The Beiruter

Reflecting on Bachir Gemayel’s vision of a sovereign Lebanon, the country’s unfinished state-building journey highlights the need for stronger institutions and accountability.

From ancient warrior rituals and battlefield stimulants to AI-era biotechnology, this article explores humanity’s centuries-long pursuit of creating soldiers who can overcome fear, fatigue and the limits of the human body.

The Beirut Port blast investigation nears a pivotal milestone as Lebanon prepares for a long-awaited indictment expected within days.

From property rights to village identity, MP Elias Hankach tells The Beiruter why Mount Lebanon’s common lands dispute matters following the State Council’s decision.

Lebanon needs a new national pact balancing majority rule, communal safeguards, state authority and a shared identity before federalism can offer an escape from political paralysis.

The Houthi capture of islands surrounding Bab al-Mandeb brings weapons and surveillance closer to vital shipping lanes, increasing risks to global trade and energy flows.

More than six months into the war, Tyre has become the center of an improvised civilian life in southern Lebanon, where displacement, disrupted schooling and damaged infrastructure are becoming harder to treat as temporary.

Lebanon has resumed recruiting trainee judges after an eight-year freeze, but court shortages, heavy backlogs and a three-year training period raise questions about whether 45 new judges will be enough.

From international opportunities to modern legal education, BBA President Me. Imad Martinos explains to The Beiruter how new initiatives are redefining the future of Lebanon’s legal profession.

Renewed clashes in Syria’s Sweida injured ten security personnel, highlighting persistent instability, competing security claims, and unresolved disputes over governance.

Lebanon’s 2026 budget contains at least LBP 1.63 trillion in spending that can be explicitly identified as prison-specific. More than half is allocated to food, almost LBP 500 billion to medicines, laboratory materials and hospitalisation, and another LBP 204.8 billion to equipment and maintenance. The procurement records show where some of that money goes, but calculating a simple cost per prisoner is much harder.

The destruction of Hezbollah’s underground infrastructure in Ali al-Taher highlights the changing security landscape in southern Lebanon and the unresolved challenges surrounding Beirut’s sovereignty, safety, and stability.