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 articulate the situation better. Take the case of the...
View ArticleNew 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 1: The most visible and...
View ArticleThe ugly face of the kafala system
When I exited the plane in Beirut last night, I noticed an Ethiopia Airlines plane parked next to ours and thought little of it. But as we walked through the skywalk and then into a long corridor, this...
View ArticleLebanon’s first expatriate voters show true colors
There is a fantasy among many in Lebanon- liberals in particular– that a silent majority of Lebanese do not support the country’s political establishment. That most Lebanese would prefer a life free...
View ArticleThe 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 styles of campaigning that come as a sharp...
View ArticleWill 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 me across the street to issue the threat, claiming to have memorized...
View ArticleRoman city wall removed from Beirut site
A rare and well-preserved ancient Roman wall that once surrounded Beirut has been dismantled. Photography of the site is not allowed, but from the street, a truck-mounted construction crane can be seen...
View ArticleGrand Sofar Hotel: A case for preservation
At a time when so many historic sites are being demolished in Lebanon, it’s refreshing to see that some in the country are also interested in preserving the past, and seeing a value in that. Just last...
View ArticleAmid constant blackouts, Energy minister awarded prize
If you live in Lebanon, you would probably fall out of your chair if I told you government ministers were being awarded for public services. With no constant supply of water or electricity, no sewage...
View ArticleRace Against Time: How luxury developers are wiping out ancient Beirut
A version of this story was published in Monocle Magazine, August 2018 By Habib Battah Just across the skyscraper-lined Bay of Beirut, in the lush foothills of Mount Lebanon, a little-understood...
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