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Qassem: “We Have the Right to Respond”, Adraee: Lebanese State Must Continue Disarming Hezbollah

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said Friday evening in a televised address that Israel’s assassination of Haytham Ali Tabatabai was “a blatant attack and a heinous crime.” He added, “We have the right to respond, and we will decide the appropriate time to do so.” Marking one year since the signing of the cease-fire, Qassem ...

Saida Designated 2027 Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has congratulated the city of Saida for its designation, alongside Córdoba (Spain), as the “Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue for 2027.” “Saida, the gateway to the South and a regional capital connected to all of Lebanon, reaffirms its historic role in culture, dialogue, and diversity,” the ...

Pope Leo XIV in Turkey: A Historic Moment

On the second day of his visit to Turkey, Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in Istanbul before joining Orthodox leaders for a historic prayer in Iznik. In a country where Christians make up only 0.1% of the population, his visit is seen by many as “a blessing.” The Pope emphasizes the importance of supporting refugees and the most ...

Bkerké, When Youth Awaits the Pope

Day and night, Bkerké pulses with the energy of young people. Hundreds are preparing for a historic encounter. On December 1, 12,000 of them will gather on the esplanade to welcome the Pope. Between faith, commitment, and hope, these young voices explain why this moment goes beyond an event and speaks to their future.

Lebanon Files UN Complaint Over Israeli Concrete Wall

The Lebanese Foreign Ministry filed a formal complaint through its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York on Friday, protesting against Israel’s construction of two T-shaped concrete barrier walls inside internationally recognized Lebanese territory near the southern town of Yaroun. In a press release, the Foreign Ministry described ...

Israeli Operation in Southern Syria: 13 Killed

Violent clashes erupted overnight from Thursday to Friday in southern Syria when Israeli soldiers operating in the Beit Jinn area came under fire from armed residents, according to local and military sources. At least one Syrian was reported killed in the first hours of the exchange, which began around 3:15 a.m. local time and lasted several ...

Nassib Ghobril: Lebanon’s Economic Crisis is Systemic.

In an interview with This Is Beirut, Byblos Bank’s chief economist, Nassib Ghobril, emphasized that Lebanon’s economic crisis is the result of political abuse of power, mismanagement, and a lack of governance in the public sector. Ghobril made these remarks on the sidelines of the Union of Arab Banks conference held on Tuesday at the Phoenicia ...

Hong Kong’s Worst Fire in Decades

A devastating fire tore through the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Hong Kong, killing at least 128 people. Dozens remain missing as firefighters uncover the full extent of the tragedy. Alarms in all eight buildings failed to activate, raising questions about negligence and safety violations. Authorities have launched major investigations ...

Israel Finds Nine Bodies in Rafah Tunnels as Mediators Discuss Safe Passage for Hamas Fighters

The Israeli army announced on Friday that it had recovered the bodies of nine Palestinian fighters recently killed during its operations to dismantle the tunnel network in the southern Gaza Strip. During operations in the eastern sector of Rafah, soldiers “located nine additional terrorists who had been eliminated in the underground terrorist ...

Lebanon and Cyprus Seal Landmark Maritime Boundary Agreement

The official signing of the Maritime Boundary Agreement (MBA) between Lebanon and Cyprus is a major achievement, one that confers important advantages on both parties. This process was delayed for a very long time for no good reason, so President Joseph Aoun and the government deserve congratulations for having seized the initiative and for having ...

Convicted French Rapist Dominique Pelicot Seeks Publisher For Prison Writings

Frenchman Dominique Pelicot, convicted of organizing the rape of his then-wife, Gisèle Pelicot, by dozens of strangers, is seeking a publisher for writings he penned behind bars, his lawyer said Friday. Dominique Pelicot, 73, was jailed for 20 years after admitting to drugging her with sedatives and inviting dozens of strangers to rape and abuse ...

Lebanese Army Reports Progress Under Weapons Containment Plan

The Lebanese Army (LAF) announced Friday that it has uncovered 177 tunnels since the launch of the “Homeland Shield” plan, an initiative aimed at ensuring the exclusive control of weapons by the state. The army also reported that it had closed 11 crossings along the Litani River and seized 566 rocket launchers. During a media tour in the ...

Pope Leo XIV and Bartholomew Mark 1,700 Years Since Nicaea in Turkey

Pope Leo XIV will join the leader of the world's Orthodox Christians Friday to celebrate 1,700 years since one of the early Church's most important gatherings, on the second day of his visit to Turkey. The American pope began his four-day visit on Thursday in Ankara, where he urged President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to embrace Turkey's role as a ...

Rare Fabergé 'Winter Egg' Expected to Break Records in London

The Winter Egg, one of Faberge's most dazzling creations, is due to be auctioned in London next week and set another sales price record for the legendary jeweler of Imperial Russia. The egg, commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II in 1913 as an Easter gift to his mother, is expected to fetch at least £20 million ($26 million), according to Christie's ...

Ahead of the Pope’s Visit, Lebanon Mobilizes

Preparations are intensifying nationwide, reflecting the significance of the long-anticipated visit of Pope Leo XIV to Lebanon. He will arrive in Lebanon on November 28 and will tour the country until December 2.  From new installations to renewed public spaces, the capital is reshaping itself ahead of the event. Teams are deployed across key ...

Basketball – 2027 World Cup Qualifiers: Lebanon Survives a Scare, Khayat Delivers the Dagger

In Doha, the script had everything to become the perfect trap. Facing Lebanon was a Qatari team already qualified by default for the 2027 World Cup as host nation, but in full “resurgence” and determined to send a message to the rest of Asia. Opposite them, a Lebanese team favored on paper, 30th in the FIBA rankings, with a new coach on the ...

Iran Reportedly Transfers Hundreds of Millions to Hezbollah via Dubai

Iran has reportedly transferred hundreds of millions of dollars to Hezbollah over the past year via currency exchange offices and private companies in Dubai, raising concerns in the United States, according to a Wall Street Journal article published on Thursday. According to the report, disruptions through traditional smuggling routes in Syria ...

Syria's Sharaa Recognised 'Legitimate Demands' of Alawite Protesters

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Thursday that protesters had "legitimate demands", state media reported, days after thousands took to the streets to denounce violence against the country's Alawite minority. The demonstrations earlier this week in several cities along Syria's coast -- the heartland of the country's Alawites -- were the ...

Jordan Tells Russia to Stop Recruiting its Citizens After Two Killed

Jordan on Thursday asked Russia to stop recruiting its citizens for its armed forces after two of them were killed fighting for Moscow. In a statement, the foreign ministry called the recruitment "a violation of Jordanian law and international law" that "exposes citizens to serious danger". Spokesman for the ministry Fuad al-Majali called on ...

Basij: Iran's Paramilitary Militia Serving the Regime

Formed in 1980 in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution, the Basij is an Iranian paramilitary militia used by the regime to systematically monitor the population and maintain a constant presence in society. It was initially conceived as a popular volunteer force tasked with defending the Revolution and the nascent regime. Rapidly integrated ...

Negotiations Under Way on Hamas Fighters Trapped in Gaza Tunnels: Sources Close to Talks

Negotiations are under way to ensure safe passage for dozens of Hamas fighters holed up in tunnels in southern Gaza, multiple sources close to the talks told AFP on Thursday. Israeli media has reported that for weeks, between 100 and 200 Hamas militants have remained trapped in a network of tunnels under the city of Rafah, in an area of the Gaza ...

Disarmament: Government Says It Is Monitoring the Army’s Plan

Following a Cabinet meeting on Monday, Information Minister Paul Morcos said that Prime Minister Nawaf Salam “is monitoring the implementation of the army’s plan on the issue of weapons through monthly reports.” At the meeting, the Prime Minister emphasized the distinction between apparent delays and a deliberate intention to ...

Pope Urges Turkey to Embrace Mediator Role on First Overseas Trip

Pope Leo XIV began a four-day visit to Turkey on Thursday, urging Ankara to embrace its role as a mediator in a world gripped by conflict, he said after talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "Mr President, may Turkey be a source of stability and rapprochement between peoples, in service of a just and lasting peace," he said in the capital as ...

Fadi Khalaf: Lebanon Is on the Path to Economic Restructuring

The Secretary General of the Association of Banks in Lebanon, Fadi Khalaf, stated that the country is beginning to return to the path of economic recovery, considering the return of the Union of Arab Banks to Lebanon as a promising sign of hope. However, he warned that the Lebanese State’s failure to comply with the conditions set by Arab ...

Johnny Depp Calls Life With Vanessa Paradis “Bliss” in Rare Interview

Johnny Depp's life with former French partner Vanessa Paradis and their two children was "bliss," the US actor told AFP in an interview on Thursday. "I have nothing but incredible memories from those days. They gave me time to be a tour father," Depp said in Tokyo. "Vanessa was doing her shows, you know, various tours. I got to be just Daddy for ...

Football – 2025 Arab Cup: Lebanon Self-Destructs Despite Numerical Advantage

No one will be able to say the context wasn’t favorable. In Doha, on the pitch of the Thani bin Jassim Stadium, in front of 20,816 spectators and under the eyes of Gianni Infantino and Lebanese FA president Hachem Haidar, Lebanon played more than an hour with eleven men against ten… only to lose 2–1 to Sudan and crash out of the 2025 Arab ...

The Crisis, the State, and the Banks

The State must acknowledge its main share of responsibility in the crisis. Yet nothing suggests it is ready to do so. The political class opposes it, and the plan supported by the IMF also seeks to absolve those responsible at the expense of depositors.  

One Year After Ceasefire, Israeli Raids Intensify

One year after the November 27 ceasefire, the Israeli air force on Thursday launched new strikes in southern Lebanon on the Nabaa al-Taseh, al-Jarmaq, and al-Mahmoudiyeh villages. Two air raids were also reported over Iqlim al-Tuffah area.  The Israeli Broadcasting Authority described the operations as “the first major strike” since the ...