Tears in my eyes as I listen to the last broadcast by
@BBCArabic
, closing down after 85 years. It meant so much to so many people here over the decades. Now the airwaves are dead. End of an era.
Shame on the
#BBC
for suspending Nada Abd al-Samad, who served
#BBCArabic
impeccably and courageously for 27 years. Her sin was to RE-tweet, in the chaotic early hours of 7/10, a news post referring to Hamas fighters as "resisters". Nada is author of a book on the Jews of Lebanon
@bassel_doueik
@BBCArabic
The BBC language services used to be funded by the Foreign Office ("soft power") but that ended some time ago, so they had to be paid for from the UK licence fee, i.e. the domestic services, which are under mounting financial pressure. Cuts had to be made and this was one of them
How sad it should come to this.
@BBCNadaSamad
was a champion for
#BBC
in Beirut for 27 years until suspended for one retweet on 7/10. It didn't need to end like this.
Thanks to everyone who supported me after the news about my relationship with the
#BBC
,where I’ve been working for 27 y.what I can say now is that I’ve sued the BBC for damaging my reputation,and its failure to protect me by allowing the
#Telegraph
to publish my picture and name
#Lebanon
- a monthly salary or pension of LL5m was worth a reasonable $3,333 for years. Today, with the lira reaching 50,000 to $1, it's worth just $100. The leaders are in no hurry to do what needs to be done. What next?
If you want to help the distressed Lebanese after this unimaginable disaster, trusted friends of mine are working with Samidoun, so you can be sure your contribution will go directly to the most needy. You can contribute direct by going to
For historical context, this is probably the most important video you'll ever watch. Let Israelis tell you in their own words how they stole other people's land, how they raped young girls, how they tortured and massacred innocent civilians.
Despite everything
#lebanon
still surprises. Brilliant flautist Wissam Boustany
@wizzbangflute
and the
#Lebanese
#Symphony
#orchestra
wowed us with Mozart, Beethoven & H Khoury. Many young people playing & in audience. Encouraging and moving. Thanks!
Devastating account by friend and colleague
@ian_black
and his amazing wife Helen Harris about the crippling, rare neurological ailment FTLD that is slowly eroding him. Ian is one of the most acute and respected writers on Middle East.
Desperately sad news that
@ian_black
formerly and eminently of the Guardian has died after a long and courageous struggle with FTLD, a vicious neurological disorder that cruelly shuts you down. Middle East reporting and analysis have lost a towering figure.
Happy Norouz to all! Such a wonderful time of the year. Why do we bury our western New Year in dead of winter? This is the time of joy and rebirth!
#Let
's changetoNorouz!
@walidjoumblatt
نقطة مهمّة جدّاً وليد بك : ندى ما وصفت حماس كمقاومين، بل هي عم��ت ريتويت(retweet) لتويت خبري من شخص ثاني الذي استعمل هذه الوصفة. البي بي سي محايد و ما تصف حماس كمنظمة ارهابية او منظمة مقاومة.
@G1G2
@BayoumiMoustafa
No. She reweeted a post from someone else using an epithet that some would find distasteful. Quoting someone else is not adopting their position.
The Caliphate has gone, but
#IslamicState
's roots are still there, stretching to the Indonesian jungle. Compelling doco by Q Sommerville & team - do watch. After the Caliphate: On the Trail of IS via
@YouTube
Quote of the day : “Those who want to foil the possibility of a Palestinian state should support the strengthening of Hamas and the transfer of money to Hamas. This is part of our strategy.” Benjamin Netanyahu to Likud Party, 2019.
#israel
#gaza
#hamas
A stunning rant from the astonishing Jonathan Pie explaining why you should vote for whoever might beat your local Tory hopeful. A Decade of The Tories. via
@YouTube
I'm outraged by the arrogance of those who try to dictate what a woman must do with her body, in the name of a faith not all share. The same people are unfazed by schoolkids blown away by maniacs with assault guns.
"Faced with this grim reality, we have chosen to carry on dancing – until the music stops," Ian wrote in October. Now he is gone, and the music has stopped.
The Brits and the US were WW2 allies, but competed like mad to dominate the Middle East later. My review of 'Lords of the Desert' by James Barr via
@LSEMiddleEast
Despite everything, a big and well attended concert in
#Beirut
last night by Irtijal, an improv ensemble, with 26 musicians on stage producing some amazing sounds.
Another pioneering on-the-ground piece from the amazing
@amberinzaman
:
#Yazidis
in Iraqi Kurdistan face 'extinction,' community leaders say via
@AlMonitor
Such sad news.
#Iraq
counter-terrorism expert and government advisor Hisham al-Hashimi shot dead tonight in Baghdad. There were few people who knew more about ISIS and were as generous with their knowledge.
#Edinburgh
airport
@EDI
so deserted there was an oystercatcher (big black & white wader) wandering along normally busy road right in front of terminal looking like a lost tourist. Sad.
Farewell to brilliant sculptor and wonderful warm friend Mona Saudi منى_سعودي# who has passed away in Beirut. Her huge legacy lives on in her talented artist daughter Dia to whom deepest condolences
I am beyond thrilled to be hosting and chairing this one-of-a-kind event. Getting Syrian artists to the UK is almost impossible—this is as close to a miracle as it gets. Join us and hear their stories. They are no less than incredible.
This is a residential block in Khan Younis city completely destroyed by an Israeli air strike. The clapping and cheering is from watching Israeli soldiers.
Remember Khan Younis was once declared ‘safe’.
Unforgivable genocide.
Havent flown
#BA
longhaul for a while, shocked to find all food & drinks for sale, no in-flite vids, glass of water special request, for 4.5 hr flite. Really? Ticket was €643.28. Wow!
The UN says Israeli settlers carried out 850 attacks against the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank last year. We visited the house N. of Ramallah, which was set on fire overnight and spoke to eyewitnesses there. My for AJE with producer Fadwa Hodali, cameraman Osama Hassan.
The recording of our first webinar that took place last Friday is now online! Follow this link to listen to
@MuirJim
discuss Lebanon's revolution in the midst of the Coronavirus. Thank you to all who joined us.
#LSELebanon
Many
#Turkeyearthquake
survivors are still sleeping in sports halls or tents. Others have been evacuated from the area altogether, with university students moved out of their accommodation to make space for them. Our report for
@BBCr4today
with
@zeynep_erdim
and
@robtaylortv
Israel’s assassination machine | Chatham House my review of Ronen Bergman's extraordinary book about ‘the most robust, streamlined assassination machine in history’ and many of its exploits
Delighted and honoured to be appointed next British Ambassador to Lebanon. Very much looking forward to working with our dedicated
@ukinlebanon
team and our partners and friends across Lebanon to build further our close ties and wide-ranging cooperation.
Haven't flown
@British_Airways
for a while, shocked to find all food & drinks for sale, no in-flite vid, for 4h50m flight. Really? Ticket €643.28. Wow!
Nasrullah : "
@realDonaldTrump
is the biggest liar in US presidential history". I suspect Trump will like this, he always wants to be biggest in history...