Podcasts about Beirut

Thailand’s new prime minister will submit his cabinet for royal approval this week, Beirut’s historic Le Colisée cinema reopens for Lebanon’s International Theatre Festival and the latest design news from the Monocle team.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we talk about insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, the conversation almost always revolves around sugar, carbs, fat, or body weight. But there's one factor that rarely gets enough attention: muscle mass.   Skeletal muscle isn't just for strength or aesthetics. It's the single largest site of glucose disposal in the body, responsible for up to 80% of how we use sugar after a meal.    Which means that having low muscle mass actually increases insulin resistance, even if your weight or BMI looks “normal.” On the flipside, building muscle is one of the most effective ways to counteract a genetic predisposition to diabetes. The surprising problem is that most people are unaware of how to do it. We've been taught to obsess over cardio, calorie counting, or cutting carbs, but rarely taught how resistance training, protein intake, and lifestyle choices protect our metabolism through muscle. Why is muscle mass a game-changer for insulin resistance? How do we make sure we're optimizing our nutrition and exercise? In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Maguy Chiha, a triple board–certified endocrinologist in internal medicine, endocrinology & metabolism, and obesity medicine. Together, we explore the hidden role of muscle mass in insulin resistance, why so many patients are overlooked until it's too late, and practical steps to increase muscle and protect your metabolic health.   Things You'll Learn In This Episode  -Muscle is your glucose engine Skeletal muscle, not the liver, is the real powerhouse of glucose control. If 75–80% of sugar disposal happens here, what happens when muscle shrinks with age or fills with fat? -The hidden risk of “skinny fat” Why a normal BMI doesn't protect you. How visceral fat and low lean mass in certain populations (like South Asians) make diabetes risk skyrocket—even at “healthy” weights. -Protein timing & resistance training When it comes to exercise, cardio alone won't cut it. How does lifting weights and eating protein daily make your body burn fat without starving? Guest Bio   Dr. Chiha is a triple board-certified physician in internal medicine, endocrinology and metabolism, and obesity medicine. She completed her undergrad and graduate medical education at the American University of Beirut before moving to the United States to complete her residency in Michigan. And later she did her endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism fellowship at Loyola College University in Illinois. She worked for several years at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago, where she headed the division of endocrinology and was the physician champion of the Diabetes Center for Excellence, as well as the Diabetes Service Line Director. In her current practice, Dr. Chiha practices general endocrinology, but has a focus and interest in diabetes management, obesity management, as well as women's health and menopause. Find Dr. Chiha on LinkedIn.      About Your Host Hosted by Dr. Deepa Grandon, MD, MBA, a triple board-certified physician with over 23 years of experience working as a Physician Consultant for influential organizations worldwide. Dr. Grandon is the founder of Transformational Life Consulting (TLC) and an outspoken faith-based leader in evidence-based lifestyle medicine.   Resources Feeling stuck and want guidance on how to transform your spiritual, mental and physical well being? Get access to Dr Deepa's 6 Pillars of Health video! Visit drdeepa-tlc.org to subscribe and watch the video for free. ‌ Work with Me Ready to explore a personalized wellness journey with Dr. Deepa? Visit drdeepa-tlc.org and click on “Work with Me” to schedule a free intake call. Together, we'll see if this exclusive program aligns with your needs!  Want to receive a devotional every week From Dr. Deepa? Devotionals are dedicated to providing you with a moment of reflection, inspiration, and spiritual growth each week, delivered right to your inbox. Visit https://www.drdeepa-tlc.org/devotional-opt-in to subscribe for free. Ready to deepen your understanding of trauma and kick start your healing journey? Explore a range of online and onsite courses designed to equip you with practical and affordable tools. From counselors, ministry leaders, and educators to couples, parents and individuals seeking help for themselves, there's a powerful course for everyone. Browse all the courses now to start your journey.   ​​TLC is presenting this podcast as a form of information sharing only. It is not medical advice or intended to replace the judgment of a licensed physician. TLC is not responsible for any claims related to procedures, professionals, products, or methods discussed in the podcast, and it does not approve or endorse any products, professionals, services, or methods that might be referenced. Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

Eli Reed was born in the US in 1946 and studied pictorial illustration at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, graduating in 1969. In 1982, he was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. At Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, he studied political science, urban affairs, and the prospects for peace in Central America.Eli began photographing as a freelancer in 1970. His work from El Salvador, Guatemala and other Central American countries attracted the attention of Magnum, he was the first African American photographer, and indeed the first person of colour, to join the agency, becoming a full member in 1988.In the same year, Eli photographed the effects of poverty on America's children for a film documentary called Poorest in the Land of Plenty, narrated by Maya Angelou. He went on to work as a stills photographer for major motion pictures. His video documentary Getting Out was shown at the New York Film Festival in 1993 and honored by the 1996 Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame International Film and Video Competition in the documentary category.Eli's special reports include a long-term study which became his first, highly acclaimed book, Beirut, City of Regrets; the ousting of Baby Doc Duvalier in Haiti (1986); US military action in Panama (1989); the Walled City in Hong Kong; and, perhaps most notably, his documentation of African American experience over more than 20 years. Spanning the 1970s through the end of the 1990s, his book Black in America includes images from the Crown Heights riots and the Million Man March. In 2015, he published his first career retrospective, A Long Walk Home.Eli has lectured and taught at the International Center of Photography, Columbia University, New York University, University of Texas and Harvard University and is a member of Kamoinge, the collective of black photographers founded in 1963 and the longest continuously running non-profit group in the history of photography. On episode 264, Eli discusses, among other things:His ongoing mentoring of former studentsHow working in a hospital was good prep for the kind of work he doesGrowing up in the Delaney Homes housing project in Perth Amboy, NJHow a visiting art critic gave him early encouragement at schoolLosing his mum at 12 years oldThe importance of certain teachers and mentors, especially Donal GreenhouseHow his project Black In America came aboutWorking for the San Francisco ExaminerJoining Eugene Smith's workshop after a long waitHow Philip Jones Griffiths invited him to join MagnumWhether he is still an optimist?Photographing TrumpKamoingeA teaser about the book he is writingBeing the first person of colour to join Magnum PhotosReferenced:Jaqueline KennedyRoy De CaravaW Gene SmithBruce DavidsonEugene RichardsSusan MeiselasSon of SamGordon ParksGilles Peress Become a A Small Voice podcast member here to access exclusive additional subscriber-only content and the full archive of 200+ previous episodes for £5 per month.Subscribe to my weekly newsletter here for everything A Small Voice related and much more besides.Follow me on Instagram here.Build Yourself a Squarespace Website video course here.

“I'm Lebanese. I grew up in Lebanon during the Civil War, and I came to the United States as a graduate student with the intention of going back. I never wanted to stay here. I really thought that my life would happen in Beirut, in a city that I loved and hated in the healthiest of ways. My investments, both literary and intellectual, were rooted there. I came here as a graduate student and joined the PhD program, and then the events continued to unfold there, making life more and more of a risk, building a life in a place like Lebanon. The most important counterpoint in my life was meeting my partner, Ahmad Almallah, who is Palestinian. So immediately, my life became the life of a Palestinian by association.Of course, the past two years—almost two years—have been surreal. I sometimes don't believe that we're going through what we're going through because, as security concerns have become something we think about at home, when we walk from home to campus or my office, I'm constantly anxious to open my mail because often there are things that will require a lot of energy, time, emotion, and are emotionally taxing. There's a lot of rage now in many aspects of my life, but all that aside, my personal experience—both professional and personal, and at home, familial—are not exceptional. Many other people are experiencing intimidation, silencing, and feeling cornered, censored, and oppressed just because they took a stand—a very decent, normal, basic human stand against genocide.”In this episode on Speaking Out of Place podcast Professor David Palumbo-Liu talks with Huda Fakhreddine, writer, translator, and scholar of Arabic literature. Among the many topics they touch upon are the challenges of teaching Arabic literature, especially Palestinian literature, in a time of genocide, when universities, professional organizations, and political groups militate against any honest discussion of these topics, and punish those who do. They talk about the notion of belonging and the importance of being able to choose what to belong to, and what not to. Huda speaks of the freedom found in living in Arabic, and explains what that means to her. She also reads in Arabic and English Nima Hasan's stunning and wrenchingly beautiful poem, “Old Song.”Huda J. Fakhreddine is a writer, translator, and Associate Professor of Arabic Literature at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Metapoesis in the Arabic Tradition (Brill, 2015) and The Arabic Prose Poem: Poetic Theory and Practice (Edinburgh University Press, 2021), and the co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Arabic Poetry (Routledge, 2023). Among her translations are The Sky That Denied Me: Selections from Jawdat Fakhreddine (University of Texas Press, 2020), The Universe, All at Once: Selections from Salim Barakat (Seagull Books, 2024), and Palestinian: Four Poems by Ibrahim Nasrallah (World Poetry Books, 2024). Her creative work includes a book of creative non-fiction titled Zaman saghīr taḥt shams thāniya (A Brief Time under a Different Sun), Dar al-Nahda, Beirut, 2019 and the forthcoming Wa min thamma al-ālam (And then the World), Manshūrāt Marfa', Beirut, 2025. Her translations of Arabic poems have appeared in Protean, Lithub, Words Without Borders, Nimrod, ArabLit Quarterly, Asymptote, and Middle Eastern Literatures, among many others. She is co-editor of Middle Eastern Literatures and section editor of the Encyclopedia of Islam.www.palumbo-liu.comhttps://speakingoutofplace.comBluesky @palumboliu.bsky.socialInstagram @speaking_out_of_place

Raja teaches philosophy to high schoolers and shares an apartment with his 82-year-old mother, Zalfa. Rabih Alameddine explores their relationship – and other forms of intimacy – in his new novel The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother). In today's episode, the author joins NPR's Scott Simon for a conversation about Raja's self-deprecation, Zalfa's relationship with another older woman, and Alameddine's mother's memory loss.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Is a museum where experiences happen — or is the museum the experience?Can a museum be designed to inspire? What is the Medal of Honor? What role does a bold design idea have in making a project happen? Does the mission of a museum inspire the people who make it? Can everyone have a mission?Bassam Komati, AIA OEAB (Partner, Viñoly Architects) discusses “Making the Medal of Honor Museum” with host Jonathan Alger (Managing Partner, C&G Partners | The Exhibition and Experience Design Studio).Along the way: floating blocks, extra helicopters, and going above and beyond the call of duty.Talking Points:1. What is the Medal of Honor?2. A Museum Meant to Inspire3. The Origin of a Design Idea4. A Tour of the Museum5. A Building Team Inspired by a Cause6. Everybody Can Have a MissionHow to Listen:Listen on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/making-the-museum/id1674901311  Listen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/6oP4QJR7yxv7Rs7VqIpI1G  Listen at Making the Museum, the Website:https://www.makingthemuseum.com/podcast  Links to Every Podcast Service, via Transistor:https://makingthemuseum.transistor.fm/ Guest Bio:Bassam Komati, AIA OEAB, joined Rafael Viñoly Architects in 2006 and became a partner in 2019, contributing to major projects on four continents. He collaborated closely with Rafael Viñoly on conceptual designs, leading design development and coordination through digital and BIM platforms. As Partner-in-Charge of the National Medal of Honor Museum in Texas, he has led all phases since the firm's 2019 competition win. His portfolio includes London's Battersea Power Station Master Plan, NYU Abu Dhabi, and projects in corporate, commercial, research, and healthcare sectors. He holds degrees from Harvard University and the American University of Beirut and speaks internationally on architecture.About Making the Museum:Making the Museum is hosted (podcast) and written (newsletter) by Jonathan Alger. MtM is a project of C&G Partners | The Exhibition and Experience Design Studio.Learn more about the creative work of C&G Partners:https://www.cgpartnersllc.com/ Links for This Episode:Bassam KomatiLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bassam-komati-562a11154/ National Medal of Honor MuseumWebsite: https://mohmuseum.org Instagram: @mohmuseumRafael Viñoly ArchitectsWebsite: https://vinoly.com Project page: https://vinoly.com/works/national-medal-honor-museum/ Instagram: @rva_nyLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rafael-vinoly-architects/ Links for Making the Museum, the Podcast:Contact Making the Museum:https://www.makingthemuseum.com/contact Host Jonathan Alger, Managing Partner of C&G Partners, on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanalger Email Jonathan Alger:alger@cgpartnersllc.com C&G Partners | The Exhibition and Experience Design Studio:https://www.cgpartnersllc.com/ Making the Museum, the Newsletter:Like the show? You might enjoy the newsletter. Making the Museum is also a free weekly professional development email for exhibition practitioners, museum leaders, and visitor experience professionals. (And newsletter subscribers are the first to hear about new episodes of this podcast.)Join hundreds of your peers with a one-minute read, three times a week. Invest in your career with a diverse, regular feed of planning and design insights, practical tips, and tested strategies — including thought-provoking approaches to technology, experience design, audience, budgeting, content, and project management.Subscribe to the newsletter:https://www.makingthemuseum.com/ 

Ce soir, Marjorie Hache propose deux heures éclectiques entre nouveautés abrasives, classiques fédérateurs et pépites inattendues. L'album de la semaine est signé Shame : "Cutthroat", un disque brut et intense, dont on découvre le morceau "Spartak". La reprise du soir revient à Blondie qui réinterprète "Out In The Streets" des Shangri-Las. Spoon dévoile "Chateau Blues", la nouveauté du jour, tandis que Deftones, Biffy Clyro et Daniel Avery continuent de teaser leurs prochains albums. Côté recommandation, Francis Zégut met à l'honneur GoGo Penguin et leur nouvel album "Necessary Fictions", accompagné d'une tournée française. On croise aussi Patti Smith, Beirut, Yves Tumor, et Rage Against The Machine. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O Mine Yves Tumor & Nina - We Don't Count Lana Del Rey - Cinnamon Girl Donovan - Mellow Yellow The Subways - Rock & Roll Queen Dolly Parton - Jolene Archive - Fuck U Shame - Spartak Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker Stiltskin - Inside Nirvana - Drain You Deftones - My Mind Is A Mountain Blondie - Out In The Streets Beirut - Nantes Blur - Country House Go Go Penguin - The Turn Within The Runaways - Cherry Bomb Rage Against The Machine - Wake Up Biffy Clyro - Hunting Season Stereophonics - Dakota Patti Smith - Snowball Spoon - Chateau Blues ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin' The Rolling Stones - 19Th Nervous Breakdown Barenaked Ladies - One Week The Temptations - Papa Was A Rolling StoneHébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

The Great Oven builds giant community ovens and sends them to places of need - at All Together Now festival in Ireland, two new ovens were debuted. One will stay in Dublin at Bohemian FC while the other goes to the Wonder Cabinet in Palestine, where Radio Ahara is based. Co-founder James Gomez Thompson sits down with Groovement's Jamito to talk the history of the project, some details of their work including their response to the Beirut port explosion, how his abuelita was an influence and how the GO started while he was working with food writer Nigel Slater. Also featuring music from Buena Vista Social Club, Throwing Snow, Nicolas Jaar and BADBADNOTGOOD with MF DOOM.First broadcast on Radio Alhara Sunday 7 September 2025. 

Nearly two years into Israel's devastating war in Gaza, ceasefire negotiations remain stalled, the humanitarian toll continues to mount, and international divisions are deepening. Despite mounting global pressure, Israel has resisted calls for a permanent ceasefire, insisting on unfeasible conditions. During this week's Middle East Report, James M. Dorsey analysed the faltering ceasefire efforts. Dorsey outlined the core of the impasse: a mounting divergence between Israeli and much of the international community, and Hamas's demands on the other. In August, Hamas accepted an Israeli-endorsed US proposal for a 60-day ceasefire. Yet, Israel and US envoy Steve Witkoff shifted the narrative, insisting any truce be permanent and linked to full hostage release—effectively changing the negotiated goalposts. Dorsey warned that this tactical shift by Israel and the United States amounts to deliberate undermining of ceasefire momentum. “So, in effect, what Israel is doing is sabotaging a ceasefire,” Dorsey said. The Trump administration has enacted sweeping punitive measures against Palestinians: preventing Palestinian officials—including President Mahmoud Abbas—from attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York; barring Palestinian passport holders from US entry; and sanctioning Palestinian human rights groups supporting South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Dorsey observed that diplomatic and economic pressure on Israel remains insufficient—yet potentially poised to escalate. “Private sector and limited government sanctions are troubling Israelis, but not enough to push Prime Minister Netanyahu to reconsider his policies,” Dorsey said. At the same time, civil society in Europe and elsewhere are campaigning for sanctions against Israel. “If and when sanctions start to kick in by the Europeans, serious sanctions that start to hit where it hurts, that's something that Israel is going to have to take account of,” Dorsey said. Dorsey also spotlighted the latest flotilla of 50 ships from 44 countries—including activists from Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar—that has set sail to break the siege of Gaza. He flagged the unprecedented involvement of Gulf nationals as “remarkable,” given the suppression of pro-Palestinian expression of support in much of the Middle East. Finally, Dorsey touched on Lebanon's entanglement: the Lebanese government, under US pressure, has committed to disarming Hezbollah, though the group has refused to comply. On paper, this move is framed as a step toward consolidating state sovereignty by ensuring the monopoly of arms rests with the state. But in practice, it places Beirut in an impossible bind. Hezbollah, still reeling but not broken from its latest confrontation with Israel, has declared it will not give up its weapons as long as Israeli forces occupy Lebanese land. This creates a standoff between Hezbollah, which commands loyalty across significant sections of Lebanese society, and the fragile Lebanese state. For ordinary Lebanese, this uncertainty compounds daily struggles. The country is still reeling from years of financial crisis, the 2020 Beirut port explosion, and one of the world's worst currency devaluations. Analysts warn that pressure to confront Hezbollah militarily could trigger fresh conflict in a society exhausted by instability. At the same time, Washington insists that Lebanon must show it can rein in armed groups operating independently of the state. As Dorsey put it, this leaves Lebanon “between a rock and a hard place,” trying to navigate American demands without igniting a civil confrontation that could spiral into another round of violence.

In this episode of the Protector Culture Podcast, Jimmy Graham is joined by longtime friend and Able Shepherd teammate, Pony Anderson. The two swap stories from the early days of the Able Shepherd program and dive into the roots of reality-based simulation training. From lessons learned in the field to the evolution of tactics that shaped the curriculum, this conversation offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the mindset and mission that built a movement. Don't miss this trip down memory lane with two protectors who helped set the standard. Who's Jimmy Graham? Jimmy spent over 15 years in the US Navy SEAL Teams earning the rank of Chief Petty Officer (E7). During that time, he earned certifications as a Sniper, Joint Tactical Air Controller, Range Safety Officer for Live Fire, Dynamic Movement and Master Training Specialist. He also served for 7 years as an Operator and Lead Instructor for an Elite Federal Government Protective Detail for High-Risk and Critical environments, to include; Kirkuk, Iraq, Kabul, Afghanistan, Beirut, Lebanon and Benghazi, Libya. During this time he earned his certification for Federal Firearms Instructor, Simunition Scenario Qualified Instructor and Certified Skills Facilitator. Jimmy has trained law enforcement on the Federal, State, and Local levels as well as Fire Department, EMS and Dispatch personnel. His passion is to train communities across the nation in order to enhance their level of readiness in response to active shooter situations. Make sure you subscribe and stay tuned to everything we are doing. Want to get more training? - https://ableshepherd.com/ Need support? https://able-nation.org/ Follow us on: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ableshepherd Instagram - ​​https://www.instagram.com/ableshepherd/ Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ableshepherd

rWotD Episode 3046: Dalal Al-Bizri Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Friday, 5 September 2025, is Dalal Al-Bizri.Dalal Al-Bizri (Arabic: دلال البزري) is a Lebanese researcher, writer, and lecturer. She was born in Lebanon, lived for more than ten years in Cairo in Egypt where she conducted researches on sociology before going back to settle in Beirut again after the Arab Uprising.Al-Bizri was the director of the review "Bāḥit̲āt" published by the Union of Lebanese Women Researchers in 1994. She is a regular columnist in several media such as Courrier International, Al-Mustaqbal, and Nawafidh.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:13 UTC on Friday, 5 September 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Dalal Al-Bizri on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Amy.

Hezbollah is under pressure to lay down its arms, as part of a US-backed plan. Lebanon’s government has asked the army to draft a proposal by the end of the year. Facing continued Israeli strikes and the aftermath of the assassination of much of its leadership, including Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah refuses to disarm, calling the effort a trap. With no trust and no guarantees, where will Lebanon go from here? In this episode: Ali Harb (@Harbpeace), Al Jazeera journalist Episode credits: This episode was produced by Sarí el-Khalili, Tamara Khandaker, and Tracie Hunte, with Manny Panaretos, Phillip Lanos, Melanie Marich, Farhan Rafid, Kisaa Zehra, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Noor Wazwaz. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera’s head of audio. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

Reports coming from Lebanon are, in many ways, encouraging – the Lebanese government, it seems, is done with Hezbollah and the wreckage of a once-beautiful and prosperous country. The question is, can the government carry out the mandate to remove Hezbollah, its weapons and its influence and create peaceful relations with Israel? Hussain Abdul-Hussain, research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, walks us through the disparate threads of Lebanese politics – from the comforting and hopeful to the skeptical, cynical, and despairing. A Crumbling but Shifting Status Quo Hussein Abdel-Hussain cautiously celebrated what he called one of the most consequential developments in Lebanon's modern history: the weakening of Hezbollah following the reported assassination of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, and what he described as Israel's “crushing” of Hezbollah's operational capabilities. This surprising turn of events has opened what he characterizes as a “window of opportunity” for the Lebanese state to reclaim sovereignty and redefine itself as more neutral and nationally focused. Although Hezbollah and its Shia political partner Amal initially agreed to a cessation of hostilities in late November 2024, they have since moved the goalposts. Specifically, Hezbollah now demands Israeli withdrawal from strategic hilltops before it will even consider discussions on disarmament, thus reverting back to old patterns of negotiation delay and defiance—strategies previously employed by figures like Yasser Arafat. Legal and Political Breakthroughs Despite Hezbollah's resistance, the Lebanese government has achieved a historic milestone. For the first time since 1969, the Cabinet passed a resolution asserting that only state institutions are authorized to bear arms inside Lebanon. This directly challenges Hezbollah's decades-long extralegal military presence. Even more remarkably, the decision was made with Hezbollah-affiliated ministers still in the temporary caretaker government, giving the resolution additional political weight. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have been officially tasked with drafting a plan to disarm Hezbollah—a move that underscores a shift from rhetorical opposition to potential enforcement. A meeting to review the military's disarmament plan is set, though the LAF has indicated that a full disarmament could take 15 months, well beyond the end-of-the-year deadline set by the Cabinet. The Struggle of the Lebanese Armed Forces The Lebanese military, although increasingly seen as the backbone of national unity and sovereignty, faces severe logistical, operational, and financial challenges. Salaries have plunged to poverty levels due to the economic collapse, and the rank-and-file soldiers struggle with basic needs—including fuel and clean drinking water. Many soldiers hold second jobs to survive, and troop numbers are insufficient to handle complex disarmament tasks. While the United States once provided $144 million annually to support the LAF, this aid has intermittently lapsed due to political friction and has recently been replaced by funding from Qatar, which raises concerns about foreign influence. Qatar and Turkey: External Influences and Islamist Ambitions Abdel-Hussain expressed discomfort with growing Qatari—and increasingly Turkish—influence in Lebanon, particularly within the Sunni community in the north and in Beirut. These nations, he warned, are promoting Islamist factions aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood. This power vacuum, created by Saudi Arabia's retreat from Lebanon since 2017, has allowed pro-Qatar and pro-Turkey candidates to gain municipal influence. Worse yet, Turkey is replicating strategies previously demonstrated by Iran—investing in loyalist militias and seeking political hegemony in Syria and Lebanon alike. Abdel-Hussain emphasized that Turkey's intelligence chief-turned-foreign minister Hakan Fidan could become the “new Qassem Soleimani” in terms of aspiring for regional dominance. The Role of the United States: Mixed Messaging, Diplomatic Fumbles The conversation took a critical turn when examining America's diplomacy. Abdel-Hussain strongly criticized US Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barak for bypassing Israel while presenting a policy paper outlining the roadmap to disarm Hezbollah. That paper was approved by the Lebanese cabinet and included commitments from Israel—commitments that Israel had never actually seen or endorsed. This misstep wasted valuable diplomatic capital, undermined credibility, and gave Hezbollah a new talking point. High-level U.S. diplomacy in the region, Abdel-Hussain argued, has become imbalanced and bureaucratically overloaded—with the same officials covering Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon. He emphasized the importance of restoring proper diplomatic structure and cautioning against over-centralized decision-making. Hezbollah's Deep Systemic Risk While there are Shia soldiers in the Lebanese army, there is scant evidence of systemic Hezbollah infiltration in the senior ranks, according to Abdel-Hussain. He cited funerals of Shia Lebanese soldiers killed in ammunition depot incidents potentially connected to Hezbollah, emphasizing that the community—especially its younger members—showed signs of divergence from militant loyalty. He dismissed the idea that Hezbollah's weapons are essential for Shia security, explaining that Lebanon's Shia are one-third of the population and not an embattled minority like the Syrian Alawites. The rationale for armed militancy, he said, is increasingly seen as a cover for political control, not existential protection. UNIFIL: An Expired Mandate UNIFIL, the UN force stationed in southern Lebanon since 1978, received sharp criticism. Abdel-Hussain blasted it as ineffective, politically unwieldy, and financially wasteful. He accused the French of prolonging its life to maintain influence and jobs, describing it as a “sacred cow” that enables Hezbollah by acting as a passive buffer while spending over $500 million annually. The recent decision to terminate UNIFIL's mandate was hailed as long overdue, with a final 16-month extension granted as a political compromise with France.  Iran's Declining Influence—But Stay Vigilant While not declaring Iran fully out of the picture, Abdel-Hussain argued that its effectiveness is waning. Much of the infrastructure and political capital Iran built in Lebanon and Syria through Hezbollah and the Assad regime is significantly diminished. However, vigilance is required, lest Hezbollah regroups or Iran seeks to finance a resurgence. Currently, he sees Iran's threat limited mostly to missile capabilities from within its borders or via Yemeni Houthis. France: Their Influence Viewed as Destructive Hussein Abdel-Hussain sharply criticized French involvement in Lebanon, alleging that it has become a source of obstruction and incoherence. The French approach, he argued, is economically motivated, opportunistic, and inconsistent with the best interests of the Lebanese people or with stability in the region. The Final Question: Can Lebanon Become Unitary and Neutral Again? Wrapping up on a cautiously optimistic note, Abdel-Hussain argued that history provides the answer: from 1943 to 1975, Lebanon was a neutral, largely self-governed and pluralistic society that emphasized commerce, leisure, and coexistence. The key to its rehabilitation lies in a return to a small, libertarian-minded state that stays out of regional power struggles. He asserted that, if left alone, the Lebanese people would opt for peace and prosperity. However, foreign intervention—especially from Iran, Turkey, and Qatar—must be firmly resisted, and Hezbollah's grip must weaken to restore national unity. Conclusion There's no hiding the uphill nature of Lebanon's path forward, but for the first time in decades, there may exist a genuine foundation for change. If internal unity can hold—and external pressure can be strategically curtailed—following through on disarming Hezbollah could pave the way for constitutional stability and regional reintegration. Is peace possible? Perhaps not yet—but for Lebanon, neutrality might just be the first great victory. Summary prepared by a LLM. 

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned of military action against the Syrian Democratic Forces over its failure to honour an agreement to merge its military with the new regime in Damascus. In a move steeped in symbolism, Turkey's leader chose recent celebrations marking the Ottoman Turks' defeat of the Byzantine Christians at the Battle of Malazgirt in 1071 to issue an ultimatum to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). "Those who turn to Ankara and Damascus will win," Erdogan bellowed to thousands of supporters on 26 August. "If the sword is unsheathed, there will be no room left for pens and words." Turkey, a strong ally of Syria, has a military presence in the country and the two governments recently signed a defence training agreement. But Turkey is unhappy with the presence of the SDF, a coalition of Kurdish and Arab forces, which controls a large swathe of Syria bordering Turkey's own predominantly Kurdish region. Peace or politics? Turkey's fragile path to ending a decades-long conflict Buying time The SDF is affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has for years been fighting Turkey for greater Kurdish minority rights. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. But Ankara is engaged in a peace process with the Kurdish militants, who have committed to disbanding. However, Kurdish analyst Mesut Yegen, of the TIM think tank in Istanbul, says the disarmament process would be limited to Kurds from Turkey, and doesn't include SDF forces in Syria. Erdogan is now ramping up pressure on the SDF to honour an agreement its leader Mazloum Abdi signed in March with Syria's new President, Ahmed Al Sharaa, to merge his military forces with the new regime in Damascus. The deal is backed by the US, which has a military force in the SDF-controlled region as part of its war against the Islamic State. But, according to Fabrice Balanche from Lyon University: "The SDF has no intention of implementing the agreement made in March. Mazloum just wanted to gain time." Balanche points out that Abdi's SDF is a staunchly secular organisation and remains deeply suspicious of Sharaa's jihadist connections. Recent attacks on Syria's Druze minority by forces linked to Sharaa appear to confirm the SDF's fears over merging with the Damascus regime, says Balanche. Syria's interim president vows justice for Druze after deadly clashes 'Israel would like a weak Syria' At the same time, Erdogan is aware that the emergence of an autonomous Kurdish state on its border could be exploited by its rival Israel, which is looking for non-Arab allies in the region. Aydin Selcen, a former senior Turkish diplomat and an analyst for Turkey's Mediyascope news outlet, said: "Strategically, Israel would like a weak Syria, a weak Damascus, a weak Beirut and a weak Tehran." Turkey has carried out military incursions against the SDF, and its forces remain massed on the border. But Balanche says American presence there will likely deter any new Turkish military action. However, he warns that Ankara could seek to fuel Kurdish Arab rivalries within the SDF, with the fall of former ruler Bashar al-Assad last December. Turkey walks a fine line as conflict between Israel and Iran cools "It is different now, you have a Sunni leader in Damascus, and many [Arab] tribes, many people, prefer to join Damascus," he explained. "So the risk is a proxy war. Of course, for the new regime, it would be a disaster. If you have no peace, you have no investment, you have no trust." The dilemma facing Ankara is that any new conflict against the SDF would likely weaken the Sharaa regime – a key ally.

Dr. Amy Fallas is a PhD in History at UC Santa Barbara. She holds an MA in History from Yale and her research examines religious difference, charitable networks, and historical memory in the Middle East. Her work has been supported by the American Research Center in Egypt, the American Society for Church History, the Orthodox Christian Studies Center among others. She is the Associate Editor of the Arab Studies Journal and serves on the steering committees of the History of Christianity and Middle Eastern Christianity units of the American Academy of Religion. Her scholarship appears in History Compass and Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations and her essays are published in the Washington Post, Jadaliyya, Mada Masr, the Revealer, Sojourners and more. On this episode, we mostly discuss her article Brothers in the Resistance, research in Lebanon about connections between Latin America and the Middle East, titled Hermanos fi al-Muqawama, She is based in Beirut. Visit Sacred Writes: https://www.sacred-writes.org/carpenter-cohort-2025-jan Visit Amy Fallas: https://www.amyfallas.com/  

The Lebanese government approved a U.S. plan to disarm Hezbollah, the group whose military wing was recognized by previous governments as a parallel security structure to Lebanon’s armed forces. The agreement calls for Hezbollah’s disarmament by the end of the year, in return for Israel’s withdrawal and cessation of hostilities. Special correspondent Simona Foltyn reports from Beirut. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Today I talk with Huda Fakhreddine, writer, translator, and scholar of Arabic literature. Among the many topics we touch upon are the challenges of teaching Arabic literature, especially Palestinian literature, in a time of genocide, when universities, professional organizations, and political groups militate against any honest discussion of these topics, and punish those who do.  We talk about the notion of belonging, and the importance of being able to choose what to belong to, and what not to. Huda speaks of the freedom found in living in Arabic, and explains what that means to her.  She also reads in Arabic and English Nima Hasan's stunning and wrenchingly beautiful poem, “Old Song.”Huda J. Fakhreddine is a writer, translator, and Associate Professor of Arabic Literature at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Metapoesis in the Arabic Tradition (Brill, 2015) and The Arabic Prose Poem: Poetic Theory and Practice (Edinburgh University Press, 2021), and the co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Arabic Poetry (Routledge, 2023). Among her translations are The Sky That Denied Me: Selections from Jawdat Fakhreddine (University of Texas Press, 2020), The Universe, All at Once: Selections from Salim Barakat (Seagull Books, 2024), and Palestinian: Four Poems by Ibrahim Nasrallah (World Poetry Books, 2024). Her creative work includes a book of creative non-fiction titled Zaman saghīr taḥt shams thāniya (A Brief Time under a Different Sun), Dar al-Nahda, Beirut, 2019 and the forthcoming Wa min thamma al-ālam (And then the World), Manshūrāt Marfa', Beirut, 2025. Her translations of Arabic poems have appeared in Protean, Lithub, Words Without Borders, Nimrod, ArabLit Quarterly, Asymptote, and Middle Eastern Literatures among many others.  She is co-editor of Middle Eastern Literatures and section editor of the Encyclopedia of Islam.

Yasmine Nachabe Taan interviews Beirut-based Syrian visual storyteller and illustrator Dima Nachawi. They discuss her professional journey, education, and projects. Dima shares her passion for making people laugh, clowning, drawing, singing, performing, shadow puppetry, and street theater. Her multidisciplinary practice is connected to her Syrian roots through which she documents and advocates for social causes and injustices. Together they unpack some of the political narratives behind her projects, and discuss how humor can help circumvent censorship and oppression. They also discuss the importance of female figures with long flowing hair in her illustrations; how they symbolize homelands, freedom, strength, and resilience; and how they are often a part of the cityscape or of trees, rooted in nature, and holding their ground. Dima Nachawi's work is featured in the book, Revealing Recording Reflecting: Graphic Women from Southwest Asia and North Africa (Amsterdam: Khatt Books, 2024). FOLLOW & RATE KHATT CHRONICLES:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/khatt-chronicles-stories-on-design-from-the-arab-world/id1472975206» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ATH0MwO1tIlBvQfahSLrB» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1014374489THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5mMJ782dhW6yvfq0E0_HhAABOUT AFIKRAafikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.

The Lebanese government approved a U.S. plan to disarm Hezbollah, the group whose military wing was recognized by previous governments as a parallel security structure to Lebanon’s armed forces. The agreement calls for Hezbollah’s disarmament by the end of the year, in return for Israel’s withdrawal and cessation of hostilities. Special correspondent Simona Foltyn reports from Beirut. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Kurzdokus aus der Feature-Antenne und den doku drops neu gehört und neu gemischt. Mazen Kerbaj spielt mit Kassetten seines Vaters Erinnerungen an die Kindheit in Beirut ab. Und die Brüder Maio kochen ein Gericht ihrer italienischen Mama nach. Zusammenstellung und Moderation: Judith Geffert und Ingo Kottkamp

“I'm Lebanese. I grew up in Lebanon during the Civil War, and I came to the United States as a graduate student with the intention of going back. I never wanted to stay here. I really thought that my life would happen in Beirut, in a city that I loved and hated in the healthiest of ways. My investments, both literary and intellectual, were rooted there. I came here as a graduate student and joined the PhD program, and then the events continued to unfold there, making life more and more of a risk, building a life in a place like Lebanon. The most important counterpoint in my life was meeting my partner, Ahmad Almallah, who is Palestinian. So immediately, my life became the life of a Palestinian by association.Of course, the past two years—almost two years—have been surreal. I sometimes don't believe that we're going through what we're going through because, as security concerns have become something we think about at home, when we walk from home to campus or my office, I'm constantly anxious to open my mail because often there are things that will require a lot of energy, time, emotion, and are emotionally taxing. There's a lot of rage now in many aspects of my life, but all that aside, my personal experience—both professional and personal, and at home, familial—are not exceptional. Many other people are experiencing intimidation, silencing, and feeling cornered, censored, and oppressed just because they took a stand—a very decent, normal, basic human stand against genocide.”In this episode on Speaking Out of Place podcast Professor David Palumbo-Liu talks with Huda Fakhreddine, writer, translator, and scholar of Arabic literature. Among the many topics they touch upon are the challenges of teaching Arabic literature, especially Palestinian literature, in a time of genocide, when universities, professional organizations, and political groups militate against any honest discussion of these topics, and punish those who do. They talk about the notion of belonging and the importance of being able to choose what to belong to, and what not to. Huda speaks of the freedom found in living in Arabic, and explains what that means to her. She also reads in Arabic and English Nima Hasan's stunning and wrenchingly beautiful poem, “Old Song.”Huda J. Fakhreddine is a writer, translator, and Associate Professor of Arabic Literature at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Metapoesis in the Arabic Tradition (Brill, 2015) and The Arabic Prose Poem: Poetic Theory and Practice (Edinburgh University Press, 2021), and the co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Arabic Poetry (Routledge, 2023). Among her translations are The Sky That Denied Me: Selections from Jawdat Fakhreddine (University of Texas Press, 2020), The Universe, All at Once: Selections from Salim Barakat (Seagull Books, 2024), and Palestinian: Four Poems by Ibrahim Nasrallah (World Poetry Books, 2024). Her creative work includes a book of creative non-fiction titled Zaman saghīr taḥt shams thāniya (A Brief Time under a Different Sun), Dar al-Nahda, Beirut, 2019 and the forthcoming Wa min thamma al-ālam (And then the World), Manshūrāt Marfa', Beirut, 2025. Her translations of Arabic poems have appeared in Protean, Lithub, Words Without Borders, Nimrod, ArabLit Quarterly, Asymptote, and Middle Eastern Literatures, among many others. She is co-editor of Middle Eastern Literatures and section editor of the Encyclopedia of Islam.www.palumbo-liu.comhttps://speakingoutofplace.comBluesky @palumboliu.bsky.socialInstagram @speaking_out_of_place

“I'm Lebanese. I grew up in Lebanon during the Civil War, and I came to the United States as a graduate student with the intention of going back. I never wanted to stay here. I really thought that my life would happen in Beirut, in a city that I loved and hated in the healthiest of ways. My investments, both literary and intellectual, were rooted there. I came here as a graduate student and joined the PhD program, and then the events continued to unfold there, making life more and more of a risk, building a life in a place like Lebanon. The most important counterpoint in my life was meeting my partner, Ahmad Almallah, who is Palestinian. So immediately, my life became the life of a Palestinian by association.Of course, the past two years—almost two years—have been surreal. I sometimes don't believe that we're going through what we're going through because, as security concerns have become something we think about at home, when we walk from home to campus or my office, I'm constantly anxious to open my mail because often there are things that will require a lot of energy, time, emotion, and are emotionally taxing. There's a lot of rage now in many aspects of my life, but all that aside, my personal experience—both professional and personal, and at home, familial—are not exceptional. Many other people are experiencing intimidation, silencing, and feeling cornered, censored, and oppressed just because they took a stand—a very decent, normal, basic human stand against genocide.”In this episode on Speaking Out of Place podcast Professor David Palumbo-Liu talks with Huda Fakhreddine, writer, translator, and scholar of Arabic literature. Among the many topics they touch upon are the challenges of teaching Arabic literature, especially Palestinian literature, in a time of genocide, when universities, professional organizations, and political groups militate against any honest discussion of these topics, and punish those who do. They talk about the notion of belonging and the importance of being able to choose what to belong to, and what not to. Huda speaks of the freedom found in living in Arabic, and explains what that means to her. She also reads in Arabic and English Nima Hasan's stunning and wrenchingly beautiful poem, “Old Song.”Huda J. Fakhreddine is a writer, translator, and Associate Professor of Arabic Literature at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Metapoesis in the Arabic Tradition (Brill, 2015) and The Arabic Prose Poem: Poetic Theory and Practice (Edinburgh University Press, 2021), and the co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Arabic Poetry (Routledge, 2023). Among her translations are The Sky That Denied Me: Selections from Jawdat Fakhreddine (University of Texas Press, 2020), The Universe, All at Once: Selections from Salim Barakat (Seagull Books, 2024), and Palestinian: Four Poems by Ibrahim Nasrallah (World Poetry Books, 2024). Her creative work includes a book of creative non-fiction titled Zaman saghīr taḥt shams thāniya (A Brief Time under a Different Sun), Dar al-Nahda, Beirut, 2019 and the forthcoming Wa min thamma al-ālam (And then the World), Manshūrāt Marfa', Beirut, 2025. Her translations of Arabic poems have appeared in Protean, Lithub, Words Without Borders, Nimrod, ArabLit Quarterly, Asymptote, and Middle Eastern Literatures, among many others. She is co-editor of Middle Eastern Literatures and section editor of the Encyclopedia of Islam.www.palumbo-liu.comhttps://speakingoutofplace.comBluesky @palumboliu.bsky.socialInstagram @speaking_out_of_place

“I'm Lebanese. I grew up in Lebanon during the Civil War, and I came to the United States as a graduate student with the intention of going back. I never wanted to stay here. I really thought that my life would happen in Beirut, in a city that I loved and hated in the healthiest of ways. My investments, both literary and intellectual, were rooted there. I came here as a graduate student and joined the PhD program, and then the events continued to unfold there, making life more and more of a risk, building a life in a place like Lebanon. The most important counterpoint in my life was meeting my partner, Ahmad Almallah, who is Palestinian. So immediately, my life became the life of a Palestinian by association.Of course, the past two years—almost two years—have been surreal. I sometimes don't believe that we're going through what we're going through because, as security concerns have become something we think about at home, when we walk from home to campus or my office, I'm constantly anxious to open my mail because often there are things that will require a lot of energy, time, emotion, and are emotionally taxing. There's a lot of rage now in many aspects of my life, but all that aside, my personal experience—both professional and personal, and at home, familial—are not exceptional. Many other people are experiencing intimidation, silencing, and feeling cornered, censored, and oppressed just because they took a stand—a very decent, normal, basic human stand against genocide.”In this episode on Speaking Out of Place podcast Professor David Palumbo-Liu talks with Huda Fakhreddine, writer, translator, and scholar of Arabic literature. Among the many topics they touch upon are the challenges of teaching Arabic literature, especially Palestinian literature, in a time of genocide, when universities, professional organizations, and political groups militate against any honest discussion of these topics, and punish those who do. They talk about the notion of belonging and the importance of being able to choose what to belong to, and what not to. Huda speaks of the freedom found in living in Arabic, and explains what that means to her. She also reads in Arabic and English Nima Hasan's stunning and wrenchingly beautiful poem, “Old Song.”Huda J. Fakhreddine is a writer, translator, and Associate Professor of Arabic Literature at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Metapoesis in the Arabic Tradition (Brill, 2015) and The Arabic Prose Poem: Poetic Theory and Practice (Edinburgh University Press, 2021), and the co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Arabic Poetry (Routledge, 2023). Among her translations are The Sky That Denied Me: Selections from Jawdat Fakhreddine (University of Texas Press, 2020), The Universe, All at Once: Selections from Salim Barakat (Seagull Books, 2024), and Palestinian: Four Poems by Ibrahim Nasrallah (World Poetry Books, 2024). Her creative work includes a book of creative non-fiction titled Zaman saghīr taḥt shams thāniya (A Brief Time under a Different Sun), Dar al-Nahda, Beirut, 2019 and the forthcoming Wa min thamma al-ālam (And then the World), Manshūrāt Marfa', Beirut, 2025. Her translations of Arabic poems have appeared in Protean, Lithub, Words Without Borders, Nimrod, ArabLit Quarterly, Asymptote, and Middle Eastern Literatures, among many others. She is co-editor of Middle Eastern Literatures and section editor of the Encyclopedia of Islam.www.palumbo-liu.comhttps://speakingoutofplace.comBluesky @palumboliu.bsky.socialInstagram @speaking_out_of_place

“I'm Lebanese. I grew up in Lebanon during the Civil War, and I came to the United States as a graduate student with the intention of going back. I never wanted to stay here. I really thought that my life would happen in Beirut, in a city that I loved and hated in the healthiest of ways. My investments, both literary and intellectual, were rooted there. I came here as a graduate student and joined the PhD program, and then the events continued to unfold there, making life more and more of a risk, building a life in a place like Lebanon. The most important counterpoint in my life was meeting my partner, Ahmad Almallah, who is Palestinian. So immediately, my life became the life of a Palestinian by association.Of course, the past two years—almost two years—have been surreal. I sometimes don't believe that we're going through what we're going through because, as security concerns have become something we think about at home, when we walk from home to campus or my office, I'm constantly anxious to open my mail because often there are things that will require a lot of energy, time, emotion, and are emotionally taxing. There's a lot of rage now in many aspects of my life, but all that aside, my personal experience—both professional and personal, and at home, familial—are not exceptional. Many other people are experiencing intimidation, silencing, and feeling cornered, censored, and oppressed just because they took a stand—a very decent, normal, basic human stand against genocide.”In this episode on Speaking Out of Place podcast Professor David Palumbo-Liu talks with Huda Fakhreddine, writer, translator, and scholar of Arabic literature. Among the many topics they touch upon are the challenges of teaching Arabic literature, especially Palestinian literature, in a time of genocide, when universities, professional organizations, and political groups militate against any honest discussion of these topics, and punish those who do. They talk about the notion of belonging and the importance of being able to choose what to belong to, and what not to. Huda speaks of the freedom found in living in Arabic, and explains what that means to her. She also reads in Arabic and English Nima Hasan's stunning and wrenchingly beautiful poem, “Old Song.”Huda J. Fakhreddine is a writer, translator, and Associate Professor of Arabic Literature at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of Metapoesis in the Arabic Tradition (Brill, 2015) and The Arabic Prose Poem: Poetic Theory and Practice (Edinburgh University Press, 2021), and the co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Arabic Poetry (Routledge, 2023). Among her translations are The Sky That Denied Me: Selections from Jawdat Fakhreddine (University of Texas Press, 2020), The Universe, All at Once: Selections from Salim Barakat (Seagull Books, 2024), and Palestinian: Four Poems by Ibrahim Nasrallah (World Poetry Books, 2024). Her creative work includes a book of creative non-fiction titled Zaman saghīr taḥt shams thāniya (A Brief Time under a Different Sun), Dar al-Nahda, Beirut, 2019 and the forthcoming Wa min thamma al-ālam (And then the World), Manshūrāt Marfa', Beirut, 2025. Her translations of Arabic poems have appeared in Protean, Lithub, Words Without Borders, Nimrod, ArabLit Quarterly, Asymptote, and Middle Eastern Literatures, among many others. She is co-editor of Middle Eastern Literatures and section editor of the Encyclopedia of Islam.www.palumbo-liu.comhttps://speakingoutofplace.comBluesky @palumboliu.bsky.socialInstagram @speaking_out_of_place

An international history of the uncanny in the 1920s and 1930s. The interwar period was a golden age for the occult. Spiritualists, clairvoyants, fakirs, Theosophists, mind readers, and Jinn summoners all set out to assure the masses that just as newly discovered invisible forces of electricity and magnetism determined the world of science, unseen powers commanded an unknown realm of human potential Drawing on untapped sources in Arabic in addition to European ones, Raphael Cormack follows two of the most unusual and charismatic figures of this age: Tahra Bey, who took 1920s Paris by storm in the role of a missionary from the mystical East; and Dr. Dahesh, who transformed Western science to create a panreligious faith of his own in Lebanon. Traveling between Paris, New York, and Beirut while guiding esoteric apprenticeships among miracle-working mystics in Egypt and Istanbul, these men reflected the desires and anxieties of a troubled age. As Cormack demonstrates, these forgotten holy men, who embodied the allure of the unexplained in a world of dramatic change, intuitively speak to our unsettling world today Raphael Cormack is an award-winning editor, translator, and writer. The author of Midnight in Cairo, Cormack is assistant professor of modern languages and cultures at Durham University in the United Kingdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

US envoys Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus were in Lebanon this week to restate a key demand: Hezbollah must disarm. The latest push from Washington came with economic incentives as Mr Barrack proposed the US becomes a “substitute” to Iranian influence. The Lebanese government agreed to disarm non-state groups this month but it wants guarantees that Israel will withdraw militarily from the country. Israel says it will not de-escalate until the disarmament process begins. This puts Lebanon in a difficult position. On the one hand it wants US financial support and for the Israeli attacks to end. On the other, it must convince a defiant Hezbollah and its sponsor Iran to lay down weapons. Without a strategic plan, the consequences could be grave for the country and the wider region. In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher speaks to The National's foreign editor, Mohamad Ali Harisi, and Nicholas Blanford, an Atlantic Council analyst in Beirut. They discuss the challenges of disarming Hezbollah and whether the US and Israel would hold up their end of the bargain.

Clotilde Bigot, Freelance Journalist based in Beirut, outlines the reaction in Lebanon to the pending end of the UNIFIL mission in the country.

An episode discussing David Schenker's latest policy analysis titled "Lebanon's Moment of Truth" and the multiple variables needed to line up for Hezbollah's disarmament to succeed and for Israel's full withdrawal to take place. With David Schenker, former United States Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The article mentioned in this piece is available here: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/lebanons-moment-truth The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations. Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our YouTube channel and your preferred audio platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:49 Slip-up 3:18 Moment of truth 5:42 Variables lining up a 9:01 Under immense pressure 12:06 Israeli obstacles to US position 14:17 Pending Lebanese army proposal 18:24 Iranian leverage today 21:42 Beirut's commitment & int'l attention 26:01 Vulnerability following war 29:53 Israel's reaction towards progress 33:25 Five hilltops

Outrage in Lebanon after the U.S. envoy calls journalists 'animalistic'. Tom Barrack's comments come at a time when the U.S. president has stepped up his attacks on the media. So, what's behind this hostility towards journalists? And are there global implications? In this episode: Rami Khouri - Distinguished Fellow at the American University of Beirut. Jodie Ginsberg - CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists. Rick Perlstein - Journalist and Historian, specialising in the roots and rise of American conservatism. Host: James Bays Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Lebanon: Disarming Hezbollah. Jonathan Schanzer, FDD https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-865408 1980 BEIRUT

Israel's former prime minister Ehud Olmert says he is on a mission to help topple Benjamin Netanyahu. The US is offering new incentives for Lebanon. Riad Salameh is to be released from prison. On today's episode of Trending Middle East: Israel's Ehud Olmert on mission to topple Benjamin Netanyahu Beauty and beast versus 'animalistic' media: Barrack and Ortagus in awkward Beirut briefing Lebanon's ex-Central Bank chief Riad Salameh to be released on $20m bail This episode features Nada AlTaher, senior reporter; Nada Homsi, Beirut correspondent; and Nada Maucourant Atallah, Beirut correspondent. Editor's note: We want to hear from you! Help us improve our podcasts by taking our 2-minute listener survey. Click here.

Dive into this epic conversation on the Mike Drop Podcast with Green Beret legend Mark Giaconia. A 20-year Army veteran who traded infantry boots for Special Forces grit, Mark opens up about his raw reaction to 9/11—burning with jealousy as Fifth Group charged into Afghanistan, only to carve his own pinnacle in Iraq's brutal ops. But before the GWOT glory, he takes us back to the forgotten chaos of Bosnia in the late '90s, where peacekeeping turned into high-stakes intel gathering: embedding in remote villages, renting houses amid fresh war scars, and dodging tense standoffs with Serbian cops who grabbed their weapons at the sight of an American. From concealed pistols and civilian rides to wild encounters—like spotting a Beirut bombing fugitive in a roadside eatery or monitoring Russian convoys on the brink of World War III—Mark's stories pulse with the raw edge of undercover life in a powder keg. We geek out on metal shredding (check Patreon for the deep dive), philosophy from Socrates to Nietzsche, and his time-travel wish to homestead in colonial Connecticut. Whether it's surviving Ranger School's 200+ day grind, losing 40 pounds in the suck, or bonding with locals over slivovitz amid genocide echoes, this episode hooks you with unfiltered warrior wisdom, historical twists, and the unexamined life's brutal truths. Don't miss Mark's insights on human nature, founding principles, and why the Balkans' hospitality hides a world of shadows—perfect fuel for any Mike Drop fan craving real talk from the front lines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a textIn this candid and engaging conversation, Ricardo Karam meets Andrée Sfeir-Semler, a pioneering gallerist whose influence has shaped the course of contemporary Arab art for four decades. From opening her first gallery in Kiel in 1985 to building a bridge between Hamburg and Beirut, she has given a platform to voices that might never have been heard.For the first time, Andrée looks back on her early aspirations, the emotional return to her homeland after years of exile, and the decisive risks that defined her journey. She speaks openly about championing renowned figures like Etel Adnan, Walid Raad, and Samia Halabi, while mentoring a new generation including Akram Zaatari, Munira Solh, and Marwan Rechmaoui navigating the intersection of political art, global recognition, and local resistance.This is not just the story of a career. It is a portrait of vision, resilience, and cultural dialogue proof that art can cross borders and reshape narratives.Join Ricardo and Andrée for a conversation that celebrates a lifetime of dedication and the artists whose stories she has carried to the world.في هذا الحوار الصريح والمليء بالتفاصيل، يلتقي ريكاردو كرم بـ أندريه صفيـر-زملر، صاحبة المسيرة الرائدة التي أثّرت في مسار الفن العربي المعاصر على مدى أربعة عقود. منذ افتتاحها أولى صالاتها في كيل عام 1985 وصولاً إلى بناء جسر ثقافي بين هامبورغ وبيروت، منحت المساحة والأضواء لأصوات فنية ربما لم تكن لتُسمع لولاها.للمرة الأولى، تعود أندريه بالذاكرة إلى أحلامها الأولى، وعودتها المؤثّرة إلى وطنها بعد سنوات المنفى، والمخاطرات الحاسمة التي شكّلت رحلتها. تتحدث بوضوح عن دعمها لأسماء بارزة مثل إيتيل عدنان، ووليد رعد، وساميا الحلبي، وعن رعايتها لجيل جديد من المبدعين مثل أكرم زعتري، ومنيرة الصلح، ومروان رشماوي متنقلة بين عوالم الفن السياسي، والاعتراف العالمي، ومقاومة المشهد المحلي.هذه ليست مجرد سيرة مهنية، بل صورة لرؤية وصلابة وحوار ثقافي، ودليل على أن الفن قادر على عبور الحدود وإعادة صياغة السرديات.انضموا إلى ريكاردو وأندريه في لقاء يوثّق مسيرة عمرها من الإبداع، ويحتفي بالفنانين الذين حملت قصصهم وأعمالهم إلى العالم.

Noor Amylia Hilda takes us to the outskirts of Beirut to visit a monument for peace constructed from instruments of war.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite the statement by the Prime Minister’s office indicating Israel's willingness to reduce IDF presence in southern Lebanon if Beirut takes real steps to disarm Hezbollah, there is no pledge by Israel to actually remove its military deployment in Lebanon. This, according to Gerald Steinberg, professor emeritus of Political Science at Bar Illan University. He told reporter Arieh O’Sullivan that changes in Lebanon and Syria - which is seeking its own security arrangement with Israel - were positive developments resulting from the blow to Iran’s “ring of fire.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A joint mixtape with artist Joyce Joumaa for Radio AlHara. Learn more about the work of Joyce here: https://joycejoumaa.com Accompanying photo taken in Beirut is by Joyce Joumaa. 1. Fairuz, Wahdon - وحدن 2. MF DOOM, Gazzillion Ear (Acapella), remixed by Poltergeist 3. Cyrus Bayandor, Part 1, Approach 4. Muslimgauze, Hamas Cinema Gaza Strip 5. Vijay Iyer + Wadada Leo Smith, Kite (for Refaat Alareer) 6. Mansour Rahbani, غسان صليبا - صرخ الدّيب البحري – لمعت أبواق الثّورة (مسرحية صيف ٨٤٠) 7. yourfriendkas, Qan - Qanat 8. Leyya Mona Tawil and John King, Love Songs for a Free Palestine (excerpt) 9. Jake Muir, Erzklang (excerpt) 10. SITES, Internet Explorers

In this episode, Professor PJ Cullen, Chemical Engineering expert from the University of Sydney, breaks down the global nitrogen challenge. We explore why nitrogen is essential for life, the history of fertiliser - from the Guano Wars to the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process - and how today's nitrogen production is harming the planet. Cullen introduces PlasmaLeap, his startup using non-thermal plasma to mimic lightning and fix nitrogen sustainably. We also dive into the risks of nitrogen storage, the 2020 Beirut explosion, and the urgent need to electrify chemical industries.  https://www.plasmaleap.com/ Linkedin: PJ Cullen

In a special edition of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast recorded in Beirut at the Lebanese Hospital Geitaoui, the mic gets turned around!   Cynthia Abi Khalil, Director of Nursing at Lebanese Hospital Geitaoui, and Antoine Saab, Healthcare Quality expert at the same institution, take over the hosting duties and flip the table on us. This time, MohammadAli Jardaly and I are in the hot seat answering the questions.   From the story of how it all began three years ago, to the behind-the-scenes challenges, funniest recording moments, lessons learned, and the future vision for the podcast, nothing is off limits.   Expect candid reflections, laughter, and some surprising confessions as we explore what it really means to build a podcast that connects healthcare professionals across borders.    If you've ever wondered what inspires us, what keeps us going, and which episodes we secretly wish got more love ,  this one's for you.  #Podcast #MedicalPodcast #HealthcarePodcast #LebanesePhysiciansPodcast #ProfessionalDevelopment #MedicalEducation #PhysicianGrowth #DoctorLife #MedicalMentorship #GlobalMedicine #LebaneseDoctors #DiasporaDoctors #GlobalHealth #AIinHealthcare #MedicalInnovation #FutureOfMedicine #HealthcareCommunity #DoctorsOfInstagram #MedTwitter #MedInspo #PhysicianWellbeing

Elias Kfoury was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and immigrated to the United States at an early age in search of a brighter, safer future. After college, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving 21½ years before his medical retirement. Beginning as a Hospital Corpsman supporting the U.S. Marine Corps, he soon entered the Special Operations community as a Deep Sea Diving Medical Technician and completed advanced medical training to support Naval Special Warfare units. Following his service in Little Creek, Virginia, he successfully screened for Naval Special Warfare Development Group, where he spent the majority of his career as a Squadron Medic in multiple roles. After retiring, Elias transitioned into the business world, but soon recognized the deeper need to heal himself and his family. Today, he dedicates his life to supporting others on their own journeys while cherishing time with his family.Eli's Book Recommendations for special operations candidates (aside from Building the Elite):Breath – James NestorThe Way of the SEAL – Mark DivinePeak Performance – Brad Stulberg & Steve MagnessThe Talent Code – Daniel CoyleThe Obstacle Is the Way – Ryan HolidayWith Winning in Mind – Lanny BasshamDeep Survival – Laurence GonzalesCall Sign Chaos – Jim Mattis & Bing WestLegacy – James KerrTimestamps:00:00:21 Introduction to Eli Khoury00:00:52 Where Did Eli Khoury Grow Up?00:01:36 Experience of Growing Up in a War Zone00:05:54 How "Real Mortal Danger" Shapes Your Mental Health00:08:59 How Many Children Currently Don't Have Physical "Third Spaces"00:12:05 Formative Moments That Clarified "Who Eli Is"00:18:20 Eli's Educational Background00:24:43 The Goal of Coaching00:27:48 Common Things People Struggle to Let Go of00:29:43 Improving the Coaching Process for the Future00:32:04 Coaching Families00:34:04 Utilizing Tools like Psychedelics00:36:18 Teaching How to Give Up Control While Using Psychedelics00:40:40 Teaching How to Let Go Without Psychedelics00:48:20 The Skill of "Sitting With Stillness"00:52:48 What Military Skills Transfer to the Rest of the World?00:58:04 Teaching Resilience to People Early in Their Career01:13:45 Advice for Someone Trying to Enter BUDS01:14:49 Advice for Someone in a Special Operations Medical Path01:16:33 Advice for Someone Who Wants to Screen for a Tier 1 Unit01:18:20 One Book that Everyone Should Read01:18:37 Sponsor Note - Our Book, "Building the Elite"01:19:05 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received 01:21:48 Outro

An international history of the uncanny in the 1920s and 1930s. The interwar period was a golden age for the occult. Spiritualists, clairvoyants, fakirs, Theosophists, mind readers, and Jinn summoners all set out to assure the masses that just as newly discovered invisible forces of electricity and magnetism determined the world of science, unseen powers commanded an unknown realm of human potential Drawing on untapped sources in Arabic in addition to European ones, Raphael Cormack follows two of the most unusual and charismatic figures of this age: Tahra Bey, who took 1920s Paris by storm in the role of a missionary from the mystical East; and Dr. Dahesh, who transformed Western science to create a panreligious faith of his own in Lebanon. Traveling between Paris, New York, and Beirut while guiding esoteric apprenticeships among miracle-working mystics in Egypt and Istanbul, these men reflected the desires and anxieties of a troubled age. As Cormack demonstrates, these forgotten holy men, who embodied the allure of the unexplained in a world of dramatic change, intuitively speak to our unsettling world today Raphael Cormack is an award-winning editor, translator, and writer. The author of Midnight in Cairo, Cormack is assistant professor of modern languages and cultures at Durham University in the United Kingdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

An international history of the uncanny in the 1920s and 1930s. The interwar period was a golden age for the occult. Spiritualists, clairvoyants, fakirs, Theosophists, mind readers, and Jinn summoners all set out to assure the masses that just as newly discovered invisible forces of electricity and magnetism determined the world of science, unseen powers commanded an unknown realm of human potential Drawing on untapped sources in Arabic in addition to European ones, Raphael Cormack follows two of the most unusual and charismatic figures of this age: Tahra Bey, who took 1920s Paris by storm in the role of a missionary from the mystical East; and Dr. Dahesh, who transformed Western science to create a panreligious faith of his own in Lebanon. Traveling between Paris, New York, and Beirut while guiding esoteric apprenticeships among miracle-working mystics in Egypt and Istanbul, these men reflected the desires and anxieties of a troubled age. As Cormack demonstrates, these forgotten holy men, who embodied the allure of the unexplained in a world of dramatic change, intuitively speak to our unsettling world today Raphael Cormack is an award-winning editor, translator, and writer. The author of Midnight in Cairo, Cormack is assistant professor of modern languages and cultures at Durham University in the United Kingdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

HOW DID ORDINARY IRANIANS RESPOND TO ISRAEL'S 12-DAY WAR AGAINST THE REGIME'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM?HEADLINE 1: Israel is reportedly in talks with several countries to take in Palestinians from Gaza.HEADLINE 2: Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, visited Beirut this week.HEADLINE 3: Turkey and Syria signed a defense cooperation agreement.BONUS HEADLINE 4: France, Germany, and the UK may reimpose sanctions on Iran.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with FDD Research Analyst Janatan Sayeh, who specializes in Iranian domestic affairs and the regime's malign influence in the region.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD articles:"The Houthis and the U.N.'s Ship of Fools" by Max Meizlish and Bridget Toomey"Ukraine peace is in reach — if Trump meets Putin's demands with US vigor" by RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and John Hardie"America's fair-weather friends" by Cliff May

Iran’s top security official is visiting Lebanon as Beirut plans to effectively disarm Hezbollah and monopolise control over arms. The US backs disarmament, making it a delicate balancing act.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this co-host takeover, Joe Truzman and David Daoud cut through the very loud noises emanating from Beirut and Gaza — from Israel's controversial killing of an Al Jazeera reporter it accused of Hamas ties to Lebanon's unprecedented and ambitious push to disarm Hezbollah.

Preview: Hezbollah. Colleague David Daoud of FDD reports that both the IDF and Hezbollah claim that the decapitated jihadists are rearming. More later. 1867 Beirut

Jimmy Graham sits down with Chris Brewer, author of Old Scroll Ranger, to dive into his time in Ranger Battalion and the unforgettable stories that shaped his journey. Purchase Old Scroll Ranger here: https://a.co/d/3uE5qS1 Who's Jimmy Graham? Jimmy spent over 15 years in the US Navy SEAL Teams earning the rank of Chief Petty Officer (E7). During that time, he earned certifications as a Sniper, Joint Tactical Air Controller, Range Safety Officer for Live Fire, Dynamic Movement and Master Training Specialist. He also served for 7 years as an Operator and Lead Instructor for an Elite Federal Government Protective Detail for High-Risk and Critical environments, to include; Kirkuk, Iraq, Kabul, Afghanistan, Beirut, Lebanon and Benghazi, Libya. During this time he earned his certification for Federal Firearms Instructor, Simunition Scenario Qualified Instructor and Certified Skills Facilitator. Jimmy has trained law enforcement on the Federal, State, and Local levels as well as Fire Department, EMS and Dispatch personnel. His passion is to train communities across the nation in order to enhance their level of readiness in response to active shooter situations.   Make sure you subscribe and stay tuned to everything we are doing. Want to get more training? - https://ableshepherd.com/ Need support? https://able-nation.org/ Follow us on: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ableshepherd Instagram - ​​https://www.instagram.com/ableshepherd/ Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ableshepherd

Big Skookum B.C. Road Trip! In this special episode, Taylor tells Josie about Lebanese-Canadian entrepreneur Eddy Haymour, and how his dream of building an Arabian theme park on Lake Okanagan led him to take 33 people hostage at the Canadian embassy in Beirut. Plus: join Josie, Taylor, and special guests Lucia Misch and Ruy Gonzalez as they kick off the first leg of a British Columbia road trip, with stops in Kamloops, Salmon Arm, and Glacier National Park!

RA.1000 continues with the pride of Palestine's techno scene, Sama' Abdulhadi. What makes the sound of resistance? For Palestinian DJ and producer Sama' Abdulhadi, it's the freedom to explore her artistic expression in all its authenticity and complexity. What stands out in her mix for our 1000th celebration is defiant energy, the kind that galvanises more than just dance floors. Born in Ramallah but a student of Beirut's underground scene, Abdulhadi plays charging, self-assured techno, as calibrated for basement parties as for conquering festival main stages. Her sets are powerful journeys through moods, tempos and stimuli, connected by a deep sense of love. A love for the music, the craft, the soil from which Abdulhadi grew. It's a love we've explored in a cover story, a film and now one of our ten RA.1000 mixes. As Abdulhadi notes in her accompanying interview, her entry to the series forms a link back to another "pride and joy of Palestine," with Bethlehem-descending Nicolás Jaar's entry on RA.500. Yet ten years on, the landscape is altered beyond all recognition. As we all watch the ongoing destruction of Palestinian land, this mix is an unequivocal reminder that we cannot look away. It continues techno's decades-old lineage as vital resistance music. @sama_abdulhadi Find the tracklist and interview at ra.co/podcast/1010. Listen to all RA.1000 mixes, as well as the complete history of the RA Podcast, at 1000.ra.co.

Monday on the News Hour, Texas Democrats leave the state to stop Republicans from passing a redistricting plan backed by President Trump. A former Trump appointee warns the firing of the head of the office that reports jobs numbers undermines trust in vital data. Five years after the Beirut explosion, families struggle to rebuild their lives, knowing leaders have not been held accountable. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Five years ago, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history ripped apart Beirut's waterfront with a terrifying power. The blast, which many still refer to as "the bomb," was not terrorism, nor was it war. It was caused by issues that have plagued Lebanon for years, and still do: municipal incompetence and government corruption. Leila Molana-Allen reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders