Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran threatens Europe Iran threatened Wednesday to strike US bases in Europe and elsewhere beyond the Middle East if attacks resume on the Islamic Republic as mediators work to de-escalate the war. By Gabrielle Debinski In New York City, reporting on the Middle East
France, US push rival UNIFIL plans ahead of Lebanon mandate expiry With the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon due to expire in six weeks, France and the United States are advancing sharply different proposals for the country's future after UNIFIL's departure. Israel
Lebanon detains Hezbollah members as PM pledges end to impunity Concerns about internal strife are growing amid tensions between Lebanese authorities and Hezbollah. Lebanon
Lebanon’s AI ambitions face classroom test AI and technology proficiencies are needed to boost the country's economic growth, but as the education system struggles, student reliance on chatbots for learning is growing. Lebanon
Salafist Factions on Rise At Palestinian Camp in Lebanon The historically contentious Palestinian refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh in southern Lebanon has been shaken up by the the surge in the proliferation of hard-line Islamism in the region, Nasser Chararah reports. Lebanon
New March 14 Group to Launch In Lebanon Next Week Next week will see the birth of a new current that intends to recapture the spirit of the Lebanese March 14 Movement under the guidance of former MP Samir Franjieh, writes Elie al-Hajj. Lebanon
Lebanese Elections: Three Scenarios As Shiite, Sunni and Christian considerations threaten to disrupt and even cancel the Lebanese elections scheduled for this summer, Jean Aziz outlines the three potential paths developments could take in the near future. Lebanon
Lebanon Foreign Minister Creates Stir Over Syria Lebanon’s foreign minister, Adnan Mansour, draws criticism from both his own government and the Gulf states by calling for the reinstatement of Assad’s Syria in the Arab League, writes Elie Hajj. Lebanon
Netanyahu Sets Scene For Obama Visit Israel's prime minister has stepped up demands for US support while minimizing the visibility of the settlement issue in preparation for the US president's upcoming visit, writes Clovis Maksoud. Israel
Lebanese Maronites Hope Patriarch is Next Pope For the first time since Lebanese independence, many Lebanese Maronites think that there is a real chance that their patriarch becomes pope, writes Jean Aziz. Lebanon
Obama Should Re-Launch Peace Process Some are expecting US President Barack Obama to relaunch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, but this should not mean negotiations just for the sake of negotiations that eventually go nowhere, writes Nassif Hitti. Palestine
Lebanon's Gathering Storm Over Syria As the Syrian conflict enters its second year, Lebanon's security situation is weakening as sectarian tendencies rise, signaling a coming crisis, writes Scarlett Haddad. Lebanon
Jabhat al-Nusra and Hezbollah In First Confrontation For the first time in the 23-month-old Syrian civil war, Jabhat al-Nusra and Hezbollah have been involved in direct confrontations, writes Jean Aziz. Lebanon
Lebanese Elections Likely to Face Postponement As the debate regarding the Orthodox Gathering law rages on, amid a complicated web of alliances between Lebanon’s sectarian contingents, elections are unlikely to take place according to schedule, writes Elie Hajj. Lebanon
Dissension Emerges Among Islamists In Egypt, Tunisia The divisions among Islamic parties have hampered stability and governance in Egypt and Tunisia, writes Nassif Hitti. Egypt
Fear of Islamic Extremism Brings Eastern Churches Closer There are growing links between the various churches of Eastern Christianity, driven by what they see as the threats to Christianity in the Middle East as a result of the Arab Spring, writes Nasser Chararah. Lebanon
