Ben 😷 Hubbard
Beirut Bureau Chief, The New York Times. Author of MBS: The Rise to Power of Mohammed Bin Salman. Out Now! from @timdugganbooks. Order here: prh.com/mbs.
Last synced from Twitter 903d ago
For Trump, Defying Mideast Truisms Produced Breakthroughs and Backfires
Disregarding norms and accepted wisdom, President Trump went his own way in the Middle East and, in some cases, got what he wanted.
Saudi Prince Accuses Palestinian Leaders of Failing Palestinians
The remarks by Prince Bandar bin Sultan, a senior member of the royal family, signaled an erosion of Saudi support for the Palestinian cause.
Lebanon and Israel, Officially Enemies, Agree to Talks on Sea Border
The negotiations will be their first on nonsecurity issues in three decades but officials do not expect them to lead to peace talks.
Saudi Writer’s Dream Comes to Life Two Years After His Killing
Democracy for the Arab World Now, or DAWN, was the brainchild of Jamal Khashoggi, whom Saudi agents killed in 2018. The group is to be launched in Washington on Tuesday.
How a Massive Bomb Came Together in Beirut’s Port
Fifteen tons of fireworks. Jugs of kerosene and acid. Thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate. A system of corruption and bribes let the perfect bomb sit for years.
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Ben 😷 Hubbard
NEW from the @nytimes international/graphics dream team:
How corruption and dysfunction in Lebanon's government and the port of Beirut allowed the accidental assembly of a massive bomb - and how it blew up, second by second.
176d
Beirut’s Youngest Cancer Patients Lose Care Options After Blast
Many children undergoing chemotherapy in Lebanon now have nowhere to turn for treatment after an explosion destroyed hospitals and wiped out medicine stockpiles.
U.S. Contractor Knew of Explosive Material in Beirut Since at Least 2016
An American contractor spotted and reported the potential danger at least four years ago, but U.S. officials denied they were aware of the findings until last week, after the blast.
Beirut Blast Hit 3 Disparate Neighborhoods. Now They’re United in Rage.
The demands for a change in Lebanon’s leadership are growing louder.
Clashes Erupt in Beirut at Blast Protest as Lebanon’s Anger Boils Over
The demonstration was fueled by fury over the corruption and negligence of the country’s ruling elite. Security forces fired tear gas to push back the protesters.
As French President Visits Beirut, Lebanese Ask Where Their Leaders Are
It was a day of funerals and fury in Beirut as residents cleared the rubble from their streets and homes, and vented anger at their government.
As Smoke Clears in Beirut, Shock Turns to Anger
As residents picked up the pieces, many saw the explosion as the culmination of years of mismanagement and neglect by Lebanon’s political leaders.
Explosions Rock East Beirut
Buildings were damaged in the Lebanese capital and many people were wounded. The source of the explosions was unclear.
A Saudi Spy Chief Hid Abroad. With Appeals and Threats, M.B.S. Tried to Bring Him Back
To try to force a former Saudi intelligence officer to return to the kingdom, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman asked for his help, targeted his family and sought to have him arrested abroad.
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Ben 😷 Hubbard
NEW: How MBS tried to coax a former Saudi intelligence officer home by asking for his help, offering him a job, threatening to have him arrested abroad and filing an Interpol notice.
None of it worked, so the kingdom detained the man's adult children.
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Bartering Child’s Dress for Food: Life in Lebanon’s Economic Crisis
A TV chef abandons unaffordable beef. Blackouts make for sweltering summer nights. Changing money feels like a drug deal: The financial meltdown means daily pain and a blow to a country’s pride.
Laid Off and Locked Up: Virus Traps Domestic Workers in Arab States
The pandemic and economic crises have caused many workers to lose their jobs. Some have been detained, abused, deprived of wages and stranded far from home with nowhere to turn for help.
Israel Announces Partnership With U.A.E. to Fight the Coronavirus
The partnership would be a rare public opening between two key United States allies in the Middle East, and a step toward normalization.
The Hajj Pilgrimage Is Canceled, and Grief Rocks the Muslim World
The coronavirus pandemic upended the plans of millions of Muslims, for whom the once-in-a-lifetime trip is a sacred milestone.
Syrian Doctor Accused of Torture Is Arrested in Germany
Alaa Mousa, who worked in a prison, is expected to be charged with crimes against humanity. He is the third former Syrian official to be detained in Germany.
Syria’s Economy Collapses Even as Civil War Winds to a Close
President Bashar al-Assad faces threats he cannot bomb into submission, as protests erupt over living standards and a rift opens among the ruling elite.
Arab Envoy Warns Israelis That Annexation Threatens Warming Ties
In a watershed op-ed article, an influential Arab diplomat wrote, in Hebrew, that normalization with Israel would not survive a unilateral land grab at the Palestinians’ expense.