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Art brings life to the ruins of Beit Meri
Too often on this site, I have covered the destruction of ancient ruins in favor of new developments. But what if the new could coexist with the past without disfiguring or destroying it? I was really pleased to learn about the exhibit “Lost in the right direction” currently taking place at the Beit Meri Roman/Byzantine ruins. When I visited this place a […]
Labneh and the Mafia: a short story
So I’m waiting for my haloum sandwich at Jarjoura Dairy in Chtoura, Bekaa–never tried it before and place looks dated so I’m skeptical. Suddenly a beefy dude barges in and asks for three kilos of labneh, speaking quickly but politely. He paces the place agitatedly and I’m thinking who the hell is this guy and why is he in such a rush […]
Why is Mseilha Dam empty again?
Only a small pool of water is retained in the massive multi-million dollar Mseilha dam, seen in these pictures from last week after some of the final heavy rains of the winter season. The dam was reportedly completed in 2019. It was full of water for a brief period in 2020, but by the end of last year, the dam was empty […]
What happened to the protests in Lebanon?
It’s a question I get asked a lot lately, most recently during a radio interview I did this morning. With so much that’s happened this year in Lebanon–and the world–it’s easy to forget how massive the crowds once were, as seen in these protest tours we did in downtown Beirut late last year. The occupation of public spaces (and privately owned parking […]
An open mic revolution in Lebanon
Many have asked if the revolts taking place across Lebanon will succeed. But they have already succeeded at taking away the ruling politicians’ most powerful weapon: the microphone. Extraordinary scenes are unfolding on Lebanese television, a freedom of speech and confrontation with power that may not be found in the most democratic Western countries. Read this piece I wrote for Al Jazeera […]
Can Lebanese political parties be investigated for blasphemy too?
The Lebanese state (which literally cannot keep the streetlights on at night where hundreds die in highway collisions every year) opened an “Investigation of Blasphemy” over a picture shared on Facebook by the lead singer of the band مشروع ليلى Mashrou’ Leila because it contained an altered image of the Virgin Mary as pop star Madonna. Blasphempy can carry a whopping three […]
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