This is Beirut - Donald Trump

January 9 Session at Risk as Election Delay Looms

Philippe Abi-Akl, 2024-12-24 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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The key issue Walid Joumblatt brought back from Paris, coupled with the information shared with Nabih Berri about Joseph Aoun’s rising presidential prospects – stemming from his leadership of a key institution and his role in ensuring stability – has revitalized the stagnant presidential process. This development has prompted candidates to ...

What Next?

David Hale , 2024-12-23 15:05 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

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So many Syrians and Lebanese are celebrating the downfall of the Assad regime, whose last decade of rule came courtesy of Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah. The proximate cause of the final collapse is debatable; some attribute it to the inability of Russia to come to Assad's defense, while others cite Israel's decimation of Assad's Hezbollah ...

US diplomats visit Syria to meet new rulers

This is Beirut, 2024-12-20 10:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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US diplomats have arrived in Syria to speak directly to the new rulers, hoping to encourage a moderate, inclusive path and to find clues on missing Americans, the State Department said Friday. It is the first formal US diplomatic mission to Damascus since the early days of the brutal civil war that broke out in 2011 and culminated in a surprise ...

US Moves Closer to Budget Paralysis After New Bill Fails

This is Beirut, 2024-12-20 04:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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On Thursday, the US House of Representatives largely rejected a new Republican budget proposal aimed at avoiding a paralysis of the federal government, in a stinging defeat that increases the uncertainty before the fateful midnight hour on Friday. The Republicans, despite having a majority in the lower house, had put this new proposal to the vote ...

Putin’s Open Invitation: “Ready to Meet Trump Anytime”

This is Beirut, 2024-12-19 13:25 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the fall of ex-Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was not a "defeat" for Russia, claiming Moscow had achieved its goals in the country. Assad fled to Moscow earlier this month after a shock rebel advance ended half a century of rule by the Assad family, marked by repression and allegations of vast ...

Trump’s Shadow Looms Over EU Summit as Ukraine Appeals for Unity

This is Beirut, 2024-12-19 11:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Donald Trump loomed large over EU leaders Thursday at their last summit before he reclaims power in the United States, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying only transatlantic unity can "save" Ukraine. The upheaval in Syria after the toppling of Bashar al-Assad, and how to deal with the new leadership, was also high-up on the agenda of the ...

Express Cleanup Before Change of Tenant

Marc Saikali, 2024-12-19 08:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Just a few weeks ago, the defunct “Axis of Resistance” still managed to maintain its facade. From Iran — both a bystander and instigator — to Lebanon, passing through Gaza, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, the fronts were numerous. But the pretense has crumbled, revealing an empty shell. The turning point began in Lebanon. Defying ...

US Fed Cuts Rate by Quarter-Point in Third Straight Reduction

This is Beirut, 2024-12-18 21:30 - Reading : less than a minute

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The US Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter point Wednesday and signaled a slower pace of cuts ahead, amid uncertainty about inflation and President-elect Donald Trump's economic plans. Policymakers voted 11-to-1 to lower the US central bank's key lending rate to between 4.25 percent and 4.50 percent, the Fed announced in a statement. ...

Zelensky Huddles With European Leaders as Trump Looms

This is Beirut, 2024-12-18 18:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets NATO chief Mark Rutte and key European leaders in Brussels Wednesday to strategise over Russia's war ahead of Donald Trump's return to power in the United States. This evening's gathering was due to involve leaders from Germany, Poland, Italy, Denmark, The Netherlands and the European Union's main ...

Trump Jokes Canada Becoming 51st US State ‘A Great Idea'

This is Beirut, 2024-12-18 18:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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US President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday it would be "a great idea" for Canada to become the 51st US state, teasing on social media that "many Canadians" welcome the idea, as Ottawa is wracked by a political crisis. "Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State," Trump posted on Truth Social. "They would save massively on taxes and ...

Assad's Fall Opens Path for US Strikes on ISIS

This is Beirut, 2024-12-18 12:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Bashar al-Assad's overthrow has cleared the way for US strikes against the Islamic State group in areas previously shielded by Syrian and Russian air defenses – but the jihadists may also try to exploit the vacuum left by his fall. The militant group,often referred to as ISIS or IS, rose out of the chaos of the Syrian civil war to seize swathes ...

Zelensky and NATO Leaders Discuss Next Steps in Brussels

This is Beirut, 2024-12-18 09:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets Wednesday with NATO chief Mark Rutte and key European leaders in Brussels to discuss "next steps" on Russia's war as Donald Trump prepares to take office in the United States. The gathering due in the evening was set to bring together German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Polish leader Donald Tusk, Italian ...

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