The Augean Stables Trump Must Clean Up
Mario Chartouni 14/01 20:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Donald Trump Ukraine US Treasury USA
President-elect Donald Trump faces a host of complex challenges as he prepares for his January 20 inauguration. Amid a deeply polarized America, he aims to unite the nation and tackle its pressing issues. Here are the key priorities for his presidency: The Economy: A Top Priority Trump has made the economy the centerpiece of his agenda, vowing ...
A Tale of Two Aouns
Mario Chartouni 13/01 12:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Lebanon Joseph Aoun Presidency
As Joseph Aoun takes office as President of the Lebanese Republic, he inherits more than just a position: he carries a name weighed down by a heavy legacy. Michel Aoun, his predecessor, left his mark on Lebanon’s history as the embodiment of failed governance, an unwavering ally of Hezbollah and its destructive agenda for Lebanon, and a ...
The Future of Gaza: UAE Faces Reconstruction Challenges
Mario Chartouni 10/01 15:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to ravage the Gaza Strip, the territory's post-war future grows increasingly urgent. Since normalizing ties with Israel through the Abraham Accords, the United Arab Emirates has emerged as a key regional actor, positioning itself as a potential partner for the reconstruction and governance of ...
The Caesar Act: A Long And Winding Road
Mario Chartouni 08/01 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
For over thirteen years, Syria has been at the heart of one of the bloodiest civil wars of the past half-century. While the fighting has subsided with the fall of Bashar al-Assad – overthrown on December 8, 2024, by a coalition of rebels led by the group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – the country remains mired in an unprecedented economic and ...
Syria: A Confounding Chessboard of Escalating Tensions
Mario Chartouni 2024-12-03 10:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Damascus Hezbollah Tehran Turkey United States
The situation in Syria is marked by an escalation of tensions, with major clashes on multiple fronts and increased international intervention. From US airstrikes to reinforcements arriving from Iraq and statements from Tehran, the chaos continues to deepen, painting an increasingly complex picture of the ongoing conflict. US strikes on ...
How Credible Is Iran-Israel's War of Words?
Mario Chartouni 2024-11-02 11:30 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Middle East United States Iran Threats
Listening to the reverberating rhetoric between the key players in the Middle Eastern conflict feels akin to witnessing a trivial quarrel. However, when words become the currency of fools, how can we gauge the credibility of the threats exchanged between Iran and Israel? A Volatile Rhetoric In the aftermath of the attack launched by Israel last ...
The ‘Dahyeh Doctrine’: A Deterrent Israeli Military Strategy
Mario Chartouni 2024-10-08 17:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
For weeks now, the southern suburbs of Beirut, commonly known as "Dahyeh," have been subjected to Israeli strikes that have recently become a daily occurrence. The neighborhoods have faced extreme turmoil since September 27, when Israel conducted violent raids that destroyed at least six buildings in Haret Hreik, targeting the Secretary-General of ...
The Handshake That Reportedly Sealed Nasrallah's Fate
Mario Chartouni 2024-09-30 19:08 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader who commanded the pro-Iranian group for 32 years, was assassinated by Israel on Friday in Beirut's southern suburb. This marks one of the most perplexing chapters in a saga that has been ongoing since October 8. But how did Israel succeed in eliminating a man who believed himself untouchable? One of the most ...
Can the Jordanian Islamists Make a Change?
Mario Chartouni 2024-09-13 17:47 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
The Islamic Action Front (IAF), the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood and main opposition party in Jordan, has won the September 2024 legislative elections by a landslide. However, this groundbreaking victory far from undermines the state’s control over the party or changes the fact that the Jordanian Parliament has a limited role ...
Casting at the Élysée: Who Will Take Up Residence at Matignon?
Mario Chartouni 2024-09-04 21:04 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
While French President Emmanuel Macron is still searching for the ideal candidate to fill the position of Prime Minister, new names keep emerging on the list of contenders. Bernard Cazeneuve: A “Throwback” for Macron? Born in 1963 in Senlis, Bernard Cazeneuve is a seasoned figure in French politics. A former lawyer, he entered politics in ...
Strike in Israel: A Threat to Netanyahu?
Mario Chartouni 2024-09-03 19:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
For months now, general discontent with the government has been brewing within Israeli society. This Sunday, however, it seems to have reached a boiling point, as Arnon Bar-David, head of the Histadrut (Israel's largest trade union federation), has called for a general strike. So, what exactly is going on? What’s Behind the Strike? Following ...
Elon Musk: Multi-CEO and... Cabinet Member?
Mario Chartouni 2024-08-22 12:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Former United States President Donald Trump may consider appointing Elon Musk to a role in his administration if he is re-elected in November, as he told Reuters during an interview on Monday. But what makes Musk so special? A non-linear odyssey The world's richest man, the CEO of multiple multinational companies (Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, The ...
Commodities: Your Alternative to the Stock Market
Mario Chartouni 2024-07-23 16:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Financial jargon is filled with terms borrowed from English that can seem complex at first glance. One such term is “commodities,” which refers to raw materials (RMs) traded as financial instruments on the stock market. Alternatively, if you have ample storage space, it can also mean physical goods. The aim here is to closely examine this type ...
The Paths to the Ultimate Investments
Mario Chartouni 2024-05-28 15:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Finding out ways to preserve and increase one's wealth is a permanent concern worldwide, but it is an acute need in Lebanon due to the ongoing multidimensional crisis that has been afflicting the country for over four years. This issue is a persistent challenge, especially as cash is the number one ruler, and its financial management has proven to ...
The Scarecrow of Consumer Society
Mario Chartouni 2024-03-22 11:05 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Reading the media, whether left-wing or right-wing, it is common to come across the term "consumer society" (or "consumerism"). The expression may seem confusing because, ultimately, everyone, in all countries, consumes to satisfy their needs. Criticism From All Sides A consumer society is characterized by a culture centered around the ...
Lebanese Cannabis: The Green Gold
Mario Chartouni 2024-02-09 17:47 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanese cannabis is often hailed as among the finest in the world, a sentiment echoed by former Minister of Economy Raëd Khoury, MP of Baalbek-Hermel, Antoine Habchi, and supported by a 2018 report from the consulting agency McKinsey & Co. Let’s focus on showcasing the profitability of legalizing cannabis for medicinal purposes. National ...
How Sri Lanka Overcame Its Crisis
Mario Chartouni 2024-01-13 11:28 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
In 2019, Sri Lanka, the Asian island celebrated for its rich heritage and stunning landscapes, faced its most severe economic crisis since gaining its independence in 1948. What were the underlying causes, symptoms, effects, and potential solutions for this crisis? No Smoke Without Fire The first tragedy struck on April 21, 2019, Easter Sunday, ...