AP Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency says a boat carrying about 40 Palestinians from a refugee camp in Syria capsized en route to Turkey and that at least nine migrants drowned. Wednesday’s report says the vessel left the northern Lebanese port of Tripoli on Monday and capsized after entering Turkish territorial waters. It says those […]

By Carine Torbey – BBC bbc.com

"LebanOFF, LebanON" was a catchy and successful media campaign launched by the Ministry of Energy in 2010 to hail a new age for electricity provision in the country.

And it struck a chord – after decades of power shortages, Lebanon was to be plugged in again.

But the slogan didn’t live up to its promises and instead of more lights on, Lebanon has recently plunged even deeper into darkness.

And that’s just one of the many problems plaguing the country and shutting the system down, making "LebanOFF" more than just an amusing slogan.

middleeasteye.net – Paul Cochrane

BEIRUT – Lebanon is not a military state like Egypt, Jordan or Syria. There is no military-industrial complex like in Egypt, where it is estimated to account for about 30 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). There is also no clear national leader capable of doing publicity stunts with parachute regiments like in Jordan, and there is no military service.

The last two Lebanese presidents aside – who switched their general’s uniforms for suits once in office – Lebanese politics has been dominated more by former militia leaders and technocrats than by an elite officer corps with the potential to carry out a coup.

Josh Wood

BAALBEK, LEBANON // Not long after the sun fades from the fields of the Bekaa Valley, Cameroonian-born jazz bassist Richard Bona and his band launch into their set on the steps of the Temple of Bacchus. As thousands gyrate, clap and sing along to the music that skips between cultures, rhythms, genres and eras, the anxieties of present-day Lebanon melt away.

The Baalbek International Festival, at which Bona was performing on Sunday evening, was established in 1966 to bring top musicians, dancers and actors to the well-preserved ruins of the ancient city that the Romans called Heliopolis. The festival’s early years coincided with Lebanon’s golden age – the two decades leading up to 1975 – and saw greats such as American trumpeter Miles Davis, folk singer Joan Baez and queen of jazz Ella Fitzgerald play against the stunning backdrop of the Roman temples.

By: Tamsyn Burgmann, The Canadian Press

Visual artist Jad El Khoury, 27, planned five months to make his "art attack" on this derelict apartment building in downtown Beirut. In this composite image, the photo on the left show the apartment building as it stands in Beirut, and the right is a computer-generated artist’s concept of what his "Potato Nose" characters in his signature humourous style would look like adorned on the same building. El Khoury incorporated missile and bullet holes blasted into the 11-storey facade during Lebanon’s 15-year civil war. He hopes the giant display will unite the religiously divided society with a shared laugh. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Jad El Khoury

BEIRUT – We’re driving the highway through downtown Beirut, just a stone’s throw from the former "Green Line" that split the Middle East capital in two during Lebanon’s 15-year civil war and, with it, its people.

One hand on the wheel, visual artist Jad El Khoury gestures at a bombed-out 11-storey building somehow still planted on its foundation. A constellation of missile and bullet holes mar its exterior.

El Khoury has big plans for this urban eyesore. They’re also illegal.

The 27-year-old has spent five months plotting to scale the derelict apartments and subversively spray upon it a sky-high mural, transforming scars of war into one giant joke.

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s health minister says the country is on the brink of a "major health disaster" unless an immediate solution is found for its mounting trash problem. Garbage has been collecting on the streets in Lebanon for the past month amid government paralysis and inability to agree on a solution after Beirut’s main landfill […]

Magda Abu-Fadil

Believe it or not, an LBCI TV report said, the journalists union in Lebanon is tasked with protecting journalists’ rights.

But, believe it or not, it quoted online journalist Hassan Al Zein as saying, members of the Lebanese Journalists Union (LJU), who aren’t even journalists, sell their presence to political entities for a pretty penny during that election period.

"A large number of members aren’t journalists, while a large number of journalists aren’t members," leading disgruntled reporters, correspondents and editors to petition for a boycott of the election, said a newsperson.

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese soldiers killed two gunmen trying to infiltrate with others from the border zone between Lebanon and Syria, the Lebanese army said in a statement on Monday. A security source said they had been identified as members of Islamic State.

The army confronted the group as it tried to move towards army positions in the border region near the Lebanese town of Arsal, the statement said. The remaining members of the group fled during the incident on Sunday night.

theguardian.com

Lebanon is an incredible tourist destination with its fascinating historical landmarks, pristine beaches, delicious cuisine, stellar night life and picturesque mountains. The country truly offers something for everyone’s taste.

Unfortunately, a lot of tourists miss out on some of the most interesting and unique sites and activities Lebanon has to offer, sticking to a relatively routine travel plan. Visitors get stuck in Beirut and maybe take a day trip south or north, just to say they left the city.

Well, Lebanon definitely has a lot more to offer. Here are 14 of the coolest places to visit in Lebanon that are a bit off the beaten path.