This is Beirut

SE Asian Leaders Meet China's Li and Gulf States to Bolster Ties

This is Beirut, 27/05 09:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Gulf Donald Trump Bahrain European Union Kuwait

Southeast Asian leaders are looking to insulate their trade-dependent economies from geopolitical uncertainty, in particular US tariffs, as they hold talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Gulf state dignitaries in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. US President Donald Trump blew up global trade norms in April when he announced a slew of punishing levies ...

Lebanon Secures Spot Among Arab Billion-Dollar Companies

This is Beirut, 26/05 11:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Banks Gulf Kuwait Middle East Saudi Arabia Lebanon

The Arab world’s economy is undergoing a rapid transformation, fueled by the rise of financial markets and robust growth in the technology, energy and finance sectors. According to data compiled by Forbes Middle East, more than 280 companies across the region now boast a market valuation exceeding $1 billion. At the forefront of this ...

Touch Signs Roaming Deal with Zain Omantel

This is Beirut, 26/05 11:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Bahrain Europe Gulf Kuwait Middle East Touch

Mobile operator Touch announced on Monday a new regional partnership through the signing of a roaming agreement with Zain Omantel International (ZOI), a major telecommunications alliance in the Middle East. According to a company press release, the agreement will allow Zain and Omantel subscribers from eight countries – Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, ...

Post-May 25, 2000: A String of Blunders

Michel Touma, 25/05 09:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

UN Security Council Amal Gulf Hamas Hezbollah

A quarter-century is a brief chapter in the life of a nation. But for a population held hostage for decades by war and relentless existential crises – driven by the unchecked ambitions of regional powers and factions – it can feel like an era. On May 25, 2000, Hezbollah staged a major celebration to mark the withdrawal of the last Israeli ...

Tom Barrack Appointed US Special Envoy for Syria

This is Beirut, 23/05 19:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkey Donald Trump Gulf Middle East United States Tom Barrack

The Trump administration announced on Friday the appointment of Tom Barrack, the current US ambassador to Turkey and a longtime ally of the president, as the new Special Envoy for Syria. The announcement marks a significant shift in US engagement in the Middle East following the fall of the Assad regime. Barrack is a billionaire real estate ...

UAE Records Historic May Temperature of 50.4°C

This is Beirut, 23/05 17:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Gulf United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates announced on Friday a record-breaking temperature for the month of May, reaching 50.4 degrees Celsius — a level not seen in two decades in this oil-rich Gulf nation. "The highest temperature recorded across the country today was 50.4 degrees Celsius in Al Shawamekh," located in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, the National ...

Safe Drinking Water Access: Lebanon Lags Behind in the Arab World

This is Beirut, 23/05 10:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Bahrain Gulf Kuwait Saudi Arabia

A recent report by the US-based World Population Review highlights significant disparities across Arab countries in access to “safely managed” drinking water. While several Gulf states lead the region, Lebanon posts alarming figures that reflect the country’s deepening infrastructure crisis. At the top of the regional ranking, Kuwait has ...

Homeownership Rates Reveal Inequalities Among Arab Countries

This is Beirut, 22/05 11:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Gulf Saudi Arabia Homeownership Lebanon

A recently published report by the U.S.-based financial and economic magazine CEOWORLD, known for its global rankings and comparative studies, sheds light on the disparities in homeownership rates across Arab countries. The findings reflect significant socio-economic differences within the region. At the top of the Arab world, Bahrain boasts the ...

Jailbreaking

Charles Chartouni, 19/05 09:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Gulf Hamas Hezbollah Israel

The proactive diplomacy of President Donald Trump is proceeding steadily on multiple fronts. The very fact that he is moving on multiple fronts and breaking the taboos that have hobbled international political life is a good omen. The sanctioning tariffs seem to open up the fray for negotiations on the outside and for renewed investment dynamics ...

Donald Trump Concludes Gulf Tour in the Emirates

This is Beirut, 16/05 12:35 - Reading : less than a minute

Donald Trump Gulf Palestine Ukraine Investments Abu Dhabi

In Abu Dhabi, the last stop on his Gulf tour, Donald Trump praised his strong relations with the region's leaders, hailing the Emirati president as a “strong leader.” He is now hoping for a swift agreement on Ukraine and is calling for action on the famine in Gaza.

Trump Caps Gulf Tour in Abu Dhabi with Dizzying Investment Pledges

This is Beirut, 16/05 09:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Gulf United Arab Emirates

US President Donald Trump on Friday capped his Gulf tour in Abu Dhabi after signing another raft of multi-billion-dollar deals, while also securing a $1.4 trillion investment pledge from the UAE. The eye-watering amounts of money in investments were accompanied also by the lifting of decades-long sanctions on Syria and renewed optimism over an ...

Trump Says Getting Close to Deal to Avoid Iran Military Action

This is Beirut, 15/05 21:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump United Arab Emirates Gulf Israel Iran Nuclear

US President Donald Trump said Thursday a nuclear deal with Iran was close that would avert military action, as he toured Gulf capitals, securing $1.4 trillion in 10-year investments from Abu Dhabi. Trump made the Iran remarks in Qatar before flying on to the United Arab Emirates for the third and final leg of the tour that began in Saudi ...

GULF