Beirut
Hezbollah takes capitalThousands of Hezbollah supporters shut down Beirut this week, blocking roads with heaps of burning tires and brawling with government supporters. Two people were killed and dozens wounded. Soldiers and police stood by in riot gear but did not intervene. Hezbollah, a militant Shiite party backed by Syria and Iran, has been threatening to bring down the U.S.-supported government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, a Sunni. It said it put up the roadblocks because two months of peaceful sit-ins had failed to bring the government to negotiations. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said his group wants a big enough share of Cabinet posts to wield veto power in the government.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Gandhi arrests: Narendra Modi's 'vendetta' against India's oppositionThe Explainer Another episode threatens to spark uproar in the Indian PM's long-running battle against the country's first family
-
How the woke right gained power in the USUnder the radar The term has grown in prominence since Donald Trump returned to the White House
-
Codeword: April 24, 2025The Week's daily codeword puzzle
