The Beirut Banyan

0:00 Intro 1:50 Misinformation 5:11 Win this Battle 8:10 Messaging 13:29 Policies Click to watch: https://youtu.be/FXLQn4ws274 We're with Dr. Hanina Abi Nader Episode 240 of The Beirut Banyan. We discuss COVID-19, the need to continue to take precautions and battling widespread misinformation against vaccines. Dr. Hanina Abi Nader is a general practitioner. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contri...

0:00 Intro 3:32 Foreign Policy 19:33 Neutrality 28:16 Fouad Chehab 39:20 Army & Presidency 44:46 France 54:37 United States 1:05:24 Current Protest Movement 1:21:43 Political Violence We're with Jeffrey Karam for Episode 239 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/jRFHlmn8Zmg We discuss 'The Middle East in 1958', that year's impact on Lebanon and relationship to the October Uprising...

I record a followup to Ep.237: Affo and reflect on tranquility through painless departure, and my relationship and friendship with my grandmother. In memory of Afaf Dabboucy Mikati. 21 December 1932 - 14 January 2021 Click to watch: https://youtu.be/rtyNxexahd4

I’m joined by grandmother, Afaf Dabboucy Mikati, for Episode 237 of The Beirut Banyan. For the video edition along with English and Arabic subtitles please click on the following link then CC button: https://youtu.be/K53Ag1A94ZU I love you, tayta. Rest in peace. Afaf Dabboucy Mikati 21 Dec 1932 - 14 Jan 2021 Special thanks to Sara Hamzeh for quickly putting the subtitles together.

I share a piece I recently wrote for L'Orient-Le Jour / L'Orient Today on the principles that matter most. Click below to read the articles in French or English: L'Orient-Le Jour: https://www.lorientlejour.com/article/1246487/ne-faisons-pas-le-deuil-de-la-justice.html L'Orient Today: https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1247158/we-should-not-mourn-justice.html Help support The Beirut Banyan by...

0:00 Intro 3:03 Suspension, Censorship & Principles 9:03 Traditional Media's Evolution 16:10 Determined 23:22 Sensitive Issues 30:37 Calculated Move? 34:29 Cost-Effective 45:00 No Click-Bait 48:54 Built-In Pressure 57:29 Intimidation 1:02:52 Ultimate Burden We're with Diana Moukalled for Episode 235 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/GO_lcr0Vl0Q We discuss Daraj Media, her thre...

For Dad. Your heart beats through mine, that day and today. And that, they’ll never take away. Mohamad Chatah 7 March 1951 - 27 December 2013 Music by Marc Codsi. Arabic subtitles by Sara Hamzeh. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/JlNzNMRRxwQ

A short thank you to everyone who watched and listened to the podcast this year. You kept me together. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/FofmSvL-9EQ One final episode (wrapping up 2020) is set for release on Saturday, 26 December at 5pm Beirut time. A special episode marking a difficult occasion. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and receive a notification upon its release. See you in 2021!

0:00 Intro 1:43 End of 2020 5:13 Permanent Change 9:46 Ideals vs Individuals 11:59 Narrative 17:56 March 14 26:53 Violence 32:15 Support vs Silence 43:51 'Possiblist' 1:01:59 Inclusivity & Principles 1:10:51 Bubble We're with Samer Makarem for Episode 233 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/pfClAib3MUM We discuss Minteshreen, permanent changes following the October Uprising, and...

0:00 Intro 4:10 Main Stumbling Block 11:17 Long Term 18:25 Unstable State 26:26 Primary to Breakdown 36:31 Lebanese Position 45:05 Macron Approach 52:26 Immediate Strategy 58:41 State Monopoly 1:06:12 Unicorn We're with Heiko Wimmen for Episode 232 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/2bhBuerTMQk We discuss the recent International Crisis Group briefing, "Avoiding Further Polariz...

0:00 Intro 2:54 Purpose 8:00 Gap 15:30 Initial Three Schools 18:01 Big Toys 23:20 Ground Painting 30:58 Shading Canopies 35:32 Urgency We're with Nada Borgi and Sandra Richani for Episode 231 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/_bqb-BLDj9k We discuss their 'Let's Play' Initiative, aiming to restore and design three playgrounds in three different schools destroyed by the August 4...

0:00 Intro 3:12 The Moment 13:28 Entrepreneurial Spirit 16:20 Importance of Lebanon 19:50 Serge Hochar 25:19 Yves Mourad 28:17 Father Joseph Fahed 30:02 Neila Bitar 32:12 Sandro Saadé 35:07 Ramzi Ghosn 37:37 Elizabeth Gilbert 44:41 Identity We're with Michael Karam for Episode 230 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/8O2mRYdS73s We discuss the recently released film 'Wine and War...

0:00 Intro 2:00 Paralyzed 7:28 Stacked Against You 14:44 Fluid 20:04 The Region 25:26 Monetary 32:06 'Revolutionary' 35:44 Neoliberalism 43:43 Organization 51:11 Youth We're with Rima Majed for Episode 229 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/JRPZRHl6BWg We discuss her recent Middle East Eye piece, 'Lebanon's unfinished revolution: Where next?' and reflect on the underpinnings of...

0:00 Intro 1:16 Independence Day 2020 6:25 Back to 2008 14:50 Gradual Organization 21:00 Claim Power 27:16 Identity 36:34 Life Story 47:32 Phone 56:11 Weapons 1:12:03 Minteshreen 1:19:57 Freedom of Expression 1:27:50 'Bukra' We're with Gino Raidy for Episode 228 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/3K30QInfQAQ We discuss citizen journalism and political activism, and reflect on t...

0:00 Intro 2:22 Paralysis 11:01 Utter Incompetence 14:24 Waiting Game 17:13 Balance of Payments 22:35 Public & Private Debt 26:52 Banking Sector 34:18 Public Sector 42:11 Assistance without Reform 45:54 Threat of Violence We're with Amer Bisat for Episode 227 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/tiMYIRS_BbM We discuss his recent Carnegie / Dispatch piece 'The Tragedy of Doing Not...

0:00 Intro 1:47 Taboo 4:57 Tipping Point 8:18 Hotline 16:16 Taking Time 19:30 Escape 21:36 Aftermath 27:12 Primary Step 29:40 Positive Change We're with Mia Atoui for Episode 226 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/Cx2pM8kPlcE We discuss Embrace and the wider work of raising mental health awareness in Lebanon. Our conversation includes confronting the stigma too often associated...

0:00 Intro 2:10 The Broad Story 10:09 Anxiety 15:45 Personality 23:20 Vacuum 33:26 US Policy Towards Lebanon 39:30 Memories of My Father We're with Firas Maksad for Ep.225 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/kHLwHcH-WZc We discuss the incoming Biden administration and general trends in US foreign policy over the past twelve years. We compare Trump's maximum pressure campaign aga...

I share encounters with Walid Muallem while living at the Lebanese embassy in Washington, DC. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/sTM_eeEhy-c 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 Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our YouTube chann...

I share my interactions with Robert Fisk for this storytelling episode. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/Cc7VCB96eeg Check out the associated article featured in Newlines Magazine: https://newlinesmag.com/argument/robert-fisk-a-conscience-adrift/ Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com...

0:00 Family Name & Intro 2:26 Personal Interaction with the Story 8:30 Alleviating Minority Concerns 12:16 Part of the Story 16:11 Fundamental Issue 19:08 Corruption 24:46 A System that Doesn't Work 28:10 Perpetual Paralysis 31:27 Mentality 37:46 US Policy Shift 39:30 American Engagement 48:56 Lack of Organization 54:30 Balance We're with Larissa Aoun for Episode 222 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to...

0:00 Intro 3:53 A Potential Return to Beirut? 7:18 A Historic Moment? 11:52 Side Effect to Normalization 15:21 The UAE's Jewish Community 18:00 Peoples & Governments 30:15 Social Media 33:31 The Next Five? 40:00 A Family Tradition We're with Elie Abadie for Episode 221 of The Beirut Banyan. We discuss his upcoming move to the UAE as a Senior Rabbi and his hopes to return to Lebanon in the years to...

0:00 L'Orient Today & Intro 2:40 The Lifeline for Traditional Media 9:03 Subscribers Abroad 13:24 Timing 23:11 Digital-Friendly Content 27:06 Fact-Checking 35:33 Objectivity 47:14 Principles 57:46 Intimidation 1:03:54 Aspirations We're with Michel Helou for Episode 220 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/e6qiNvERtbs We discuss L'Orient-Le Jour's place in the Lebanese media lands...

6:21 One Year Marker 22:35 Appetite for Change 35:31 Prisoner's Dilemma 54:10 Easier to Challenge? 1:06:45 The IRA Example We're with Bashshar Haydar for Episode 219 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/JBRahiGFwkA We discuss his recent Center for Global Policy piece 'The Lebanese Predicament' and examine why voters repeatedly elected the same parties and leaders into power. Our...

0:00 Intro 2:32 Anniversary 4:11 Long-Term Goals & Grassroots Activity 13:07 A Late Stage 18:44 Both Sides Fighting for Survival 22:03 Megaphone Today 26:47 Social Pact Discussion 34:15 A Year from Now We're with Jean Kassir for Episode 218 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/S5gXhJTmHHs We discuss the one-year anniversary of the October 17 Uprising and reflect on accomplishment...

0:00 Intro 3:20 Dearborn 22:42 Foundational Flaw 41:47 Fundamental Disagreement 59:55 Force & Pressure 1:05:52 Biden Campaign 1:10:13 Direct or Indirect Support 1:24:48 Coup D'Etat We're with Nicholas Noe for Episode 217 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/A84uohN9HIg We discuss US foreign policy towards Lebanon, and reflect on potential changes should the Biden campaign win the...