If you ignore the dust and cobwebs, it is hard to believe that Halim El-Hajj (1915-1990) last worked in his studio over 20 years ago. The sculptor, who grew up in the village of Bejjé (16km above Byblos,) left many things behind in the studio: medallions, busts of well-known Lebanese and foreign (mostly French) personalities, […]

DIMAN, Lebanon: Maronite Patriarch Beshara Rai called Tuesday on Levant Christians to safeguard their existence through building a diverse society with Muslims. Rai made the comments while receiving a delegation of expat youths of Lebanese origin at his summer residence in Diman. The teenagers are in the country on a two-week trip arranged by the […]

2005 was a decisive year in Fadel Shaker’s life, as he decided to leave his Mar Taqla home in the Christian suburbs of Beirut and return to Sidon after a fifteen-year absence. The reasons cited by those close to him do not seem sufficient to explain the importance of this move. They say his wife […]

Britain’s Embassy in Beirut celebrated the birth of the royal heir by serving traditional Lebanese sweets on Tuesday, AFP news agency reported. Prince William’s wife, Kate, gave birth to a baby boy on Monday. On Wednesday, Prince William and Kate named their baby boy George Alexander Louis, sticking firmly to royal tradition with a first […]

  If you’re a Catholic on Facebook, you may have seen this poem on your newsfeed today: WE NEED SAINTS We need saints without veil or cassock. We need saints who wear jeans and sneakers. We need saints who go to the movies, listen to music and hang out with friends. We need saints who […]

Before war broke out in Syria, Lebanese Sunni cleric Ahmad al-Assir was a respected figure in his country. But as the civil war in Syria has crossed over to Lebanon, Assir’s sermons have turned political, often criticizing Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah for fighting alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s troops. Although these views have caused some […]

  By Coline Schep After long and painstaking debate, and following years of US pressure, EU foreign ministers on 22 July agreed to designate Hizbullah’s ‘military wing’ as a terrorist organisation. The decision allows for the freezing of EU-based assets aimed at assisting the Lebanese Shia movement’s military activities. It also makes it illegal for […]

BEIRUT: The Rashaya Plastic Arts Workshop called Thursday for preserving the country’s architectural heritage as part of a new nationwide campaign. “Our heritage today is being destroyed across the country, whether deliberately or not, and especially our cultural heritage, which includes many homes,” Marwa Alwan said at a news conference at the group’s Beirut office. […]

Selon une étude du Centre de recherche arabe en politiques économiques, 33 % des Libanais interrogés souhaiteraient émigrer vers d’autres destinations. Il s’agit du second taux le plus élevé parmi 14 pays arabes inclus dans l’étude du centre basé au Qatar. Le Liban est ainsi seulement arrivé après le Soudan où 54 % des habitants […]

Last week, the City of Detroit filed for bankruptcy, making it the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history. It’s a remarkable story, especially for natives of the state, like me, who have watched Detroit slowly decline for decades. But it’s even more remarkable when you consider the fact that the Michigan state legislature is on […]