The Beirut Banyan

A conversation with Richard Salame - journalist at The Public Source. An episode co-hosted by Wael Taleb - journalist at L'Orient Today.

A discussion covering fact-checking and journalism in Lebanon, relative perspectives on public sourcing, a passion for the public sector and other topics ranging from reporting on the IMF staff level agreement to recurring civil employee strikes.

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:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

2:12 Western vs local ‘fact-checking’

7:01 IMF staff agreement reporting

11:21 Hezbollah & possible IMF deal

17:39 Passion for public sector

21:43 Corruption in Lebanon

26:28 Public sector contracts & CDR

32:03 Public employment

37:22 Recurring strikes

A conversation with Albert Moukheiber - neuroscientist and clinical psychologist. An episode co-hosted by Wael Taleb - journalist at L'Orient Today.

A discussion covering mental health, political agency, maladaptation to uncertainty and a wider understanding of narrative and identity.

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:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

2:38 Emotionally invested

7:37 An adaptive mind

9:47 Split personality

17:42 An uncertainty landscape

38:13 Mental health issues

52:30 SSRI in perspective

57:30 Political absolutism

1:06:31 Political maladaptation

1:15:33 Diminished leadership

1:23:21 Perpetual battlefield

A quick take on Saad Hariri's current visit, Rafik Hariri's legacy 19 years following his assassination and assuming positions of power under Hezbollah-led paralysis.

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:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

A conversation with Mohanad Hage Ali - deputy director for research at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center. An episode co-hosted by Wael Taleb - journalist at L'Orient Today.

A discussion on Hezbollah's calculations in the South, regional diplomacy underway and Lebanon's position vis-a-vis the ongoing Hamas-Israel war.

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:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

2:25 We are all learning

5:31 Increasing danger

10:31 Active & reactive

13:58 Israeli public opinion

17:30 Hamas’ rhetoric

22:31 Back to Lebanon

30:48 Hezbollah’s capabilities

36:09 Houthis

39:10 Israel & the region

42:21 Hezbollah-Iran relationship

59:10 Regional negotiations

1:06:33 Parallels

1:18:56 ‘Pacifying’ force

1:26:11 Battlefield role

Welcoming Wael Taleb to The Beirut Banyan.

Wael will co-host upcoming episodes covering ongoing Hezbollah-Israel clashes, constraints rubbing against free expression, and topics that range from a determined stand-up comedy scene to mental health awareness.

Find Wael on Instagram: [at]wael.ramzi.taleb & Twitter/X: [at]waeltaleb23

Wael Taleb is a journalist at L'Orient Today.

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:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

A quick take on words shared and promises made during commemorations of political assassinations, and the stark reality that no local solutions are available to hold Hezbollah's hitmen to account.

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:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

On the third commemoration of Lokman Slim's assassination...

What stability means when looking back on the port blast aftermath and political assassinations. A word that implies improvement while doing the opposite - accepting a country's security fate tied to Iran's regime survivability.

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:

@thebeirutbanyan

And check out our website:

www.beirutbanyan.com

Reflections on Mohamad Chatah with former UK Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher.

Make sure to watch 'TEN YEARS' that includes conversations with family, friends and colleagues that reflect on Mohamad Chatah's life and career, a decade after his assassination:

https://youtu.be/_jAM77Vz7bk?si=69WFPNc6MDKIY-yT

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

0:02 Business of diplomacy

2:13 Fellow diplomat

3:17 Showing off vs transactional

4:56 Influence towards outside players

6:26 Stability

10:17 Beyond the next corner

12:28 Risks involved

14:11 International Contact Group for Lebanon

15:39 Ambassadors & influence

16:53 Twitter

18:06 How would you describe him?

19:15 Pushing back against standard narrative

20:44 Gap he leaves behind

Reflections on Mohamad Chatah with former US Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey Feltman.

Make sure to watch 'TEN YEARS' that includes conversations with family, friends and colleagues that reflect on Mohamad Chatah's life and career, a decade after his assassination:

https://youtu.be/_jAM77Vz7bk?si=69WFPNc6MDKIY-yT

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

0:02 Looking back

3:04 Stopping by

5:08 July 2006 War

7:15 Bigger picture

8:52 Dinners vs Masterclass

12:37 UNSCR 1701

15:34 Strategic Vision

17:15 Day of assassination

18:27 Principled & integrity

19:44 Serving in vs serving for Lebanon

Reflections on Mohamad Chatah with former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.

Make sure to watch 'TEN YEARS' that includes conversations with family, friends and colleagues that reflect on Mohamad Chatah's life and career, a decade after his assassination:

https://youtu.be/_jAM77Vz7bk?si=69WFPNc6MDKIY-yT

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

0:45 Central Bank Vice Governor & Lebanese Ambassador to U.S.

6:10 Senior Advisor for Foreign Affairs

12:51 STL & UNSCR 1701

21:34 July 2006 War

25:57 2006 - 2008

29:51 Assassinations, Doha Agreement & Finance Ministry

42:32 Months leading up to assassination

55:29 Aftermath