Lebanese grape farmer Kamal el-Saikali came up with what he calls a "grape bank" where he preserves 72 different grape varieties in his vineyard in the village of Kfar Mechki.

Lebanon is drawing up a controversial plan to deport thousands of Syrian refugees every month. The country is in the midst of an economic meltdown and its government says it can no longer host more than 1 million Syrians. NGOs, though, say forced deportations are illegal and that Syria is not safe for returnees. Our Beirut correspondent Serge Berberi went to meet some refugees who are weighing up the prospects of going back.

On May 15, parliamentary elections will take place nationwide in Lebanon. The Lebanese diaspora, estimated to be double the size of the domestic population, already cast their ballots last week. Around 60 percent of people across 58 countries turned out, slightly more than in 2018. We bring you a special edition of Middle East Matters on Lebanon's first elections since the mass protests of 2019.

The Lebanese ambassador has been asked to leave Saudi territory within 48 hours. The move comes after Lebanon's information minister criticized the Saudi-led war against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

Lebanese march towards Beirut port to mark a year since a cataclysmic explosion ravaged the city, protesting impunity over the country's worst peacetime disaster at a time when its economy was already in tatters.

Lebanon has long been a financial capital in the region. But neighboring nations say billions are stuck in the country's failing financial system.

Lebanon's former premier, Saad Hariri, has been asked by the president to form the next government. Hariri, who resigned almost a year ago amid nationwide protests, will face a host of economic and social challenges.

Lebanese artist Sara Abou Mrad uses glass debris from the Beirut port explosion to make man-in-motion-shaped sculptures.

Still reeling from a deadly port blast that ravaged their Beirut homes and businesses, Lebanese wearily brace themselves on the eve of a new coronavirus lockdown. Lebanon is to partially close down for two weeks to stem a string of record daily infection rates that have brought the number of COVID-19 cases to 10,952, including 113 deaths.

Two weeks after massive dual explosions at the port in Beirut killed more than 170 people and destroyed a large part of the Lebanese capital, we bring you this special edition of Middle East Matters direct from Lebanon. In the devastating aftermath, the Lebanese capital is in mourning – everyone here knows someone who was affected by the blast. Our correspondents and reporters on the ground take a look at how the tragedy unfolded and consider what the future might hold for this shattered country.

The governor of Beirut, Marwan Abboud, was interviewed by FRANCE 24 Arabic journalist Mirna Jammal. They talked about the destruction, air pollution, President Macron’s visit and how to protect Lebanese cultural heritage. Asked how the guilty should be punished, the former judge said "harshly", because it is a “Lebanese genocide”.

Lebanese authorities have launched an investigation into the deadly Beirut blast, with port workers detained and assets of port and customs managers frozen. A fire is believed to have ignited the stored explosives.