This is Beirut - Middle East

Shaken by Instability, Will Erdoğan Choose the Path to Damascus?

Paul Guillot, 25/03 18:35 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Damascus European Union Middle East Turkey United States

The arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul and Erdoğan’s main political rival, has triggered an unprecedented wave of protests across Turkey. Accused of corruption, İmamoğlu denounces what he describes as a politically motivated attempt to sideline him ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Since his detention, tens of thousands ...

Ircad 2025: Beirut Leading the Charge in Medico-Surgical Innovation in the Middle East

Makram Haddad, 25/03 11:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Ircad Beirut Lebanon Middle East

From March 26 to 29, 2025, Beirut will host the Ircad conference, a leading scientific event focused on the latest advances in minimally invasive and robotic surgery. This edition will place particular emphasis on robot-assisted urological surgery, an expanding field where artificial intelligence and robotics are revolutionizing surgical ...

US Pressures Lebanon on Border Security Amid Rising Tensions

This is Beirut, 24/03 21:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Joseph Aoun Middle East United States Washington

The United States is increasing pressure on Lebanon over security concerns in the south, questioning the Lebanese army’s role in preventing rocket launches and urging action to resolve border disputes. US Deputy Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus emphasized Washington’s commitment to stability in Lebanon, reaffirming strong US-Lebanese ties while ...

Tuberculosis: Transmission, Symptoms, Treatment...

Élie-Joe Kamel, 24/03 16:10 - Reading : less than a minute

Middle East Tuberculosis Infection Virus

How is tuberculosis transmitted? What are its symptoms and possible treatments? Why is it spreading in the Middle East? On the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day, and to answer these questions, This is Beirut offers an interview with Jacques Choucair, head of the Infectious Diseases Department at Hôtel-Dieu de France in Beirut.

Rediscovering Jean Ducruet: The Man Who Preserved Saint Joseph University

Fady Noun, 22/03 12:40 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Damascus Europe Middle East Pope Francis USA

The chaplaincy of Saint Joseph University (USJ) had the inspired idea this year to honor Father Jean Ducruet (1922–2010), rector of USJ from 1975 to 1995, by dedicating its 8th Jesuit Week (March 10–14) to him. This tribute coincided with the 150th anniversary of the university’s founding in 1875. To rediscover Father Jean Ducruet, one need ...

Peace Hopes Remain Remote as Turkey's Kurds Mark 'Newroz'

This is Beirut, 21/03 17:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Middle East Turkey Kurds New Year

Three weeks after jailed PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan urged his militants to disband, Turkey's Kurds were celebrating their Newroz New Year Friday with peace prospects still remote. The efforts to broker a solution to the decades-long Kurdish conflict have likely been complicated by the widespread unrest provoked by Wednesday's arrest of Istanbul ...

Vision 2030: Saudi Arabia’s Bold Bid for a New Era

Natasha Metni Torbey, 21/03 14:10 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Formula One Middle East Saudi Arabia

By 2030, Saudi Arabia envisions a radical reinvention of itself. Since April 25, 2016, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has been leading a bold and transformative agenda, centered on innovation, economic diversification, and unprecedented social reform. Vision 2030 is reshaping Saudi Arabia’s economic, political, and social landscape ...

MBS's Diplomatic Gamble: Reshaping Saudi Arabia’s Geopolitical Role

Natasha Metni Torbey, 21/03 14:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Saudi Arabia Donald Trump Houthi Israel Middle East

Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), Saudi Arabia has undertaken a series of diplomatic maneuvers that are redefining its role in the Middle East. As a key regional power, the Kingdom aims to position itself as an influential mediator, forge new strategic alliances and normalize relations with pivotal players. These ...

MBS’s Economic Reforms: Success or Continued Dependence on Oil?

Natasha Metni Torbey, 21/03 13:55 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Middle East Saudi Arabia MBS KSA

Since Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) ascended to power in 2015, Saudi Arabia has undertaken a series of ambitious economic reforms aimed at reducing its reliance on oil and diversifying its revenue sources. These reforms are the cornerstone of Vision 2030, a blueprint designed to transform the Kingdom into a modern, diversified global economic power. ...

Four US Strikes Against Houthis in Yemen's Al-Kathib Region

This is Beirut, 20/03 19:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Houthi Middle East Iran Yemen

US warplanes carried out four strikes on Thursday evening against Houthi positions in the Al-Kathib region, in the Al-Minaa district of the Yemeni province of Al-Hodeida. These strikes come just hours after the Israeli army announced that it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen early on Thursday morning, against a backdrop of intensifying ...

Pressure from Washington: Lebanon on Edge

Salam El Zaatari, 20/03 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA Steve Witkoff Donald Trump Middle East Lebanon

When a US envoy speaks this bluntly, the game has changed. Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to the Middle East, did not hide his frustration with Lebanese officials’ handling of Hezbollah. He went even further, emphasizing that Washington no longer accepts Lebanon’s strategy of maneuvering and political jockeying, arguing that it ...

Making Sense of Trump 2.0 and The Middle East

David Hale , 19/03 17:15 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA United States Middle East

Elections matter. Only a few months ago, the Biden Administration struggled to assert its relevance amidst dramatic events in the Middle East. It had plenty to say, much of it contradictory, as it attempted to deal with the Democratic Party's split personality on Israel and the Palestinians while losing an election. The fragile ceasefires that ...

Middle East