Israel Strikes Near Syrian Army HQ: State TV

This is Beirut 2025-07-16 19:03 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Damascus Benjamin Netanyahu Syria

An Israeli strike on Wednesday hit near the Syrian army and defense ministry headquarters in Damascus, the state-run Alekhbariya channel reported on Telegram, after Israel's military said it had struck there. AFP correspondents heard a loud explosion echoing throughout much of the capital shortly after a first air strike had targeted the same ...

Lebanon Launches National Campaign to Combat Water Shortage

This is Beirut 2025-07-18 12:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Water Drought Campaign Rainfall Crisis

In response to an alarming drop in rainfall and a looming summer water crisis, Lebanon’s Ministry of Energy and Water has launched a national campaign on Friday to encourage water conservation and raise public awareness. The initiative seeks to rally citizens around smarter water usage as the country faces one of its driest years in recent ...

Snoop Dogg Joins Swansea City as Co-Owner

This is Beirut 2025-07-18 13:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Music Snoop Dog Culture Art Rap

Snoop Dogg has become co-owner of Championship side Swansea City in an unlikely alliance between the world of rap and football, the Welsh club has announced. The 53-year-old American star joins former Real Madrid stalwart and Croatia World Cup finalist Luka Modrić in the club's ownership structure. Snoop Dogg made a surprise appearance on the ...

Rasamny Denies Tripoli Exit Rumors Amid Sweida Tensions

This is Beirut 2025-07-18 14:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Fayez Rasamny Najib Mikati Tripoli Port Sweida

Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny denied on Friday rumors claiming he cut short his visit to Tripoli due to security threats linked to recent clashes in Syria’s Sweida province.  Rasamny said his visit was completed as scheduled and focused on launching development projects at the city’s port. “My visit was not ...

Halabi Talks Bans, Season Plans

Hala Abdallah 2025-07-22 17:00 - Reading : less than a minute

basketball federation sports This is Sports Akram Halabi basketball

From the new season format to potential player bans, Basketball Federation President Akram Halabi answers the questions fans are asking. Don’t miss Episode 8 of This is Sports, only on This is Beirut’s website and YouTube channel.

'The Shed at Dulwich': The Hoax That Topped TripAdvisor

Bélinda Ibrahim 2025-07-22 18:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

London Restaurant TripAdvisor The Shed at Dulwich Hoax

No menu. No chef. No real kitchen. Just a shed, a mobile phone, and a lot of nerve. In just a few months, The Shed at Dulwich became London’s top-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor, outranking thousands of Michelin-starred, gourmet, and trendy venues. Except it never actually existed. This brilliant hoax was the brainchild of a young British ...

New Cryptocurrency May Be Aiding Russia to Dodge Sanctions

This is Beirut 2025-07-25 13:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Russia Sanctions EU Crypto Stablecoin

Russia could be turning to a new cryptocurrency called A7A5 to allow money to flow in and out of the country and avoid Western sanctions, experts have told AFP. Multiple rounds of international sanctions have been imposed on Moscow since its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine seeking to ramp up economic pressure to halt the war. But the launch of ...

Caminos Lebanon: When Pilgrimage Routes Drive Economic Revival

Christiane Tager 2025-07-25 14:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon tourism economy

The idea is bold: stimulate the economy by banking on pilgrimages. That is the goal of Caminos Lebanon, a sustainable religious tourism initiative backed by the Association for Pilgrimages in Lebanon (APL) and led by expert Nour Farra Haddad. The ambition is to turn Lebanon into a key destination for faith-based travel. But this goes far beyond ...

'Call of Duty', 'Black Myth' Wow Gamescom Trade Show

This is Beirut 2025-08-20 09:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

A twisted futuristic version of "Call of Duty", Batman in Lego form and the "Resident Evil" series' ghoulish monsters had gamers salivating Tuesday as the vast Gamescom trade show opened in Cologne. A two-hour showcase of upcoming releases, including "Call of Duty: Black Ops 7" slated for November 14, belied an industry that has been weathering a ...

Leon XIV to Visit Lebanon 'by December,' Pending Official Confirmation

Fady Noun 2025-08-22 10:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanon Pope Francis Hezbollah Middle East Maronite

The announcement quickly sparked a media storm in both Lebanon and Italy: Pope Leo XIV is expected to visit Lebanon “by December.” According to Patriarch Rai, the trip would mark the Pope’s first journey outside Italy since his election. “We are waiting for the Vatican to announce the exact date of the visit,” he told ...

Prince Andrew Faces New Pressure Following Virginia Giuffre’s Memoirs

This is Beirut 2025-10-21 20:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Virginia Giuffre Prince Andrew Jeffrey Epstein

The posthumous memoirs of American Virginia Giuffre, the main accuser of Prince Andrew in the Epstein case, went on sale Tuesday, increasing pressure on the disgraced brother of King Charles. In Nobody’s Girl, Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, recounts in detail being exploited as a sex slave by the late financier and sex offender ...

Iran Hands Down Prison Sentences to Two French Nationals for Spying

This is Beirut 2025-10-14 16:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran France

Iranian authorities on Tuesday handed down lengthy prison sentences to two French nationals after convicting them on multiple charges, including spying for Israel, the judiciary said. The two unidentified French nationals were arrested in March 2023, according to the judiciary's Mizan Online website, which did not provide details on the ...

Trump Ramps Up Pressure on Democrats Over US Government Shutdown

This is Beirut 2025-10-02 16:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Democrats Donald Trump USA Republicans

Donald Trump signaled Thursday that he plans to follow through on his threat for mass layoffs of US federal workers as he ratcheted pressure on Democrats to back moves to end the government shutdown. The Republican president announced he would meet budget chief Russell Vought "to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a ...

Trump Piles Pain on Democrats Over Us Government Shutdown

This is Beirut 2025-10-03 05:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Donald Trump Shutdown Politics

Donald Trump signaled Thursday that he plans to follow through on his threat for mass layoffs of US federal workers as he ratcheted pressure on Democrats to back moves to end the government shutdown. The Republican president announced he would meet budget chief Russell Vought "to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which ...

Russia-Linked Tanker Stopped by France Resumes Voyage

This is Beirut 2025-10-03 13:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron Europe Ukraine Russia Shadow fleet

A tanker from Russia's "shadow fleet" detained by the French navy was heading towards the Suez Canal Friday with its captain back on board, according to data from maritime websites and a source close to the case. The Boracay, blacklisted by the European Union for being part of Russia's sanctions-busting "shadow fleet" of ageing oil tankers, has ...

Building Modern, Accessible Digital Finance for All

Liliane Mokbel 2025-10-03 16:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Economy Yassine Jaber Finance Taxes Digital

At a press conference on Friday at the Ministry’s headquarters, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber unveiled a roadmap to establish a digital financial administration that is efficient, transparent and citizen-focused. This transformation is built around four key pillars: Electronic Notifications Registered taxpayers now receive all official ...

Taylor Swift’s New Album Shatters Streaming Record In Hours

This is Beirut 2025-10-04 13:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Taylor Swift Music Culture Art Album Concert

Taylor Swift on Friday quickly set a streaming record with The Life of a Showgirl, her new album of bouncy pop songs about love, sex, success — and score-settling — that had fans analyzing every word. Critical opinion of Showgirl ranged from glowing to unimpressed, but fans flocked to Spotify to hear the 12 tracks, making it the most-streamed ...

DOCUMENTARY - Iran: The Fall of the Mullahs?

Elie Ziadé 2025-10-07 15:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Hezbollah Middle East Palestine

Two years after Hezbollah launched its so-called “support front for Gaza,” Ici Beyrouth and This Is Beirut release an exclusive 20-minute documentary titled “Iran: The Fall of the Mullahs?” on Wednesday, October 8. Produced by senior reporter Elie Ziadé, with Abd Farchoukh in charge of visual design, editing, and ...

Return To Elegance: Highlights from Paris Fashion Week

This is Beirut 2025-10-08 10:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Paris Fashion Fashion Week Culture Art Luxury

A historic Paris Fashion Week has wrapped up after 10 days of Spring-Summer 2026 womenswear shows, featuring many new faces and hailed by critics as marking a "return to elegance". AFP looks back on the key moments: Global Makeover After a momentous Milan Fashion Week, marked by the absence of the late Giorgio Armani and new creative directors ...

Drive-In Dreams Fade as America’s Outdoor Theaters Struggle

This is Beirut 2025-10-11 13:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Cinema Film Movies Culture Art

Film buffs sit snugly in cars watching a drive-in movie, munching popcorn on a lovely recent fall night. Michelle Hutson, 52, has been coming to the Family Drive-In since childhood, enjoying what is now a dying form of quintessentially American entertainment. With a sigh, she notes she might soon see the last picture show as the nearly ...

Trump Says Venezuela’s Maduro Offered ‘Everything’ To Ease Tensions

This is Beirut 2025-10-17 22:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States Nicolas Maduro Venezuela

US President Donald Trump said Friday that Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro had offered major concessions to ease tensions with Washington and confirmed a new strike on a drug-smuggling vessel, which reportedly left survivors. Washington accuses Maduro of heading a drug cartel and has deployed significant military assets -- including stealth ...

Trump Offers Security Guarantees to Qatar After Israel Strikes

This is Beirut 2025-10-01 23:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam United States Qatar Hamas Gaza

US President Donald Trump has signed an order vowing to defend key ally Qatar against attacks, the White House said Wednesday, in an extraordinary move following Israeli strikes on the Gulf state last month. The Israeli strike angered Washington and spurred Trump to push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into accepting a Gaza peace deal ...

Power Tool-Wielding Robbers Flee Louvre with 'Priceless' Jewels

This is Beirut 2025-10-19 14:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

France Paris The Louvre

Robbers wielding power tools broke into the Louvre on Sunday and made off with priceless jewels from the world-renowned museum, taking just seven minutes for the broad-daylight heist, sources and officials said. Police were hunting the culprits on Sunday afternoon, but a 19th-century crown covered in diamonds and emeralds was found damaged near ...

Looksmaxxing: The Male Side of the Beauty Obsession

Sana Richa Choucair 2025-10-19 15:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Tik Tok look optimization beauty masculinity

On TikTok, forums and countless corners of the web, a growing trend grips young men: looksmaxxing, the drive to “maximize” one’s appearance. This isn’t just grooming or fitness, it’s conforming to rigid aesthetic ideals with extreme methods, turning bodies into commodities. What is the origin of this term? What vocabulary has it ...

AWS Outage Disrupts Major Apps and Services Worldwide

This is Beirut 2025-10-20 12:21 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

USA Amazon Web Services Outage Internet

A widespread outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS) has caused significant disruptions across many of the world’s most popular apps, websites, and online services from social media platforms like Snapchat to government websites such as the UK’s HMRC. The issue, which began around midnight Pacific time (10 a.m. Beirut Time) on Monday, ...

Louvre Closes for Second Day as France Hunts Jewel Thieves

This is Beirut 2025-10-20 13:39 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron France Louvre Heist Jewelry

  The Louvre was closed for a second day Monday as police hunted for thieves who broke in and stole priceless jewels in a spectacular daylight robbery. Officials said a team of 60 investigators was working on the theory that an organised crime group was behind the theft Sunday of nine pieces of jewellery, one of which -- a crown covered in ...

Khamenei Tells Trump to 'Keep Dreaming' Over Claims of Destroying Iran Nuclear Sites

This is Beirut 2025-10-20 15:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Donald Trump Middle East Tehran USA Ali Khamenei

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday rebuffed claims by US President Donald Trump that the Islamic republic's nuclear sites had been destroyed by US strikes in June. In a statement on his official website, Khamenei told Trump to "keep dreaming" over the comments on the sites' destruction and questioned the US president's right ...

From Excitement to Frustration: Louvre Visitors Caught Off Guard by Closure

This is Beirut 2025-10-20 16:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Louvre Tourists State of mind Theft France Culture

Visitors pressed against the Louvre's iron gates on Monday, peering through bars locked after thieves pulled off a daylight jewel heist inside the world-famous museum the day before. Would-be museum-goers queued outside the famed tourist attraction for the scheduled 0900 (0700 GMT) opening, a day after robbers stole precious jewelry and fled on ...

Internet Services Cut for Hours by Amazon Cloud Outage

This is Beirut 2025-10-21 09:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Europe AWS Amazon Cloud Outage

Popular internet services ranging from streaming platforms to messaging services to banking were offline for hours Monday due to an outage in Amazon's crucial cloud network, illustrating the extent to which internet life depends on the tech titan. The disruption affected streaming platforms, including Amazon's Prime Video service and Disney+, as ...

Liverpool's Ekitike Returns to Face Floundering Frankfurt

This is Beirut 2025-10-21 15:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Liverpool Ekitike Champions League Frankfurt

When Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike returns to face his former club Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday, he will find a side that bears little resemblance to the one he left in July. Last year, Frankfurt qualified for the Champions League by finishing in the Bundesliga top four for the first time in their history. Their ...