Instant Opinion: ‘Lebanon’s worst enemy is its own government’

The Week’s daily round-up highlights the five best opinion pieces from across the British and international media, with excerpts from each.

1. Diana Hodali in DW

on Beirut

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Lebanon's worst enemy is its own government

“... How ever one looks at it, the huge explosion on Tuesday is the result of the dire corruption within numerous Lebanese governments. For years, politicians from all parties and factions have looted the country and driven it to ruin. Even politicians on opposing sides have joined together in this corrupt system to enrich themselves — when it came to lining their own pockets, they were always in agreement. This catastrophe is just the most recent and most horrifying example of how one Lebanese government after the other has failed to fulfill its most basic tasks: looking after the citizens' welfare and well-being.”

2. Dr Masao Tomonaga in NBC News

on the legacy of nuclear devastation

Surviving the nuclear bomb at Nagasaki 75 years ago showed me nuclear weapons shouldn't exist

“... the idea of nuclear weapon-dependent international security is just a pandemic that has spread over many big and wealthy nations since the Cold War era; the imaginations of politicians are infested with this political illness for which they constantly refuse treatment. The danger that comes from this adherence to old ways of seeing the world could be catastrophic. Were a nuclear war to take place, there would be an immediate, huge loss of human life, an ensuing nuclear winter, a succeeding devastating agricultural crisis causing a global famine for billions and, ultimately, possible human extinction.”

3. Jane Shilling in The Telegraph

on how to keep food

The art of storage is the next hip food trend we badly need

“This lack of poetic sensibility is no doubt the reason why I got such terrible marks in all my English Lit exams. But it brings us to the current hot topic of food waste. When it comes to chucking out comestibles, the Covid lockdown concentrated our minds wonderfully. Long queues, empty shelves and a fear of shortages fostered a national outbreak of culinary prudence. But the easing of restrictions has seen a return to a throwaway food culture. WRAP, the Government’s food waste watchdog, reports a 30pc rise in ‘self-reported waste’ – a tendency that it is trying to reverse with its ‘Let’s Keep Crushing It’ campaign, which includes an alphabetical list of food storage advice.”

4. Katy Balls in The Spectator

on a floundering party

The Lib Dem paradox

“The new leader will be integral to setting the direction for targeting these seats – and the type of relationship the party can form with Starmer's Labour. Moran and Davey have different approaches to finding relevance again. They are going after different types of potential liberals. Moran is the outside bet. She has declared that, if picked, she would make the party ‘more radical’ than Labour and has promised to be ‘unapologetic’ about it. Her supporters argue that the fact that she wasn’t an MP in the five years of coalition government means her untainted brand can win over young voters – with a particular focus on soft Labour voters. Her allies say her approach will be similar to Charles Kennedy’s, taking the fight to Labour. However, Moran allies also argue she is in the best position to try to form non aggression pacts with Labour as she does not carry the coalition baggage that Davey does.”

5. Dean Obeidallah in CNN

on Biden’s quick wit

Joe Biden just destroyed one of Trump's biggest attack lines

“That exchange not only aired on Fox News, it went viral on social media. And then almost on cue Saturday afternoon, around the same time Biden was on his bicycle, Trump tweeted out from the posh confines of his country club one of his go-to attack lines against the former VP, calling him ‘Sleepy Joe Biden.’ The irony was delicious. There's Biden briskly riding a bicycle while Trump is at his private country club, where the only exercise he seems to get is getting in and out of his golf cart.”