Podcasts about Beirut

***I have been working with Lara Sheehi on her new show.  Make sure you subscribe to her video and audio feeds to listen to the rest of this episode**** Ghassan Abu Sittah: Clinic as site of resistance   In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah to discuss the centrality of the clinic in the genocidal violence perpetrated by the Zionist settler state in Gaza, his concept of the biosphere of genocide, and importantly, the site of the clinic as central to resistance, refusal, and liberation. Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah is a British-Palestinian Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon. He completed his medical education at University of Glasgow in the U.K and his postgraduate residency training in London. In April of 2024 he was awarded and Honorary Doctorate from the American University of Beirut, where is currently Professor of Conflict Medicine. His work was featured by numerous newspapers and media outlets notably La Monde, The Independent, Telegraph, BBC and CNN. Follow us on IG: @psychicmilitancypod & TikTok: @psychic.militancy Consider becoming a Patron to support the show! https://www.patreon.com/psychicmilitancy

Click here to send a message. We love to hear from our listeners! Send us a text message and share your feedback What would you learn if you crossed international borders with only a 26-liter backpack and a belief that most people are kind? We sit down with friend Dean Fromm, a Colorado based traveler who's visited 109 countries, to unpack how light gear, slow plans, and open eyes can turn the world into a classroom. From Ecuador's Amazon, where a landslide an innovative act of collective problem-solving, to nights in Beirut under rolling blackouts, Dean shows how generosity often lives where our news cycles don't look.We dig into practicals—e-visas, passports, research routines, and why maps reveal more than roads. Dean chooses regions and builds trips around terrain, history, and the people he meets along the way. He makes the case for the Middle East and Asia as welcoming, life-affirming places, sharing vivid stories from Lebanon, Armenia, and an unforgettable solo entry into Gaza in the mid-90s that led to two days of hospitality from people with very little to spare. It's not a blind faith; it's a risk-aware posture shaped by real mishaps like a fall near Lake Baikal that turned into a lesson on resilience, recovery, and listening to your limits.If you've ever wondered how to travel with intention, Dean's playbook is simple and demanding: pack less, stay longer, talk to strangers, and let maps guide your understanding of why cities exist where they do. Let local food, markets, and music become your syllabus. Say yes when your gut says yes, and keep your boundaries when it doesn't. You'll come home with fewer certainties and a deeper, steadier confidence in people—and in your own ability to navigate the unknown.Enjoy the conversation, then share it with a friend who needs a nudge to book that first trip. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: where did a stranger's kindness change your route?Support the show

PREVIEW FOR LATER TONIGHT HEZBOLLAH'S FINANCIAL LIFELINE IN VENEZUELA Colleague David Daoud. David Daoud explains why Hezbollah remains entrenched in Venezuela. He argues the terror group urgently needs revenue from Venezuelan resources to maintain social support among Shiites in Lebanon, seeking financial reservoirs that are situated far beyond the immediate reach of Israeli military operations. 1836 BEIRUT

In the 1970s, a network of radical extremists terrorised the West with plane hijackings and hostage-takings. Among them were the beautiful young Leila Khaled with her jewellery made from grenade rings, the hard-drinking philanderer Carlos the Jackal sporting shades and open-neck shirts, and the radical leftists of the Baader-Meinhof Gang. Taking Israel, capitalism and ‘western imperialism' as targets, they orchestrated spectacularly violent attacks that held governments to ransom and the world gripped to their television screens. In October 2025 one of the foremost writers on terrorism and International Security Correspondent for the Guardian Jason Burke came to the Intelligence Squared stage to uncover the insider stories from the terror attacks which shaped this tumultuous decade. From the Munich Olympics and the raid on Entebbe, to the Iranian Embassy Siege in London and the Beirut bombings of the early 1980s, Burke shed light on the lives and minds of the perpetrators of these attacks, as well as the government agents who sought to thwart and assassinate them, drawing on declassified archive material and original interviews with key actors and witnesses. --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this landmark episode, we sit down with Dr. Ramy Bou Khalil and Dr. Joseph El Khoury to explore the vision, urgency, and meaning behind the launch of the Lebanese Journal of Mental Health (LJMH). Drawing on journeys that span academia, clinical care, leadership, and the diaspora, our guests reflect on how Lebanese psychiatry has endured war, economic collapse, political instability, and mass physician emigration yet continues to produce rigorous, compassionate, and globally relevant work. From the formative academic environments of American University of Beirut and Université Saint-Joseph, to leadership within the Lebanese Psychiatric Society, this conversation traces how institutional memory, resilience, and responsibility converged to make LJMH not just aspirational—but necessary. We discuss: Why now is the right moment for a national mental health journal How LJMH supports clinicians and researchers working in resource-limited settings The importance of honoring pioneers while mentoring the next generation Turning brain drain into brain circulation through meaningful diaspora engagement Redefining “impact” beyond metrics—toward relevance, voice, and continuity This episode is a reflection on legacy and a blueprint for the future of mental health scholarship in Lebanon and the region.

In the 1970s, a network of radical extremists terrorised the West with plane hijackings and hostage-takings. Among them were the beautiful young Leila Khaled with her jewellery made from grenade rings, the hard-drinking philanderer Carlos the Jackal sporting shades and open-neck shirts, and the radical leftists of the Baader-Meinhof Gang. Taking Israel, capitalism and ‘western imperialism' as targets, they orchestrated spectacularly violent attacks that held governments to ransom and the world gripped to their television screens. In October 2025 one of the foremost writers on terrorism and International Security Correspondent for the Guardian Jason Burke came to the Intelligence Squared stage to uncover the insider stories from the terror attacks which shaped this tumultuous decade. From the Munich Olympics and the raid on Entebbe, to the Iranian Embassy Siege in London and the Beirut bombings of the early 1980s, Burke shed light on the lives and minds of the perpetrators of these attacks, as well as the government agents who sought to thwart and assassinate them, drawing on declassified archive material and original interviews with key actors and witnesses. --- This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yama Wolasmal er NRKs utenrikskorrespondent i Midtøsten. Han forteller om livet som journalist i Beirut, om de vanskelige vilkårene for palestinske journalister på Gaza og om hvordan både jobben og familielivet har endret seg etter 7. oktober. 

As 2025 comes to a close, we're revisiting interviews with this year's nominees and winners of some of the biggest prizes in literature. First up: 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

Special Christmas/New Year edition with the brothers' mother! The brothers welcome their mother, the author and educator Jean Said Makdisi, to the show, to discuss her books, her memories of growing up between Palestine and Egypt, living in America in the 1950s and 1960s and returning to Lebanon, where she raised her children through the 1975-1990 war while teaching at Beirut University College. She is the author of "Teta, Mother and Me: An Arab Woman's Memoir" and "Beirut Fragments: A War Memoir."  This episode was recorded live and produced by Layla Makdisi. Date of recording: August 8, 2025. Watch the video edition on our YouTube channel Follow us on our socials: X: @MakdisiStreet YouTube: @MakdisiStreet Insta: @Makdisist TikTok: @Makdisistreet Music by Hadiiiiii Sign up at Patreon.com/MakdisiStreet to access all the bonus content, including the latest Q&A  

How does a physician go from building a genetics startup in Beirut to practicing medicine hundreds of miles offshore? In this episode, we explore the world of maritime medicine, a little-known field at the crossroads of clinical care, emergency decision-making, prevention, and global regulation. Our guest breaks down what maritime medicine really is, how it differs from emergency, occupational, and family medicine, and what a “workday” looks like when patients are on ships, in ports, or connected by satellite from the open ocean. We discuss the most common medical cases at sea, the ones that keep physicians up at night, and the unique clinical and logistical challenges of caring for patients when evacuation isn't an option. We also dive into fitness-for-duty decisions, prevention, and why joining the American Board of Maritime Medicine marks an important step for the specialty. Finally, we look ahead at where maritime medicine is headed with telemedicine, AI, and a rapidly evolving global shipping industry, and whether this unconventional path could be a fit for burned-out physicians seeking something different. #MaritimeMedicine #PhysicianCareers #NonTraditionalMedicine #Telemedicine #GlobalHealth #MedicineAtSea #CareerPivot #LebanesePhysiciansPodcast

MANIFESTATIONS OF THE VOYAGE. Simone Fattal is a Lebanese-American artist. Born in 1942 in Damascus, she was educated in Beirut and Paris, studying philosophy at the École des Lettres and the Sorbonne, as well as archaeology at the École du Louvre. Simone Fattal and Etel Adnan (1925–2021) were life partners for 49 years, artists who shared a profound creative, political, and personal connection. Their multidisciplinary work spans painting, sculpture, poetry, and publishing. "We have to ask the women prisoners to write the poems. Which they did, and I transcribed them on the surfaces of the lava." "My inspiration doesn't come from artists. When I'm working, poetic verses come to my mind." "I'm not displaced, but a traveler."

Continuamos con el podcast musical dedicado a la Ruta 66 y al mejor rock americano en La Gran Travesía. Hoy con la cuarta parte. En este programa vamos a recorrer los estados de Nuevo Méjico y Arizona, aunque como siempre nos desviaremos algo del itinerario. En el podcast podréis escuchar a Beirut, John Denver, Waylon Jennings, The Shins, Meat Puppets, Stevie Nicks, Blackfire… También recordaros que ya podéis comprar La gran travesía del rock, un libro interactivo. Jimi y Janis, dos periodistas musicales, vienen de 2027, un mundo distópico y delirante donde el reguetón tiene (casi) todo el poder... pero ellos dos, deciden alistarse al GLP para viajar en el tiempo, salvar el rock, rescatar sus archivos ocultos y combatir la dictadura troyana del FPR. ✨ El libro ya está en diversas tiendas, Amazon, Fnac y también en La Montaña Mágica, por ejemplo https://www.amazon.es/GRAN-TRAVES%C3%8DA-DEL-ROCK-autoestopista/dp/8419924938 ▶️ Y ya sabéis, si os gusta el programa y os apetece, podéis apoyarnos y colaborar con nosotros por el simple precio de una cerveza al mes, desde el botón azul de iVoox, y así, además podéis acceder a todo el archivo histórico exclusivo. Muchas gracias también a todos los mecenas y patrocinadores por vuestro apoyo: Diego Román, Tole, Raquel, Poncho C, Contell Carles, Sergio Rodríguez Rojas, Javier, Jose Antonio Moral, Juanito, Octavio Oliva, Andreea Deea, Samuel Sánchez, Igor Gómez Tomás, Matías Ruiz Molina, Eduardo Villaverde Vidal, Víctor Fernández Martínez, Rami, Leo Giménez, Alberto Velasco, Poncho C, Francisco Quintana, Con, Tete García, Jose Angel Tremiño, Marco Landeta Vacas, Oscar García Muñoz, Raquel Parrondo, Nacho, Javito, Alberto, Moy, Dani Pérez, Santi Oliva, Vicente DC, Leticia, Melomanic, Arturo Soriano, Gemma Codina, Raquel Jiménez, Pedro, SGD, Raul Andres, Tomás Pérez, Pablo Pineda, Quim Goday, Enfermerator, Joaquín, Horns Up, Victor Bravo, Fonune, Francisco González, Marcos Paris, Daniel A, Redneckman, Elliott SF, Sementalex, Miguel Angel Torres, Suibne, Noyatan, Iván Menéndez, Niksisley y a los mecenas anónimos.

A2 THE SHOW #593Join us as we welcome Cyril Aris, Lebanese director, screenwriter, and member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences®, whose feature A Sad and Beautiful World (2025) premiered at Venice and became Lebanon's Oscar® submission. Cyril opens up about choosing filmmaking over consulting, capturing Beirut's most challenging moments, and using cinema as a political and social tool. He reflects on navigating censorship, working with first-time actors, and crafting deeply human stories of love, loss, and resilience. Along the way, he shares how life experiences shape meaningful cinema and the importance of challenging global stereotypes about Beirut and Lebanese identity.IG: @cyrilarisWEBSITE: https://www.cyrilaris.com/

Over the past 15 years, Montreal-based DJ, producer and sound engineer, Lio, has been meticulously refining his sound, blurring the lines between electronic subgenres with his hypnotic sensibilities. The Lebanese artist has come to be known for his stripped-back club sets and acoustic designs alike, using a plethora of aliases, such as Reakt, Digital Natives, Dubwiser, Spoken and Monosapien. Since co-founding Beirut-based collective and record label, Hypnotic LTD, he has been applying his technical precision to different areas, dabbling in a more fluid, jazz-leaning minimalism rooted in deep listening. His select set is a reflection of that current sound and exploration. A sun-drenched mix of jazz-inflected house and ambient grooves that will cure your winter blues, the set features cuts by artists like Tom Noble, Stewart Walker, Orient Expressions, Simon Psford, Nicola Conte, and Aris Kokou. “I recorded this set on a sunny Sunday at home, surrounded by my wife and our daughter, Yoko Jazz, which naturally brought a jazzy touch to the recording,” Lio tells SceneNoise of a mix packed with wonky synths, found sound samples, experimental transitions and atmospheric textures.

6. Failure to Disarm: Hezbollah's Persistence and UNIFIL's Inefficacy. David Daoud reports that the Lebanesegovernment is failing to disarm Hezbollah south of the Litani River, merely evicting them from abandoned sites. He argues UNIFIL is an ineffective tripwire, as Hezbollah continues to rebuild infrastructure and receive funding right under international observers' noses. 1969 BEIRUT

It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Chris Klaus, CEO, Fusen. & Co-Founder, Georgia Tech CREATE-X Startup AcceleratorIn this episode, sponsored by the ⁠⁠⁠ELIVE 2026 Conference in Denver, Colorado, April 19-22, & the 2026 InsightsEDU Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 17-19,YOUR cohost is Samyr Qureshi, Executive Chairman, KnackYOUR host is ⁠Dr. Joe SallustioHow does a Georgia Tech alum who built a cybersecurity startup in his grandmother's guest bedroom end up creating the Klaus building & launching an accelerator that has supported nearly 1,000 student startups?What happens when you tell college students to stop interning for Google & Amazon & instead intern for themselves, giving them credit, funding & mentorship to build their own companies?How does a venture capitalist who invests in founders before they even have a company & helps them incorporate as US entities from Chile to Beirut change the game for international entrepreneurs & protect America's competitive edge?Listen in to #EdUpThank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp!Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Elvin Freytes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠& ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dr. Joe Sallustio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠● Join YOUR EdUp community at ⁠The EdUp Experience⁠We make education YOUR business!P.S. Want to get early, ad-free access & exclusive leadership content to help support the show? Then ⁠⁠​subscribe today​⁠⁠ to lock in YOUR $5.99/m lifetime supporters rate! This offer ends December 31, 2025!

In this Special Rewind Episode, host Mark Ledlow revisits an impactful conversation with Mike Trott, a former Air Force veteran and CIA Special Agent, whose career has been defined by protecting some of the world's most high-profile individuals. Mike shares the journey of writing his seminal book, The Protected, and the immense pressure of securing an endorsement from former CIA Director George Tenet. They delve into the "layers of security" model, the dangers of social media misinformation, and the 2020 Beirut port explosion as a critical case study in risk management and incompetence. Mike also discusses his current role as VP of Global Safety and Security at Discovery Land, highlighting how the security industry has pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation covers the vital importance of utilizing operational downtime for training and preparing for the massive impending resurgence of global corporate travel.This Special Rewind Episode offers timeless, practical lessons for security professionals, executives, and principals seeking to strengthen decision-making, preparedness, and resilience.Learn about all this and more in this episode of The Fearless Mindset Podcast.KEY TAKEAWAYSMastering the craft of security requires decades of lived experience and continuous learning.Security programs must be holistic; removing a single layer compromises the entire foundation.The endorsement of a high-level principal stems from a commitment to excellence and professional pressure.Social media misinformation is a growing "failed experiment" that poses significant risks to global stability.Effective risk assessment involves evaluating "all-hazard" scenarios, including neighboring industrial threats.Professional EP teams must utilize downtime for rigorous training to remain sharp for future surges in travel.QUOTES“I don't think you can write a book, especially about our career... and hit all the points unless you've lived through it. That's going to take you a few decades.”“If you take one or two layers out... it's like removing the foundation from your building, from your house. You're gonna have issues.”“Social media does a lot of good, hands down... but I think we haven't seen or been able to measure how bad it does in terms of false information.”“As CSOs or VP of Security and Safety, we probably didn't see this coming where we'd have to step up and be more involved with helping to understand this pandemic.”“If EP teams are not training right now and taking advantage of this opportunity and they're just staying at home... you're probably wrong.”“The executives are gonna own a full launch and it's gonna ramp up pretty quick. Get ready. It's gonna be madness.”“Fearless isn't just your ability to handle a high stress situation. I think fearless also applies into your ability to make good decisions.”Get to know more about Mike Trott and his work through the links below:Book: www.TheProtected.usLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwtrott/To hear more episodes of The Fearless Mindset podcast, you can go to https://the-fearless-mindset.simplecast.com/ or listen on major podcasting platforms such as Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, etc. You can also subscribe to the Fearless Mindset YouTube Channel to watch episodes on video. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nader about: 0:00 Lebanese blues 2:21 an American influence 6:15 honesty in music 7:46 a love letter to Beirut 12:33 staying positive 15:21 the universality of music 16:45 his creative process 20:06 imposter syndrome 21:24 the two sides of resiliency 25:05 a hypnotic quality 26:46 electronics 28:14 preparing for the live shows 29:44 Under The Sun Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Beirut celebra 30 años en Valencia con una fiesta muy especial y un recorrido por sus tres locales. Descubre la historia de la familia Kaolut, la esencia de la cocina libanesa y los platos imprescindibles que no puedes dejar de probar: hummus, falafel, shawarmas y postres como el baklava. Tradición, sabor y emoción en un episodio que te abrirá el apetito.

On this episode of Not For Radio... 01:40 - Hot sauce vs body 07:40 - CW Knix cooking videos 13:35 - Feedback from Paul and Stu18:00 - Voice note about a kid bringing in a cock ring to kindy 22:00 - Controversial sneaky business26:20 - Beirut red flag 31:20 - Best and worst things that have happened to us on a night out37:50 - Stupid things we've done Hit us up and get all our links: https://linktr.ee/notforradioBecome a Sniper Elite: https://plus.rova.nz/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textIn this conversation, Ricardo Karam meets Rima Bikhazi, a woman who turned pain into strength, fear into purpose, and leadership into an act of compassion.From a 14-year-old girl forced to leave Beirut during the war, to a woman who returned ten years later to rebuild not just a hospital but a mission, Rima embodies resilience in a country constantly on the edge.As the head of one of Lebanon's most respected medical institutions, she speaks about the challenges of leading through collapse, of finding balance between numbers and humanity, between management and emotion, between survival and healing.Rima opens up about her tears, her faith in people, her quiet acts of kindness, and the courage it takes to remain human in a system that has forgotten empathy. She also reflects on her father's legacy, on the meaning of “strength” as a woman and a leader, and on what it truly means to build hope amid ruins.A conversation about war and peace, duty and emotion, loss and love and the unwavering belief that healing goes far beyond medicine.Join Ricardo Karam and Rima Bikhazi in a powerful dialogue that reminds us that sometimes, the greatest remedy of all is the human heart.في هذا الحديث، يلتقي ريكاردو كرم مع ريما بخعازي، امرأة حوّلت الألم إلى قوة، والخوف إلى رسالة، والقيادة إلى فعل محبة وإنسانية.من فتاة غادرت بيروت في الرابعة عشرة من عمرها هرباً من الحرب، إلى امرأة عادت بعد عشر سنوات لتبني من جديد وطناً ومؤسسة، وتجعل من الشفاء رسالة حياة.كرئيسةٍ لإحدى أهم المؤسسات الطبية في لبنان، تتحدث ريما عن التحديات التي تواجهها وسط الانهيار، عن كيفية الموازنة بين الأرقام والإنسان، بين الإدارة والعاطفة، بين الاستمرار في زمنٍ يتداعى فيه كل شيء.تفتح قلبها لتتحدث عن دموعها التي لا تخجل منها، وعن إيمانها بالناس رغم خيباتهم، وعن القوة التي تأتي من الرحمة لا من السلطة. كما تستعيد ذكرى والدها وإرثه الكبير، وتشارك رؤيتها حول معنى القوة لدى المرأة، وحول الشغف الذي يجعلها تواصل رغم التعب.حديث عن الحرب والسلام، عن الواجب والمشاعر، عن الفقدان والحب، وعن الإيمان بأن الشفاء لا يكون دائماً طبياً ... بل إنسانياً قبل كل شيء.انضمّوا إلى ريكاردو كرم وريما بخعازي في حوارٍ مؤثّر يلهمنا جميعاً بأنً أعظم علاجٍ في الحياة هو القلب الإنساني.

PREVIEW: Lebanon's Slow Deterioration Amid International Inaction: Colleague David Daoud analyzes the crisis in Lebanon, contrasting France's lenient approach to Hezbollah with the United States' more aggressive stance, arguing that the international community's fear of causing a civil war by pressing for disarmament is inadvertently allowing Lebanon to slowly deteriorate into a failed state. 1914 BEIRUT

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and environmental reporter Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Following the IDF strike that killed top Hamas commander Raad Saad in Gaza City, Berman reviews the obstacles for Israel and Hamas in moving toward the second phase of the broader ceasefire. He discusses how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump will need to find a way to agree on the thorny and fundamental issue of how to get Hamas to disarm. As the IDF postponed a planned airstrike on Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon, Berman reports on the ongoing issue of needing Hezbollah to disarm, the Lebanese Army's efforts to work to accomplish that, and Israel's dissatisfaction with Lebanon's progress. After the Water Authority began channeling desalinated water to the Sea of Galilee, the first ever attempt anywhere in the world to top up a freshwater lake with processed seawater, Surkes reports on hopes that it will raise the level of the sea by half a centimeter a year. Surkes also discusses the new facility for the National Sea Turtle Rescue Center, featuring the world’s only sea turtle breeding program, helping protect and preserve these creatures that have existed on the planet for 330 million years. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US State Department said to ask 70 countries to contribute to Gaza stabilization force Report: Israel agrees to US demand to pay for massive Gaza rubble-clearing operation Beirut has been warned of possible Israeli offensive against Hezbollah — Lebanese FM Scientists tracking impact as desalinated water flows into Sea of Galilee for first time Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: Palestinians inspect a car belonging to Hamas commander Raad Saad after it was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, on December 13, 2025. (Fathi Ibrahim/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Un trayecto emocional por lugares precisos, ausencias, encierros, recuerdos, más mirada contemplativa que descarga explosiva.Caspian Tiger + Tuanaki Atoll – Beirut – A Study of Losses Backstage + Ten Little Minutes – Jay-Jay Johanson – BackstageParadiso + Lockdown Blues + Valdivia – Erlend Øye, La ComitivaWhat We Are + Milky Sleep – Brian Eno, Beatie Wolfe – Luminal Too Big for California – The Saxophones – Too Big for California Luna Creciente – Natalia Lafourcade, Hermanos Gutiérrez – CancioneraEscuchar audio

This year saw the release of two memoirs concerned with the Palestinian diasporic experience. Tareq Baconi's Fire in Every Direction is a story of queer adolescent unrequited love, braided together with a family history of displacement from Haifa to Beirut to Amman. Sarah Aziza's The Hollow Half is a story of surviving anorexia and the ways that the body holds the intergenerational grief of the ongoing Nakba. In this episode of On the Nose, Jewish Currents editor-in-chief Arielle Angel speaks with Baconi and Aziza about what it means to claim Palestinianness as a political identity, not just a familial one, and the radical necessity of turning silence—around queerness, Gaza, the Nakba—into speech.Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for producing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”Books Mentioned and Further ReadingThe Hollow Half by Sarah AzizaFire in Every Direction by Tareq BaconiHamas Contained: The Rise and Pacification of Palestinian Resistance by Tareq Baconi“Al-Atlal, Now: On Language and Silence in Gaza's Wake,” Sarah Aziza, Literary Hub“The Work of the Witness,” Sarah Aziza, Jewish Currents“The Trap of Palestinian Participation,” Tareq Baconi, Jewish CurrentsBlack Atlantic by Paul Gilroy“Selling the Holocaust,” Arielle Angel, Menachem Kaiser, and Maia Ipp, Jewish CurrentsTranscript forthcoming.

In this week's episode of So There I Was, Ike joins us with stories so wild they make the Quigley, Beirut, and Cherry Point weather sound like minor inconveniences. We open with Ike casually mentioning that he once found himself upside-down over the North Atlantic at night — because of course he did. From growing up under the Nashville approach path to being choked in boot camp for laughing, to nearly “smoking” the British ambassador in Beirut when his door gunner got jumpy, Ike's journey from farm kid to single-seat attack pilot is a rollercoaster with no safety bar. We hit everything: CH-46 shenanigans, A-4 aileron rolls where drop tanks were definitely still attached, Harrier culture, maintenance-shop misery, and why flying vertical is basically a religion. Add in toilet installations on mountain peaks, British PT instructors who try to kill you, and Marines being Marines… and you've got an episode that is equal parts chaos, nostalgia, and aviation gold. Screenshot

As global powers double down on militarism and defense, Daniel Zoughbie argues that the most transformative force in the Middle East has always come from citizen diplomacy. A complex-systems scientist and diplomatic historian, Zoughbie joins Mark Labberton to explore how twelve U.S. presidents have "kicked the hornet's nest" of the modern Middle East. Drawing on his work in global health and his new book Kicking the Hornet's Nest: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East from Truman to Trump, Zoughbie contrasts the view from refugee camps and microclinic networks with the view from the Oval Office, arguing that American security rests on a three-legged stool of defense, diplomacy, and development. He explains why Gerald Ford stands out as the lone president who truly leveraged diplomacy, how the Marshall Plan model of enlightened self-interest can guide policy now, and why nationalism, not mere economics, lies at the heart of Gaza's future. Throughout, he presses listeners toward "citizen diplomacy" that resists pride, militarism, and fatalism. Episode Highlights "We've constantly ignored diplomacy." " You don't have to be enemies with people to get them to do what is in their own self-interest." "You can build skyscrapers in Gaza. You can build the Four Seasons in Gaza and it's not going to work. You're just going to have another war until you address that core issue of nationalism." "These three Ds defense diplomacy development are the three legged stool of American security and we know how important diplomacy and development are." "From Truman to Trump, only one president, and that is Gerald Ford, surprisingly the only unelected president, gets this right." "Pride—national pride, the pride of any one individual—is toxic. It's toxic to the individual. It's toxic to the nation. It's toxic to the world." "Foreign policymaking is not just something for secretaries of state and those in power. All of us in a democracy have a role to play." Helpful Links and Resources Kicking the Hornet's Nest: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East from Truman to Trump https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Kicking-the-Hornets-Nest/Daniel-E-Zoughbie/9781668085226 American University of Beirut (founded as Syrian Protestant College), a key example of long-term educational diplomacy https://www.aub.edu.lb Al-Ahli Arab (Gaza Baptist) Hospital in Gaza City https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Ahli_Arab_Hospital Max Weber, "Politics as a Vocation" https://open.oregonstate.education/sociologicaltheory/chapter/politics-as-a-vocation About Daniel Zoughbie Daniel E. Zoughbie is a complex-systems scientist, historian, and expert on presidential decision-making. He is associate project scientist at UC Berkeley's Institute of International Studies, a faculty affiliate of the UCSF/UCB Center for Global Health Delivery, Diplomacy, and Economics, and principal investigator of the Middle East and North Africa Diplomacy, Development, and Defense Initiative. He is the author of Kicking the Hornet's Nest: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East from Truman to Trump and of Indecision Points: George W. Bush and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. His award-winning research has appeared in journals such as PLOS Medicine, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, and Social Science and Medicine. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UC Berkeley, he studied at Oxford on a Marshall Scholarship and completed his doctorate there as a Weidenfeld Scholar. Show Notes Middle East Background and Microclinic Origins Daniel Zoughbie recalls visiting the Middle East as a child—"frankly horrified" by what he saw UC Berkeley protests over the Iraq War and post-9/11 U.S. policy in the region Metabolic disease and type 2 diabetes as an overlooked "greatest killer in the region." Neighbors in the West Bank sharing food, medicine, and blood-pressure cuffs—leads to the "micro clinic" concept Good health behaviors, like bad ones and even violence, can be contagious through social networks Social Networks, Anthropology, and Security Social anthropology, political science, and international relations Medical problems as simultaneously biological and sociological problems Understanding Middle East security demands attention to decisions "at the very bottom" as well as "the view from above" October 7 and 9/11 illustrate how small groups of people can "change the world with their decisions." Complex Systems and Foreign Policy Complexity is always increasing, and diplomacy and development exist to slow it down. Definition of "complex system": as one where many inputs produce outcomes that cannot be reduced to single causes. "We almost have a new law here, which is that complexity is always increasing in the universe. And the role of diplomacy and development, as I see it in international relations, is to slow things down. It's to stop complexity from advancing so that people have time to cool their tempers and to solve major security crises." Type 2 diabetes as a model for thinking about how city planning, economics, relationships, and habits interact He applies that lens to international relations: nations, leaders, institutions, and history form a "cascade of complexity." From Refugee Camps to Presidential Palaces George Shultz and Tony Blair: decision-makers as "real human beings," not abstractions Theological and ideological forces—such as certain apocalyptic readings of scripture—that shape U.S. foreign policy Gnosticism and eschatology within American right-wing Christianity Painstaking global health work on the ground and sweeping decisions made in Washington, Brussels, or New York Twelve Presidents and One Exception Kicking the Hornet's Nest: analysis of twelve presidents from Truman to Trump through the lens of Middle East decision-making Core claim: Only Gerald Ford truly rebalanced the three Ds of defense, diplomacy, and development. U.S. policy in the Levant: heavy reliance on militarism, coups, and covert actions while underinvesting in diplomacy and development Claim: "Far better alternatives were on the table" for every administration, yet consistently passed over. Gerald Ford, Kissinger, and the Path to Peace Daniel contends that the 1967 and 1973 wars were both preventable and nearly became global nuclear catastrophes. Ford inherits the presidency amid Watergate and national division, but keeps Henry Kissinger at State. Ford presses Israel and Egypt toward serious negotiations, empowering Kissinger's shuttle diplomacy and personal ties. A sharply worded letter threatening to "reconsider" the U.S.–Israel relationship Ford's diplomacy and the development of Camp David and the enduring Egypt–Israel peace based on "land for peace." Pride, Personality, and Presidential Failure Did Ford's temperament keep him from making himself the center of the story? In contrast, many presidents and other leaders write themselves "thickly" into the narrative of the conflict. Pride—personal and national—as a toxic force that repeatedly undermines U.S. policy The Iraq War and democracy-promotion agenda and the self-defeating nature of moralistic, militarized crusades Marshall Plan and Enlightened Self-Interest George Marshall and harsh punishment after World War I helped produce Nazi Germany The Marshall Plan models an "enlightened way of viewing the American self-interest": rebuilding Europe and Japan to secure U.S. security. He contrasts that with the neglect of the Levant, where aid and institution-building never matched military activism. Marshall's genius lies in locating the intersection between others' deepest needs and American capabilities. Militarism, Iran, and Nuclear Risk Recent U.S.–Israel–Iran confrontation as an "extremely dangerous moment"—with 60 percent enriched uranium unaccounted for JCPOA as an imperfect but effective diplomatic achievement, but dismantled in favor of militarism Claim: Bombing Iran scattered nuclear material and increased complexity rather than reducing the threat. He warns that one nuclear device could be delivered by low-tech means—a boat or helicopter—endangering civilians and U.S. forces in the Gulf. The only realistic path forward: renewed multilateral diplomacy between U.S., Israel, Iran, Russia, China, Pakistan, India, and regional actors Ethical Realism and Max Weber "Ethical realism"—Max Weber's distinction between the ethic of the gospel and the ethic of responsibility Statespeople bear responsibility for using force, yet the greatest can still say "here I stand and I can do no other." Claim: True leadership seeks a higher ethic where national interest aligns with genuine concern for others. Gaza, Nationalism, and Two States Welcoming the end of active war between Israel and Hamas and critiquing reconstruction plans that ignore politics Conflict is fundamentally nationalist: a struggle for self-determination by both Jewish and Palestinian peoples Claim: Economic development without a credible political horizon will not prevent "another October 7th and another terrible war." In his view, only partition of mandatory Palestine into two states can meet legitimate self-determination claims. For example, "You can build skyscrapers in Gaza… and it's not going to work" without addressing nationalism. Citizen Diplomacy and a Better Way Foreign policy is not only the work of secretaries of state; democratic citizens have responsibilities. American University of Beirut and the Gaza Baptist Hospital as fruits of citizen diplomacy Claim: Educational and medical institutions can change lives more profoundly and durably than military campaigns. Redirecting resources from bombs to universities and hospitals to reduce the need for future military interventions An invitation to citizen diplomacy: informed voting, sustained attention, and creative engagement for a more just peace Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment Magazine and Fuller Seminary.  

Send us a textIn this profound and eye-opening episode, Ricardo Karam sits down with Dr. Elias Jarade, the doctor who became a voice for the wounded nation, and the parliamentarian who still treats people with the precision of a surgeon and the heart of a healer.From the Khiyam detention center to the operating room, from the echoes of explosions to the silence of Parliament, Elias Jarade has seen what few can endure. Between the South and Beirut, between medicine and politics, he continues to search for truth, as seen through an injured eye, and a soul that refuses to surrender.He opens up about fear and resilience, about what dignity means to someone who lived exile and war, about the nights in the emergency room when the entire country seemed to collapse inside the hospital's walls.He shares how the Beirut Port explosion, and the recent wave of pagers attack, reshaped his mission as a doctor, and how he learned to navigate the thin line between empathy and endurance.From the scalpel to the parliamentary microphone, Jarade speaks candidly about the challenges of change, the fatigue of reform, and the struggle to bring humanity back to politics.He reflects on his victory in South Lebanon's 2022 elections a historic breakthrough in a district long dominated by traditional powers and what it taught him about the cost of transformation.A conversation about vision and blindness, medicine and justice, identity and belonging and about how one man turned healing into an act of resistance.Join Ricardo Karam and Dr. Elias Jarade in a powerful dialogue that reminds us that both in surgery and in politics, the real mission is the same: to see clearly, act precisely, and save what can still be saved.في هذه الحديث العميق والمؤثّر، يلتقي ريكاردو كرم مع الدكتور الياس جرادة الطبيب الذي صار مرآةً لوجع الوطن، والنائب الذي لا يزال يعالج الناس بمبضعٍ من إنسانية وصوتٍ من ضمير.من معتقل الخيام إلى غرفة العمليات، من أصوات الانفجارات إلى صمت البرلمان، عاش الياس جرادة ما لا يُحتمل، ورأى ما لا يُرى. بين الجنوب وبيروت، بين الطب والسياسة، يواصل بحثه عن الحقيقة، كما تراها العين المجروحة، وكما تبصرها الروح التي قررت أن تبقى واقفة.يتحدث عن الخوف والمعنى، عن الكرامة كما عاشها من جرّب الغربة والأسر، وعن تلك الليالي في غرف الطوارئ حين صار البلد كلّه ملفوفًا بضمادة.يستعيد مشاهد الانفجارات والإصابات، من يوم المرفأ إلى موجة إصابات البيجر، ويتأمل كيف غيّرته التجارب وجعلته يوازن بين الإحساس والصلابة، بين دمعة الطبيب ومسؤوليته.ومن المشرط إلى الميكروفون البرلماني، يروي كيف انتقل من غرفة العمليات إلى ساحة السياسة، وكيف اكتشف أن وجع الناس لا يُشفى إلا بالعدالة.يحكي عن فوزه التاريخي في الجنوب الثالثة عام 2022، في دائرة كانت تُعدّ مغلقة، وعن معنى أن تكسر الحصار بالتغيير، ولو كانت كلفته عالية.حديثٌ عن الرؤية والعمى، عن الطب والعدالة، عن الهوية والانتماء، وعن رجل جعل من الشفاء فعل مقاومة.انضمّوا إلى ريكاردو كرم والدكتور إلياس جرادة في حوارٍ صادقٍ يلهمنا جميعًا بأن الطب والسياسة، رغم اختلافهما، يشتركان في مهمة واحدة: أن نرى بوضوح، نتحرّك بدقّة، وننقذ ما يمكن إنقاذه.

PREVIEW — David Daoud — Hezbollah's Ideological Bond and Financial Secrecy. Daoud explains that Hezbollah'sfinancial structures remain systematically opaque and untraceable, as the organization utilizes clandestine fundraising mechanisms and independent revenue streams rather than relying exclusively upon Iranian material support and financial transfers. Daoud characterizes the "genius" of the Hezbollah-Iran relationship as fundamentally ideological rather than transactional; Hezbollah maintains unwavering loyalty to Tehran rooted in shared religious conviction and revolutionary philosophy, meaning the organization would remain strategically faithful to Iran even if material support and financial subsidies were terminated, creating durable strategic partnership independent of fluctuating resource availability. 1960 BEIRUT

Se cumple un año desde que fue derrocado el régimen Al Asad tras décadas de poder en Siria, en las que murieron o fueron desaparecidas cientos de miles de personas, muchas de ellas en las cárceles del sistema represivo. A estas víctimas se sumaron las provocadas por la aparición de grupos yihadistas que se tomaron parte del país en el caos. RFI entrevistó a dos personas que fueron privadas de su libertad. Gestos sencillos que salvan: unos dibujos esbozados con tinta en el papel; una novela de ficción imaginada desde una celda sucia. Estas fueron las armas del sirio Najah Albukai y el estadounidense Theo Padnos para enfrentarse al encierro. En 2012 ambos fueron detenidos en Siria. El primero, por el régimen de Bachar Al Asad, encarcelado en uno de sus calabozos, el segundo, secuestrado dos años por los yihadistas del Frente Al Nusra, grupo que dirigía en la época el actual presidente sirio Ahmad Al Charaa. Najah Albukai es artista y hoy reside en Francia. Ha dibujado decenas de grabados sobre las torturas que él y otros sufrieron en la cárcel, también era una forma de sobrevivir.  "Lo hacía para entretenerme, para ganarme la confianza de mis compañeros y de los guardias de la prisión. Evitar problemas", dice a RFI más de una década después de su arresto. "Uno de ellos me pidió el retrato del hijo de Bachar Al Asad. Dibujar al presidente te protegía. Luego cuando me liberaron, me dediqué a tocar el laúd. Luego, al exiliarme en Beirut, empecé a dibujar un montón y con facilidad". Theo Padnos, en medio de las golpizas y las amenazas de decapitación, se convirtió en una especie de Sherezade de Las mil y una noches.  "Yo le dije a mis guardias: estoy escribiendo una historia de amor y se las voy a leer. Por la rendija de la celda me preguntaban: "¿Qué estás escribiendo?". ¿Algo de amor y de sexo? Yallah, cuéntanos", respondían. Leer tambiénRFI en la prisión de Sednaya, símbolo del terror metódico y sistemático del régimen Al Asad Perdonar Tanto tiempo después, ¿les es posible perdonar? Para Najah, no les incumbe a los artistas o a los músicos el trabajo de justicia. "No somos un ministerio de justicia. No podemos indultar asesinos o victimarios. Lo nuestro son las artes, la música y la belleza", afirma. Por su parte, Padnos dice aún tenerle rencor a los estadounidenses. "Por bombardear y armar a Siria. Los hombres del Frente Al Nusra y de Estado Islámico que me custodiaban, en cambio, pienso que fueron también víctimas, dirigidas por Abu Mohamed Al Jolani, el ahora presidente Ahmad Al Charaa. Eran pobres, se les pidió que torturaran y no podían rehusarse. Pero estaban avergonzados". Perfil de un gobernante Ahora gobierna en Siria un excombatiente remodelado, que ha visitado en traje elegante a los dirigentes del mundo. Aunque no confíen en él plenamente, no lo aborrecen tampoco. "Tiene buenas intenciones", asegura Padnos. "Creo que él quiere gobernar el país de forma correcta, pero no sabe cómo. Fue jefe tribal y sabe ser justo con su propia comunidad, pero no estoy seguro de que logre dirigir todo el país o si las minorías se sienten protegidas por él". Albukai, por su parte, solo quiere volver a ver un país sereno. "Hay un gobierno de transición, que no ha arreglado todo, pero esta nueva estabilidad debe continuar hasta que se construya un verdadero Estado, con una Constitución. Se requiere tiempo. Por fortuna, los europeos, los estadounidenses y hasta los rusos saben que pueden avanzar con estas autoridades". Theo Padnos y Najah Albukai publicaron juntos un libro en francés titulado La Syrie au Coeur: Du cachot à la liberté (Siria en el corazón: del calabozo a la libertad), en la editorial L'aube.

Welcome to Rendering Unconscious – the Gradiva award-winning podcast about psychoanalysis & culture, with me, Dr Vanessa Sinclair. https://renderingunconscious.substack.com On Monday December 8th, we have a very special event: Rendering Unconscious Podcast will be hosting our first live event with an audience! Welcome Alenka Zupančič and Todd McGowan as they discuss their work On Comedy. Alenka's book The Odd One In: On Comedy (MIT Press, 2008) and Todd's Only a Joke Can Save Us (Northwestern University Press, 2017) are two of my favorite books by them, and I'm so excited to be able to host them for this sure to be brilliant discussion! https://renderingunconscious.substack.com/p/monday-december-8-alenka-zupancic We will meet live via zoom on Monday, December 8th at 12 NYC (9AM San Francisco/ 5PM London/ 18:00 Stockholm/ 19:00 Beirut) for 90 minutes. All paid subscribers to Rendering Unconscious Podcast and RU Center for Psychoanalysis are welcome to attend! There will be plenty of time for Q&A/ discussion. This event will be recorded and posted at both Substacks, so don't worry if you can't attend live. https://rucenterforpsychoanalysis.substack.com Excited to see you all there! News & events: Saturday, December 13th we meet for the 3rd class in my year long Intro to Psychoanalysis course: https://rucenterforpsychoanalysis.substack.com/p/intro-to-psychoanalysis-begins-september Thank you for listening to the Rendering Unconscious Podcast and for reading the Rendering Unconscious anthologies. And thank you so much for supporting this work by being a paid subscriber at the Substack. It makes my work possible. If you are so far a free subscriber, thanks to you too. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to gain access to all the material on the site, including all future and archival podcast episodes. https://renderingunconscious.substack.com Rendering Unconscious is also a book series! Rendering Unconscious: Psychoanalytic Perspectives, Politics and Poetry volumes 1:1 and 1:2 (Trapart Books, 2024) available now! https://amzn.to/400QKR7 If you would like information about entering into psychoanalytic treatment with me or have other questions, please feel free to contact me via: vs [at] drvanessasinclair.net https://www.drvanessasinclair.net/contact/ Thank you.

In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, Dr. Nancy Chedid—surgeon, educator, writer, musician, and cultural bridge—shares the extraordinary journey that shaped her life across the United States and Lebanon. From training at Yale, Johns Hopkins, NYU, and Harvard to rebuilding a life in Beirut after loss, Dr. Chedid reflects on identity, purpose, and the power of weaving medicine with the humanities. She discusses her memoir Snow on the Barbecue, her transformative years at LAU, the creation of humanities-in-medicine programs, and the profound impact of mentorship and community. We explore themes of home, displacement, grief, belonging, and reinvention. This episode is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit and to the many ways one can build a meaningful life across continents.  #LebanesePhysiciansPodcast #NancyChedid #HumanitiesInMedicine #MedicineAndHumanities #MedicalEducation #PhysicianStories #WomenInMedicine #LebaneseDiaspora #ArabAmericanVoices #Lebanon #Beirut #DiasporaStories #Memoir #LifeTransitions #Resilience #Healing #HomeAndBelonging #IdentityAndCulture #StorytellingInMedicine #MentorshipMatters #AcademicMedicine #ArtsInMedicine #CreativeWritingInMedicine #GlobalMedicine #CrossCulturalJourneys #Reinvention #GriefAndHealing #BeirutPortExplosion #SnowOnTheBarbecue #LebaneseWriters #ArabDiaspora Episode also on YouTube    

Lebanon's Demographic Decline and Political Stagnation: Colleague Hussain Abdul-Hussain reports that Pope Leo's visit highlighted Lebanon's diminishing Christian population, now estimated at perhaps one-quarter, with the government remaining weak and reluctant to disarm Hezbollah, fearing foreign deals that sacrifice national interests; while civil war is unlikely, the country remains dominated by an Iranian-backed militia. 1950 BEIRUT

Alors, aujourd'hui, on fait le point sur la visite du Pape Léon XIV au Liban. So, today, we take stock of Pope Leo XIV's visit to Lebanon.Le contexte, il est, il est vraiment tendu. The context, it is, it is really tense.Le Pape vient de passer trois jours à Beyrouth, une visite historique, au moment même où la région retient son souffle, craignant une nouvelle guerre. The Pope has just spent three days in Beirut, a historic visit, at the very moment the region is holding its breath, fearing a new war.Alors, qu'est-ce qu'il faut retenir de ça ? So, what should we remember from this?Premièrement, son appel, un appel puissant pour la paix. Firstly, his call, a powerful call for peace.Devant une foule immense, hein, plus de 150 000 personnes, il a demandé de rejeter ce qu'il appelle la mentalité de vengeance. Before a huge crowd, over 150,000 people, he asked them to reject what he calls the mentality of vengeance.Deuxièmement, et c'est peut-être le plus marquant, il a fait une demande très directe, que cessent les attaques. Secondly, and this is perhaps the most striking, he made a very direct request, that the attacks cease.Et là, ce qui est assez incroyable, c'est que pendant toute sa visite, eh bien les frappes israéliennes qui étaient constantes, se sont arrêtées, complètement. And what's quite incredible is that throughout his visit, well, the Israeli strikes which were constant, stopped, completely. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Eugene Hasenfus died this week. He had been part of a covert operation to supply weapons to the anti-Sandinista group known as the "contras." As part of this activity, he was in an airplane shot down over Nicaragua while doing an arms delivery. His capture exposed a massive scheme by the U.S. government to sell arms to Iran in exchange for freeing U.S. hostages taken by pro-Iranian militias in Beirut and use the money to fund the contras war against the Sandinista government in Nicaragua. It became known as the "Iran-contra" affair, or "Iran-contraGate." It reached the highest levels in the U.S. government. And led to a number of convictions (and, later, presidential pardons.)In our latest, we look into the history of Reagan's wars in Central America, the Iran-contra scandal and subversion as foreign policy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------

This week, Ashley and Zac debrief Pope Leo XIV's first international trip to Turkey and Lebanon, where he preached a strong message of peace and Christian unity, and shared insights from the conclave that elected him. Then, they speak to their colleague and America's senior audio producer, Maggi Van Dorn, about the new season of her podcast, "Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols." They reflect on Maggi's reporting trip to Coventry, England, a place of historic violence and home of the haunting Christmas hymn, "The Coventry Carol". Links: Pope Leo and Patriarch Bartholomew urge Christian unity at Nicaea commemoration In Turkey, Pope Leo pushes for unity and peace—within and beyond Christianity Pope Leo makes a strong pitch for peace in war-threatened Lebanon Pope Leo meets survivors of Beirut port explosion and calls for peace as he concludes Lebanon visit Pope Leo on what he was thinking inside the conclave Listen to “Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and at AmericaMagazine.org/Hark You can follow us on X and on Instagram @jesuiticalshow.   You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/groups/jesuitical.  Please consider supporting Jesuitical by becoming a digital subscriber to America magazine at AmericaMagazine.org/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We spend so much of our lives protecting things. We protect our privacy, our inventory, our traditions, and even our sadness. But what if safety is actually the most dangerous thing of all? In this episode of Thinking Out Loud, we travel to a pub in rainy Dublin, a dark stairwell in Beirut, a snowbound station in Japan, and a fragrant kitchen in Berlin. We look at the "Empty Chair" at the head of the table, the cargo of oranges sealed in a truck, and the cheese that is about to spoil. We ask the difficult questions: Are we guarding a shrine or a prison? Why are we so afraid of "loud" smells? And what happens when we finally realize that the only way to save the feast is to give it away? Join me as we learn how to break the seal.

Special envoy, Steve Witkoff, meets President Putin at the Kremlin with the latest US plan to end war in Ukraine. President Zelensky says Ukraine is committed to achieving a "real and secure peace". Also: The number of dead in the devastating floods and landslides in Sumatra in Indonesia has risen to more than seven-hundred. Hundreds more are feared buried in mud; the Sri Lankan authorities say the flash flooding and landslides have also killed hundreds there. One-hundred-and-fifty-thousand people have attended a mass held by Pope Leo in Beirut. A special BBC report on a dam collapse at a Chinese copper mine in Zambia leading to toxic waste, including heavy metals, pouring into the surrounding waterways and farmland. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Hezbollah Regeneration and Israel's Targeted Killing of Hashem Safieddine — John Batchelor, Bill Roggio, David Daoud — Daoud reports that Hezbollah is actively regenerating military capabilities throughout Lebanon, systematically violating the ceasefire agreement through infrastructure reconstruction and weapons procurement. Roggiodocuments that Israel successfully targeted and killed Hashem Safieddine, identified as Hezbollah's top military logistics officer overseeing reconstruction operations. Batchelor notes that Iran has reportedly allocated $2 billion for Hezbollah reconstruction and operational purposes, demonstrating Tehran's commitment to sustaining the organization despite military setbacks. Daoud details Israeli Defense Force operations including air strikes, drone operations, and ground-based policing activities against Hezbollah assets throughout Lebanon. 1836 BEIRUT

PREVIEW — David Daoud — Escalation in Israeli Policing Activity Against Hezbollah. John Batchelor and Daouddiscuss heightened Israeli security operations against Hezbollah along Israel's northern border, indicating Hezbollah'srapid organizational regeneration. While the IDF rarely provides operational commentary, Daoud has documented a significant escalation in recent operations—transitioning from drone reconnaissance strikes to sustained, intensive air strikes designed to ensure target destruction and elimination of leadership cadres. 1900 BEIRUT

Escalating Conflict: Hezbollah Strike, Turkish Influence, and Fragile Ceasefires — Jonathan Schanzer — Schanzer discusses the chaotic status of regional ceasefires, highlighting Israel's major strike against Hezbollah's de facto military commander in Beirut. Iran and Turkey are actively exploiting smuggling routes into Lebanon via Syriato sustain Hezbollah operations. Schanzer addresses the dysfunction of the Lebanese government, the fragility of the Gaza truce agreement, and the complex geopolitical competition involving Russia, Turkey, and external actors competing for influence over the nascent Syrian state. 1898

CONTINUEDEscalating Conflict: Hezbollah Strike, Turkish Influence, and Fragile Ceasefires — Jonathan Schanzer  BEIRUT

SHOW -25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1942 THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT the peace plan. FIRST HOUR 9-915 Economy, Fed Rates, and the AI Productivity Boom — Liz Peek — Peek examines the U.S. economy, noting mixed retail sales data alongside recent strength in credit card spending. She anticipates the Federal Reserve will likely reduce interest rates in December due to softening labor market conditions, despite traditional employment reporting lags. Peekemphasizes that the Fed fails to account adequately for AI's significant, though currently unmeasured, impact on productivity gains, employment displacement, and escalating electricity consumption, even as AI demonstrates substantial benefits in diagnostics and medical analysis. 915-930 930-945 Ireland's Exposed Western Flank and Europe's Ukraine Stance — Judy Dempsey — Dempsey examines how Ireland's steadfast neutrality and limited defense capabilities leave its critical undersea communication cables vulnerable to Russian eavesdropping and potential sabotage. Despite maintaining budget surpluses, Ireland prioritizes social issues, including housing, over defense investments. Dempsey notes that European powers view the U.S.-Russia peace proposal for Ukraine with skepticism, characterizing it as a "Russian wish list," while German leadership remains publicly committed to sustained Ukrainian military support. 945-1000 SECOND HOUR 10-1015 Unorthodox Ukraine Diplomacy and Geopolitical Realism — Mary Kissel — Kissel analyzes the "exceedingly odd" U.S. approach to Ukraine peace negotiations, wherein businesspeople framed initial proposals while bypassing traditional State Department channels. This transactional negotiating style concerns European allies because it appears to reward Russia and establishes an unfavorable initial bargaining position. Kissel suggests the conflict will likely persist while diplomatic discussions protract. She commends Marco Rubio for prioritizing economic growth and countering Chineseand Iranian influence throughout the Western Hemisphere. 1015-1030 1030-1045 Escalating Conflict: Hezbollah Strike, Turkish Influence, and Fragile Ceasefires — Jonathan Schanzer — Schanzer discusses the chaotic status of regional ceasefires, highlighting Israel's major strike against Hezbollah's de facto military commander in Beirut. Iran and Turkey are actively exploiting smuggling routes into Lebanon via Syriato sustain Hezbollah operations. Schanzer addresses the dysfunction of the Lebanese government, the fragility of the Gaza truce agreement, and the complex geopolitical competition involving Russia, Turkey, and external actors competing for influence over the nascent Syrian state. 1045-1100 THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 China's Debt Dilemma and Keir Starmer's Political Trouble — Joseph Sternberg — Sternberg analyzes China'scritical economic vulnerabilities, noting that its $2.2 trillion in global lending—partly channeled through the Belt and Road Initiative—faces mounting pressure from defaults and political resistance to Chinese asset ownership. Domestically, China restricts capital inflows to manage inflation and stabilize exchange rates. Sternberg also examines UK politics, noting that Labour leader Keir Starmer faces mounting political difficulties ahead of a challenging budget that lacks an articulated economic growth strategy. 1115-1130 1130-1145 AI Regulation: The Danger of Fear and the Need for a National Framework — Kevin Fraaser — Fraser critiques the regulatory rush surrounding AI, faulting the EU's approach to establishing guardrails based on "speculative fears" rather than documented harms. He warns against allowing "robophobia"—unfounded fear of artificial intelligence—to drive policy, advocating instead for regulatory focus on beneficial applications including healthcare diagnostics and educational access. Fraaser advocates for a unified U.S. regulatory framework to prevent a fragmented patchwork of state laws and excessive litigation that stifles technological innovation. 1145-1200 FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 Ukraine Diplomacy, NATO Defense Gaps, and Baltic War Games — Gregory Copley — Copley analyzes the opaque U.S.-Russia Ukraine peace talks, which initially involved non-traditional negotiators rather than career diplomats. European powers are seeking inclusion in discussions but maintain conflicting strategic objectives. The discussion covers NATO's eroding relevance, particularly regarding Ireland's vulnerability to Russian surveillance and potential sabotage of critical undersea communication cables. Copley assesses a war game scenario in which Russia directly challenges NATO's Article 5 collective defense commitment in the Baltics. 1215-1230 1230-1245 1245-100 AM

Today's Headlines: Ukraine's peace talks are… somehow happening. Zelensky has mostly accepted Russia's 28-point plan, with “minor” tweaks, and might swing by the U.S. to finalize it. Meanwhile, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll met Russia's delegation in Abu Dhabi, where Sergey Lavrov warned they won't accept changes that differ from whatever secret “understanding” Trump and Putin supposedly made in Alaska. Over in Venezuela, Trump labeled President Nicolás Maduro the head of a terrorist organization while also planning to call him. The administration insists they're not plotting to “shoot or snatch” him but will continue blowing up drug-running boats.In Brazil, Bolsonaro tried to melt off his ankle monitor with a soldering iron and was re-arrested for attempted escape — yet Trump claims he talked to him “last night” and expects to meet him soon. Unless Trump plans to take a meeting in a Brazilian prison, it looks like Jair was maybe making a break for the U.S. embassy before being forced to start serving his 27-year sentence. Israel reportedly killed Hezbollah's new top commander, Haytham Ali Tabatabai, in Beirut, which would not calm anything down. In other news, newly uncovered documents show NYC knew how toxic the air around Ground Zero was and still let thousands of first responders breathe it in. Almost 10,000 have died from related illnesses. Truly shocking behavior from Rudy Giuliani's New York (said no one). Healthcare premiums are spiking nationwide, and Trump was planning to announce a two-year extension of Obamacare subsidies — until Speaker Mike Johnson told him House Republicans weren't on board. Hope those early retirements come through! The Justice Department wants to unseal grand jury transcripts from the Epstein and Maxwell cases under the new transparency law. And finally, with threats against lawmakers rising, the House is doubling security funding: members will now get $20k a month for personal protection and access to a new silent-alert app. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: CNN: Ukraine talks gain momentum as US and Russian officials meet in Abu Dhabi Axios: Scoop: Trump ready to talk with Maduro over Venezuela drug strikes NYT: How a Sabotaged Ankle Monitor Ended Bolsonaro's House Arrest WSJ: He Was Rebuilding Hezbollah—Until an Israeli Missile Found Him in Beirut NBC New York: FDNY firefighters demand answers on newfound documents detailing toxic dust after 9/11 Reuters: Trump plans to propose extending Obamacare subsidies, report says AP News: Justice Department renews bid to unseal Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury materials Axios: U.S. House ramps up security as lawmakers' fears rise Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hezbollah Regeneration Efforts and the Fallout from a Targeted Beirut Strike — David Daoud, Bill Roggio — David Daoud reports that Israel killed Hezbollah's top military commander, Hashem Safieddine, in Beirut, marking an expansion of Israeli operations into the Lebanese capital. This escalation reflects Hezbollah's comprehensive regeneration efforts—including receiving billions in funding from Iran and developing domestic drone production capabilities—which are outpacing Israeli degradation operations. Hezbollah and Hamas view Russia's success in Ukraine as strategically beneficial because it diminishes American global hegemony.

CONTINUED Hezbollah Regeneration Efforts and the Fallout from a Targeted Beirut Strike — David Daoud, Bill Roggio — David Daoud reports that Israel killed Hezbollah's top military commandeR IN operations. Hezbollah and Hamas view Russia's success in Ukraine as strategically beneficial because it diminishes American global hegemony. BEIRUT CASTLE

SHOW 11-24-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1852 THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE DOUBTS ABOUT THE PEACE PLANS.  FIRST HOUR 9-915 Ukraine Peace Plans, Concessions, and the Impact on US Alliances — Bill Roggio, Husain Haqqani — Bill Roggiosuggests Ukraine is losing militarily and must accept difficult territorial and military concessions to ensure state survival, predicting that proposed peace deals will ultimately collapse. Ambassador Haqqani emphasizes that U.S. abandonment of allies, exemplified in Afghanistan and Iraq, creates an international perception that America cannot be relied upon. Russia's prevailing would constitute a victory for the "axis of aggressors," including China, Iran, and North Korea, fundamentally weakening U.S. global influence. 915-930 930-945 945-1000 China's Floating Island, Metamaterials, and Polar Ambitions — Brandon Weichert, Gordon Chang — Brandon Weichert discusses China developing an artificial floating island, potentially engineered to withstand nuclear detonation. He characterizes the platform as a next-generation man-made island designed for anti-access and area-denial capabilities. Weichert emphasizes that the core technology—metamaterials—holds critical applications for infrastructure in extreme polar environments, including the Arctic and Antarctic. Gordon Chang notes widespread pessimism in China regarding the prohibitive cost of such massive engineering projects. SECOND HOUR 10-1015 Targeting Terror: Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, and Iran's Crises — Malcolm Hoenlein — Malcolm Hoenlein reports the U.S. is moving to designate the Muslim Brotherhood—Hamas progenitors—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. He details Iran's severe internal crises, including critical water shortages and power blackouts caused by illegal cryptocurrency mining, alongside its continued drive to rebuild nuclear and conventional arsenals. Israel eliminated Hezbollah's second-in-command, Hashem Safieddine, in Beirut, directly countering Hezbollah's regeneration efforts in Lebanon. The U.S. is actively courting Saudi Arabia to counter China and Russia and encourage participation in the Abraham Accords. Share 1015-1030 1030-1045 Geopolitical Realignment: Venezuelan Cartel and Latin America's Rightward Shift — Ernesto Araujo, Alejandro Peña Esclusa — Alejandro Peña Esclusa discusses the U.S. designating Venezuela's Cartel of the Suns as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, noting they weaponize drug trafficking and maintain alliances with groups including Hezbollah. Ernesto Araujo addresses former Brazilian President Bolsonaro's recent detention and notes that indigenous protests undermined the Lula administration's narrative at COP 30. The upcoming Honduras election reflects a continental trend away from the corrupt "pink tide" regimes. 1045-1100 THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 The Unacceptable Price of Peace: Ukraine's Sticking Points — John Hardie — John Hardie details the Russian-drafted 28-point peace plan, which demanded Ukraine's withdrawal from Donbass, prohibition of NATO accession, and limitations on military force size. Ukraine, approaching negotiations strategically, refuses to surrender fortified Donbass territory essential for defense against future Russian aggression. Russia's maximalist demands render an acceptable settlement nearly impossible, though Ukrainians would accept a military freeze in place coupled with robust Western security guarantees. 1115-1130 1130-1145 Russia's Ambitions in Southern Syria and Israel's Strategic Calculus — Akmed Sharawari — FDD's Akmed Sharawari discusses Russian officers touring southern Syria, potentially returning to staff deconfliction checkpoints between Israel and Syria. Israel reportedly prefers a Russian presence, including bases in western Syria, as a counterbalance to Turkey's growing influence over Damascus. Sharawari argues Israel should not trust Russia given its history of enabling Iranian-backed actors like Hezbollah. Despite ongoing Israeli operations, Hezbollah's smuggling routes remain operational. 1145-1200 Prime Minister Carney's Early Highwire Act in Canadian Politics — Conrad Black — Conrad Black analyzes the early tenure of Canadian Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland (referred to as Carney in this segment), who narrowly secured passage of his budget. Carney campaigned partly on opposition to Donald Trump, demonstrating political agility by balancing competing party factions—advancing a new pipeline for Alberta while offering environmental concessions. Black notes that Canada remains conflicted regarding China, attempting to maintain trade relations while publicly condemning election interference. FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 Iran's Strategic Gains from the War in Ukraine — Jonathan Sayeh — Jonathan Sayeh states that Iran is celebrating Russia's advantageous position in Ukraine as a geopolitical win because it enabled Iran to export military weaponry and demonstrate combat capabilities internationally. Iran expects Russia to reciprocate this military assistance, potentially through air defense system modernization or advancement of Iran's nuclear program, despite profound mutual mistrust between the strategic partners. Iran benefits globally by selling weapons and leveraging instability to argue the U.S. has become an unreliable superpower. 1215-1230 1230-1245 Hezbollah Regeneration Efforts and the Fallout from a Targeted Beirut Strike — David Daoud, Bill Roggio — David Daoud reports that Israel killed Hezbollah's top military commander, Hashem Safieddine, in Beirut, marking an expansion of Israeli operations into the Lebanese capital. This escalation reflects Hezbollah's comprehensive regeneration efforts—including receiving billions in funding from Iran and developing domestic drone production capabilities—which are outpacing Israeli degradation operations. Hezbollah and Hamas view Russia's success in Ukraine as strategically beneficial because it diminishes American global hegemony. 1245-100 AM

The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has given an upbeat assessment of talks with Ukrainian officials about how to end the war with Russia. Mr Rubio said sticking points which remained were "not insurmountable". US, Ukrainian and European officials have been meeting in Geneva in Switzerland to discuss a peace plan that US negotiators devised with their Russian counterparts. It has been widely criticised as sympathetic to Moscow's aims.Also: a BBC investigation has exposed people in Sierra Leone who claim to supply human body parts for ritual ceremonies. More than 50 of the 300 pupils abducted by gunmen in Nigeria have escaped their captors, but parents are voicing their frustration over the lack of security at schools. Hezbollah confirms its chief of staff has been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut. A three-year-old boy from California has astounded doctors with his progress after becoming the first person in the world with Hunter syndrome to receive a ground-breaking gene therapy. A daughter of the former South African President Jacob Zuma is accused of recruiting citizens to fight in Ukraine. And an Argentinian writer recalls the moment she learned her childhood nanny was actually a KGB agent.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk

Targeting Terror: Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, and Iran's Crises — Malcolm Hoenlein — Malcolm Hoenlein reports the U.S. is moving to designate the Muslim Brotherhood—Hamas progenitors—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. He details Iran's severe internal crises, including critical water shortages and power blackouts caused by illegal cryptocurrency mining, alongside its continued drive to rebuild nuclear and conventional arsenals. Israel eliminated Hezbollah's second-in-command, Hashem Safieddine, in Beirut, directly countering Hezbollah's regeneration efforts in Lebanon. The U.S. is actively courting Saudi Arabia to counter China and Russia and encourage participation in the Abraham Accords.

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Washington prepares a new phase of its Venezuela campaign, and Nicolás Maduro responds with heightened paranoia and tightened security. We'll explain what U.S. officials are planning and why Caracas is bracing for what comes next. U.S., Ukrainian, and European officials meet in Geneva to assess Washington's new peace proposal for Ukraine—but Kyiv says the plan concedes far too much to Moscow. Plus, Israel launches a strike in Beirut targeting Hezbollah's top military commander. And in today's Back of the Brief: tragic news from central Nigeria, where more than 300 students and staff have been abducted in one of the country's worst mass kidnappings. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.  YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief TriTails Premium Beef: Feed your family and your legacy. Grab your Black Friday gift before it's gone! Visit https://trybeef.com/pdb Lean: Visit https://BrickhouseSale.com for 30% off Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices