Episode 86 – Small business amid economic upheaval

Malak is a home-based entrepreneur in Lebanon who sells artificial flower arrangements and other handmade home-decorations. In this episode, Malak speaks with her sister, Mariam, about the challenges facing local small businesses during the current financial crisis. Malak explains how she tries to navigate the difficult situation and wonders if the crisis might force her … Continue reading Episode 86 – Small business amid economic upheaval

Episode 84 – One year after the Beirut Port explosion

On August 4, 2020, a huge explosion wiped the Port of Beirut, killed 219 people, and damaged a large part of the city. While evidence suggests that many Lebanese politicians knew about the presence of hazardous explosives at the port, a thorough investigation has not yet occurred. One year after the blast, Rana and Khaled … Continue reading Episode 84 – One year after the Beirut Port explosion

Episode 83 – Medical crisis

Due to an unprecedented economic crisis, the medical sector in Lebanon is collapsing. Medications cannot be found, pharmacies continue to go on strikes, and doctors are emigrating. Amid this chaos, patients struggle with inflation, currency devaluation, and lack of basic infrastructure. As Rana is searching for her dad’s hypertension medication, she discusses with Khaled Lebanon’s … Continue reading Episode 83 – Medical crisis

Episode 80 – Discriminatory citizenship laws

Mariam is considering emigrating from Lebanon not because of the economic crisis in the country but rather to spare her foreign husband and potential future children from Lebanon's discriminatory citizenship laws. Lebanese men can pass on Lebanese citizenship to their spouses and children. However, this right is not extended to Lebanese women. In this episode, … Continue reading Episode 80 – Discriminatory citizenship laws

Episode 50 – Lebanon’s defunct train system

Rail transport began in Lebanon in the 1890s while it was part of the Ottoman Empire. Over time, rail lines were built along the entire length of the Lebanese coastline. Additional tracks ran east across the country connecting Beirut and the Syrian capital Damascus. The rail system operated for close to a hundred years but … Continue reading Episode 50 – Lebanon’s defunct train system