Paula Astih

Paula Astih
Features A mourner, left, looks at a monument of Lokman Slim during a memorial service to pay tribute to the slain Lebanese political activist in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. (AP)

Lokman Slim’s Mother to Asharq Al-Awsat: Sorrow Is My Constant Companion

No feelings of animosity and vengeance are harbored towards the killers of Shiite political activist Lokman Slim. His mother, Salma Mershak has refused to…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World The French President during his visit to the port of Beirut after the explosion in August 2020 (Getty Images)

Lebanese Leaders Respond to Macron’s Call to ‘Remove Them’ with Silence

Lebanese politicians acted with disinterest towards the harsh statements made by French President Emmanuel Macron during his return from the Jordanian capital,…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Features Lebanese MPs speak prior to the start of the ninth parliamentary session to elect a new president of Lebanon, at the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon, 08 December 2022. (EPA)

Lebanon’s FPM Torn Between Bassil’s Ambitions, Hezbollah’s Pressure 

A number of lawmakers from Lebanon’s Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) have acknowledged that the party is in “crisis” over the election of a new president of the…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri heads the first session to elect a new president at the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon September 29, 2022. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Lebanon: Divided Opposition Fails to Agree on Presidential Candidate

Parliament’s opposition forces, represented by the Lebanese Forces, the Progressive Socialist Party (PSP), the Kataeb, the Change Movement and other…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World Lebanese gathered in front of a bank branch in Beirut in support of a depositor who stormed the institution to demand his money (EPA)

Worsening Living Crisis Stirs Fears of Security Chaos in Lebanon

Security fears in Lebanon are escalating amid a crippling economic crisis that has seen the salaries of army soldiers drop to $33 a month. The local currency,…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Business A billboard welcoming tourists is seen along the airport road in Beirut on June 22, 2022. ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images

Lebanon’s Tourism Season Attracts $5 Billion

Lebanon’s summer season constituted a lifeline for the country that has been stricken by an unprecedented economic and financial collapse since 2019. While…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Arab World Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib gestures as he speaks during an interview with Reuters at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beirut, Lebanon November 2, 2021. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir

Lebanon Mulls Closing Down Several Diplomatic Missions

Since the beginning of 2022, Lebanon’s diplomatic missions abroad have not received their operating expenses, while ambassadors and employees are still waiting…

Paula Astih (Beirut)
Features Lebanese national flags fly at half-mast outside the presidential palace as Lebanon marks the two-year anniversary of the August 2020 Beirut port explosion, in Baabda Lebanon August 4, 2022. (Dalati & Nohra)

Majority of Presidential Terms in Lebanon End in Conflicts, Wars or Vacuum

Lebanon only twice witnessed a smooth transition of power from one president to a successor in its 79 years of independence. Out of 12 presidents who had…

Paula Astih (Beirut)