

Geagea Criticizes Berri’s Call to Dialogue
Geagea Criticizes Berri’s Call to Dialogue

The leader of the Lebanese Forces (FL), Samir Geagea, asserted that his party remains "in favor of dialogue at any time" but that it "will not succeed because the Shiite tandem (Amal-Hezbollah) is clinging to the candidacy of Marada leader Sleiman Frangieh." In an appearance on MTV on Monday evening, Geagea pointed out that "the extension of the ...

Saydet el-Jabal Calls on MPs to Act: “Lebanon’s Future Depends on It”
Saydet el-Jabal Calls on MPs to Act: “Lebanon’s Future Depends on It”

The Saydet el-Jabal gathering warned on Monday "against deals being made in and to the detriment of the region" in the run-up to the end of the war in Gaza. It pointed out that "Hezbollah is involved because of its links with Iran," while the presidential vacuum has lasted since October 2022. During their weekly meeting, the Saydet el-Jabal ...

Beirut Airport Hacking: No News About Probe Outcome
Beirut Airport Hacking: No News About Probe Outcome

Following the hacking of information screens at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport on January 7, caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamiye vowed to conduct a thorough and quick investigation to reveal the causes of the cyberattack within a couple of days. However, almost a month passed and no information has been ...

Illegal Gas-Loaded Tank Explodes in Bekaa, Killing Two People
Illegal Gas-Loaded Tank Explodes in Bekaa, Killing Two People

The Ministry of Energy and Water expressed its regret over the tragic accident on Sunday that resulted in the loss of two lives when a gas-filled tank loaded on a pickup truck exploded in the Bekaa town of Maqneh. The Ministry clarified in a statement that the "tank" is unlicensed and does not meet the standards and criteria required by the ...

Berri: No Presidential Election Session Possible Without Dialogue
Berri: No Presidential Election Session Possible Without Dialogue

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri refuted the opposition’s calls for an open-ended parliamentary election session to elect a president. He stressed that no such session is possible “without prior consultations or dialogue.” “If they have any other way, let them come forward with it. I am ready to work on it,” Berri said in comments made ...

Ensuring Equal Access for Women in University Leadership Roles
Ensuring Equal Access for Women in University Leadership Roles

Women’s Empowerment for LEADership and Equity in Higher Education Institutions (WE4LEAD) is a project co-funded by the European Union that aims to promote equal access for women to the highest leadership positions in higher education institutions around the Mediterranean region.  Bringing together nine universities from the Mediterranean ...