The F-35: Cutting-Edge Fifth-Generation Stealth Fighter
Paul Guillot 20/11 17:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Saudi Arabia United States Washington
On November 17, 2025, just ahead of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's visit to Washington, the United States announced the imminent sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, marking a pivotal moment in their strategic alliance. But what is the F-35, and what makes it one of the most sought-after combat aircraft in the ...
Trump and MBS Seal Massive Deals
Paul Guillot 19/11 21:13 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Donald Trump Saudi Arabia MBS USA Deals
The Saudi crown prince, welcomed to a lavish ceremony at the White House, revealed that the initial six hundred billion dollars in mega-deals would expand to nearly one trillion dollars, aiming to support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and reinforce strategic ties with the United States. Donald Trump, emphasizing his business deal skills, hailed the ...
Trump’s Plan for Gaza: Heading into Phase 2
Paul Guillot 13/11 19:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Donald Trump Gaza Hamas ceasefire Israel-Hamas accord
One month after the October 10 ceasefire meant to close the chapter on two years of war in Gaza, the United States is struggling to turn the truce into a meaningful political process. Phase 2 of Trump’s ambitious 20-Point Plan was meant to shift from a halt in fighting all the way to reconstruction. Yet internal documents obtained by Politico ...
Tehran Fights for Its Political Survival in Iraq
Paul Guillot 11/11 19:11 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Tehran Hamas Hezbollah USA Iraq
Officially, the elections are hailed as a step forward for a country still scarred by two decades of war and instability. In reality, the vote unfolds under the persistent shadow of Iran, determined to preserve a political system it has largely shaped since Saddam Hussein’s fall in 2003. Outgoing Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani owes his ...
Nigeria: Where Every Fault Line Is Exploding
Paul Guillot 10/11 16:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Donald Trump Washington Nigeria Boko Haram Islamist
The tragic events of Monday, November 11, speak volumes about Nigeria’s downward spiral. Nearly 200 jihadists were killed in clashes between Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) around Lake Chad, according to several local sources. The infighting highlights the extreme fragmentation of a conflict that has torn apart ...
The U.S. Urges the UN to Lift Sanctions on Syria’s President
Paul Guillot 06/11 16:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam United Nations Donald Trump Damascus Syria Ahmad al-Sharaa
According to a draft obtained by The Associated Press, the U.S. is asking the Security Council to remove a set of sanctions imposed on Ahmad al-Sharaa and his Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab. The resolution could be put to a vote as early as Thursday. To pass, it must secure at least nine votes and avoid a veto from any of the five permanent ...
Hamas: A Beheaded Organization Still Standing
Paul Guillot 22/10 18:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Hamas Palestine UN Security Council USA
Is the terrorist group Hamas still capable of inflicting damage on the state of Israel? An investigation by American outlet NBC suggests that it is. Despite being severely weakened after two years of open war, the Islamist movement is believed to still have around 20,000 fighters, hundreds of rockets – including some with long-range ...
Trump and Artificial Intelligence: Reclaiming America’s Lead
Paul Guillot 07/10 11:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Donald Trump United States White House
In January 2025, barely back in the White House, Donald Trump set the tone: artificial intelligence would not be merely a technological challenge but a strategic instrument to secure American supremacy. The Executive Order 14179, Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence, marked a turning point. Regulatory constraints ...
Tinder AI Connection: When the Algorithm Plays Cupid
Paul Guillot 07/10 11:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
With digital apps shaping more and more of our love lives, Tinder – the world’s leading dating platform with over 55 billion matches recorded – is taking a new step forward. The growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is not just transforming our search for love; it’s reshaping the very nature of human interaction, raising ...
AI and Employment: A Process of Creative Destruction
Paul Guillot 07/10 11:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Europe International Monetary Fund New York United States USA
AI is hailed for boosting efficiency, speed, and productivity. But behind the hype, a global concern looms: could it put millions of jobs at risk? From Salesforce headquarters to Amazon warehouses, from New York offices to emerging markets, one question dominates: is AI a ticking social time bomb? A Subtle but Global Threat The IMF estimates ...
Algorithms, Lavender, and the Art of War
Paul Guillot 07/10 11:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
In 2023, the conflict between Israel and certain armed groups in Gaza saw the large-scale use of artificial intelligence in military operations. One program, called Lavender, became a central tool for target selection. It relies on machine learning algorithms that cross-reference multiple sources – images, intercepted communications, and ...
Edito ...
Paul Guillot 07/10 11:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
It has no face. No body. And yet, it is everywhere. Artificial intelligence (AI) has slipped into our phones, our cars, our medical diagnoses, our administrative decisions, our screens. It simulates and executes. So why do we still hesitate to look it straight in the eye? Because it is abstract? Because we still think it’s meant only for ...
Disarming Hezbollah: The Lebanese Army Challenge
Paul Guillot 05/09 10:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Lebanon Lebanese army Hezbollah
As Lebanon slowly recovers from the war between Hezbollah and Israel, the Lebanese Army faces a critical mission: extending state sovereignty across the entire country by establishing a monopoly on arms. This requires disarming the Iran-backed militia, a historic and high-risk operation that could redefine both the army’s role and the ...
Trump Slams Beijing-Moscow-Pyongyang Alliance
Paul Guillot 03/09 13:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Donald Trump Ukraine Vladimir Putin China North Korea
Once again, Donald Trump has demonstrated his sharp diplomatic instincts and vigilance in the face of threats to the United States and the free world. In a forceful message posted on Truth Social, the American president pointed to a reality many refuse to see: Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un are openly conspiring against America and ...
Iran and the Sanctions’ Reinstatement: From Balance to Isolation
Paul Guillot 01/09 15:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Banks Europe Iran Economy Sanctions
Three months after the “twelve-day war” with Israel, Iran is struggling to keep its economy afloat under severe US sanctions. With mounting military pressure, the return of European sanctions and the continuing collapse of its currency, the Islamic Republic has never been more vulnerable. Fragile Growth Despite decades of international ...
Baabda-Louaizeh: Families, Parties and Clientelism
Paul Guillot 30/04 14:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Free Patriotic Movement Lebanese Forces Hezbollah municipal elections Baabda-Louaizeh
On the eve of municipal elections in Baabda-Louaizeh, three competing lists are contending in a climate marked by family rivalries, sectarian tensions and shifting political alliances. Amid changing party loyalties, the clientelist influence of the village of Sebnay and a population eager for improved public services, Sunday’s vote could ...
One Easter, One Hope
Rayan Chami 20/04 14:15 - Reading : less than a minute
Lebanon Easter Orthodox Catholic Maronite
In a rare alignment of calendars, Lebanon’s Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Maronite churches celebrated Easter together. From messages of renewal to reflections on unity and homecoming, believers across sects shared one spirit of resurrection and hope.
Iran: Diplomacy on the Edge of Collapse
Paul Guillot 17/04 21:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Donald Trump European Union Europe Middle East
Speaking from Tehran on Thursday, April 17, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, warned that “time is running out” to reach a new agreement on Iran’s nuclear program. His visit comes at a tense moment, with European diplomatic efforts largely sidelined and fears of military confrontation ...
From Turban to Power Suit: The Reinvention of Ahmad al-Sharaa
Paul Guillot 16/04 14:25 - Reading : less than a minute
Ahmad al-Sharaa, once a commander in Syria’s brutal jihadist landscape, now claims he’s the only one who can rebuild what Assad destroyed. Once a symbol of war, now a voice of reconstruction? Who is this man reshaping his image, and possibly Syria’s future?
Shaken by Instability, Will Erdoğan Choose the Path to Damascus?
Paul Guillot 25/03 18:35 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Damascus European Union Middle East Turkey United States
The arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul and Erdoğan’s main political rival, has triggered an unprecedented wave of protests across Turkey. Accused of corruption, İmamoğlu denounces what he describes as a politically motivated attempt to sideline him ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Since his detention, tens of thousands ...
UNIFIL Celebrates 47th Anniversary Amid Fragile Ceasefire in Southern Lebanon
Paul Guillot 20/03 17:10 - Reading : less than a minute
Ceasefire Hezbollah South Lebanon United Nations UNIFIL
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) marked on Wednesday the 47th anniversary of its establishment, amidst a fragile truce in southern Lebanon. Since its inception in 1978, UNIFIL's mandate has included overseeing the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the South and aiding the Lebanese government in restoring its authority in the ...
The Ben Gurion Canal Project: A Viable Alternative to the Suez Canal?
Paul Guillot 13/03 10:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Gulf Middle East Palestine
As geopolitical and economic issues in the Middle East continue to dominate global discussions, a concept from the 1960s is resurfacing: the Ben Gurion Canal project. Named after David Ben Gurion, Israel's first prime minister and a key figure in the creation of the Jewish state, this ambitious initiative proposes linking the Gulf of Aqaba at ...
Gaza: $53 Billion for a Fresh Start
Paul Guillot 07/03 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
The estimated cost to implement the reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, which was presented by Egypt and endorsed by the Arab leaders’ summit in Cairo on Tuesday, is $53 billion. This staggering figure – if someone earned $1 million per day, it would take them 145 years to accumulate $53 billion – reflects a comprehensive assessment of ...
PKK Declares Ceasefire with Turkey after 40 Years of Armed Struggle
Paul Guillot 01/03 17:08 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Damascus Middle East Turkey United States
Outlawed Kurdish militants on Saturday declared a ceasefire with Turkey following a landmark call by jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan asking the group to disband and end more than four decades of armed struggle. It was the first reaction from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) after Ocalan this week called for the dissolution of the group ...
Tariff Crisis: Trump Redefines Global Trade
Paul Guillot 05/02 12:20 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Donald Trump Canada Mexico China Trade Tariffs
The Trump administration has disrupted the global economy with a series of dramatic announcements and last-minute negotiations, imposing new tariffs on key trading partners – Canada, Mexico and China. While Canada and Mexico secured temporary reprieves through emergency agreements, China remains entrenched in a fierce tariff standoff. Amid ...
60 Days of Tensions: Recap of the Ceasefire Between Hezbollah and Israel
Paul Guillot 26/01 11:00 - Reading : less than a minute
Nawaf Salam Lebanon Ceasefire Hezbollah
Two months after the announcement of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, tensions remain palpable. Despite an international monitoring mechanism, repeated violations of the agreement have been reported, and discussions on a complete Israeli withdrawal are struggling to conclude. A look back at a decisive period for regional stability.
Syria: A Powerful Armed Group Demands Military Autonomy
Paul Guillot 08/01 19:25 - Reading : less than a minute
In southern Syria, the “Southern Operations Room” rejects the disbandment of armed groups imposed by the new authorities. With thousands of fighters and heavy weaponry, the group insists on maintaining its military autonomy within the Ministry of Defense.
Syria: Another Captagon Lab Discovered in Damascus
Paul Guillot 08/01 18:05 - Reading : less than a minute
A newly uncovered Captagon production facility in Damascus showcases the scale of Syria’s drug trade. With an estimated annual revenue of over $10 billion, this drug has become the country’s top export, fueling a shadow economy and criminal networks to the benefit of the Assad clan.
Lebanese Predictions for 2025: Uncertainty and Shy Hope
Marilyne Jallad 2024-12-31 18:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Hezbollah Lebanese Army New Year
As we wander through the bustling streets of Basta al-Tahta, lined with small shops, it is easy to forget that this neighborhood paid a heavy price before the ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hezbollah on November 27. Yet, the harsh reality quickly reasserts itself. Illegal Weapons: A Persistent Wound That Dims Hope With graying hair and ...
Christmas in Beirut: The Long-Awaited Return of Expats
Paul Guillot 2024-12-23 18:00 - Reading : less than a minute