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Lucky to be Just 'Ugly' and Slapped
By Mona Alami
BEIRUT - "My maid is extremely ugly, I can't fight the urge to slap her when I see her early in the morning," boasts a Lebanese trader from Ain Anoub village just outside Beirut. He laughs.
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In an Uneasy Togetherness with Syria
Analysis by Mona Alami
BEIRUT - Small countries right next to one another, Syria and Lebanon seem light years apart. The two countries have shared a rocky relationship for decades, characterised mainly by Syrian dominance. Once again this relationship appears to be put to test as reports of Syrian deployment on Lebanon's borders abound.
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At the Palestinian Camp, Bombing Is a Way of Life
By Mona Alami
BEIRUT - A bomb blast at the Ain el-Helweh Palestinian refugee camp as this IPS correspondent was visiting, comes as yet another reminder of the precarious peace in these places.
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'Incoherent' Agreement Spells the Way Forward
Analysis by Mona Alami
BEIRUT - The Lebanese unity government has finally came to terms with its ministerial declaration after weeks of political haggling. What promises and threats does the incoherent declaration hold for Lebanon in a polarised local and regional context?
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Belligerence on the Rise Again
By Mona Alami
BEIRUT - Except for the Western looking houses along the horizon on the northern side of the blue line that separates Lebanon from Israel, little seems to separate Lebanon from Israel. Away from the picturesque landscape, however, whether in Israel or Dahiyeh - a Beirut suburb and Hezbollah's headquarters - belligerent talk is on the rise.
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'Switzerland of the Middle East' Looks for Revival
By Mona Alami
BEIRUT - Lebanon was long dubbed the 'Switzerland of the Middle East' for its advanced banking sector. It lost its status 23 years ago at the dawn of the 1975 civil war, which lasted 15 years. The country has since been unable to regain the title, in spite of the brief economic revival witnessed in the 1990s.
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Maronites Bring Home a Political Message
By Mona Alami
BEIRUT - Bkerke towers atop the northern Lebanese city of Jounieh, a white mansion that serves as the refuge of the Maronite patriarch. The century-old construction seems to shine amid the shrubbery, contrasting against the pristine blue sky. Its story is as ancient as Lebanon's, and reflective of its diverse past.
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Cracks Widen Under the Patchwork
By Mona Alami
BEIRUT - The assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri Feb. 14 2005 generated a popular outcry in Lebanon, which led to the massive protest in Martyrs' Square a month later on Mar. 14. The demonstration against Syrian occupation, which was accused in the killing, marked a turning point in Lebanese politics and the birth of the March 14 movement.
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Syria Comes In From the Cold
By Mona Alami
BEIRUT - Syrian skies seem to be finally clearing after a very long storm and the virtual shunning of President Bashar al-Assad from the international political scene for almost three years. Many may perceive the recent rapprochement between Syria and France as a mere dalliance, but others believe it can herald a new - and more peaceful - dawn in Lebanon.
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Bodies Swap Brings Uneasy Triumph
By Mona Alami
BEIRUT - The image of 199 coffins covered with Lebanese, Palestinian and Hezbollah flags neatly aligned in a southern Beirut compound was broadcast last week on all national Lebanese TV stations. On Tuesday this week, 144 of these remains were transferred to Syria, their final place of rest. Such images have stirred varying emotions among the Lebanese population.
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Cancer On the Rise
By Mona Alami
BEIRUT - Reports of a rising incidence of cancer now worry many families across Lebanon. Over the past 40 years, reported cases of cancer have risen from 3,000 to about 8,000 a year.
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Fresh Disputes Shadow New Govt
By Mona Alami
BEIRUT - The new government's first official snapshot taken at the presidential palace last week was certainly worth a thousand words. While 28 of the 30 cabinet ministers were dressed in the traditional white suits, two - Public Works Minister Ghazi Aridi and State Minister Wael Abou Faour - wore dark colours. Between them they emphasised some of Lebanon's eternal dichotomies.
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Radical Islam Comes to Town
By Mona Alami
TRIPOLI, Lebanon - In the centre of one of Tripoli's squares in north Lebanon, a large statue has been erected inscribed with the word 'Allah' in Arabesque calligraphy. The statue reflects the city's reality, especially in light of the recent rise in Salafism, a radical form of Islam.
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Mona Alami, a French-Lebanese journalist based in Beirut, brings IPS exclusive and incisive reports on the challenges that armed conflict poses for the Lebanese people's daily lives. Mona took to reporting after a law degree and an MBA. Her reporting spreads across the canvas from the pressing news of the day to a close look at broader issues that others have mostly forgotten.