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Welcome to Season 4 of Travel Stories with Moush everyone! In this inspiring episode, we're joined by travel visionary Haitham Mattar - a pioneer in tourism leadership and the CEO of IHG Hotels (Middle East, Africa and West Asia). From shaping Ras Al Khaimah into an adventure hub to transforming Saudi Arabia's tourism story, Haitham shares powerful insights, incredible travel stories, and a peek into his new book "Pots, Pans, and Five-Year Plans."Destination Highlights:Saudi Arabia, Red Sea Cruise Experience – Haitham joined the first-ever cruise ship to sail in the Red Sea post-pandemic. He visited untouched islands like Sindalah, witnessed crystal-clear waters and vibrant corals and cruised past the Wadi ad-Disah, believed to be where Moses split the sea. He also believes that Saudi Arabia is a tourism powerhouse in the making.AlUla, Saudi Arabia - A “living museum” with tombs carved into mountains, echoing the Nabataean civilization. According to Haitham, it's a stargazing paradise and one of the most peaceful, spiritual places on earth.Petra, Jordan – A must-visit destination.Lebanon – He celebrates the ancient city of Byblos, which is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and loves the buzz of Beirut, with its diversity, gastronomy and the unique way expats adopt Lebanese culture. The rich history, stunning Mediterranean coastline and enduring charm of Lebanese villages is what makes the country even more special.Oman – An underrated gem according to Haitham. He believes that Oman has major untapped potential in sustainable and adventure tourism.Island of Palau – A sustainability model and a standout example of tourist accountability and community-first tourism.Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman - A hidden gem offering tranquility, indulgent spa experiences, and adrenaline sports like paragliding. https://www.sixsenses.com/en/hotels-resorts/middle-east-africa/oman/zighy-bay/Agra, India – Haitham is deeply moved by the Taj Mahal and the profound story of love behind it. He also highlights the Agra Fort as an underrated gem, rich in Mughal architecture and history.Six Senses Barawara, Rajasthan, India – A place where he would like to keep going back to and one that holds a very special place in his heart. https://www.sixsenses.com/en/hotels-resorts/asia-the-pacific/india/fort-barwara/Connect with Haitham at:haitham.mattar@ihg.comThank you everyone for tuning in today. I hope our conversations have fueled your wanderlust and inspired you to explore the world in new and exciting ways. Please don't forget to hit that subscribe button on your favorite podcasting channel to keep up with our latest episodes. I would love to know what you think…what kind of travel stories and guests you would like me to cover. So, please do leave a comment, a rating or a review. Do follow me on Instagram and find out who's joining me next week. I'm at @moushtravels. You can also find all the episodes and destinations mentioned by all the guests on my website www.moushtravels.com as well as on the episode show notes. Thanks for listening and until next time safe travels and keep adventuring. "Want a spotlight on our show? Visit https://admanager.fm/client/podcasts/moushtravels and align your brand with our audience."Connect with me on the following:Instagram @moushtravelsFacebook @travelstorieswithmoushLinkedIn @Moushumi BhuyanYou Tube @travelstorieswithmoush
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director for research at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. Mohanad's latest paper for Carnegie investigates the rise of a new form of drug smuggling in Lebanon. Together, they discuss Hezbollah's involvement in these drug networks, as well as the opportunities to bolster Lebanese sovereignty and state institutions as a result of the group's weakened standing. Then, Jon continues the conversation with Mona Yacoubian, the CSIS Middle East Program's new director, and Asher Grant-Sasson to discuss the challenges the shifting drug trade poses for Lebanese stability. Transcript: "Mohanad Hage Ali: Hezbollah and the Captagon Trade," CSIS, May 15, 2025. Mohanad's latest work: "Double Dealers: Lebanon and the Risks of Captagon Trafficking," Carnegie, March 19, 2025.
A discussion on Beirut's municipal elections and Beirut Madinati 2025's platform. With Lama Wazzan, Lina Jarrous, Kristy Asseily & George Kyriakos. Co-hosted with Charbel Al Khoury. 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
Kristy Asseily joins The Beirut Banyan to discuss her candidacy for Beirut's 2025 municipal elections. Our discussion covers her recent return to Lebanon and passion for grassroots politics, Beirut Madinati's efforts in retrospect, and the short and long-term platform the list is advocating. We also talk about voter engagement, communal concerns, municipal relations with the Muhafez, digitization efforts, learning from NGOs and why the municipality matters. Kristy Asseily is a member of the National Bloc. 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 0:32 Professional background 3:13 Return to Lebanon 5:30 Municipal vs national politics 6:38 Decision to join National Bloc 8:26 Beirut Madinati in retrospect 13:23 Coalition disadvantage 15:03 Voter engagement 17:21 Sectarian concerns vs numbers 20:03 Striking names 23:22 Platform & financial audit 27:14 Starting small 30:45 Relations with the Muhafez 35:13 Collecting taxes 37:42 Digitization 40:59 Ghost projects 42:21 Accusations & false assumptions 44:17 Mobile app 47:53 Citizen forums 49:05 Bygone urban planning 53:17 Learning from NGOs 54:14 Reinvigorating the port 58:13 Vacancies & rent rates 1:01:26 Commute & accessibility 1:02:40 Political void & communal votes 1:08:15 Why the Municipality matters
Ascoltiamo un brano dall'ultimo disco dei Beirut, artisti della settimana, parliamo dei Murder Capital costretti ad annullare due concerti in Germania per l'impossibilità di esporre la bandiera palestinese, presentiamo il libro Rockteller con Mimmi Maselli, ospitiamo gli Studio Murena per un'intervista e qualche brano live dal loro ultimo disco "Notturno"
Dopo aver introdotto Beirut come artisti della settimana con l'ultimo disco "A Study of Losses", ascoltiamo un brano dal nuovo disco di Nada appena uscito, un'anticipazione da quello in arrivo dei Casino Royale e ospitiamo le Moyre, vincitrici di San Nolo per un'intervista e qualche brano live
For review:1. Israeli Defense Minister (Israel Katz) warned Iran of consequences for sponsorship of Houthi Rebels. Defense Minster Katz: “I also warn the Iranian leadership that funds, arms and operates the Houthi terror organization… You are directly responsible. What we did to Hezbollah in Beirut, Hamas in Gaza, to Assad in Damascus and the Houthis in Yemen, will also be done to you in Tehran.” 2. IRGC General Threatens to "open the gates of hell" if US & Israel Attack Iran.IRCG Chief Hossein Salami: “I'm issuing a serious warning. If you make one wrong move, we will open up the gates of hell on you. Sit down and stay in your place…we have made extensive preparations.” 3. Russia's Victory Day Parade in Moscow.4. French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk hit out at leaders and others who attended Moscow's Victory Day parade on Friday. Mr. Macron and Mr. Tusk were in the French city of Nancy to sign a bilateral treaty, aimed at reinforcing defense and security cooperation between the two countries.5. Denmark will allocate €830 million ($935 million) to the Ukrainian defense industry in 2025 on behalf of the European Union, using windfall profits from frozen Russian assets to buy Ukraine-made weapons. Last year's equipment purchases using the Danish model included howitzers, long-range drones, anti-tank and anti-ship missile systems. 6. Israel and Greece Collaborate on Large Underwater Drone. The "BlueWhale" sails at 7 knots (13 kilometers/8 miles per hour), has a depth range of 300 meters (984 feet), and can support endurance operations for up to four weeks. Applications of the system include acoustic reconnaissance, special force support, and as a conventional submarine wingman. 7. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has received its first five OA-1K Skyraider II close air support prop planes. The program of record covers a total requirement for 75 aircraft, with deliveries slated to run through 2029. However, it is currently only budgeted for 62 aircraft.
A lot is going on at Able Shepherd! In this episode Jimmy is joined by Tyler Weinischke, Able Shepherd #266 as they discuss the events that surrounded Easter weekend, the attacks being seen on families, and some new gear getting ready to release at Able Shepherd HQ! Subscribe for more episodes on protector culture, leadership, and resilience! 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
STEVE MCCOY "THIS IS TOM JONES" 'THE TRIBUTE' Steve McCoy is known as the world's greatest Tom Jones impersonator. There was an award winning novel written based on his life, WHO KILLED “TOM JONES” by Gale Martin. Steve has performed as Tom Jones in theaters and nightclubs throughout the United States as well as the world; in cities such as Berlin, Beirut, Moscow, Stockholm, and London. He's also been featured in various commercials and on the A&E television documentary “Lost in Las Vegas”. Constantly mistaken for the man from Wales, Steve's resemblance to Tom Jones is uncanny. However, Steve is much more than just a look-a-like. His attention to detail is unmatched. The hip swivels, the mannerisms, the accent, the antics, and especially his voice are all synonymous with Tom Jones. This HIGH ENERGY show is backed by a 7 piece orchestra, 4 to 6 beautiful dancers and can be tailored to fit most any budget. Steve always brings audiences to their feet with his charm, enthusiasm and class that only he possesses. Recently, Tom Jones personally brought Steve up to the stage while performing in Las Vegas and introduced him by saying “He's the best I've ever seen…he does me better than me!” High praise indeed! For more video & info. go to www.therealmccoyllc.com or call; 702.610.6054 www.therealmccoyllc@msn.com Steven McCoy www.therealmccoyllc.com (702).610.6054
Tension between India and Pakistan is escalating. The US is potentially shifting its attention away from the Houthis in Yemen. A Lebanese border region has become a flashpoint for conflict with Syria. On this episode of Trending Middle East: What's behind the enduring India-Pakistan conflict? World leaders call for restraint after India's strikes on Pakistan US and Yemen's Houthis agree on ceasefire, says mediator Oman 'They attacked from all sides': How Lebanon's Bekaa valley became conflict flashpoint with Syria This episode features Taniya Dutta, reporting for The National; Mina Aldroubi, Senior Foreign Reporter; and Nada Atallah, Beirut correspondent.
Ein ungelöster Mordfall, ahnungslose Ermittlungsbehörden – doch Kilian Pfeffer und das SWR-Team finden überraschend einen Augenzeugen für den Mord an Robert. Er wurde noch nie befragt. Was hat Robert Pfeffer überhaupt in Beirut gemacht – einer damals enorm gefährlichen Stadt? Warum gehen Robert und sein Arbeitgeber, das Magazin STERN, getrennte Wege? Und was hat ein mysteriöses Buchprojekt etwas damit zu tun? Ihr habt Feedback, Kritik oder kanntet Robert Pfeffer? Dann schreibt uns unter RobertPfefferPodcast@swr3.de Bei “Zwei Schüsse ins Herz – Warum musste mein Onkel sterben?” gibt es ab sofort alle Folgen in der ARD Audiothek und wöchentlich jeweils eine neue Folge überall sonst, wo es Podcasts gibt. Und hier noch ein Tipp zum Weiterhören: " Der Germanwings-Abstürz – Zehn Jahre ohne euch” https://www.ardaudiothek.de/sendung/der-germanwings-absturz-zehn-jahre-ohne-euch-wdr/14097575/
Send us a textIn this episode, Ricardo Karam meets with Salim Edde, the leading Lebanese businessman who succeeded in turning his dream into reality through his global company, "Murex." Born in Beirut, he is the son of former minister Michel Edde. Despite growing up in a political environment, Salim chose a path away from politics to build an economic empire in the world of software and financial technology. Salim studied at Notre Dame Jamhour College in Lebanon before continuing his studies abroad due to the Lebanese Civil War. He joined the École Polytechnique in France, earned a degree in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and later pursued an MBA at the University of Chicago. In 1986, Salim co-founded "Murex" with Laurent Néel, which became a global leader in developing software for risk management in financial markets. In addition to his professional achievements, Salim founded the "MIM" Museum in Beirut in 2013, which houses the largest private collection of minerals in the world. He is committed to supporting education and culture in Lebanon through contributions to various educational institutions. In the 2022 Lebanese presidential elections, Salim Edde ran for president, declaring his priorities to support education, culture, and the development of academic institutions in Lebanon. Join Ricardo Karam and Salim Edde in a conversation that unveils a journey of creativity, leadership, and commitment to Lebanon, and how success is achieved amidst challenging conditions and ever-evolving obstacles.في هذه الحلقة، يلتقي ريكاردو كرم مع سليم إده، رجل الأعمال اللبناني الرائد الذي نجح في تحويل حلمه إلى واقع من خلال مؤسسته العالمية "موركس". وُلد في بيروت، وهو ابن الوزير السابق ميشال إده. على الرغم من نشأته في بيئة سياسية، اختار سليم أن يسلك مساراً بعيداً عن السياسة، ليبني إمبراطورية اقتصادية في عالم البرمجيات والتكنولوجيا المالية. درس سليم في كلية نوتردام جَمْهُور في لبنان، قبل أن يتابع دراسته في الخارج بسبب الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية. التحق بالمدرسة المتعددة التقنيات في فرنسا، وحصل على شهادة في الهندسة الكيميائية من معهد ماساتشوستس للتكنولوجيا، ثم أكمل دراسته في إدارة الأعمال بجامعة شيكاغو. في عام 1986، شارك سليم مع لوران نيل في تأسيس شركة "موركس"، التي أصبحت من الشركات الرائدة عالمياً في تطوير البرمجيات لإدارة المخاطر في الأسواق المالية. علاوة على نجاحاته المهنية، أسّس سليم في 2013 متحف "ميم" في بيروت، الذي يضمّ أكبر مجموعة خاصة من المعادن في العالم. وهو ملتزم بدعم التعليم والثقافة في لبنان من خلال مساهماته في مؤسسات تعليمية عدة. في الانتخابات الرئاسية اللبنانية لعام 2022، ترشّح سليم إده لرئاسة الجمهورية، مُعلناً عن أولوياته في دعم التعليم والثقافة وتطوير المؤسسات الأكاديمية في لبنان. انضموا إلى ريكاردو كرم وسليم إده في حوار يكشف عن مسيرة من الإبداع، الريادة، والالتزام تجاه لبنان، وكيفية تحقيق النجاح في ظروف صعبة وتحديات متجددة.
La banda liderada per Zach Condon publica nou disc, "A study of losses", una extensa col
Elia Ayoub and Lebanese journalist Justin Salhani have one thing in common: their parents lived through the Lebanon wars (1975-1990). Claude Salhani was a well-known photojournalist United Press International and Reuters. The photo featured in this episode shows him in the middle, injured after an Israeli strike on Beirut in 1982. We also talked about a recent gallery of Claude's photographs published by Al Jazeera.For this episode of The Fire These Times, and to close off our discussions on the Lebanon wars - check our the recent episode Elia did with Ayman Makarem on our sister podcast ‘From The Periphery Podcast' - we thought it meaningful to add one more layer: if the wars aren't really over, where does that leave us, the ‘children of the children of war'? The Fire These Times is a proud member of From The Periphery (FTP) Media Collective. Check out other projects in our media ecosystem: From The Periphery Podcast, The Mutual Aid Podcast, Politically Depressed, Obscuristan, and Antidote Zine.To support our work and get access to all kinds of perks, please join our Patreon on Patreon.com/fromtheperiphery Announcement: Justin Salhani is joining the FTP fam! He will be mostly contributing to the From The Periphery Podcast as our Beirut-based correspondent focusing on regional affairs. For more:Elia Ayoub is on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram and blogs at Hauntologies.net Justin Salhani is on Bluesky and InstagramThe Fire These Times is on Bluesky, Instagram and has a website From The Periphery is on Patreon, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, and has a websiteTranscriptions: Transcriptions are done by Antidote Zine and will be published on The Fire These Times' transcript archive.Credits:Elia Ayoub (host, producer, sound editor, episode design), Rap and Revenge (Music), Wenyi Geng (TFTT theme design), Hisham Rifai (FTP theme design) and Molly Crabapple (FTP team profile pics).
للسنة الثانية على التوالي، تخلق فعالية Beirut meets Sydney ملتقى للشباب اللبناني في أستراليا في أمسيةٍ لا تُنسى وليلةٍ نابضةٍ بالحياة تجمع الشباب اللبنانيين في ليلة نعبق بسحر ليالي بيروت على وقع نبض الشباب اللبناني. كيف يصبح لبنان الوطن، ارتباطًا يتخطى المساحة الجغرافيّة وفي قلب سيدني، يتحوّل الى احتفال لهوية وذكريات وارث وعلى توقيت بيروت؟ كيف تحولت هذه الأمسية الى مساحة للقاء وجوه فتيّة حطت رحالها في هذه الأرض البعيدة في فعالية بعنوان Beirut meets Sydney؟
On Stage 53-01-08 (02) Beirut by Sunrise
durée : 00:11:44 - L'Avant-scène - par : Aurélie Charon - Omar Abi Azar a créé le collectif Zoukak à Beyrouth en 2006. "Stop calling Beirut" se joue jusqu'au 4 mai dans leur théâtre, qui n'a pas fermé pendant la guerre de l'automne 2024. La pièce évoque la disparition de son frère et celle de la ville de Beyrouth telle que sa génération la rêvait. - réalisation : Alexandre Fougeron - invités : Omar Abi Azar Acteur, metteur en scène
For review:1. Update on Israel wildfires.2. Israel Strikes Damascus in Message to Syrian Regime. Israel conducted airstrikes early on Friday near Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa's official residential compound in Damascus in response to violence in Syria against the country's Druze minority, the Israel Defense Forces said. 3. Lebanon has warned Hamas not to conduct operations that compromise the country's security or sovereignty, Beirut's Supreme Defense Council said on Friday. 4. Reuters article via Times of Israel concerning US/Iran Nuclear negotiations.In three weeks, the US and Iran have held three rounds of talks aimed at preventing Tehran from building a nuclear weapon in return for sanctions relief. A fourth round is expected to take place in Rome soon. 5. US State Department to Ukraine & Russia: US Will Not Be Mediators If Progress Not Made. US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters Thursday that Kyiv and Moscow need to engage directly with each other and that the US will no longer “fly around the world at the drop of a hat to mediate meetings.” US Secretary of State Rubio, said that unless a “real breakthrough” is made soon, President Trump “is going to have to make a decision about how much more time we're going to dedicate to this.” 6. UK RAF Collaborative Drone Effort. The first autonomous collaborative platform (ACP) drone, labelled StormShroud, entered into service into the UK Royal Air Force. The new StormShroud aircraft combines the UK-Portuguese Tekever 3 tactical uncrewed aerial system (UAS) with Leonardo UK's BriteStorm stand-in jammer, effectively transforming it into an ACP, to work in tandem with RAF fighter jets. 7. USAF Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) Effort. USAF announced it has selected Beale Air Force Base in California to host the service's first “Aircraft Readiness Unit” dedicated to its future fleet of drone wingmen. General Atomics and Anduril are facing off for the Air Force program after their selection last year. USAF expects to field CCA by 2030.8. Acting Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Kilby to USMC: We owe you a three-ship ARG [Amphibious Ready Group]. I owe you a three-ship ARG that's ready to embark Marines and conduct the training cycle and deploy on schedule. I do not meet that requirement.” The Amphibious Ready Group is the USMC three-ship formation generally consisting of an assault ship (LHA), a transport dock (LPD) and a support vessel (LSD). USMC goal is to maintain what's known as a 3.0 presence: That means one ARG deployed from the East Coast to the Mediterranean or coast of Africa; one from the West Coast to the Pacific and a third “episodically” deployed forward from Japan.
This week on Relic Radio Thrillers, Suspense brings us its story from May 31, 1955, titled, Beirut By Sunrise. Listen to more from Suspense https://traffic.libsyn.com/forcedn/e55e1c7a-e213-4a20-8701-21862bdf1f8a/Thriller891.mp3 Download Thriller891 | Subscribe | Spotify | Support Relic Radio Thrillers Relic Radio Thrillers is made possible by your support. If you'd like to help this show keep coming every week, visit donate.relicradio.com for more information. Thank [...]
On the Middle East with Andrew Parasiliti, an Al-Monitor Podcast
Makram Rabah, an assistant professor at the American University in Beirut, says that Syria's interim president lacks the power to control his own army and that Washington needs to engage with Syria's new government to help defuse sectarian violence and for peace to prevail in the war-ravaged country.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
1979 wird der ehemalige Stern-Journalist Robert Pfeffer in Beirut auf offener Straße von einem Killerkommando ermordet. Bis heute ist der Fall nicht geklärt. Sein Neffe Kilian Pfeffer möchte Licht ins Dunkle bringen. Er arbeitet sich durch Unterlagen, recherchiert in Archiven, sammelt über Jahre alle Informationen, die er kriegen kann. Schließlich findet er die damalige Ermittlerin des Bundeskriminalamts. Warum wurde der Mord nicht aufgeklärt? Es tun sich erste Spuren auf. Ihr habt Feedback, Kritik oder kanntet Robert Pfeffer? Dann schreibt uns unter: RobertPfefferPodcast@swr3.de Bei “Zwei Schüsse ins Herz – Warum musste mein Onkel sterben?” gibt es ab sofort alle Folgen in der ARD Audiothek und wöchentlich jeweils eine neue Folge überall sonst, wo es Podcasts gibt. Und hier noch ein Tipp zum Weiterhören: “11KM: der tagesschau-Podcast”. https://www.ardaudiothek.de/sendung/11km-der-tagesschau-podcast/12200383/
On our last episode, we talked about welcoming refugees in the U.S. And it got me thinking about what it's like to live away from the place where you're from, especially if it's in another part of the world. Say your mother is Lebanese and, I don't know, your father's…American but also grew up in Beirut, and their circumstances meant that you grew up in Cyprus and Pakistan and spent your later childhood and adolescence in Baltimore and they taught you English rather than Arabic so your mother's family's language lives in your brain but in a kind of ethereal way, not one you can just converse in. How do you relate to your roots in Lebanon? To Arabic? Where's your home? What's your mother tongue?You've probably been wondering about that scenario, and of course you started listening to this episode for the answers. So it saddens me to tell you that, while those questions are at the heart of this episode, we can't just give you the answers. They're essay questions, not multiple choice. They're too individual and complex, and, really, they keep shifting around as time goes by. Luckily, we have ways of delving into them. And if you were thinking, oh, poetry's probably a good way, I don't blame you. It's the end of April, which, along with being the cruelest month, according to T.S. Eliot, is also National Poetry Month. We've all been thinking in poetry for the past 30 days. So, to keep that going, I found a poet to help us think through the dynamics of that scenario. A scenario that is, coincidentally, quite similar to her own life, and which she explores in her first book of poems, which came out on April 28th. The poet is janan alexandra, and her book is come from. On this episode we talk about how the geographical trajectory of her childhood has shaped her relationship to place and language, her evolving relationship to the United States, and why it can be helpful to let go of the idea of being whole.CreditsInner States is produced and edited by me, Alex Chambers. Our associate producer is Dom Heyob. Our master of social media is Jillian Blackburn. We get support from Eoban Binder, LuAnn Johnson, Sam Schemenauer, Payton Whaley, and Kayte Young. Our Executive Producer is Eric Bolstridge.Our theme song is by Amy Oelsner and Justin Vollmar. Additional music this week from L. Boyd Carithers, whose album Doom Town is coming out soon, and on which album you might hear our poet, janan alexandra, playing the fiddle. We heard, in order, Whistle Rag, Dinnertime for the Cats, and Last Month on the Corner.
Behind the Scenes of Pediatric Critical Care with Dr. Rana ShamiIn this episode of The Pediatric Lounge, hosts Herb and George bring on Dr. Rana Shami, the medical director of the pediatric intensive care unit at Inova Children's Hospital. Dr. Shami discusses her journey from the American University of Beirut to leading a premier PICU in Fairfax, Virginia. She shares insights into the challenges and innovations in pediatric critical care, such as the use of high-flow oxygen and bedside ultrasound, as well as the critical importance of multidisciplinary teamwork. Dr. Shami also talks about the growth of their PICU fellowship program and her advocacy for early diabetes screening to prevent DKA. The episode illuminates how pediatric ICU care has evolved and the ongoing efforts to improve patient outcomes through simulation education and data-driven approaches.00:00 Introduction to The Pediatric Lounge00:28 Sponsor Message: Hippo Education01:08 Meet Dr. Rana Shami: From Beirut to Fairfax01:30 Dr. Rana Shami's Journey in Pediatric Critical Care05:46 Legacy of Dr. Steve Keller in Pediatric Critical Care11:26 Advancements in Pediatric Intensive Care15:36 Challenges and Innovations in Pediatric Care21:42 The Role of Technology in Modern Pediatric Care30:06 Personal Stories and Reflections in Pediatric Care31:48 Using Data to Improve Healthcare33:25 The Power of Tableau in Data Visualization35:48 Leadership Style in the PICU39:25 The Role of Simulation in Medical Training42:35 Launching a PICU Fellowship Program47:18 Telehealth and Remote ICU Work51:16 Advocating for Pediatric Health56:27 The Parent Wise NGO59:19 Concluding Thoughts and FarewellSupport the show
1979 wurde der ehemalige Stern-Reporter Robert Pfeffer in Beirut durch ein Killerkommando ermordet. Bis heute ist unklar, wer die Tat in Auftrag gegeben hat und warum Robert Pfeffer sterben musste. Sein Neffe, SWR Redakteur Kilian Pfeffer, hat sich auf Spurensuche begeben.
The International Court of Justice is hearing a case against Israel this week. Israel's military struck Beirut's southern suburbs at the weekend. Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara has rejected a Kurdish call for federalism in a post-Assad government. On today's episode of Trending Middle East: ICJ hears Israel using starvation as weapon in Gaza crisis Israel strikes Beirut for third time since ceasefire Al Shara rejects Kurdish demands for federalism in Syria This episode features Jamie Prentis, Beirut correspondent, Sunniva Rose, Europe correspondent, and Aveen Karim, assistant foreign editor.
Kevork Almassian: Israel Bombs Beirut SuburbsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian and culture editor Jessica Steinberg join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Fabian was in the Gaza Strip last week at the Morag Corridor. He compares this trip to previous IDF embeds and describes what he saw. We learn about the very intense fighting in the Strip and hear about the incidents in which three servicemen recently lost their lives: Master Sgt. (res.) Asaf Cafri, Cpt. Ido Voloch and Sgt. Neta Yitzhak Kahane, of the Border Police’s Yamas covert unit. For only the third time since a ceasefire in Lebanon went into effect in November 2024, the IDF carried out an attack in the Beirut area. We learn what the IDF was targeting and what this means for the ceasefire. Some 12,000 people led by Holocaust survivors and an Israeli delegation of released hostages, hostages’ family members, and bereaved families marched Thursday from Auschwitz to the Birkenau camp for the 2025 March of the Living, with the horrors of the murder of six million Jews mingling with the plight of the captives in Gaza. Steinberg was on the ground with them and reports back. To end the program, we hear about a rally staged Sunday night by the families of the “Beautiful 6,” six hostages murdered by Hamas terrorists in Gaza at the end of August last year. The six hostages killed by their captors in Gaza were Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Or Danino and Alex Lubanov. We hear about an evening of song, prayer and calls for unity. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing live blog for more updates. For further reading: As troops advance in south Gaza, IDF says it’s seeing cracks emerge in Hamas’s rule IDF reservist killed, three wounded during fighting in northern Gaza Soldier and cop killed in Gaza City fighting, as IDF prepares to ramp up offensive IDF strikes Hezbollah missile warehouse in Beirut, kills operative in south Lebanon At Auschwitz, Oct. 7 survivors and freed hostages sing ‘Hatikvah’ Former hostages, survivors and the bereaved walk together in March of the Living Hostage families join Holocaust survivors ahead of 2nd Auschwitz march since Oct. 7 Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch. IMAGE: Asaf Cafri (left), an IDF reservist who was killed in Gaza on April 25, 2025 and his great-grandmother, Holocuast survivor Magda Baratz, pictured in a billboard set up in Rishon LeZion in honor of Holocaust Remembrace Day, the day before his death. (Oren Dai/Rishon LeZion Municipality)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Americans, it's time to move to Europe! The American geo-strategist Jason Pack anticipated last week's advice from Simon Kuper and moved to London a few years ago during the first Trump Presidency. Pack, the host of the excellent Disorder podcast, confesses to be thrilled to have escaped MAGA America. He describes the esthetics of contemporary Washington DC as "post-apocalyptic" and criticizes what he sees as the Trump administration's hostile atmosphere, ideological purity tests, and institutional destruction. Contrasting this with Europe's ideological fluidity, Pack warns that Trump's isolationist policies are increasing global disorder by fundamentally undermining America's global leadership role with its erstwhile European allies. Five Key Takeaways* Pack left America because he found the "esthetics" of working in policy and media spaces increasingly distasteful, particularly during Trump's first administration.* He argues that European political systems allow for greater ideological fluidity, while American politics demands strict partisan loyalty.* Pack describes Washington DC as "post-apocalyptic" with institutions functioning like zombies - going through motions without accomplishing anything meaningful.* Unlike European populists who want to control institutions, Pack believes Trump's administration aims to destroy government institutions entirely.* Pack warns that America's deteriorating relationships with traditional allies is creating a "rudderless world" with increased global disorder and potential for conflict. Full TranscriptAndrew Keen: Hello, everybody. Over the last few days, we've been focusing on the impressions of America, of Trump's America around the world. We had the Financial Times' controversial columnist, Simon Cooper, on the show, arguing that it's the end of the American dream. He had a piece in the FT this week, arguing that it's time to move to Europe for Americans. Not everyone agrees. We had the London-based FT writer Jemima Kelly on the show recently, also suggesting that she hasn't quite given up on America. She is, of course, a Brit living in the UK and looking at America from London. My guest today, another old friend, is Jason Pack. He is the host of the Excellent Disorder podcast. Jason's been on the shows lots of times before. He's an observer of the world's early 21st century disorder. And he is an American living in London. So I'm thrilled that Jason is back on the show. Jason, did you have a chance to look at Simon Cooper's piece? Is it time for Americans to move to Europe?Jason Pack: You've already moved. Well, he's just popularizing what I've believed for eight or 10 years already. So yeah, I looked at the piece. I really enjoyed your podcast with him. I don't think many Americans will move because most Americans are not particularly global in their outlook. And as disenchanted as they will be, their networks of family and of perspective are in America. Some elites in media and finance will move. But for me, I just found the aesthetics of America becoming distasteful when I worked in D.C. during the first Trump administration. And that's why I pursued a European citizenship.Andrew Keen: Jason, it's interesting that you choose the word aesthetics. Two thoughts on that. Firstly, America has never been distinguished for its aesthetics. People never came to America for aesthetics. It's never been a particularly beautiful country, a very dynamic place, a very powerful place. So why do you choose that word aesthetic?Jason Pack: Because for most upper middle class Americans, life under Trump, particularly if they're white and heterosexual, will not change tremendously. But the aesthetics of working in the policy space or in the media will change. Having to deal with all the BS that we hear when we wake up and turn on the TV in the morning, having to interact with Republican nutcase friends who say, oh, the fat is being trimmed by the doge and don't worry about all those people who've been being laid off. The aesthetics of it are ugly and mean. And I have found among some Republican colleagues and friends of mine that they love the vileness of this dog-eat-dog aesthetic.Andrew Keen: Yeah, it's an interesting way of putting it. And I understand exactly what you're saying. I'm less concerned with the aesthetics as with the reality. And my sense in some ways of what's happening is that the Trump people are obsessed with what you call aesthetics. They want to appear mean. I'm not actually sure that they're quite as mean as they'd like to think they are.Jason Pack: Oh, they're pretty mean. I mean, people are running around the NIH offices, according to colleagues of mine. And if you're out to the bathroom and your card is inserted in your computer, they go in, they steal the data from your computer.Andrew Keen: Actually, I take your point. What I meant more by that is that whereas most traditional authoritarian regimes hide their crimes against migrants. They deny wrongdoing. My sense of the Trump regime, or certainly a lot of the people involved in this Trump administration, is that they actually exaggerate it because it gives them pleasure and it somehow benefits their brand. I'm not convinced that they're quite as bad as they'd like to think.Jason Pack: Oh, I agree with that. They make Schadenfreude a principle. They want to showcase that they enjoy other people's pain. It's a bizarre psychological thing. Trump, for example, wanted to show his virility and his meanness, probably because he's an inner coward and he's not that feral. But we digress in terms of the aesthetics of the individual American wanting to leave. I experienced American government, like the State Department, and then, the bureaucracy of the policy space, say think tanks, or even the government relations trade space, say working for oil companies and government relations, as already authoritarian and ass-kissing in America, and the aesthetics of those industries I have always preferred in Europe, and that's only diverging.Andrew Keen: One of the things that always struck me about Washington, D.C. It was always uncomfortable as an imperial city. It always has been since the end of the Second World War, with America dominating the world as being one of two or perhaps the only super power in the world. But Washington, DC seems to always have been uncomfortable wearing its imperial mantle cloak in comparison, I think, to cities like London or Paris. I wonder whether, I'm not sure how much time you've spent back in America since Trump came back to power. I wonder if in that sense DC is trying to catch up with London and Paris.Jason Pack: I actually was giving a briefing in Congress to staffers of the House Foreign Affairs Committee only three weeks ago, and DC seemed post-apocalyptic to me. Many of my favorite restaurants were closing. There was traffic jams at bizarre hours of the day, which I think this is because the Trump people don't know how public transport works and they just ride their cars everywhere. So, yes, it seemed very bizarre being back. You were trying to gauge the interlocutor you were speaking to, were they merely pretending to be on board with Trump's stuff, but they actually secretly think it's ridiculous, or were they true believers? And you had to assess that before you would make your comments. So there is a slide to a kind of, again, neo-authoritarian aesthetic. In my conference, it became clear that the Republican Congressional staffers thought that it was all junk and that Trump doesn't care about Libya and he doesn't understand these issues. But we needed to make lip service in how we expressed our recommendations. So, fascinatingly, various speakers said, oh, there's a transactional win. There's a way that cheaper oil can be gotten here or we could make this policy recommendation appeal to the transactional impulses of the administration. Even though everyone knew that we were speaking in a Democrat echo-chamber where the only Republicans present were anti-Trump Republicans anyway.Andrew Keen: Describe DC as post-apocalyptic. What exactly then, Jason, is the apocalypse?Jason Pack: I don't think that the Trump people who are running the show understand how government works and whether you're at state or the NIH or USAID, you're kind of under siege and you're just doing what you're supposed to do and going through the motions. I mean, there's so much of like the zombie apocalypse going on. So maybe it's more zombie apocalypse than regular apocalypse, whereby the institutions are pretending to do their work, but they know that it doesn't accomplish anything. And the Trumpian appointees are kind of pretending to kind of cancel people on DAI, but the institutions are still continuing.Andrew Keen: I'm going to vulgarize something you said earlier. You talked about Trump wanting to appear bigger than he actually is. Maybe we might call that small penis syndrome. Is that, and then that's my term, Jason, let's be clear, not yours. Maybe it's fair or not. He probably would deny it, but I don't think he'll come on this show. He's more than welcome. Is that also reflected in the people working for him? Is there a bit of a small penis syndrome going on with a lot of the Trump people? Are they small town boys coming to America, coming to D.C. And in all their raison d'état trying to smash up the world that they always envied?Jason Pack: 100%. If you look at the Tucker Carlson and the Hegset, who went to Princeton in 03, and obviously Tucker Carlsen's WASP elite background is well known, they wanted to make it conventionally and couldn't. Hegson didn't achieve the rank of lieutenant general or colonel or anything in the army. He didn't make it in finance and Vance, obviously had just a minor career in finance, they didn't make the big time except through their hate and resentment of the establishment that succeeded on merit. So, I mean, you could call that small penis syndrome. I think another thing to point out is that many of them have been selected because whether they've been accused of rape or financial crimes or just meanness, they owe the great leader their ability to be in that position. And if he would throw them overboard they're entirely exposed, so that cash patels of the world and the Hexeds of the world serve at the mercy of the great leader, because if they were thrown to the wolves, they could be devoured for their misdeeds. And I think that that makes it a place where it's all about loyalty to the boss. But maybe we could pivot to the initial topic about how I think Europe is a place where you can reinvent yourself as an individual now. Certainly in the political and ideology space, and America really hasn't been for much of my left.Andrew Keen: Yeah, it's interesting. And this is how actually our conversation you're doing. You're a much better podcast host than I am, Jason. You're reminding us of the real conversation rather than getting led down one Trumpian byway or another. I did a show recently on why I still believe in the American dream. And I was interviewed by my friend, David Maschiottra, another old friend of the show. And I suggested I originally came to America to reinvent myself and that's always been the platform with which Europeans have come to America. You're suggesting that perhaps the reverse is true now.Jason Pack: I really enjoyed that episode. I thought you were a great guest and he was a natural host. But I realized how it wasn't speaking to me. Many of my European friends who work in law, finance, tech, startup, you know, they finished their degrees in Italy or in England and they moved to America. And that's where they raised venture capital and they go on the exact success trajectory that you explained and they fetishize, oh my God, when my green card is gonna come through, I'm gonna have this big party. That never resonated with me because America was never a land of opportunity for me. And it hit me in hearing your podcast that that's because what I've aspired to is to work in government slash think tank or to be a professional expert. And if you don't ally yourself with one of the major political movements, you're always branded and you can never move ahead. I'll give a few examples if you're interested in the way that my trying to be in the center has meant that I could never find a place in America.Andrew Keen: Absolutely. So you're suggesting that your quote-unquote American dream could only be realized in Europe.Jason Pack: So I moved to the Middle East to serve my country after 9/11. If Gore had been elected president, I likely would have joined the army or the Marines or something. But Bush was president and I knew I needed to do this on my own. So, you know, I lived in Beirut, then I went to Iraq. Where did you graduate from, Jason? I graduated from Williams in 2002, but I was changing my studies as soon as the 9-11 happened. I stopped my senior thesis in biology and I pivoted to doing the Middle East. I thought the Middle East was going to be the next big thing. But I didn't realize that if you wanted to do it your own way, for example, living in Syria prior to working in government, then you couldn't get those security clearances. But in the UK, that's not really a problem. If you go to Leeds or Oxford and you got sent to study Arabic in Syria, you can work for the UK government, but not in America. If your went and did that your own way, your loyalties would be questioned. You wouldn't get your security clearance. I got an internship to work at the U.S. Embassy in Muscat, where I fell afoul of my supervisors because I was someone who wanted to speak in Arabic with Omanis and, for example, go to hear prayers at the mosque and really be a part of the society. And I was told, don't do that. But aren't we here to understand about Oman? And they're like, no, it's really important to mostly socialize with people at the embassy. But my British colleagues, they were out there in Omani society, and they were, for example, really participating in stuff because the relationship between the Omanis and the Brits and the Americans is a happy one. That's just a small example, but I wanna make the kind of further point, which is that if you wanna get promoted in think tank world in America, it doesn't matter whether it's Cato or Heritage on the right or New America Foundation or Middle East Institute on the left. You have to buy in hook, line, and sinker to the party line of those institutions. And if that party line is DEI, as it was at the Middle East Institute when I was there, and you're a white heterosexual male, you're not going to get promoted. And if, for example, you want to then interact with some Zionist think tank like FDD, the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, I was going to a fellowship there for work that I had done about monitoring ISIS in Libya, and they had proposed a funding line for my project, which was just technically reading jihadi Facebook posts and monitoring them. And then they did some more research on me, ironically, after we had already signed the funds. And they said, oh, we're so sorry, we are going to have to pull back on this. We are going have to pay you a kill fee. We are really, really sorry. And I came to understand why that was. And it was because I had advocated that the Iranians should be allowed to get the bomb so that they could have mutually assured destruction theory with Israel.Andrew Keen: Well, Jason, I take your point, but everyone has their own narrative when it comes to why their career didn't did or didn't take off and how they know what that doesn't happen in Europe. I'm just making a contrast. Let me just come back to my argument about America, which is it isn't necessarily as straightforward as perhaps at first it seems. I think one of the reasons why America has always been a great place for reinvention is because of the absence of memory.Jason Pack: No, but what I'm saying is Google will inspire on you, and if you're not within the ideological cadre, you cannot progress at these kind of institutions.Andrew Keen: Okay, I take your point on that, but thinking more broadly, America is a place where you can, I've done so many different things in this country from being a scholar to being an internet entrepreneur to being an expert on technology to being a critic of technology to being against podcasts, to being a podcaster. And you can get away, and I've failed in practically all of them, if not all of them, but the fact is that because people don't have memory, you can keep on doing different things and people won't say, well, how can you get away with this? Last week you were doing X. My sense, and maybe correct me if I'm wrong about London or Europe, is there is much more memory. You can't get away with perpetual reinvention in Europe as you can in the U.S. and maybe that's because of the fact that in your language, living in Europe with its memory and respect for memory is more aesthetically pleasing. So I'm not suggesting this is as simple as it might appear.Jason Pack: I agree with that last point, but I think I'm trying to bring something else out. In spheres like tech or podcasting, there isn't credentialism in America. And therefore, if you're just good at it, you don't need the credentials and you can get going. And you and other Europeans who had great merit, as you do, have benefited from that. And in Europe, you might run up against credentialism, but, oh, but you didn't work at the BBC, so you don't get the job. I'm making a different point about ideological purity within the very specific realms of, say, working for an American presidential candidate or briefing a policymaker or rising up at a think tank. I have briefed labor MPs, Lib Dem MPs and Tory MPs. And they don't ask my politics. I can go in there and get a meeting with Keir Starmer's people on Libya, and they don't care about the fact that I want him to do something slightly different. Criticized him and praised him at different times on my podcast, try having an influence with some Trump people and then say, Oh, well, you know, I really think that I can help you on this Libya policy, but I happened to run a fairly anti-Trump podcast. No, you just can't get the briefing because America is about ideological purity tests and getting your ticket punch in the government and think tank and exporting professions, and therefore it's not some place you can reinvent yourself. If you're clearly an anti-Trump Republican McCainite, you can't all of a sudden become an AOC Democrat for the purpose of one meeting. But in Europe you can, because you can be a Lib Dem like Liz Truss and then be a Tory Prime Minister. And no one cares what my position on these topics are when they ask me to brief Keir Starmer's people and that's something that I find so fantastic about Europe.Andrew Keen: Yeah, it's interesting. I mean, you know this stuff better than I do. But isn't someone like Truss rooted in ideological purity? She was a Lib Dem when she was at Oxford. Yeah, but that was a long time ago. I can reverse that, Jason, and say, well, when Trump was young, he ran around with Bill and Hillary Clinton, he went to their wedding, he funded them. He never was even a Republican until 2014 or 15. So, I mean, he's an example of the very ideological fluidity that you idealize in Europe.Jason Pack: I agree with your point. I think that he's an exception there and he wouldn't have allowed it from his staffers. They now have essentially loyalty tested everything. It's not a place where if you were Democrat with ideas that would benefit the Trumpian establishment, you can be heard. I'll give an example. I like the Abraham Accords and I have a colleague who wants to help extend the Abraham Accords to Pakistan, she can only work with ideologically pure Republicans in the pitching of this idea. She can't work with someone like me because I don't have the ideological purity, even though this is a nonpartisan idea and it should be embraced if you can get the Trumpians to be interested in it. But that's not how America works and it has not been. Reagan, of course, if you said that you like taxes, and I'm someone who likes taxes and I don't believe in the Laffer curve, and neoliberalism is a sham, you couldn't be on that economic team. So there are different ideological tests. Trump was never a politician, so he's not an expert like me in the expert class where we've been litmus tested our whole careers.Andrew Keen: Interesting. Jason, yesterday I was talking to someone who was thinking of hiring me to do a speech in Europe to a business group, and we were discussing the kinds of speeches I could give, and one of the things I suggested was a defense of America, suggesting that we can believe in America and that everyone's wrong. And these people have hired me before. I've often made provocative counterintuitive arguments, there was a little bit of a silence and they said, you can't make that speech in Europe. No one will take it seriously to a business community. What's generally, I mean, you travel a lot, you talk to lots of different people. Have people really given up on the promise of America, particularly within the establishment, the business establishment, the political establishment?Jason Pack: I don't know. I think that many Europeans still think that this is a passing phase. I will comment on the fact that I do not see anti-Americanism in my daily life as a result of Trump, the way that, for example, you do see anti-Semitism as a results of Netanyahu's policy. The individual Jew is tarred by horrible things happening in Gaza, but the individual American is not tarred by the deporting and illegal detentions and sacking of people by Doge because people in Poland or London or even the Middle East understand that you're likely to not be a Trump supporter and they're not targeting you as an individual as a result of that. So I think they believe in the promise of America and they still might like to move to America. But on individual level if you want to be a political animal inside the beast of campaigns, rising up to be a David Axelrod kind of figure. America has been a place of these litmus tests. Whereas in Europe, you know, I feel that there's tremendous fluidity because in Italy they have so and so many political parties and in Germany, what's the distinction between the SPD at one moment in the CDU and the Greens and there's a tradition of coalitions that allows the individual to reinvent himself.Andrew Keen: One of the things that came up with Cooper, and he's certainly no defender of Marine Le Pen or Meloni in Italy, but he suggested that the Trump people are far to the right of Le Pen and Meloni. Would you agree with that?Jason Pack: Because they want to break down institutions, whereas Le Pen and Meloni simply want to conquer the institutions and use them. They're not full-blown, disordering neopopulists, to use the language of my disorder podcast. When Meloni is in power, she loves the Italian state and she wants it to function merely with her ideological slant. Whereas the Trumpians, they have a Bannonite wing, they don't simply wanna have a MAGA agenda, use the U.S. Government. No, they want to break the Department of Agriculture. They want to break the EPA. They simply want to destroy our institutions. And there's no European political party that wants that. Maybe on the fringe like reform, but reform probably doesn't even want that.Andrew Keen: But Jason, we've heard so much about how the Bannonites idealized Orban in Hungary. A lot of people believe that Project 2025 was cooked up in Budapest trying to model America on Orban. Is there any truth to that? I mean, are the Trump people really re-exporting Orbanism back into the United States?Jason Pack: That there is some truth, but it can be overplayed. It can go back further to Berlusconi. It's the idea that a particularly charismatic political leader can come to dominate the media landscape by either having a state media channel in the Berlusconi sense or cowing media coverage to make it more favorable, which is something that Orban has done geniusly, and then doling out contracts and using the state for patronage, say, Orban's father's construction business and all those concrete soccer stadiums. There is an attempt potentially in Trump land to, through an ideological project, cow the media and the checks and balances and have a one-party state with state media. I think it's going to be difficult for them to achieve, but Chuck Carlson and others and Bannon seem to want that.Andrew Keen: You were on Monocle recently talking about the Pope's death. J.D. Vance, of course, is someone who apparently had a last, one of the last conversations with the Pope. Pope wasn't particularly, Pope Francis wasn't particularly keen on him. Bannon and Vance are both outspoken Catholics. What's your take on the sort of this global religious movement on the part of right-wing Catholics, and how does it fit in, not only to the death of Francis, but perhaps the new Pope?Jason Pack: It's a very interesting question. I'm not a right-wing Catholic, so I'm really not in a position to...Andrew Keen: I thought you were Jason, that's why you could always come on the show.Jason Pack: I think that they don't have the theological bona fides to say that what they call Catholicism is Catholicism because obviously Jesus turned the other cheek, you know, and Jesus didn't want to punish his enemies and make poor black or Hispanic women suffer. But there is an interesting thing that has been going on since 1968, which is that there was a backlash against the student protests and free love and the condom and all the social changes that that brought about. And Catholics have been at the forefront, particularly Catholic institutions, in saying this has gone too far and we need to use religion to retake our society. And if we don't, no one will have children and we will lose out and the Muslims and Africans will rule the roost because they're having babies. And that right-wing Catholicism is caught up in the moral panic and culture wars since 1968. What I argued in the monocle interview that you referenced from earlier today is something quite different, which is that the Catholic Church has a unique kind of authority, and that that unique kind of authority can be used to stand up against Trump, Bannon, Orban, and other neopopulists in a way that, say, Mark Carney or Keir Starmer cannot, because if Mark Kearney and Keir Stormer say, you guys are not sufficiently correctly American and you're not following the American laws, blah, blah blah, the kind of Americans who support Trump are not convinced by that because they say, these are just, you know, pinko Brits and Canadians. I don't even care about Mark Kearny, but it's quite different if the next Pontiff is someone who comes not only from the school of Francis, but maybe more so is a great communicator vested in the real doctrines of the church, the Lateran Councils and Vatican too, and can say, actually this given thing that Trump has just said is not in line with the principles of Jesus. It's not inline with what the Vatican has said about, for example, migration or social equity. And I find that that is a unique opportunity because even the right-wing Catholics have to acknowledge the Pope and Christian doctrine and the ability of the Catholic hierarchy to say this is not in line with our teachings. So I think there's a very interesting opportunity right now.Andrew Keen: Perhaps that brings to mind Stalin's supposedly famous remarks to Churchill at Potsdam when they were talking about the Pope. Stalin said to Churchill, the Pope, how many divisions does he have? In other words, it's all about ideology, morality, and ultimately it doesn't really. It's the kind of thing that perhaps if some of the Trump people were as smart as Stalin, they might make the same remark.Jason Pack: That was a physical war, and the Pope didn't have divisions to sway the battles in World War II, but this is an ideological or an influence war. And the Pope, if you've just seen from media coverage over the last week, is someone who has tremendous media influence. And I do think that the new pontiff could, if he wanted to, stand up to the moral underpinnings of Trump and pull even the most right-wing Catholics away from a Trumpian analysis. Religion is supposed to be about, because Jesus didn't say punish your enemies. Don't turn the other cheek and own the libs. Jesus said something quite different than that. And it will be the opportunity of the new Catholic leader to point that out.Andrew Keen: I'm not sure if you've seen the movie Conclave, which was very prescient, made by my dear London friend, or at least produced by Tessa Ross at House Productions. But I wonder in these new conversations whether in the debates about who should the new Pope be, they'll mull over TikTok presence.Jason Pack: I hope they will. And I want to point out something that many people probably are not aware, which is that the College of Cardinals that constitutes the conclave does not have to pick one of their member to be pope. For the last six centuries, they have always chosen one of their own number, but they don't have to. So they could choose someone who has not only an ability to make great TikToks, but someone who can put forth a vision about climate change, about tax equity, for example, maybe about AI and what constitutes humanity from within the Catholic tradition, but reaching new faithful. And I think that they might actually consider we're doing this because in places like Western Europe, attendance is down, but in Eastern Europe and Latin America, it isn't. And in Africa, it's surging. So they may want to reach new millennials in Gen Z with a new message, but one which is rooted in their tradition. And I think that that would be a great counterbalance to what Trump and his ilk have done to how media coverage place things like climate change and migrants these days.Andrew Keen: Speaking of Trump and his ilk, Jason, lots of conversations here about the first cracks in his monolith. Speaking to me from London, I always look at the front page of The Telegraph, a conservative English newspaper. I refuse to give the money, so I never actually read any of the pieces. But I'm always curious as to the traditional conservative media attitude to Trump. What do not so much the Conservative Party, which seems to be in crisis in the UK, but what does Conservative media, Conservative thinkers, what's their take currently on Trump? Are you seeing a crack? Are people seeing this guy's absolutely insane and that the tariff policy is going to make all of us, everybody in the world poorer?Jason Pack: Well, Trump has always been a vote loser in the UK. So that even though Farage brags about his relationship, it isn't something that gets him more votes for reform. And whether it's Sunak or Badnak, and Badnak is the current leader of the Tory party, which is an opposition, she can't so closely associate herself with Trump because he's not popular in even right-wing British circles. However, the Tory media, like the telegraph and the spectator, they love the idea that he's owning the Libs. We talked about Schadenfreude, we talked about attacking the woke. The spectator has taken a very anti-woke turn over the last five to 10 years. And they love the ideal of pointing out the hypocrisies of the left and the effeminacy of it and all of that. And that gets them more clicks. So from a media perspective, there is a way in which the Murdoch media is always going to love the click bait, New York post bait of the Trump presidency. And that applies very much, you know, with the sun and the Daily Mail and the way that they cover media in this country.Andrew Keen: Although I was found in the U.S. That perhaps the newspaper that has been most persistently and usefully critical of Trump is the Wall Street Journal, which is owned by Murdoch.Jason Pack: Yeah, but that's a very highbrow paper, and I think that it's been very critical of the tariff policy and it said a lot of intelligent things about Trump's early missteps. It doesn't reach the same people as the New York Post or the Daily Mail do.Andrew Keen: Finally, Jason, let's go back to Disorder, your excellent podcast. You started it a couple of years ago before this new Trump madness. You were always one of the early people on this global disorder. How much more disordered can the world become? Of course, it could become more disorded in terms of war. In late April 2025, is the world more disordered than it was in April 2024, when Biden was still in power? I mean, we still have these wars in Gaza, in Ukraine, doesn't seem as if that much has changed, or am I wrong?Jason Pack: I take your point, but I'm using disorder in a particularly technical sense in a way by which I mean the inability of major powers to coordinate together for optimal solutions. So in the Biden days of last year, yes, the Ukraine and Gaza wars may be waging, but if Jake Sullivan or Blinken were smarter or more courageous, they could host a summit and work together with their French and British and Argentinian allies. Put forth some solutions. The world is more disordered today because it doesn't have a leader. It doesn't have institutions, the UN or NATO or the G7 where those solutions on things like the Ukraine war attacks could happen. And you may say, but wait, Jason, isn't Trump actually doing more leadership? He's trying to bring the Ukrainians and the Russians to the table. And I would say he isn't. They're not proposing actual solutions. They don't care about solving underlying issues. They're merely trying to get media wins. He wants the Japanese to come to Washington to have the semblance of a new trade deal, not a real trade deal. He's trying to reorder global finance in semblance, not in reality. So the ability to come to actual solutions through real coordinating mechanisms where I compromise with you is much weaker than it was last year. And on the Disorder Podcast, we explore all these domains from tax havens to cryptocurrency to cyber attacks. And I think that listeners of Keen On would really enjoy how we delve into those topics and try to see how they reflect where we're at in the global system.Andrew Keen: Yeah, it's a strongly, I would strongly agree with you. I would encourage all keen on listeners to listen to Disorder and vice versa if this gets onto the Disorder podcast. What about the China issue? How structural is the tariff crisis, if that's the right word, gonna change US relations with China? Is this the new Cold War, Jason?Jason Pack: I'm not an economist, but from what I've been told by the economists I've interviewed on my podcast, it's absolutely completely game changing because whether it's an Apple iPhone or most pieces of manufactured kit that you purchase or inputs into American manufacturing, it's assembled everywhere and the connections between China and America are essential to the global economy. Work and it's not like you can all of a sudden move those supply chains. So this trade war is really a 1930s style beggar thy neighbor approach to things and that led to and deepened the great depression, right? So I am very worried. I had the sense that Trump might back off because he does seem to be very sensitive to the markets. But maybe this is such an ideological project and, you know, Andrew Ross Sorkin on CNBC was just saying, even though he's willing to back off if the T bill rate changes, he thinks that his strategy is working and that he's going to get some deals. And that terrifies me because that's not what's happening. It isn't working. And God forbid that they'll push this to its logical conclusion and cause a new recession or depression.Andrew Keen: I know you've got to run Jason. So final question, let's return to where we began with America and the changing nature of America. Your last episode of Disorder was with Corey Sharpe, who is a very, very good and one of Washington DC's, I think, smartest foreign policy analysts. She asks, what's America without allies? If this continues, what, indeed, I mean, you're happy in London, so I don't sound like you're coming back, whatever. But what will America become if indeed all these traditional allies, the UK, France, Germany, become, if not enemies, certainly just transactional relationships? What becomes of America without allies?Jason Pack: Wow, great question. I'm gonna treat this in two parts, the American cultural component and then the structural geopolitical component. I'm a proud American. Culturally, I work on Sundays. I don't take any holiday. I get angry at contractors who are not direct. I am going to be American my whole life and I want an American style work ethic and I wanna things to function and the customer to always be right. So I didn't move to Europe to get European stuff in that way, and I think America will still be great at new inventions and at hard work and at all of that stuff and will still, the NFL will still be a much better run sports league than European sports leagues. Americans are great at certain things. The problem is what if America's role in the world as having the reserve currency, coordinating the NATO allies. If that's eviscerated, we're just going to be living more and more in the global enduring disorder, as Corey Schacke points out, which is that the Europeans don't know how to lead. They can't step up because they don't have one prima inter Paris. And since the decline of the British Empire, the British haven't learned how, for example, to coordinate the Europeans for the defense of Ukraine or for making new missile technologies or dealing with the defense industry. So we're just dealing with a rudderless world. And that's very worrying because there could be major conflict. And then I just have to hope that a new American administration, it could be a Republican one, but I think it just can't be a Trumpian one, will go back to its old role of leadership. I haven't lost hope in America. I've just lost hope in this current administration.Andrew Keen: Well, I haven't lost hope in Jason Pack. He is an ally of ours at Keen On. He's the host of the Excellent Disorder podcast. Jason, it's always fun to have you on the show. So much to discuss and no doubt there will be much more over the summer, so we'll have you back on in the next month or two. Thank you so much. Keep well. Stay American in London. Thank you again.Jason Pack: It was a great pleasure. Thanks, Andrew. See you then. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe
On this week's Palestine Post, we speak with Rami Khouri, a Distinguished Public Policy Fellow at the American University of Beirut and a journalist and author with 50 years of experience covering the Middle East. He is also co-author of a brand new book called Understanding Hamas and why that Matters. — Subscribe to this podcast: https://plinkhq.com/i/1637968343?to=page Get in touch: lawanddisorder@kpfa.org Follow us on socials @LawAndDis: https://twitter.com/LawAndDis; https://www.instagram.com/lawanddis/ The post Palestine Post: Understanding Hamas w/ Rami Khouri appeared first on KPFA.
In our news wrap Sunday, Vancouver police ruled out terrorism after a man plowed his car into a crowd at a Filipino heritage festival, Israeli jets struck Beirut’s southern suburbs, Pakistani security forces killed dozens of militants they say tried to sneak into the country from Afghanistan, and Pope Francis’ tomb at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major opened to the public. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
In our news wrap Sunday, Vancouver police ruled out terrorism after a man plowed his car into a crowd at a Filipino heritage festival, Israeli jets struck Beirut’s southern suburbs, Pakistani security forces killed dozens of militants they say tried to sneak into the country from Afghanistan, and Pope Francis’ tomb at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major opened to the public. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
México responde a EU ante amago de suspender importaciones de ganado¡Recuerda! 29 de abril es el Simulacro Nacional 2025Israel lanza bombardeo a suburbios de BeirutMás información en nuestro Podcast
This week, hosts Reggie Worth and Jason Jefferies discuss the new releases of 4/18/25, including new albums by TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, Melvins, Too $hort, Kool Keith, Beirut and more. Happy Listening, friends!
Weekly shoutout: Check out Lynchpins at the coalition, our ongoing David Lynch tribute series! -- Hi there, Today I am delighted to be arts calling novelist Nancy Kricorian! (https://nancykricorian.net) About our guest: Nancy Kricorian, who was born and raised in the Armenian community of Watertown, Massachusetts, is the author of four novels about post-genocide Armenian diaspora experience, including Zabelle, which was translated into seven languages, was adapted as a play, and has been continuously in print since 1998. Her new novel, The Burning Heart of the World, about Armenians in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War, will be published in April 2025. Her essays and poems have appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Books Quarterly, Guernica, Parnassus, Minnesota Review, The Mississippi Review, and other journals. She has taught at Barnard, Columbia, Yale, and New York University, as well as with Teachers & Writers Collaborative in the New York City Public Schools, and has been a mentor with We Are Not Numbers since 2015. She has been the recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, a Gold Medal from the Writers Union of Armenia, and the Anahid Literary Award, among other honors. She lives in New York. THE BURNING HEART OF THE WORLD, now available from Red Hen Press! Bookshop | Barnes & Noble | Amazon Nancy Kricorian's The Burning Heart of the World tells the story of a Beirut Armenian family before, during, and after the Lebanese Civil War. Returning to the fabular tone of Zabelle, her popular first novel, Kricorian conjures up the lost worlds and intergenerational traumas that haunt a family in permanent exile. Leavened with humor and imbued with the timelessness of a folktale, The Burning Heart of the World is a sweeping saga that takes readers on an epic journey from the mountains of Cilicia to contemporary New York City. > Like colorful miniatures–from a childhood of elders haunted by the Armenian genocide, to girlhood and adolescence amidst war in Beirut, to marriage and children in New York at the time of 9/11—Nancy Kricorian finds just the right scale to bring her heroine's passage to vivid, reverberating life. > — Aram Saroyan > An arrestingly beautiful novel of how families draw us together, but also push us apart. Set amidst the backdrop of displacement and war, The Burning Heart of the World illuminates how we carry history deep into even the most forgotten corners of ourselves. Once you start reading about Vera and her family you won't be able to put this book down. > — Marie Myung-Ok Lee, Author of The Evening Hero Thanks for this amazing conversation, Nancy! All the best! -- Arts Calling is produced by Jaime Alejandro. HOW TO SUPPORT ARTS CALLING: PLEASE CONSIDER LEAVING A REVIEW, OR SHARING THIS EPISODE WITH A FRIEND! YOUR SUPPORT TRULY MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN. Much love, j artscalling.com
Jimmy and BK dive into the pressing issues facing Colorado and why now is the time to take a stand. From local challenges to statewide changes, they break down what's at stake and how you can get involved. Don't miss this important conversation!
PULP - “Spike Island” MAN/WOMAN/CHAINSAW - “Spike Island” TURIN BRAKES - “Space Hopper” FLORRY - “First It Was A Movie, Then It Was A Book” RACHEL CHINOURIRI - "23:42" DAIZE, MILITARIE GUN- "Tall People Don't Live Long"T JEANINES - "On And On" THE CONVENIENCE - "Western Pepsi Cola Town" STEREOLAB - "Aerial Troubles" SPORTS TEAM - "Sensible" ILLUMINATI HOTTIES, PUP - "Wreck My Life" TUNDE ADIBEMPE - "God Knows" THE MINUS 5 - "Blow In My Bag" HOTLINE TNT - "Julia's War" BEIRUT - "Tuanaki Atol" GARBAGE - "There's No Future In Optimism" ARCHES - "Fold The Edges" FOXWARREN, ANDY SHAUF, Daryl Kissik - "Listen To Me" SACRED PAWS - "Say Something" FANTASY OF A BROKEN HEART - Have A Nice Time Life Life! THE WRECKS - "Speed" LIGHTHEADED - "Same Drop" JAKE XERXES FUSSEL - "Close My Eyes" ALLISON RUSSEL, ANNIE LENNOX - Superlover
Marines, Marathons, and Meaning: The Legacy of Col. Hank Donigan In this week's Team Neer Quit podcast, Marcus and Melanie speak with Retired Colonel Hank Donigan—a Marine whose life reads like a battle-hardened adventure novel. From his early days jumping out of airplanes at Fort Benning to leading troops through intense combat in Lebanon, Grenada, and Iraq, Col. Donigan has lived a life of sacrifice, courage, and service. A graduate of the Naval Academy and a 30-year Marine Corps veteran, Donigan shares the emotional and physical toll of war, including his own battle with PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Yet, rather than slowing down, he has turned pain into purpose—running marathons nearly every week and using each mile to raise awareness and funds for wounded service members through the Semper Fi & America's Fund. With $85,000 raised in 2023 alone, he stands as the nation's top individual fundraiser for the cause. At 68 years old and 46 marathons deep in a single year, Hank embodies resilience, leadership, and hope. In this episode, hear how staying in shape became both a coping mechanism and a mission to inspire others—and why, if given the chance, he'd proudly come back and do it all again as a United States Marine. Col. Donigan shares his experiences with: · Surviving combat in Lebanon and the aftermath of the Beirut barracks bombing · The healing power of running and his marathons · Raising funds for wounded warriors and their families · Leadership, legacy, and living with purpose post-service In This Episode You Will Hear: • We need to do a better job with American history, and make our kids aware of, and proud of our heritage. (1:47) • I wanted to go where the action was, and was sent to Okinawa to serve battalion force Marines. (11:54) • The Marine Corps made me a runner. (20:36) • I had a grandfather who ran the Boston Marathon in 1916, so I always had this dream of running in it. (22:11) • I was the first Marine Corps finisher [of the Boston Marathon]. (24:24) • Everybody wants to be the popular guy; the likeable guy. But there are some things that your inexperienced troops don't know, and you have to be the hard guy – a bit of a prick. But if you're not willing to do that and you let things slide, people are gonna get hurt and you're not gonna bring everybody home. (31:31) • There was a group of engineers that were out playing football. All of a sudden, the first round came in, and one of the marines hit the deck and his helmet rolled off. The next round came in and a piece of shrapnel took the top of his head off. (32:47) • “Nice guys kill Marines” is something I live by and continue to teach. (33:42) • I learned how critical fitness was to leadership and combat leadership. (35:47) • Marcus, three's things about you, being a SEAL and being a sailor that will be with you till the day you die. (37:45) • I've been able to take veterans in need, and connect them with case workers with a fund and see them get immediate assistance. (41:19) • Walking is good. If you can get 10,000 steps a day, that really adds up to something good for your health. (45:50) Support Hank - thefund.org https://runsignup.com/Race/47358/Donate/rpy06X1vBee5NBTB Support TNQ - IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13 - https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit Sponsors: - WARFARE IN THEATERS APRIL 11th Watch Trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JER0Fkyy3tw First Look Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3DWuqiAUKg&t=3s - - PXGapparel.com/TNQ - bruntworkwear.com/TNQ - Selectquote.com/TNQ - Groundnews.com/TNQ - You can find Cremo's new line of antiperspirants and deodorants at Target or Target.com - selectquote.com/TNQ - shipsticks.com/TNQ - Navyfederal.org - Robinhood.com/gold - strawberry.me/TNQ - stopboxusa.com {TNQ} - ghostbed.com/TNQ [TNQ] - kalshi.com/TNQ - joinbilt.com/TNQ - Tonal.com [TNQ] - greenlight.com/TNQ - PDSDebt.com/TNQ - drinkAG1.com/TNQ - Shadyrays.com [TNQ] - qualialife.com/TNQ [TNQ] - Hims.com/TNQ - Shopify.com/TNQ - Aura.com/TNQ - Policygenius.com - TAKELEAN.com [TNQ] - usejoymode.com [TNQ]
#LEBANON: HEZBOLLAH KEEPS ITS WEAPONS. DAVID DAOUD, BILL ROGGIO, FDD.1969 BEIRUT
Bei “Dark Matters” folgt ab dem 30.4. eine Spezial-Staffel. Eva-Maria Lemke stellt euch die Story vor, die “Dark Matters”-Redakteur Kilian Pfeffer in seinem Spin-Off erzählt. In sieben Folgen geht er einem Fall aus seiner eigenen Familie nach. 1979 wird sein Onkel, der ehemalige STERN -Journalist Robert Pfeffer, auf offener Straße in Beirut von einem Killerkommando ermordet. Die Spur führt ins Terror-Milieu. Ein ermordeter Journalist. Ein verschwundenes Manuskript. Ein Rätsel, das bis heute nicht gelöst ist. “Zwei Schüsse ins Herz – Warum musste mein Onkel sterben?”
Herrreinspaziert, Herrreinspaziert! *trööt* *auf-die-Clownnase-drück* Das siebte Album von Zach Condon ist eine Auftragsarbeit für einen schwedischen Zirkus. Trotzdem klingt es mehr oder weniger wie ein «normales» Beirut-Album. Nostalgie und Manegenromantik inklusive.
PREVIEW: Colleague David Daoud confirms that Hezbollah, after so many defeats, is beginning to rearm through the Beirut Port. More later. 1920 BEIRUT
This video's release was delayed over the weekend due to security reasons. Reporting from Gaza, Afeef Nessouli - a freelance journalist and host of “With Afeef Nessouli” on Patreon. He is also an adjunct professor for Parsons School of Design. He has previously worked for Spotify, The Daily Show and The Wall Street Journal. He focuses on queer and Arab stories. Afeef lived through the 2006 Lebanon war and went to prison in Beirut for covering Palestine. You can find his work on social media at https://www.instagram.com/afeefness/
In this episode of the PRS Global Open Keynotes podcast, Dr. Aref Nassar from Beirut Lebanon discusses the ideal proportions of the earlobe and how the earlobe changes with aging. Non-surgical therapies as well as an algorithm for surgical management of earlobe elongation is presented. This episode discusses the following PRS Global Open article: “Addressing Earlobe Elongation: A Systematic Review of Surgical Reduction Techniques in the Aging Population” by Aref Nassar, Carla Nassar, Elia Kassouf, Marc Aoude, Charbel El Feghaly and Marwan Nasr. Read it for free on PRSGlobalOpen.com: https://journals.lww.com/prsgo/fulltext/2025/02000/addressing_earlobe_elongation__a_systematic_review.55.aspx Dr. Aref Nassar is a senior Plastic Surgery Resident at the Hotel Dieu de France University Hospital, Saint Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon. Your host, Dr. Damian Marucci, is a board-certified plastic surgeon and Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Sydney in Australia. #PRSGlobalOpen; #KeynotesPodcast; #PlasticSurgery; Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery- Global Open The views expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of ASPS.
This is a special announcement episode broadcast on all FTP channels. We at FTP are hosting a series of weekly film screenings and discussions on the Lebanese wars starting this Sunday April 20. In this short episode, Elia and Ayman go through the list of films they selected, what you can expect from the screenings, and how you can participate. To sign up and join the watch parties head over to our Patreon where you'll find this post with the invitation link.Invites are immediately available to all Patreon members. If you don't want to become a member, you can buy the link with a one-time purchase.--All the films (except the last) are already publicly available on this playlist on our Youtube Channel.The films we'll watch are: A Feeling Greater than Love (2017) dir. Mary Jirmanus Saba - A feature-length documentary about the class struggle and labour movements in the lead up to the outbreak of the war in 1975.Lebanon's War - Part 3: Explosion (2001) - A 42 minute episode of a documentary series by Al-Jazeera on the Lebanon Wars that covers in great depth the 1975 outbreak of the civil war with incredible, rare interviews.Beirut, My City (1983) dir. Jocelyne Saab - A 38 minute film by a legendary Lebanese filmmaker filmed in Beirut amidst the Israeli siege that serves as a timeless intimate meditation on a city tortured by war and occupation.Souha, Surviving Hell (2001) dir. Randa Chahal Sabagh - A 57 minute documentary following communist resistance fighter South Bechara as she returns to the south of Lebanon after its liberation from Israeli occupation in 2000.Last Days of the Man of Tomorrow (2017) dir. Fadz - A short film that serves as a brilliant, illuminating, and humorous retrospective on the war by the post-war generation.-- -- Hope to see you at the film screenings! Here again is the link to sign up.
This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Dr. Craig Larkin, director of the Center for the Study of Divided Societies at King's College London. Dr. Larkin is also a research lead on Memory and Conflict for XCEPT, a research consortium studying cross-border conflict. There, he focuses on the relationship between communal memory and violence. Together, Jon and Dr. Larkin unpack different approaches taken to reconstruction and reconciliation after violence in the Middle East. Then, in his farewell Babel appearance, Martin Pimentel takes Jon's spot by continuing the conversation with Ninar Fawal and Will Todman to discuss pitfalls the international community should avoid when supporting post-conflict recovery. Transcript: "Craig Larkin: The Politics of Memory, From Mosul to Beirut to Gaza," CSIS, April 17, 2025. Dr. Larkin's latest work: "Lebanon's October Revolution (al-thawra 17 tishrīn) and the Civil War: Memory, Protests and Mobilisation," Brill, December 3, 2024.
Through her “archaeology of the future” design approach, the Lebanese-born, Paris-based architect Lina Ghotmeh has firmly established herself as a humanist who brings a profound awareness of past, present, and presence to all that she does. In the two decades since winning her breakthrough commission—the Estonian National Museum in Tartu—her practice has taken off, with Ghotmeh swiftly becoming one today's fastest-rising architectural stars. Just a week after we recorded this episode of Time Sensitive, she was named the winner of a competition to design the British Museum's Western Range and, shortly after that, she was announced as the architect of the new Qatar Pavilion in the historic Giardini of Venice; she is also the designer of the Bahrain Pavilion at the just-opened 2025 Osaka Expo. Across her high-touch, high-craft projects, whether a brick-clad Hermès leather-goods workshop in Normandy, France, completed in 2023; the timber-framed 2023 Serpentine Pavilion in London; or the concrete-walled Stone Garden apartment tower (2020) in Beirut, Ghotmeh celebrates the hand.On the episode, Ghotmeh reflects on the long-view, across-time qualities of her work and outlines what she believes is architecture's role in shaping a better world ahead.Special thanks to our Season 11 presenting sponsor, L'École, School of Jewelry Arts.Show notes:Lina Ghotmeh[5:01] “The Shape of Time: Remarks on the History of Things”[5:01] George Kubler[5:01] Trevor Paglen[8:41] “The Long View: Why We Need to Transform How the World Sees Time”[8:41] Tim Ingold[11:15] “Windows of Light”[11:15] “Lecture: Lina Ghotmeh”[12:06] Beatriz Colomina[12:06] “Are We Human?”[19:58] Gaston Bachelard[24:04] Olga de Amaral[24:04] Cartier Foundation[24:04] Juhani Pallasmaa[24:04] “The Eyes of the Skin”[26:39] Luis Barragán[31:09] Stone Garden (2020)[31:09] Hermès Workshops (2023)[36:36] Peter Zumthor[36:36] “Atmospheres”[41:53] Khalil Khouri[44:51] Jean Nouvel[44:51] Norman Foster[44:51] Estonian National Museum (2016)[46:41] Renzo Piano[46:41] Richard Rogers[46:41] Maya Lin[46:41] Dan Dorell[46:41] Tsuyoshi Tane[50:45] “The Poetic, Humanistic Architecture of Lina Ghotmeh”[51:40] Rimbaud Museum[54:48] “Light in Water” (2015)[54:48] The Okura Tokyo[59:22] Les Grands Verres, Palais de Tokyo (2017)[59:44] Zero-Carbon Hotel Concept (2019)[59:42] Serpentine Pavilion (2023)[1:04:11] Osaka Expo Bahrain Pavilion (2025)
Iran and the United States have concluded a first round of talks in Oman over Tehran's nuclear programme - the highest level meeting between the two nations since 2018.We'll speak to former United States Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman who negotiated the 2015 agreement with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Also on the programme: US President Donald Trump's administration has exempted smartphones, computers and some other electronic devices from "reciprocal" tariffs; and a morris dancer who scored a new world record by dancing non-stop for 11 hours. (Photo: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi speaks to the media in Beirut, Lebanon, October 4, 2024. Credit: Reuters)
This is just a teaser for today's episode, which is available for Patreon subscribers only! We can't do the show without your support, so help us keep the lights on over here and access tons of bonus content, including Roqayah's new weekly column "Last Week in Lebanon," by subscribing on our Patreon for as little as $5 a month. While you're at it, we also love it when you subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts. This week, Roqayah and Kumars discuss the latest news from Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran, including Israel bombing Beirut for the first time since the November ceasefire with Hezbollah, the real scandal of “Signalgate”, the Trump administration's continued escalation against Yemen, the prospect of US strikes on Iran, and more signs that Gaza is not alone.
It's an EmMajority Report Thursday! The guests will be political analyst Omar Baddar on Israel's renewed attacks in Gaza, and Paris Marx, host of the podcast "Tech Won't Save Us," about how Elon Musk is running Tesla into the ground. First, Emma runs through updates on Trump's tariff turmoil and responses in both the Senate and House, Mike Waltz's security issues, Laura Loomer's return to the White House, Israel's seizure of land in Gaza, a joint US-Israel attack on Syria, Netanyahu's visit to Hungary, and Eric Adams' announcement that he's running as an independent, before diving deeper into Trump's tariff announcement, including the bunk equation they used to calculate this policy, and the obvious, extensive impact it will have on everyday Americans. Omar Baddar then joins, jumping right into Israel's major escalations to their ongoing ethnic cleansing of Gaza, with Netanyahu's recent announcement that Israel would be going ahead with a full-scale land seizure in North Gaza, adding a “second Philadelphi Corridor” south of Gaza City amid their revamped military barrage, all under the dishonest pretense of saving the hostages. Baddar and Emma then look to Israel's expansion of hostilities even outside of the genocide of Palestinians, with repeated bombardments against Lebanon – including occasional strikes on Beirut – ongoing despite an alleged ceasefire, unpacking the country's (and Netanyahu's) extensive history of pushing an agenda of regional chaos to bolster their position as Middle East watchdogs for the West, with Israel serving major roles in spurring the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 and in gutting the Iran Nuclear deal under Trump 1.0. Omar wraps up by touching on the growing backlash to Israel's belligerency on the international stage, and whether there is hope to be found in both regional and global actors turning away from the US-Israel imperial coalition. Paris Marx then gets right into the wonderful revelations in Tesla's quarterly earnings report, walking through the devastating drop in sales amid mass recalls, a diversifying EV market, and overwhelming global backlash to the fascist politics of Elon Musk. Marx then tackles the particular failures of Tesla's *ONLY* new major model release in recent years with the Cybertruck, and how it represents the greater issue of allowing a deranged billionaire to make outrageous promises completely detached from the material reality of both his company and modern technology, before shifting to the explosive impact Chinese products are currently having on the EV market, with BYD proving clear affordability and profitability even in European markets, developments that are all in line with America's dwindling role as a global economic leader. Paris and Emma wrap up by examining the growing existential threat facing Elon Musk and his companies as backlash to his corrupt business practices and corrupt politics hits back at Tesla and Starlink profits in Europe and Canada, all while he continues to tie his billionaire lifestyle to the worth of those stocks. And in the Fun Half: Emma is joined by Matt Binder and Brandon Sutton as they watch Trump Cabinet members come out of the woodwork to plead with the public not to panic or get upset over their complete decimation of the global economy and mass inflation it will cause. They also talk with Cassie from Indiana about state-based pushback to the Trump Administration, and listen to Senator Jim Banks' wild victim blaming as our public health apparatus faces massive job cuts, plus, your calls and IMs! 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