Hide This Sword That We Shall Not See!

This Is Beirut 2024-01-29 13:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

"Dionysius, the tyrant of Syracuse, lived in a castle surrounded by a moat and constantly under the watch of numerous guards. Dionysius, who was always worried, surrounded himself with courtiers whose job was to flatter and reassure him. Among them, Damocles, the king of the goldsmiths, incessantly praised his master for the fortune of being the ...

The Patriarch Once Again in Hezb's Crosshairs

Alissar Boulos 2024-01-29 18:32 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Social media flared up on Sunday and Monday with a smear campaign against the Maronite Patriarch, Bechara Rai, accusing him of "betrayal" and of being the "Arabic-speaking spokesperson" for Israel. In his Sunday sermon, Patriarch Rai denounced Hezbollah’s military operations against Israel on the southern border. He shared a letter, received ...

'Unity of Fronts': Is It Really Achievable?

Rami Rayess 2024-01-31 07:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

The slogan “Unity of Fronts” emerged some time ago to reflect the vision of the axis commonly referred to as the “Axis of Resistance” or simply the axis of “al-Moumanaa.” This term specifically denotes the alliance spearheaded by Tehran and encompassing an array of military arms across multiple countries in the region. Predominantly, ...

Maronite Bishops: No Border Demarcation Without a President

This Is Beirut 2024-02-07 17:32 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

The Maronite bishops voiced full support to Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai's stance, refusing to jeopardize the lives of residents of South Lebanon who have been exasperated by the escalation of cross-border tensions between Hezbollah and Israel that endanger their livelihood and properties. In a statement released on Wednesday, following their ...

Trump to Meet Cabinet at Camp David on Iran

This is Beirut 26/05 18:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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U.S. President Donald Trump is set to hold a rare cabinet meeting at the Camp David presidential retreat on Wednesday as Iran talks near a critical point, a White House official told AFP. The choice of the secluded retreat in the Maryland mountains -- which Trump hardly ever visits, in a break with previous presidents -- reflects the sensitive ...

Basketball: The Beirut Cup Calendar

This Is Beirut 2024-02-13 20:47 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

The seventh edition of the Beirut International Cup Tournament, sponsored by BetArabia, promises exciting moments for basketball fans. Organized by the dedicated committee, the event will be held from February 17 to 20 at the Ghazir Stadium, with a live broadcast on MTV. The competition will open with an exciting clash between the Lebanese and ...

Lebanon Celebrates Beirut Cup Victory Over Syria

2024-02-20 22:08 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

The Lebanese team won the Beirut Cup after winning their third and final game by a score of 94-83. The victory compounded the wounds of the Syrian team, which suffered its third consecutive defeat and finished the tournament without a win. Course of Play The Lebanese team dominated the match on the whole, with coach Jad Al Hajj's men showing ...

Gemayel: Berri Is Torn Between Opposing Alliances

This Is Beirut 2024-03-18 21:54 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Free Patriotic Movement Gebran Bassil

Leader of the Kataeb party Sami Gemayel asserted that Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, whom he accuses of obstructing the presidential election, is attempting to balance his alliance with Hezbollah and his relations with the United States. "Berri cannot go against the Americans, as he has interests in the United States where members of his ...

Salman Rushdie’s Pen: A Sword Against AI

2024-03-22 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

In an essay translated into French and published in the literary journal La Nouvelle Revue Française (NRF), celebrated novelist Salman Rushdie offered his perspective on the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on the literary domain. Renowned for his Booker Prize-winning works such as The Satanic Verses and Midnight's Children, Salman ...

Lebanon: From a Democratic System to Rule by Consensus

This Is Beirut 2024-03-29 07:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

A former official narrates that, before the 1989 Taif accord which put an end to Lebanon’s 15-year-long civil war, the presidential elections were held within constitutional deadlines, preventing any void in the State’s top post. Then, the elections took place within the framework of the democratic system and according to the balance of power ...

Germany and Nicaragua Cross Swords at Gaza Genocide Case

This Is Beirut 2024-04-08 13:34 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Nicaragua and Germany crossed swords at the UN's top court on Monday, with Managua saying Berlin was "pathetic" to supply aid to Gazans while also providing Israel with weapons, a case the top German lawyer dismissed as "grossly biased". Nicaragua has hauled Germany before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to demand judges impose emergency ...

Rai Condemns Sleiman's Murder, Calls for 'Self-Restraint'

2024-04-09 11:44 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai condemned the muder of Lebanese Forces coordinator in Jbeil Pascal Sleiman. He called on citizens "to show calm and self-restraint in this delicate and tense political, security and social situation." In a statement issued on Tuesday, Rai also urged "the judiciary and the security forces to do their duty by ...

Azerbaijan Accuses Armenia of ‘Media Campaign’ at ICJ

This Is Beirut 2024-04-15 11:59 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Armenia and Azerbaijan are facing each other at the ICJ on Monday over mutual "ethnic cleansing" claims, as tensions increase between the long-running enemies. Azerbaijan and Armenia again crossed swords before the United Nation's top court on Monday, with Baku accusing Yerevan of using the high profile hearings to wage a "public media campaign" ...

Jerusalem, Through Peace, Not by the Sword

Fady Noun 2024-04-27 10:33 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

In the "low-intensity war" it has been waging since October 8 against Israel in support of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah has officially mourned the deaths of 273 of its men. But up until now, these sacrifices have not earned the party any gains, and their impact on what is happening in Gaza is almost nil. On the other hand, they have resulted ...

Taiwan Activates Military as China Commences War Games

This Is Beirut 2024-05-23 10:22 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Fighter jets took off from a Taiwan airbase on Thursday as the self-ruled island dispatched aerial and naval forces in response to China's launch of military drills. Beijing commenced two days of war games, dubbed "Joint Sword-2024A," as a "strong punishment" for Taiwan's "separatist acts." They come after the island swore in new President Lai ...

China Warns Taiwan of War Amid Military Drills

This Is Beirut 2024-05-24 13:32 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

China said on Friday that Taiwan's leadership was pushing the self-ruled island into war and warned of further "countermeasures," as Beijing conducted military drills around the territory. Chinese warships and fighter jets surrounded Taiwan on the second day of drills that Beijing said were a test of its ability to seize the island, days after ...

End of Chinese Military Intimidation Drills Around Taiwan

This Is Beirut 2024-05-25 10:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United Nations United States

China puts an end to the military exercises around Taiwan, which began on Thursday morning in reaction to the election of pro-independence president Lai Ching-te. China has ended two days of military drills around Taiwan that saw jets loaded with live munitions and warships practice seizing and isolating the self-ruled island. The exercises ...

Philippines Says Chinese Coast Guard Boarded Navy Vessels

This Is Beirut 2024-06-19 16:03 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

The Philippine military said on Wednesday that the Chinese coast guard rammed and boarded Filipino navy boats in a violent confrontation in the South China Sea this week, in which a Filipino sailor lost a thumb. Monday's incident was the latest in a series of escalating confrontations between Chinese and Philippine ships in recent months as ...

Euro-2024: Bellingham, Kane Rescue England from Shock Exit to Slovakia

This Is Beirut 2024-06-30 23:08 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

England escaped an embarrassing last 16 exit at Euro 2024 thanks to Jude Bellingham's overhead kick, followed by Harry Kane's strike in extra-time, for a 2-1 win over Slovakia on Sunday. The Three Lions have been hyped as one of the favorites to end a 58-year wait for major tournament glory, but looked set to go out with a whimper to Ivan ...

Behind Netanyahu’s Calculus on Lebanon Escalation Amid Potential U.S.-Iran Deal

Claudia Groeling 26/05 19:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Benjamin Netanyahu Lebanon Donald Trump Hezbollah Israel

Israel launched a widespread wave of overnight strikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley, targeting more than 100 Hezbollah sites, according to the Israeli military. The IDF said the strikes hit weapons storage facilities, command centers, observation posts, and infrastructure allegedly used by Hezbollah militants to coordinate attacks ...

Iran Media Says Negotiators Seek $24bn Asset Release in U.S. Deal

This is Beirut 26/05 14:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Iranian media said Tuesday that Tehran's negotiators were seeking the release of around $24 billion in frozen assets abroad as part of a process aimed at ending the war with the United States. The report by Tasnim news agency came as a top Iranian delegation was in Qatar and after Tehran said it was finalizing a 14-point framework for a deal on ...

AI Writing Tools: A Double-Edged Sword for Creativity

Béatrice Moreau 2024-07-13 10:14 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

A new study finds that AI writing tools can enhance individual creativity but may lead to greater uniformity in stories across authors, presenting a social dilemma. Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to assist with creative tasks like story writing. While AI tools can help individuals generate more novel and enjoyable stories, a ...

Escalation in Southern Lebanon Intensifies Amid Regional Diplomatic Efforts with Iran

This is Beirut 23/05 23:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon South Lebanon Hezbollah Israel Lebanese Army

Military activity sharply escalated in southern Lebanon on Saturday despite ongoing diplomatic signals of potential breakthroughs in regional negotiations involving Iran and the United States. The Arabic spokesperson for the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, issued two separate evacuation warnings covering a total of 15 towns and villages in southern ...

Why Lebanon Still Lacks a Viable Shia Alternative

Marwan El Amine 21/05 17:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Amal Hezbollah Israel Washington

An important question is increasingly being raised among sovereigntist political circles in Lebanon and within regional and international forums, particularly in Washington: where is the Shia alternative to the Hezbollah-Amal political alliance? Some parties ask this question in good faith, based on the conviction that any meaningful path toward ...

Iran Condemns U.S. Sanctions as Washington Expands Pressure on Hezbollah’s Institutional Network

This is Beirut 22/05 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Hezbollah Washington Amal Lebanon Israel

Iran on Friday strongly condemned new U.S. sanctions targeting Iranian Ambassador-designate to Lebanon Mohammad Reza Sheibani, as well as several Lebanese political, military, and security officials accused by Washington of supporting Hezbollah. In a statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry described the sanctions imposed by the U.S. Treasury ...

Lebanese Army Responds to U.S. Treasury Allegations Against Intelligence Officer

This is Beirut 22/05 13:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanese Army Lebanon Hezbollah Israel US Treasury

The Lebanese Army Command issued a statement on Friday in response to a decision released by the U.S. Department of the Treasury concerning the alleged involvement of a Lebanese Army officer in the leaking of intelligence information during the current year. The Army Command noted that it had not been notified of the matter through the ...

EU Expands Iran Sanctions Over Strait of Hormuz Navigation Threats

This is Beirut 22/05 14:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The Council of the European Union on Friday expanded its sanctions framework against Iran to include individuals and entities involved in actions deemed to threaten freedom of navigation in the Middle East, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement, the Council said the amended legal basis would allow the EU to impose restrictive ...

No Turning Back in Lebanon-Israel Talks

Samar El-Kadi 22/05 15:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Amal Hezbollah negotiations

Amid a fraught ceasefire, preparations are underway for the next phase of the U.S.-mediated Lebanon-Israel diplomatic process, which analysts describe as a major turning point. Security talks between Lebanese and Israeli military delegations are scheduled to begin at the Pentagon on May 29, while a parallel political track is set to reconvene in ...

Pakistan Army Chief in Tehran as Iran Weighs U.S. Peace Offer

This is Beirut 23/05 01:20 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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Pakistan's powerful army chief arrived in Tehran on Friday as diplomacy around the Middle East war gathered pace, with Iran weighing a new US peace proposal while warning that deep divisions still stand in the way of a deal. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei cautioned that the visit did not mean "we have reached a ...

U.S. Sanctions on Hezbollah and Amal's "Deep State": Implications for the Duo and the State

Claudia Groeling 23/05 01:50 - Reading : 7 minute(s)

Amal Hezbollah Lebanese Army Lebanon Israel

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on nine individuals in Lebanon accused of supporting Hezbollah and obstructing efforts to disarm the Iran-backed group, in one of Washington’s clearest moves yet to counter Hezbollah’s influence over Lebanon’s political and security institutions. The sanctions, announced by the ...