This article first appeared on May 18, 2023 on CNN Business Arabic in Arabic (link) Source: CNN Business Arabic The rapid growth of social media platforms and their impact on modern society has raised concerns about how to regulate these digital spaces. While some governments, such as the United States with its RESTRICT Act, are pushing for bans on certain platforms, there are more effective and balanced approaches to consider. By adopting regulation similar to the EU’s data privacy laws, promoting media literacy, and acknowledging the limitations of bans, governments can protect bot ..read more

I was fortunate enough to attend an early viewing of one of the episodes from the captivating limited series, “Ghosts of Beirut,” courtesy of Showtime, at a movie theater in Washington, DC this week. The previewed episode was the third of the series, in which the elusive “Radwan,” or Imad Mughnieh, is finally unmasked after prolonged attempts by the CIA and Mossad to capture (and kill) him. Simply put, if you found Fauda intriguing, you’re bound to find “Ghosts of Beirut” irresistible. The cast is brilliant, with Hisham Suliman (Abou Ahmad in Fauda) playing an older Mughnieh, and th ..read more

Sarde had me hooked from the get-go, and let me tell you, it’s not just because Mouin and I go way back, or the fact that Medea has been my ride-or-die close circle for the past few years. As Sarde’s inaugural non-host guest, I found myself caught in the whirlwind of early pandemic lockdowns, the relentless tempo of life under a besieged Sulta, and my own dance with the authorities courtesy of those countless and recurring illegal detentions and intimidation. Fast forward through 100 episodes, and my love for the Sarde After Dinner podcast has evolved beyond my friendship with Medea and ..read more

I’m going to cut down on it I haven’t touched my Instagram account much since October 3, 2022. It was fresh off my account’s third suspension since 2019. I thought, I need to cool all that heat off of the account. Four weeks later, when I was dipping my toe to doom-scroll a bit (still not posting) I was surprised that my account was yet again suspended. For the fourth time. It turned out trolls were going back to posts from months and years ago, flagging them as “terrorist organization” because they were critical of Hezbollah and its leader Hassan Nasrallah. So, I archived most of m ..read more

I didn’t want to write this piece. I’m close to at least six of the 13 MPs. I’ve known them for years. I’ve worked alongside some, was a student under others and campaigned for a few of them over more than one election. Almost six extremely disappointing months into their terms though, I had to pen this down. Their tenure has been a horror show. It’s like a car crash that’s in slow motion, but on repeat since May 2022. Every massive blunder and tiny misstep is a like a punch to the gut and the successive feelings of disappointments have transformed into confusion and anger. I w ..read more

In the run-up to the 2022 Lebanese parliamentary elections, I started a 15-episode podcast series where I tried to showcase candidates I believed in and endorsed. I felt the impact of these long-form, measured and less bombastic (than IG stories) podcast episodes was impressive, and I enjoyed recording them. After the dust had settled, I decided to longer episodes with guests I respect or admire, discussing areas of their expertise or a lived experience I feel is worth sharing with whoever wants to listen. The first episode of this series was with a dear friend of mine, Pamela Ghanem, and we ..read more

You’re hanging out with friends, and one of you is wearing an Adidas hoodie. The iconic trefoil logo has an extra knot though. A quatrefoil, if you will. You wittily quip “when you get Adidas, but from Ali Express!” and your friends start laughing even though they’ve heard a million versions of that joke, way too many times already. The “from Ali Express” is a running joke now, often aimed at poorly executed attempts to knockoff a better product, person or situation. Hezbollah, and their handlers in Tehran, keep making sure this joke remains relevant, no matter how many times no one falls ..read more

Over the years, I’ve teamed up with QS International for their fantastic graduate studies events in Lebanon, the UAE and Egypt. This time we’re giving extra attention to Dubai, given so many of my readers have moved there in the past couple of years. Embarking on a new life in a new place is tough as it is, with a crowded labor market and fierce competition. One way to stand out from the crowd, is to supplement your undergraduate degree with an MBA or Master’s (or both!). Of course, if you’re like me, the application process and figuring out financial aid and scholarships is a daunting t ..read more

Lokman Slim, assassinated by Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon 6 months after the Aug 4, 2020 blast To cut to the chase, it’s their obsession with the 2005-era March 14 vs March 8 alliance. Those of you too young back then or unfamiliar with that toxic dichotomy, Lebanon was occupied by Assad forces for three decades. After Hezbollah and Assad assassinated Rafik Hariri in 2005, mass protests and international pressure forced Assad to retreat from Lebanon, liberating Lebanon. Ahead of that glorious day, Hezbollah gathered its subordinate sectarian political parties to “thank” the Assad regime ..read more

After an astounding performance in the parliamentary elections for change-makers, it’s time to actually govern This article was originally published on NOW LEBANON Lebanese demonstrators gather outside the municipality building during ongoing anti-government demonstrations in the northern port city of Tripoli on November 5, 2019. Demonstrators in Lebanon blocked key roads and prevented some public institutions from opening after mass rallies showed political promises had failed to extinguish the unprecedented protest movement. Photo: Ibrahim Chalhoub, AFP There are plenty of moments ..read more