Donald Trump

Trump Names Lebanese-American Businessman Massad Boulos as Middle East Advisor

US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday named Lebanese-American businessman Massad Boulos as his senior advisor on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, the latest family member to be appointed to a key position. "I am proud to announce that Massad Boulos will serve as Senior Advisor to the President on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs," ...

Iran and Europeans Continue Discreet Talks on Nuclear

Iran, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom will "continue their diplomatic dialogue in the near future," a senior Iranian diplomat said on Friday following highly discreet talks in Geneva. "We are firmly committed to defending the interests of our people, and our preference is for dialogue and engagement," Kazem Gharibabadi, deputy to the ...

Japanese Yen Rises Ahead of Potential Interest Rate Cut

The yen rallied Friday after forecast-busting inflation data out of Tokyo boosted talk of another Japanese interest rate cut next month, while equity markets were mixed as traders weigh the economic outlook during a second Trump administration. With Wall Street closed for the Thanksgiving break, there were few catalysts to drive business heading ...

Le Drian Welcomes Election Date and Hopes for Tangible Outcomes

The announcement came as Le Drian was meeting with the Quintet ambassadors (United States, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar) at the Pine Residence, shortly before heading to Parliament. Berri invited Le Drian to observe part of the legislative session, during which Army Commander-in-Chief General Joseph Aoun’s term was extended. Aoun is ...

FBI Announces Bomb Threats Made Against Trump Nominees

Several members of Donald Trump's incoming administration have received threats including bomb alerts, the FBI said Wednesday, with one nominee reporting a pipe-bomb scare sent with a pro-Palestinian message. "The FBI is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and ...

Trump Taps Retired General for Key Ukraine Conflict Role

US President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he was nominating retired general Keith Kellogg -- an alum of his first term and a staunch loyalist -- as his Ukraine envoy, charged with ending the two-and-a-half-year Russian invasion. "I am very pleased to nominate General Keith Kellogg to serve as Assistant to the President and Special ...

New EU Commission Gets Green Light to Launch Defense, Economy Push

European lawmakers on Wednesday gave Ursula von der Leyen's new executive team the green light to start work, as the EU chief warned there was "no time to waste" to boost the bloc's defenses and competitiveness. From supporting Kyiv against Russia's invasion to war in the Middle East, China's economic rivalry and the imminent return of Donald ...

Record Tariffs: Trump Targets China, Canada, and Mexico

US President-elect Donald Trump said Monday he intends to impose sweeping tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China, prompting a swift warning from Beijing that "no one will win a trade war." In a series of posts to his Truth Social account, Trump vowed to hit some of the United States' largest trading partners with duties on all goods ...

"Keep Calm and Gobble On": Biden Bids Farewell at Final Turkey Pardon

Lame-duck President Joe Biden had a message for Americans at his final Thanksgiving turkey pardon ceremony on Monday before Donald Trump returns to the White House – "keep calm and gobble on." Biden, 82, spared birds Peach and Blossom from ending up on the dinner table in a quirky and time-honored tradition marking the upcoming US holiday. In ...

Judge Dismisses the Election Subversion Case Against Trump

A judge on Monday granted a request by prosecutors to dismiss the election subversion case against Donald Trump because of a Justice Department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president. Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed to the request by Special Counsel Jack Smith to dismiss the case against the president-elect "without prejudice," ...

The Day Lebanon Stops Making Headlines…

And therein lies the issue: global attention quickly wanes when conflicts drag on and defy familiar reference points. This is happening again. The current war in Lebanon is no longer front-page news. A journalist friend at a major Paris newsroom told me that his editors were reluctant to send him on assignment to Beirut because the situation was ...