Beirut, Lebanon - Recent Amid the turbulent situation in Lebanon, there are those who still hope for a better time ahead, sharing the belief that the resilience of the Lebanese as a people will endure. Among them is 72-year-old Jean K. Daou, owner of a small seaside restaurant in Beirut. The restaurant, named "La Paillote," is renowned for its seafood and shellfish specialties. It was founded by Daou's parents in 1964, and has since become a favorite for local diners. Daou said fighting between Hezbollah and Israel, which erupted in October 2023, has significantly impacted his restaurant, and imperiled his business. Over the past 16 months, the number of employees at Daou's restaurant has continued to dwindle. With frequent power outages, he has had to bring in two generators to keep the lights on. Daou said this is not the first time that the family restaurant has endured challenges. In 1967, the restaurant went through a bad period when the Six-Day War broke out between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Then the restaurant was closed due to the outbreak of Lebanon's civil war in 1975, and did not reopen until 1999. In August 2020, the Beirut port was rocked by two massive explosions which destroyed huge swathes of the city, including Daou's restaurant. Daou recently redecorated his restaurant and says that, despite the challenges, he remains hopeful for the return of tourists, an economic recovery, and a brighter future for his country. Shotlist: Beirut, Lebanon - Recent: 1. Various of national flag of Lebanon, city view; 2. Sign of "La Paillote" restaurant; 3. Restaurant in darkness; 4. Various of city during blackout; 5. Various of cook making pizza; 6. Various of building of "La Paillote" restaurant, windows; 7. Various of sea; 8. Various of damaged buildings; 9. Buildings, traffic on road; 10. SOUNDBITE (English) Jean K. Daou, restaurant owner (starting with shots 7-9): "This is very sad stories. What to do? The loss is not only the money lost, it's the faith in this country. We start to lose faith in our business, in our ability to restart, in our ability to become normal again. It means it's very hard and tough way to continue working and trying to rebuild. Hopefully, we're trying to hope again."; 11. Sea view from restaurant; 12. Napkin holder with "La Paillote" written on it; 13. Various of festival decorations, menu of restaurant; 14. Various of decorations on commercial street, signs reading "Beirut", "Peace". [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]