By having his supporters torch the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad, the unpredictable Shiite cleric has dragged an administration run by his rivals into a diplomatic crisis.
Across the country, fishermen are giving up on lives that depend on water and are seeking jobs in urban areas, where unemployment is already high and discontent triggers frequent protests.
Amid an outpouring of sympathy for the Syrians hit by the earthquake, Damascus is seizing the moment.
There is now little hope of justice ever being served over the explosion that killed 220 people and devastated swathes of Beirut.
The Cedars, ranked 54th in the world, last made it to international basketball's showpiece tournament in 2010.
