This week marked the anniversary of the explosion, which destroyed large parts of Beirut in August 2020. The subsequent demonstrations estimatetly brought up to 1,6 million people on the streets, about one quarter of the country´s population. Much violence wasn´t seen during the protests, the sorrow, pain and resignation overwhelmed.
How do you wanna help a country, when its politicians just enrich themselves without any care for the people, and when the most powerfull acteur in inner politics is actually an enemy of yours? Saudi Arabia is currently facing this dilemma, and so far, there´s no solution in sight.
Lebanon was, for most of its history, oriented towards the West, the Mediterranean and later the european nations. Could it be, that in times of a rising China and an expansionary Iran, the country will change it focuse and looks in the East instead? Should Iran be capable to fulfill its dream and gonne establish… Continue reading Towards the East?
Who ever had the opportunity to travel to the Beqaa Valley, like I had today, will soon have realised just how difficult it is to hold control over a state like Lebanon. The coast of Lebanon has always been a place to trade and exchange between different countries and empires. Tyros, Saida, Byblos or Tripolis… Continue reading Two States in one
The new COVID variation from India, called Delta, is on the rise all over the globe and frightens people and governments. Now, first cases have been reported in Lebanon. States that came along pretty well with the pandemic so far, such as Taiwan and Vietnam, or were able to vaccinate many of their people, such… Continue reading Delta is coming closer
Nearly eleven month after the deadly explosion in the port of Beirut, while no one really wasn´t expecting this, there seems to be some kind of progress taking place in the investigation of this catastrophe. In February, leading judge of the investigations, Fadi Sawwan, resigned. He accused several members of parliament to be involved and… Continue reading A surprising Turnaround
Simon Dierich 