CULTURE & HERITAGE
Will Renzo Piano’s new tower demolish an ancient city buried under Beirut?
"We will find where you live," a watchman yelled at me after taking a picture of ruins on his construction site. He had followed...
New excavations across downtown Beirut, Saifi and Martyr’s Square
Archaeological excavations have been mushrooming across downtown Beirut over recent months, providing a glimpse at how the city looked and functioned in ancient times.
Site...
ENVIRONMENT & PUBLIC SPACE
Painting Beirut’s slums
When we hear about real estate developers working in poor neighborhoods, it often means they are tearing them down to build towers and looking...
The violent face of real estate development in Lebanon
An LBC camera crew has become the latest victim of violent Lebanese real estate companies seizing the country's diminishing natural shores, destroying essential ecosystems...
LAW & CRIME
The changing culture of election campaigns in Lebanon
Even if independent candidates don't win big on election day, they are already having an impact on Lebanese political culture. They have introduced new...
PUBLIC SERVICES
Venice? No, it’s all in Lebanon!
Have you ever been to Lake Naccache? It's so romantic with restaurants right on the waterfront.
But strangely, the people drive cars, not boats:
...which doesn't...
MEDIA
Not your average citizen: Rafik Hariri’s neoliberal Lebanon
With tensions between Lebanon and GCC countries rising everyday, it is essential to examine how Lebanon's economy has become dependent on oil-producing states and...
Hacking the Saudi narrative, Lebanese style
Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer. I'm not a fan of quoting cliches, but in these Machiavellian times, few phrases seem to...
IN DEPTH
The gutting of Beirut’s Roman racetrack
We often worry about extremists groups like ISIS destroying history in the Middle East. But in Beirut, private capital and well-connected developers are also...
Unpacking the Arab Tech Boom
The word entrepreneur has become ubiquitous in talk about the future of Arab business. Some have even claimed a quiet economic revolution is at...
TRAVEL
In latest shooting, a very different reaction
It's been over ten days since the mass shooting at US military offices in Tennessee and here in Texas, flags are still at half...
Skiing with the IDF
Yesterday we set out for a fun day on the slopes.
Thankfully, when we reached the peaks at Faraya, the lifts were running smoothly:
And the...
RECENT POSTS
What exactly did the Iranian advisor tell Hariri?
"We praise Hariri, the government and the people for the recent victories in the face of terrorist forces."
Today this quote may sound like...
FEATURED VIDEO
Tramway exhibit this week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_w2gSza2jc
I just stumbled upon this interesting Al Jadeed TV report about Lebanon's old trolley car or "tramway" system. The reporter visits an exhibit where...
MOST POPULAR
Rose House opening to the public
Next week, Beirut's storied "Rose House", which sits on a rare green hill overlooking the Mediterranean, will be open to the public for the...
