Lebanon is celebrating the holiday season with festive spirit and unity, weeks after a ceasefire ended a 14-month conflict, bringing hope and comfort to a nation in recovery.
Lebanon is beginning to recover from a devastating 14-month conflict that ended with a ceasefire on November 27, 2024. While the country faces significant challenges, the holiday season has provided a moment of unity and hope. The conflict, primarily between Hezbollah and Israel, claimed the lives of 3,961 people, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. The economic cost of the war is also steep, with damages and losses estimated at US$8.5 billion, according to a World Bank report.
Despite the hardships, the festive spirit is alive in Lebanon. Cities like Byblos have come alive with Christmas lights, music, and decorations, offering a much-needed respite from the turmoil. Cherine Al-Tom, a Lebanese citizen, captured the essence of the nation's resilience, saying, "If they fall a hundred times, they will stand back up and keep moving." Walking through the lively streets, Al-Tom emphasized the importance of keeping traditions alive, adding, "We are in Christmas mood – this is very beautiful and we must follow through with our children and let them experience Christmas."
The Christmas markets have become a symbol of hope and unity, drawing people from all factions to celebrate together. Cynthia Khalife, founder of the 'Hype and Happenings' organization, which is hosting the Byblos Christmas market, remarked, "As you can see, people from all factions have gathered here. We are all one people united in joy and peace. We hope that this year will be a year of hope for everyone."
The toll of the conflict on Lebanon’s infrastructure and economy is undeniable, but the spirit of the Lebanese people remains strong. The 2024 Christmas season marks not only a time for celebration but also a symbol of the nation's resilience and determination to rebuild and move forward.
The French government expressed concern over the violent crackdown on post-election protests in Cameroon, urging authorities to guarantee the safety a...
French prosecutors said on Wednesday (October 29) that two men arrested on suspicion of stealing jewels from the Louvre Museum have “partially admit...
Centrist liberal party D66, led by Rob Jetten, has taken a shock lead in the Dutch election, according to the main exit poll, just two years after the...
U.S. stocks were mixed late Wednesday as traders digested comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who signaled that another interest rate c...
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that the ongoing U.S. federal government shutdown could reduce the economy by between...
Lebanon’s permanent mission to the United Nations will submit an “urgent complaint” regarding airstrikes conducted by Israel on Saturday in a southern economic zone, which caused civilian casualties and substantial property damage.
The U.S. has approved $230 million in aid for Lebanon’s armed and internal security forces, aiming to strengthen state control as pressure mounts on Hezbollah to disarm.
An Israeli drone strike killed five people, including three children and their father, all U.S. citizens on Sunday in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said. Two others were wounded, including their mother, in what Lebanese officials condemned as a blatant attack on civilians.
Bulgarian authorities have detained Igor Grechushkin, the Russian owner of a cargo ship linked to the ammonium nitrate at the heart of the 2020 Beirut port explosion, Lebanese judicial officials said.
A small, silent object from another star is cutting through the Solar System. It’s real, not a film, and one scientist thinks it might be sending a message.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Hundreds of civilians were reportedly killed by the Rapid Support Forces at the main hospital in el-Fasher, days after the militia captured the Sudanese city, the head of the UN health agency said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that the most difficult situation on the front line remains the eastern city of Pokrovsk, where fighting continues to be most intense due to a strong concentration of Russian forces.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is conducting inspections in Iran but has not visited the three sites that were bombed by the United States in June, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said Wednesday.
Spain held a state funeral on Wednesday to honor the 237 victims of the deadly Valencia floods that struck on October 29, 2024, the most catastrophic flooding in Europe in more than five decades.
The French government expressed concern over the violent crackdown on post-election protests in Cameroon, urging authorities to guarantee the safety and physical integrity of all citizens, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment