The Beirut Banyan

0:00 Intro 3:34 What keeps you here? 10:30 Appreciation for rock music 19:44 Patience 41:25 Democratization 1:00:38 Benefit 1:14:33 Independence 1:34:38 Years to come We're with Rabih Salloum for Episode 283 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/ZFr1aUPNAhI We discuss his current solo project Grave Jones, his latest single 'Heaven Only Knows' and earlier music with Slutterhouse. O...

Click to watch: https://youtu.be/6YFqWn7ny4M I discuss what's at stake when it comes to reformists and next year's parliamentary elections, regional and international posturing vis-a-vis Iran and the increasingly likely return of (Russian-based) Syrian influence over Lebanon, and why any country with leverage over the Iranian regime and negotiating over their nuclear program must place our soverei...

0:00 Intro 5:01 Fatherhood 10:45 Reflection 31:16 Maturity 40:34 2005 & 2009 54:43 March 14 1:06:32 Sectarianism 1:17:21 Militia 1:40:02 Internal Structure 1:44:18 Diaspora We're with Hussein El Achi for Episode 281 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/HS-EVvzEeoA We discuss all that is Minteshreen, reflections on two years past the October 17 uprising and comparisons with earlie...

I discuss the recurring suspension of the Beirut port blast investigation, Judge Tarek Bitar's continued pursuit and the reasons I think the threats against him are more performative in nature than meant to remove him, in an attempt to discredit the entire process as was done to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/Fve_5cMKr3U Help support The Beirut Banyan by contrib...

0:00 Intro 0:25 What is Kulluna Irada? 10:55 'Email your ambassador' 17:10 The same page 26:12 Port blast investigation 35:45 Opposition parties 46:06 Reflective 50:48 Splintering We're with Diana Menhem for Episode 279 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/BUId-YOV0iM We discuss civic engagement, political reform and the wider role of Kulluna Irada. Our conversation includes posi...

0:00 Intro 0:58 Karantina 19:01 1934 Beirut Port Blast 25:47 Tramway 42:52 Train 48:12 Alternative Modes 57:26 Pressing Matter We're with Mohamad El Chemaa for Episode 278 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/Ai_sxzYy9Nk We discuss Karantina's construction and evolution, the 1934 port blast and the country's once-renowned public transport system including the Beirut tramway and L...

0:00 Intro 2:23 Scar 15:48 Change 31:17 Reconciliation 39:47 Militia 48:00 Sovereignty 56:23 Elections 1:11:50 On Your Terms We're with Samy Gemayel for Episode 277 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/3aJdZ4eht-0 We discuss the shared pain of losing family members to political assassinations, and inheriting legacies from loved ones. Our conversation includes Kataeb's political e...

Click to watch: https://youtu.be/8p47uTIfPAg Subscribe to The Beirut Banyan's YouTube channel and help promote our video releases: www.youtube.com/c/thebeirutbanyan Thanks to everyone listening and watching. Stay tuned for tomorrow's episode with Samy Gemayel.

0:00 Intro 0:25 America 28:50 Stability & Crisis Management 47:56 Two Narratives 1:01:49 Sovereignty & Neutrality 1:23:38 October 17 We're with Nadim Shehadi for Episode 276 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/502pNWB33_E We discuss America's influence in Lebanon over the past two centuries, and the soft power interchange among people and education vs a more recent foreign polic...

0:00 Intro 1:05 Tankers & Talks 7:58 Coming from Syria 14:01 Hof Line 23:37 Expectations from Elections 35:33 Burden 44:36 Engaging Iran 49:14 Lebanese Forces' Disarmament We're with Laury Haytayan for Episode 275 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/nAK5qU9hHjA We discuss the energy crisis impacting Lebanon, along with the Iranian oil tanker and World Bank proposal both involvin...

0:00 Intro 4:23 Political Curiosity 18:42 The Same Story 28:29 Broader Alliance 35:43 National Elections 51:38 Hezbollah 1:00:09 Not Leaving 1:08:51 Clarity 1:14:37 Lebanese Forces & Opposition We're with Rawad Taha for Episode 274 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/ekKbRFkfIIs We discuss Rawad's political activism, how the readings of Samir Kassir impacted his views and whethe...

0:00 Intro 2:29 Preconditions 8:57 Sovereignty 28:25 Militia 34:21 Neutrality 50:00 Baabda Declaration 1:02:11 Federalism 1:25:24 Intellectual Journey We're with Hicham Bou Nassif for Episode 273 of The Beirut Banyan. We discuss lost sovereignty, the necessity for a foreign policy of neutrality including examples from the late 1950s and 60s, and the wider debate on decentralization and federalism...

0:00 Intro 4:39 The Last Few Weeks 11:55 Crossroads 15:08 Dysfunction 29:10 Determination 33:24 Iran's Needs 42:38 False Equivalencies 1:01:26 Warzone 1:08:14 Salvageable System? 1:22:55 Departure We're with Tala Ramadan for Episode 272 of The Beirut Banyan. We discuss the immense challenges over the past few weeks and rampant dysfunction making daily life enormously difficult in Lebanon. Our conv...

In memory of the victims of the August 4 blast. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/x7v4ktFV21Q Written and narrated by Mike Azar. Music by Marc Codsi.

0:00 Intro 2:40 Storyteller 10:59 School Years 18:06 Instagram 27:57 Liberating 32:52 Modern Beirut 42:12 Focus of Beirut 49:07 Diaspora 1:02:54 'Lebanese' 1:10:20 Nahda 1:18:46 National Narrative 1:44:20 Phoenicia 1:57:35 Collateral 1:59:55 Saydet el Bzez We're with Charles al-Hayek for Episode 270 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/4Io4GQGssdY We discuss the importance of sto...

Previously unpublished introduction to my conversation with Jad Ghosn from his podcast, 'Reflection with Jad Ghosn'. For the full episode: https://youtu.be/2-UV_y30tPQ We discuss the July 2006 war, why I started my WalkBeirut tour and The Beirut Banyan podcast, and a general background to storytelling. A special thanks to Jad Ghosn for letting my publish the introduction to our episode.

0:00 Intro 1:52 Erosion 9:18 Safety Issues 18:05 Incentives 26:18 Biking Today 33:50 Corruption We're with Elena Haddad and Zeina Hawa for Episode 269 of The Beirut Banyan. Video: https://youtu.be/x1EzebEJM20 We discuss incentives needed to position the bicycle as a serious alternative to car usage as well as corruption impacting all things public sector. Our conversation includes lack of pedestri...

0:00 Intro 1:28 Part of the Story 9:04 Intimidation 14:52 Crux of the Issue 22:04 Covering Lebanon We're with Matthew Kynaston for Episode 268 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/KBaDJHgPihw We discuss his recent interrogation, wider consequences of intimidation and what it's like for a reporter to become part of the story covered. Our conversation includes Matthew's character-d...

0:00 Intro 2:45 Accomplishments & Ageing 10:40 A Way to Express 18:57 Birth Pangs of Greater Lebanon 27:34 Comparing Trends 39:32 Tools Needed to Shield 54:18 Sectarianism 1:00:52 Federalism 1:08:25 1975-82 We're with Chloé Kattar for Episode 267 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/SW0_voCRSiM We discuss emotions accompanying completion of a PhD in Lebanese history overlapping w...

Chaker Khazaal is a reporter, speaker, and author. His work includes an acclaimed trilogy 'Confessions of a War Child, Lia, and Sahara', 'Tale of Tala' and 'OUCH!', penned following the Beirut port blast. Follow Chaker on social media: IG: chakerkhazaal; FB: @ChakerKhazaalPage; Twitter: @ChakerKhazaal From long-form analysis to in-depth essays and books covering wide terrain, Tala Ramadan shares h...

This week's article is "Tension & Turf", accessible via the following link: https://nowlebanon.com/tension-and-turf/ 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 podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbany...

The Written Word by Tala Ramadan, Ep.2 'Borderline Love in Beirut' with Majd Zaher Majd Zaher is a Lebanese author who nurtured a profound interest in reading and writing his entire life. Majd has written many short stories and participated in numerous competitions. His book 'Borderline Love in Beirut' is a collection of love stories often concealed under the pretext of norms and culture. This nov...

0:00 Intro 4:56 What happened? 11:11 'Tfeh 3leik' 19:29 A Way Out 24:09 Action We're with Yasmine Masri for Episode 265 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/aF6T-JNDKrU We discuss yesterday's verbal and physical attack between Yasmine and Gebran Bassil's security team, the fallout following national media coverage and wider reflections on where the October 17 uprising stands at t...

Happy to announce that I'll be contributing a weekly opinion column for NowLebanon. New pieces will be narrated here on the podcast. This week's article is "The Anarchist & The Dinosaur", accessible via the following link: https://nowlebanon.com/the-anarchist-and-the-dinosaur/ Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreo...

The Written Word by Tala Ramadan Episode 1 - Tala discusses predictive text technology, its impact on journalism and how wider issues surrounding AI affect Lebanon. The article referenced in this piece, 'The Next Work by John Seabrook' is accessible via the following link: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/10/14/can-a-machine-learn-to-write-for-the-new-yorker Available across audio podcast p...