This is Beirut

Rewriting 'Ben-Hur:' 'Aletheia' by Luigi A. Kohli on Faith, Empire and Fiction

Marie-Christine Tayah, 13/07 12:30 - Reading : 7 minute(s)

Luigi A. Kohli, author of Aletheia, a Ben-Hur saga, followed a dream that never left him. After years in the corporate world, he found the courage to step away and embrace the calling he had carried since youth: to write. What began as a long-held fascination with epic films and ancient history transformed into a powerful, imaginative ...

Damascus Denies Threatening Escalation Against Lebanon

This is Beirut, 11/07 13:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Damascus Syria lebanon Beirut

Reports that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was preparing a series of diplomatic and economic measures against Lebanon in response to Beirut’s alleged neglect of the file of Syrian detainees were denied, al-Arabiya said, quoting a Syrian government source. “There is no truth to the reports being circulated about the ...

Army Arrests 4 Armed Men in Zuqaq al-Blat Incident

This is Beirut, 09/07 13:10 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon Lebanese Army Beirut arrest Zoqaq al-Blat

The Lebanese Army announced on Wednesday the arrest of four individuals involved in an armed parade that took place last Friday in the Zuqaq al-Blat neighborhood of Beirut, during the commemoration of Ashoura. Armed men had marched through the streets, sparking outrage among residents and drawing official condemnation. In a statement released in ...

Lebanon–Syria: Borderlines and Broken Promises

Natasha Metni Torbey, 07/07 20:50 - Reading : 7 minute(s)

lebanon France Syria Beirut Israel

When Greater Lebanon was proclaimed on September 1, 1920, by General Henri Gouraud, a new geopolitical reality emerged. The newly formed Lebanese State extended beyond historic Mount Lebanon to include parts of the Sanjaks of Tripoli and Saida, the city of Beirut and 4 districts annexed to Lebanese territory: Baalbeck, the Beqaa, Rashaya and ...

Wave of Condemnations After Armed Parade During Ashura Ceremonies

This is Beirut, 05/07 11:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Beirut Ashura Nawaf Salam

A video circulating on social media showing an armed parade in the streets of Beirut during Ashura commemorations has sparked widespread outrage among political circles and the public. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam strongly condemned the scenes, calling them “unacceptable under any pretext.” He stated that he contacted the Ministers of ...

Suzanne El Hakim: The Sea as Refuge

Yara Germany, 05/07 10:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Sea Diver Beirut community refuge

Close to the Beirut shoreline, Suzanne El Hakim has built a world of her own, a tight-knit community united by a love for the sea. For this professional diver, the sea isn’t a backdrop but a lifeline: a space for freedom, healing and renewal. In Suzanne’s eyes, the deep blue isn’t a passing escape, it’s a living refuge, open to anyone in ...

Heart Over Headlines: Why Tourists Are Still Choosing Lebanon

Lyne Sammouri, 02/07 10:30 - Reading : less than a minute

beirut lebanon tourists middle east

In a region marked by unrest, Lebanon continues to welcome those drawn to its culture and warmth. Tourists share why they’re defying the headlines to experience the real Lebanon.

Elon Musk Expresses Interest in Investing in Lebanon’s Tech Sector

This is Beirut, 26/06 18:25 - Reading : less than a minute

Joseph Aoun Elon Musk Tesla lebanon United States Beirut

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has voiced interest in establishing a presence for his companies in Lebanon, according to a statement released on Thursday by the Lebanese Presidency. In a phone conversation with President Joseph Aoun, Musk reportedly expressed his willingness to engage in Lebanon’s telecommunications and internet sectors. The ...

Tense Calm in Shatila After Night of Heavy Clashes

This is Beirut, 25/06 11:20 - Reading : less than a minute

Chatila Beirut Clashes Fatah Lebanon Fatah al-Intifada

A tense calm settled over the Shatila refugee camp, adjacent to Beirut's Tarik Jdideh neighborhood, on Wednesday morning following a night of fear and chaos. Violent clashes erupted overnight between drug traffickers affiliated with rival Palestinian factions, members of the Leddaoui family linked to Fatah, and the Haziné group, aligned with ...

Travel Agencies Hit Hard, as Lebanese Cancel Trips Abroad

This is Beirut, 23/06 13:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Iran Beirut Turkey Tourism

The disruption or cancellation of Beirut-bound regular flights, which had stranded hundreds of Lebanese in Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh resort due to the escalating confrontation between Iran and Israel, discouraged many from taking summer breaks outside Lebanon. Travel agencies are bracing for significant losses with the increasing number of ...

Lebanon’s Tense Summer: When Fear Meets Humor

Marilyne Jallad, 21/06 10:30 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel USA Lebanon Beirut

As summer gets underway, a new conflict, this time between Israel and Iran, has once again cast a shadow over Lebanon. “Our summers are always ruined,” says Karl bitterly. In his forties, he launches into a familiar lament, recalling the many local and regional summers marred by war that inevitably spill over into Lebanon and wear down the ...

Joseph Aoun: Beirut Will Always Be the Pulse of Life

This is Beirut, 20/06 23:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Joseph Aoun Beirut Lebanon Beirut Pulse of Life

President Joseph Aoun emphasized Beirut’s enduring vitality during the “Beirut, Pulse of Life” event held at Martyrs’ Square, celebrating the rehabilitation of Martyrs’ Square and the newly illuminated Nejmeh Square. In his speech, Aoun addressed concerns about launching such initiatives amid ongoing national challenges, saying the ...

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