LEBANON

BEIRUT — Ziad Rahbani, the fierce satirist, celebrated composer, and uncompromising voice of Lebanon’s conscience, died Thursday in Beirut. He was 68. The cause of death was complications from a heart condition, according to family sources.  Rahbani was more than just the son of Lebanon’s beloved diva Fairuz and iconic composer…

SABTIYEH-SED EL BOUCHRIEH, Lebanon — The Universal Syriac Union Party (USUP) on Friday held a commemoration in honor of the 1,132 Syriac Martyrs who bravely sacrificed their lives for freedom and independence during Lebanon’s civil war.  USUP annually pays tribute the martyrs of the Christian Syriac Resistance. Friday’s gathering was held at Syriac Martyrs’…

BEIRUT – In an exclusive interview with Suroyo TV Lebanon, National Liberal Party Leader Camille Chamoun discussed Lebanon’s internal affairs and the broader Middle East.  On U.S. Ambassador To Turkey and U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack’s third visit to Lebanon, do you believe this signals new U.S. maneuvers…

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s Minister for Displaced Persons Kamal Shehadeh told Al-Arabiya that the Lebanese government will not back down from its decision to restrict arms to the state only. Shehadeh stated that the Lebanese government remains firm in its stance regarding the monopoly of arms, asserting that Hezbollah’s arsenal has not protected…

BETH KERKE, Lebanon — On Wednesday, Syriac Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros al-Raï received US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack — also tasked by the Trump Administration with handling the Lebanon dossier — and US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson at the patriarchal residence in…

BEIRUT — Hezbollah’s insistence on holding on to its weapons and rejecting any trajectory that would restore legitimacy to the Lebanese state are a direct threat and present danger to the political system and the fate of Lebanon as a whole, says Ibrahim Mrad, President of the Universal Syriac Universal…

ZAHLE, Lebanon — A wave of concern is sweeping through Zahle, the predominantly Syriac (Aramean–Assyrian–Chaldean) city in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, as local leaders warn of what they describe as a coordinated effort to alter the area’s demographic makeup through illegal and opaque land sales. In a strongly worded statement, the…

BEIRUT / MEARAB — As US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack touched down in Lebanon on Monday to meet with senior Lebanese officials seeking a formal response from the country’s top three officials to a US proposal that includes the disarmament of Iran-backed Hezbollah, Lebanon’s…

BEIRUT — Intensive meetings and consultations are ongoing among Lebanon’s top officials, yet a unified and decisive outcome has yet to emerge in response to the seven-point proposal presented by US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack.  The proposal includes key conditions such as the disarmament…

SHWAYYA, Lebanon – The Greek (Rûm) Orthodox Mar Elias Shwayya Patriarchal Monastery is one of the oldest and most significant spiritual and historical landmarks in Mount Lebanon. It holds within its walls centuries of faith, resilience, and miracles. Rising atop rocky cliffs in the town of Shwayya, the monastery stands…