Missing Persons and Enforced Disappearances: Ziad Achour Stresses the Need for Coordination

The Vice-President of the National Commission for the Missing and Disappeared, Ziad Achour, said he had ‘taken the initiative of sending a letter to the caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, calling on him to form an emergency government committee comprising the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Ministries of the Interior, Foreign ...

The Missing and Detained in Syria: Between Confusion and Inaccurate Estimates

An independent emergency committee has been established by the national commission for missing and forcibly disappeared persons to investigate the fate of these individuals. The number of people reported missing during the Lebanese Civil War was previously estimated at 17,415. Additionally, between 200 and 700 Lebanese were believed to have been ...

Assad's Fall: Syrian Refugees in Beirut Speak Out

Syrian refugees living in Beirut expressed cautious optimism after the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. https://x.com/ThisIsBeirut_/status/1865784663039463697    With AFP

August 4 : Sit-in of Victims' Families Stigmatizing Government Decision

The families of the victims of the August 4 explosion observed their monthly sit-in on Wednesday. They criticized item 26, which was supposed to be on the agenda of the Council of Ministers, but was eventually withdrawn.This item concerned the reinstatement of Hani-el-Hajj, a former member of the Supreme Customs Council, one of the defendants in ...

Independence Day Celebrated in Schools

The Lebanese flag was raised, the national anthem was sung in all the sections, and there were artistic and educational workshops... A spectacular 81st Independence Day was celebrated at the Collège Sainte-Famille in Jounieh despite everything. 

Halt of Illegal Sand Extraction Work Off the Coast of Chekka

Illegal sand extraction operations on the beach of El Heri, located on the coast of the city of Chekka (North Lebanon), were halted after days of mobilization and negotiations, confirmed Pierre Abi Chahine, president of the Environmental Protection Committee in Chekka, on Wednesday evening to This is Beirut, following a visit to the site. The ...

Baalbeck Sites Endangered by Israeli Strikes: An Update from Governor Bachir Khodr

Following repeated evacuation orders directed at the residents of Baalbeck by Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-speaking spokesperson of the Israeli army, the Lebanese are anxious, fearing the potential destruction of the historic city. They are deeply concerned about the tragic fate of tens of thousands of people ordered to evacuate their towns and ...

Private Schools: An Increasingly Difficult Return to School

This school year, new security challenges are being added to the economic and financial crisis that has been ongoing since 2019. This Is Beirut takes you to the Sacred Heart College – Gemmayzeh to see how the start of the school year is going.

Back-to-School Preparations: Behind the Scenes at a Bookstore

As the new school year approaches, parents and their children flock to bookstores to purchase their necessary supplies. This year, they face the challenge of rising prices, compounded by increased school fees. Despite the ongoing crisis, some bookstores are adopting innovative marketing strategies to draw in more customers. However, not all ...

Baalbeck Festival: A Memorable Ode to the Oud

The Baalbeck International Festival finally took place, albeit far from the City of the Sun. On Thursday evening, at the Caracalla Theatre in Beirut, Charbel Rouhana, accompanied by his Lebanese sextet, and the Trio Joubran, enchanted the audience, giving pride of place to the oud, an instrument symbolizing peace and harmony.

EDL Blackout: What About the Investigation?

Following the widespread blackout of Électricité du Liban (EDL) on August 17, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati requested that the Central Inspection Authority shed light on the causes of this outage, which brought the country to a standstill. How is the investigation proceeding? Caretaker Minister of Energy and Water Walid Fayad, along ...

Hezbollah “Forces an Israeli Plane to Retreat”: Khaled Hamade Clarifies

Hezbollah’s air defense units “fired an anti-aircraft missile” at Israeli warplanes flying over south Lebanon”, forcing them “to retreat from the Lebanese airspace”, according to a communiqué published by Hezbollah on the night of Thursday to Friday. Is it a game changer or an incident that can be exploited politically by ...

Beirut Chants El Sistema: The ACT Project to Prevent Radicalization

Beirut Chants El-Sistema organized a concert on Tuesday at Saint Vartan Church in Bourj Hammoud, featuring over 75 choristers and musicians accompanied by their teachers. The aim: to prevent radicalization, terrorism and cybercrime, and build a culture of peace through music. Bourj Hammoud was chosen because of the cultural, ethnic and religious ...

Guesthouses: A Better Summer Than Expected

Guesthouses have been booming in Lebanon in recent years. They are highly sought-after, and the quality of what is being offered is continually improving. This Is Beirut invites you to discover four guesthouses located in various Lebanese regions, while interviewing experts to assess the season in light of the crises and repercussions of the ...

Kick-Off of the Magnificent 'Byblos en Blanc et Rosé' Wine Festival

Summer is looking promising in Byblos, where the ninth edition of the “Byblos en blanc et rosé” festival kicked off on Thursday at the city's historic port. Organized by Eventions, in partnership with the municipality of Byblos, the event will keep the Phoenician town buzzing until Saturday, June 29.

World No Tobacco Day: Words From Lebanese Smokers

Smoking is a major cause of cancer in Lebanon, exacerbating the challenges in a country already facing unprecedented socio-economic crises. Despite the efforts of some to find alternatives, the problem persists.

Is Ersal Paving the Way for the Return of the Syrian Migrants?

This is Beirut takes you to the camps of Ersal, a village north-east of Baalbeck-Hermel, where voluntary return convoys, comprising 330 Syrian migrants according to the municipality, were organized last Tuesday. These migrants had registered with General Security centers to facilitate their return home.

Syrian Migrants: Lebanese Forces to Present Law Proposal to Parliament

  The President of the Parliamentary Committee on Administration and Justice, Georges Adwan, announced that a draft law on organizing the presence of Syrians in Lebanon and the modalities of their repatriation will be presented to Parliament. During a press conference he held on Tuesday at Place de l'Étoile, Adwan called for "sending back ...

Redevelopment of Public Gardens in Ashrafieh, a Breath of Fresh Air

Several public gardens in Ashrafieh have been redeveloped since the 2019 crisis. These are initiatives undertaken by residents, in collaboration with the municipality of Beirut and many  associations, with the aim of breathing new life into the green spaces that are sorely lacking in the capital.

Skaff to TIB: 1701 Needs to Be Implemented

MP Ghassan Skaff told This Is Beirut that UNSC 1701 needs to be implemented in its current form and estimated that the international community will be able to stop a full-blown war through diplomatic measures.

Bou Assi to TIB: 1701 Needs to Be Applied for Lebanon's Sake

Lebanese Forces MP Pierre Bou Assi said to This Is Beirut that Resolution 1701 needs to be implemented, not only because it is a UN Security Council Resolution that needs to be applied in conformity with international accords and conventions, but also for the sake of the Lebanese, to preserve their security and safety.

Is Return Impossible for Displaced Persons in Southern Lebanon?

For the past seven months, the displaced people of southern Lebanon have been impatient to return to their homeland, where war continues to rage between Hezb and Israel. Not only do they fear for their future, but they also have to contend with the high cost of rent, among other things. Many of the displaced have to draw on their reserves to ...

In Beit Mery, Chronicle of a Municipality

A few days before the plenary session devoted to extending the terms of office of municipal councils and mukhtars, This is Beyrouth takes you to the exemplary municipality of Beit Mery. Organization, meticulousness, perseverance and dedication to public service have long characterized its members.

Lebanese Civil War: 49th Anniversary Commemorative March

On the 49th anniversary of the Lebanese civil war, the NGO "Fighters for Peace" organized a march on Monday bringing together fighters who took part in the conflict. Made up of several stops, the march began at the National Museum and ended at Beit Beirut in the emblematic Sodeco district, which still bears the scars of the war that lasted from ...

Gaza and Southern Lebanon: A Dual-Front Warfare?

“The US is currently exerting pressure to deter Israel from invading Rafah, but this is leading to an escalation on the Lebanese front,” asserted retired General Khaled Hamadeh. Lebanese citizens are holding their breath, closely scrutinizing every development in South Lebanon, where the war raging between Israel and Hezbollah could take a ...

Lebanon of Tomorrow Spring Market Kicks Off Again

For the second year running, the NGO Lebanon of Tomorrow is organizing a spring market in Sassine Square in Achrafieh, which will run until Sunday.