Lebanon

Final Round of Municipal Elections: Saida Speaks
VideosFinal Round of Municipal Elections: Saida Speaks

From elderly citizens calling for progress to youth demanding inclusion, Saida’s streets were alive with voices of hope and determination as the 2025 municipal elections wrapped up in South Lebanon. Even children too young to vote marched beside their parents, echoing dreams of a city – and a country – ready to grow.

J. Aoun Calls for Votes 'for Those Who Will Contribute to Reconstruction' of South Lebanon
J. Aoun Calls for Votes 'for Those Who Will Contribute to Reconstruction' of South Lebanon

President of the Republic Joseph Aoun visited the Saida and Nabatiyeh Serail on Saturday morning to mark the launch of municipal elections in South Lebanon. “Today, we celebrate not only the anniversary of the Liberation, but also democracy and the power of making the right choice,” he declared, hailing the holding of elections in a region ...

Lebanon’s $4.5 Billion Price Tag: The Hidden Cost of the Syrian War
Lebanon’s $4.5 Billion Price Tag: The Hidden Cost of the Syrian War

Since 2011, hosting Syrian refugees has posed a severe economic challenge for Lebanon. According to the latest World Bank report, the direct annual cost of accommodating these refugees is estimated at around $4.5 billion. However, this figure only accounts for direct expenses. When indirect costs are included, the total cost rises to roughly ...

What Are the 12 Palestinian Camps in Lebanon?
ExplainerWhat Are the 12 Palestinian Camps in Lebanon?

The disarmament of Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon will begin in mid-June, based on an agreement with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is on an official visit to Lebanon, a Lebanese government official told AFP on Friday. Following the creation of Israel and the Nakba in 1948, many Palestinian refugees settled in Lebanon. Lebanon ...

Morgan Ortagus Calls for Disarming Hezbollah and Reforming Lebanon to Attract Investment
Morgan Ortagus Calls for Disarming Hezbollah and Reforming Lebanon to Attract Investment

US Deputy Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus called on Friday for the urgent and complete disarmament of Hezbollah, stressing that legitimate arms must remain solely in the hands of the Lebanese state. In an exclusive statement to Al Jadeed, Ortagus emphasized that genuine economic and financial reforms are not only vital for building a ...

Israeli Airstrikes Hit Aita al-Shaab and a Vehicle in Kfar Kila
Israeli Airstrikes Hit Aita al-Shaab and a Vehicle in Kfar Kila

An Israeli drone dropped a bomb on the town of Aita al-Shaab on Friday afternoon. No injuries were reported from the strike, though it heightened concerns in the already tense border area. Earlier in the day, Israeli forces opened fire on a civilian vehicle in the town of Kfar Kila near the Fatima Gate. The car was struck by several bullets while ...

When Emigrants Pay the Price of Exile
PoliticsWhen Emigrants Pay the Price of Exile

None of the emigrants chose to leave voluntarily. They left either in pursuit of education abroad or to find work that could provide them with economic stability and safety amid the wars in Lebanon. When the electoral law was amended to include expatriates in the actual voting process, enthusiasm soared, and in the last election, a quarter of a ...

Lebanon Regains WHO Voting Rights, Pledges Health Reforms
Lebanon Regains WHO Voting Rights, Pledges Health Reforms

Lebanon has regained its voting rights at the World Health Organization (WHO) after a two-year suspension due to unpaid membership fees. Speaking from the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Minister of Public Health Dr. Rakan Nassereddine said the reinstatement “restores Lebanon’s influential role in the organization’s discussions and ...

Tom Barrack Appointed US Special Envoy for Syria
Tom Barrack Appointed US Special Envoy for Syria

The Trump administration announced on Friday the appointment of Tom Barrack, the current US ambassador to Turkey and a longtime ally of the president, as the new Special Envoy for Syria. The announcement marks a significant shift in US engagement in the Middle East following the fall of the Assad regime. Barrack is a billionaire real estate ...

Aoun Tells ATFL Lebanon Is Committed to Lawful Recovery
Aoun Tells ATFL Lebanon Is Committed to Lawful Recovery

Lebanese President General Joseph Aoun addressed the American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL) via video during a Washington dinner on Friday. He stated that Lebanon is firmly on the path to national recovery through legal reform and full state sovereignty. “We have made measurable progress and are steadily building a lawful and just state,” ...

Municipal Elections in Southern Lebanon: Clinging to Power
Municipal Elections in Southern Lebanon: Clinging to Power

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 24, 2025, nearly one million voters (993,582) in Southern Lebanon will cast their ballots to elect 3,486 municipal councilors and 781 mukhtars across 272 municipal councils. This Saturday also marks the end of this municipal election month, the first in 9 years; the last elections were held in ...