Donald Trump

US Special Envoy for Syria Arrives in Damascus

The US Special Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, arrived in Damascus on Thursday, according to Syria’s official news agency SANA, marking a new stage in the normalization of relations between the two countries following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Barrack, who also serves as the US Ambassador to Turkey, inaugurated the American ambassador’s ...

From Syria to Ukraine: The Gulf as the New Hub of Global Diplomacy (2/2)

https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/articles/1315328/from-irans-nuclear-program-to-gaza-the-gulf-as-the-new-hub-of-global-diplomacy-12  On Tuesday, May 13, US President Donald Trump was received with great ceremony in Riyadh by Saudi Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), marking the first stop on a tour of immense geopolitical and ...

Russia Proposes new Ukraine Talks, Kyiv Demands Terms Upfront

Russia said Wednesday it wanted new talks with Ukraine in Istanbul next Monday to present its plan for a peace settlement, but Kyiv said it needed to see the proposal in advance for the meeting to yield results. Diplomatic efforts to end the three-year conflict have accelerated in recent months, but Moscow has repeatedly rejected calls for an ...

Peace Deal or Pandora’s Box: A June of Reckoning

As the Trump administration accelerates its efforts to clinch a nuclear deal with Iran, the threat of Israeli airstrikes looms larger than ever. According to multiple diplomatic sources cited by The New York Times, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is actively considering unilateral military action against Iran’s nuclear sites—regardless of ...

US Trade Court Blocks Tariffs in Major Setback for Trump

A US federal court on Wednesday blocked most of Donald Trump's sweeping import tariffs from going into effect, ruling that the president had overstepped his authority with the across-the-board global levies. The opinion marks a significant setback to the Republican leader as he bids to redraw the US trading relationship with the world by forcing ...

OPEC+ meets as oil output hike looms

Ministers of the OPEC+ oil alliance, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, discussed production on Wednesday as another hike looms despite falling prices. The 22-nation group began a series of cuts in 2022 to prop up crude prices, but Saudi Arabia, Russia and six other members surprised markets recently by sharply raising output for May and June. The ...

Trump vs. Harvard: Measures That Are Redefining the American Academic Landscape

Since Donald Trump’s return to the presidency in January, Harvard University has found itself at the center of an unprecedented federal offensive that threatens its funding, its ability to host international students, and, more broadly, its academic autonomy. An Unprecedented Financial Offensive The Trump administration already froze more than ...

Iran says May Allow US Inspectors from Nuclear Watchdog if Deal Reached

Iran on Wednesday said it may consider allowing US inspectors with the United Nations nuclear watchdog to inspect its facilities if a deal is reached with the United States. Iran has long been accused by Western powers of seeking to develop nuclear weapons -- a claim Tehran has consistently denied, insisting its nuclear program is solely for ...

Kremlin Rebuffs Zelensky's call for Three-way Meeting with Trump, Putin

The Kremlin on Wednesday rebuffed a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for a three-way summit with Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as Kyiv seeks to force Moscow to halt its more than three-year-long invasion. Moscow said any meeting involving Russian President Putin and Zelensky would only happen after "concrete agreements" ...

Japan Urges Universities to Accept Students Hit by US Block

The Japanese government has asked local universities to consider accepting international students enrolled at US universities as President Donald Trump seeks to force Harvard to submit to unprecedented oversight. The Trump administration moved last week to block Harvard from enrolling foreign students, but on Friday a judge suspended the order ...