Radical sheikh still wields influence from Lebanese prison

A suspect in the failed Jan. 21 suicide attack on a Beirut coffee house has reportedly admitted to being a homegrown terrorist aligned with the Islamic State and a follower of Salafist Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir.

Lebanon

Hezbollah torn between local, regional roles

In light of the raging regional crises, Hezbollah has been intervening outside Lebanon's border in support of its foreign allies in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere, raising controversy inside the country about the movement’s local and regional influence.

Lebanon

Lawyers struggle to pursue legal action over trash burning in Lebanon

Even though trash burning is illegal in Lebanon, judges have failed to hold municipal heads accountable for allowing the burning of waste.

Lebanon

Will Iraq succeed in bringing Iran, Saudi Arabia closer?

Iraq has been stepping up its mediation efforts to achieve a Saudi-Iranian reconciliation amid a conducive political and economic environment.

Legacy: Gulf

After Aleppo victory, what's next for Hezbollah?

With recent military victories in the Syrian war, Hezbollah has consolidated its political power and influence in Lebanon as well as in the greater region.

Lebanon

Is Turkey’s shift on Assad beginning of the end of Syria’s war?

Turkish deputy prime minister says "we just have to work with what we have"; no sectarian divide in Aleppo; the Syrian Kurdish fault line.

Lebanon

How a landfill poses danger to Beirut flights

Although the Costa Brava landfill, which is in close proximity to Lebanon’s only airport in Beirut, was closed, seagulls attracted to the waste pose a major threat to planes, while the government has yet to find a final solution to the two-year trash crisis.

Lebanon

New Lebanese president makes Gulf priority

With a visit to Saudi Arabia on Jan. 10, new Lebanese President Michel Aoun has signaled that warmer relations with the Gulf is at the top of his priority list.

Legacy: Gulf

Lebanon's new women's affairs minister fails to charm

Lebanese women's rights organizations are unimpressed with the creation of the new Ministry of Women’s Affairs, saying women need more representation across the board, not the attention of a single body, particularly one run by a male appointee.

Lebanon

Why Lebanon could be spared from recent terrorism bloodshed

Lebanon has been spared from the terrorism violence that has struck other neighboring countries of Syria over the past few weeks.

Lebanon

Two sides of Syria: Damascus and Aleppo

While Aleppo lies in ruins, life in wartime Damascus remains vibrant, but not untouched.

Lebanon

Jordanians question timing, messages of top military brass

The Dec. 30 BBC interview with Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Freihat, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs­ of­ Staff, raised eyebrows in Amman and prompted local commentators to speculate about the purpose and meaning of Freihat’s statements.

Iraq