Lebanon

The Old Testament Heritage of the Maronites

A large number of old churches and chapels in the Lebanese mountains feature the Star of David, engraved on keystones, spandrels, cornices, and even doorframes. In some cases, this motif also appears in private homes whose ornamentation draws inspiration from religious architecture. The star appears in various forms – sometimes on its own, ...

Israeli Strikes on Lebanon-Syria Border on the Eve of Nasrallah's Funeral

On the eve of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s funeral, Israel struck a border area near Janta, in the Bekaa, accusing Hezbollah of smuggling weapons into Lebanon. On his part, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee announced Saturday night that Israeli airstrikes targeted "transport routes on the Lebanon-Syria border ...

Senator Ronny Jackson Calls for a Security Monopoly by the Lebanese Army

A delegation from the US Congress, led by Senator Ronny Jackson, met on Saturday with the President of the Republic, Joseph Aoun, at the Presidential Palace in Baabda, in the presence of the US Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson. At the end of the meeting, Jackson expressed the United States’ desire to see a new phase of peace and stability in ...

Basketball: The Cedars Go 5 for 5, Mission Accomplished!

Lebanon confirmed its supremacy by defeating Bahrain 84-78 in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers, extending its record to a spotless 5-0. This victory, achieved in Manama in front of a crowd that included many Lebanese supporters, solidifies Lebanon’s position at the top of Group F with 10 points. Mission accomplished, then, for Miodrag ...

'Pays amer': Georgia Makhlouf Revives the Memory of the Pioneers

Pays amer (Presses de la Cité, 2024) is Georgia Makhlouf’s third novel. It weaves together the stories of two Lebanese female photographers, separated by a century. One narrative unfolds in the 1920s, a time when Lebanon is shaping its future, while the other centers on Mona, a woman in 2020, navigating a country in crisis. Oscillating between ...

What Should America Do About Syria?

While Lebanese are focused intently on developments in Syria, the topic is absent in Washington. Yet what is happening there is one of the landmark geo-strategic developments of the Middle East of our times, the demise of a long-standing problematic regime for America and its friends and part and parcel of the reversal of fortunes of a major ...

Basketball: A First-of-Its-Kind Degree at Antonine University

Antonine University and the Lebanese Basketball Federation (LBF) have inaugurated a university degree program for basketball coaches, a first of its kind in the Middle East. The ceremony took place at the university’s main campus in Baabda-Hadath, in the presence of leading sports and academic figures. A Structured Academic Program Father ...

David Lefort: French Melody and a Ray of Hope for Lebanon

Between August 2024 and February 2025, Beit Tabaris was enveloped in a forced silence – one of waiting, anxiety, uncertainty and agony. The kind imposed by wars that crush souls and dictate their laws. Alas. Where, not long ago, music gathered souls, only the rubble of a broken harmony remained. Beirut, the eternal beloved, seemed to be quietly ...

Jaber: No Increase in Customs Fees or Taxes

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber assured that there will be no increase in customs fees or taxes, while emphasizing that the state will ensure the collection of all its dues. Jaber emphasized that one of the prerequisites for an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is combating customs fraud. He added that the state must strengthen ...

Consumer Prices Increase by 1.1% in January

The Central Administration of Statistics (CAS) reported on Friday that Lebanon’s Consumer Price Index for January 2025 recorded a 1.1% increase, following a 0.18% decline in September 2024 compared to August 2024. This was the first increase in over a year, after record surges in 2023 (33.27% in March and 5.35% in May). However, the index saw a ...

BDL Reserves at $10.526 Billion, $3.2 Billion Disbursed Through Circulars 158 and 166

In line with the Lebanese Central Bank (BDL) policy to raise withdrawal limits, and following consultations with President General Joseph Aoun, House Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Finance Minister Yassine Jaber, BDL’s Central Council decided earlier this week to increase the ceiling under Circular No. 158 to $500 per month ...