Future Movement Eyeing Municipal and General Polls with or Without Saad Hariri

This is Beirut 20/02 17:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Saudi Arabia Future Movement Elections Saad Hariri

The Future Movement, which had suspended its participation in Lebanon’s political life three years ago, will be taking part in the upcoming municipal elections slated for May and the general elections next year, according to a party official. However, the movement’s leader, former Prime Minister Saad Hariri, may not be running for a seat in ...

Europe Closely Monitoring Israel’s Feb 18 Withdrawal Deadline

This is Beirut 07/02 19:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Israel European Union Hezbollah France

The new US administration’s rigorous way of handling foreign affairs was reaffirmed by US Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus, who openly called for excluding Hezbollah from the next Lebanese government while applauding its defeat at Israel’s hand. The approach that is bound to alienate and provoke Lebanon’s Shiite ...

Behind the ScenesWhat Is Najib Mikati Playing At?

This is Beirut 06/01 21:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Najib Mikati Cabinet

High-ranking parliamentary sources questioned the reasons that led caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati to place the draft law on bank restructuring on the Cabinet's agenda for its session on Tuesday, and why he discreetly sent it as an annex last Friday. The same sources unanimously agreed that the draft law was rushed and prepared by a ...

Serious Moves to Implement Ceasefire Required by Jan. 27

This is Beirut 02/01 21:28 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Ceasefire Hezbollah Israel United States

With the January 27 deadline for the application of the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel drawing closer, apprehension is growing about a possible resumption of hostilities that wreaked havoc in southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburb. According to informed sources, Lebanon should take serious steps to start implementing the ...

Centcom Commanders Will Help the LAF Disarm Hezbollah

This is Beirut 2024-11-27 22:35 - Reading : less than a minute

Hezbollah Lebanese Army UN Security Council United States

This is Beirut has learned that senior commanders from Centcom (the United States Central Command) will be working with the Lebanese Army and providing assistance to help the LAF disarm Hezbollah. This assistance comes within the framework of the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, announced on Tuesday and put into effect at dawn on ...

Bank Depositors: The Central Bank Loosens Its Stance

This is Beirut 2024-11-12 17:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Banks Central Bank of Lebanon Depositors

According to reliable sources, This is Beirut has learned that, in the coming months, the Central Bank (BDL) plans to continue providing two monthly payments instead of one to the beneficiaries of circulars 158 and 161, which allow exceptional withdrawals in fresh dollars. The BDL has decided to respond to the current critical situation by ...

Palestinian and Shiite Population Relocations

This Is Beirut 2024-11-10 17:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Benjamin Netanyahu Palestine Shiite Iraq

It has been over a year since the conflict started in Gaza, yet the Biden administration has struggled to broker a lasting ceasefire. This challenge primarily stems from the entrenched positions and demands of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who insists on Hamas disarmament and the transfer of governance in Gaza to the Palestinian ...

From Habib to... Boulos?

This is Beirut 2024-11-08 19:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump Massaad Boulos Lebanon

Will the 1982 scenario be repeated? At the time, Philip Habib, an American of Lebanese descent, was US President Ronald Reagan's emissary charged with resolving the Lebanese crisis. Mr. Habib was to transfer the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) led by Yasser Rafat from Beirut to Tunisia and move Palestinian arms to Syria. Will US ...

Israel… War Until April

This is Beirut 2024-11-05 12:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

USA Iran

Israel has not yet achieved the military objectives required to enter negotiations. Consequently, it is expected to press on with efforts to dismantle Hezbollah’s military and organizational structure, employing a scorched-earth strategy to create a 3-to-6-kilometer deep uninhabitable zone. According to Western diplomatic sources, after securing ...

Behind the ScenesDepositors May Have Two Monthly Payments Instead of One!

This is Beirut 2024-10-30 12:15 - Reading : less than a minute

Banks Banque du Liban Central Bank of Lebanon

In the coming 48 hours, beneficiaries of Banque du Liban (BDL) Circulars 158 and 166, related to exceptional withdrawals of fresh dollars, will receive updates regarding potential amendments. A source close to the Central Bank has indicated that the number of monthly payments available to eligible depositors will be reduced to two, instead of the ...

Al-Qard Al-Hasan Customer Concerns

This is Beirut 2024-10-29 18:30 - Reading : less than a minute

Customers of Al-Qard al-Hasan, Hezbollah's illicit financial institution, attempted in vain to get in touch with the branches that were not hit by Israeli strikes. All which were spared by the Israeli war machine have, unsurprisingly, suspended their activities. These clients wanted to know what had happened to their “deposits” and if the ...

Habtoor Grand Hotel in Beirut Decides to Close its Doors Tomorrow

This is Beirut 2024-10-16 19:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon

The management of the Habtoor Grand Hotel in Beirut has decided to close the establishment as of tomorrow, without specifying a date for a possible reopening.  According to information obtained by This is Beirut, a conflict lasting several days pitted the management against a television channel using the hotel as a base for its offices, studios, ...