Lebanon

Hariri-Chirac: Friendship and Political Support

Elie Valluy - Paris correspondent 14/02 12:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Jacques Chirac Rafic Hariri Lebanon France

February 16, 2005. Jacques Chirac arrived at Beirut airport with his wife, Bernadette, to pay tribute to former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, who had been killed in a massive bombing two days earlier. As he stepped off the plane and delivered a speech on the airport tarmac, Chirac condemned the “abominable crime, one that seemed like it ...

Tensions Over MEA Landing Requests in Tehran

This is Beirut 14/02 11:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Airport MEA Iran

The issue of the Iranian plane continues to stir tensions and the Lebanese Directorate General of Civil Aviation announced its intention on Thursday to send a plane to repatriate Lebanese nationals stranded in Tehran. According to several media outlets, Iranian authorities rejected Lebanon’s request to allow two Middle East Airlines (MEA) ...

VideosThousands Rally in Martyrs' Square Ahead of Saad Hariri's Speech

Lyne Sammouri 14/02 10:55 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon Rafic Hariri

People rally in Martyrs’ Square for the 20th commemoration of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri’s assassination on February 14, 2025. Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri is set to make an important statement to mark this occasion.

Videos20 Years After the Assassination of Rafic Hariri, Beirut Stands United in Remembrance

This is Beirut 14/02 10:25 - Reading : less than a minute

lebanon Hariri February 14

In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Rafic Hariri's assassination, large crowds gathered this morning in downtown Beirut, awaiting a speech from Saad Hariri. He arrived 48 hours ago without making any public statements, urging his supporters to “listen to him this Friday.” Throughout the morning, several political figures have visited ...

EditorialRafic Hariri and the Rise of Political Sunnism

Michel Touma 14/02 09:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Hezbollah Saudi Arabia Rafic Hariri Sunni

“No one can be greater than their country,” Rafic Hariri once remarked. Yet, two dominant forces in Lebanon challenged this notion: Hariri himself and Hezbollah. Their conflicting vision led to a violent confrontation—an all-out clash of titans—one that reached its climax 20 years ago, on February 14, 2005, when the former ...

Op-edThe War Ended Today

Johnny Kortbawi 14/02 08:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Middle East Hezbollah

Lebanon is preparing to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the civil war, which started on April 13, 1975, and lasted for more than 15 years. The actual date of the war’s end, October 13, 1990, was not the end of the crisis. The end of the war means three parallel things. The first is the withdrawal of weapons from all ...

Lebanon: France Proposes the Deployment of UNIFIL for a Definitive Israeli Withdrawal

This is Beirut 13/02 22:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United Nations Hezbollah Israel Lebanon

France has proposed that some soldiers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), including French troops, be deployed in positions in southern Lebanon to allow for a "complete and definitive" withdrawal of Israel, announced Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Thursday. "The ceasefire has been extended until February 18, the ...

InvestigationValentine’s Day Special: Love in Lebanon, a Feeling in Crisis?

Yara Germany 13/02 22:00 - Reading : 9 minute(s)

Valentine's day lebanon love

This year, Valentine’s Day comes amid Lebanon’s struggle to recover – from war, constant political instability and an unrelenting financial crisis. And who better than the Lebanese to bring a touch of red to all this grayness? For some, this day is little more than a marketing ploy; for others, a chance to celebrate their loved ones; and ...

Berri Rejects Any Israeli Presence After Scheduled Pullout

This is Beirut 13/02 21:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Hezbollah ceasefire

With just five days remaining before the scheduled Israeli pullout on February 18, Speaker Nabih Berri revealed that United States officials informed him that while Israeli forces would vacate the villages where they maintain a presence in the south, they would remain in five key positions – a development that has been the subject of ongoing ...

Alfa Clarifies Service Outage, Announces Compensation for Subscribers

This is Beirut 13/02 19:45 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon Alfa

Alfa, the mobile operator, explained the reasons behind Wednesday’s disruption of several of its services. In a statement, the company attributed the outage to a technical issue that occurred while updating an outdated router used for data transmission. Alfa apologized to its subscribers and reassured them that its network is undergoing ...

Violent Protests in Beirut as Authorities Block Flight from Tehran

This is Beirut 13/02 19:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanon Iran BIA Hezbollah

The issue of Lebanese citizens stranded at Tehran airport is about to be resolved. Middle East Airlines will charter a flight on Thursday night to bring them back to Beirut on Friday, according to the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (GDCA). Lebanon banned a plane from the Iranian company Mahan Air to fly to Beirut, on Thursday. This measure ...

VideosRoses at All Costs: Lebanon’s Scarce but Unshakable Symbol of Love

Yara Germany 13/02 18:30 - Reading : less than a minute

roses valentine plantations love

The supply from Lebanon’s rose plantations falls short, but demand never wavers. Love insists on roses, imported or not, at all costs.