Storyline: Despite challenges from the Israel-Palestine conflict spillover and escalated confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah, residents in Lebanon's capital greet the New Year with cautious hope. Although the situation has significantly eased, the Israel-Palestine conflict is rippling over Lebanon, heightening tensions with Hezbollah, leaving an indelible mark on the city's socio-economic landscape. In the heart of Beirut, the famed Mar Mikhael neighborhood, usually a hive of New Year celebrations, wears an uncharacteristic silence this year. On a quieter-than-usual street in the area, the reservation book of a popular restaurant narrates the tale of 2024. The conflict has made people more conservative about their spending, according to the restaurant's owner Maya Nun, who described the season this year as "very shy." Although the situation has eased considerably in Lebanon, far fewer people would like to celebrate the New Year by dining out than in previous years, Nun added. In Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, where the scars of conflict are painfully visible, ruins embody hardship local residents went through in 2024. Reconstruction is something local residents cling to for the new year. Amid the passing year's challenges, there is a desire for peace among residents, hoping 2025 will usher in a new era of tranquility and prosperity for Lebanon. Shotlist: Beirut, Lebanon - Recent: 1. Tables, residents on roadside; 2. Vehicles on roadside; 3. Street, restaurant; 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Roy, restaurant manager (partially overlaid with shot 5): "Here before the war, we were fully booked. So you can see till September, in September we stopped off working. We have some days that we have just one reservation. It doesn't close, but no reservation, no people." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 5. Reservation book; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 6. Various of waiter, waitress at work; 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Maya Nun, restaurant owner: "It's very shy season. It is not a festival season, definitely not in December. You know, we wait for December the whole year long, because during December our turnover is like is equal to half of the year, six months of the year. And this is definitely not a good month. We're down 60 percent from last year. I hope next year, next December we would have a big, big change." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 8. Various of waiter at work; tables outside; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 9. Traffic on street; 10. Various of decoration workers at work; 11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohammed, suitcase store owner (partially overlaid with shot 12): "When I went down to pick up cargo under the Israeli bombardment, there were explosions constantly. But now I'm optimistic. We have already refurnished, changed the door and installed steel structure and display cases. We improved the power system and brought in new products. I'm more hopeful than before." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 12. Various of destroyed buildings; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 13. Light decoration on street showing "Beirut" "Peace"; 14. Light decoration, pedestrians. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]