This is Beirut, 27/01 19:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
EU foreign ministers on Monday agreed to begin easing sanctions on Syria after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, as the West looks to build bridges with the war-ravaged country's new leadership. "This could give a boost to the Syrian economy and help the country get back on its feet," foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said after a ...
This is Beirut, 27/01 10:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Damascus Europe European Union
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she expected the bloc to agree Monday to begin easing sanctions on Syria after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. "It is a step for step approach," Kallas said at the start of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels to discuss the move. Europe is keen to help the reconstruction of the war-ravaged ...
This is Beirut, 25/01 17:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Volodymyr Zelensky Donald Trump European Union Kyiv Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday said allies should work towards determining a format for potential peace talks with Russia, reiterating that only talks involving Kyiv could bring about a sustainable peace. His comments are the latest to pile on speculation over the possibility of negotiations to end the brutal conflict that ...
Malo Pinatel, 25/01 11:00 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
USA Damascus Donald Trump European Union Gulf
Power, capability and determination. These are the words that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan used on Friday, January 10, as he once again warned the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)—a Kurdish-led coalition supported by the West—of military action if they did not hand over their weapons to the new regime in Damascus. Only a month earlier, ...
This is Beirut, 24/01 13:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
More than 50,000 Syrian refugees have left Turkey to return home since Bashar al-Assad's ouster. But for many others living in the country, the thought raises a host of worrying questions. After the civil war began in 2011, Syria's second city, Aleppo, was badly scarred by fighting between the rebels and Russian-backed regime forces. Even so, ...
This is Beirut, 22/01 15:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon European Union Lebanese Armed Forces
The European Union announced on Wednesday the adoption of a €60 million assistance package for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to enhance the LAF’s capabilities and bolster stability in southern Lebanon. This assistance measure, funded through the European Peace Facility (EPF), will contribute to the implementation of UN Security Council ...
This is Beirut, 21/01 16:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Brazilian coffee producer Moacir Donizetti first smelled the smoke, and then watched in desperation as a blaze consumed his family coffee plantation last year. The 54-year-old was one of hundreds of farmers hit by a brutal forest fire in Sao Paulo state, where years of soaring heat and erratic rains are set to drive up the cost of an espresso or ...
This is Beirut, 19/01 05:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Palestine Benjamin Netanyahu European Union Fatah Hamas
After 15 months of deadly war in the Gaza Strip, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is due to come into force on Sunday morning, followed by the release of hostages, fuelling hopes of a lasting peace despite a warning from Benjamin Netanyahu. A few hours before the deadline, set for 08:30 local time (06:30 GMT), the Israeli Prime Minister ...
This is Beirut, 17/01 12:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
EU crisis management chief Hadja Lahbib announced a 235 million euro aid package for Syria and neighbouring countries on Friday during the first visit by a senior EU official since Bashar al-Assad's ouster. "I come here to announce to a new package of humanitarian aid of 235 million euros ($242 million) in Syria and in neighbouring countries," ...
This is Beirut, 16/01 14:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
European Union Palestine Ceasefire Hamas
The EU said Thursday it would deliver 120 million euros ($123 million) in new aid for war-torn Gaza, a day after the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said the new package brought the EU's humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian territory to more than 450 million euros since ...
This is Beirut, 13/01 19:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Prime Minister Nawaf Salam European Union
The nomination of Judge Nawaf Salam, President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as Prime Minister on Monday, with a majority of 84 votes, drew widespread messages of congratulations and optimism among Lebanese and international leaders. The European Union Ambassador to Lebanon, Sandra De Waele, expressed optimism about Salam’s ...
This is Beirut, 12/01 16:38 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Saudi Arabia Damascus European Union
Saudi Arabia on Sunday called for the lifting of sanctions on Syria after meetings with top diplomats from the Middle East and Europe that focused on the war-ravaged country's future. The Gulf kingdom, the region's biggest economy, is seeking to increase its influence in Syria after Islamist-led rebels toppled longtime ruler Bashar ...