This is Beirut

Turkey Breathes Easier as Iran-Israel Truce Eases Fallout Risk

This is Beirut, 25/06 13:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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As the fragile Iran-Israel truce took hold, there was no letup in Turkey's diplomatic efforts Wednesday to prevent any return to a conflict fraught with risk for Ankara's domestic and regional policies. Hours after US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met him for talks on the sidelines of a ...

Travel Agencies Hit Hard, as Lebanese Cancel Trips Abroad

This is Beirut, 23/06 13:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The disruption or cancellation of Beirut-bound regular flights, which had stranded hundreds of Lebanese in Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh resort due to the escalating confrontation between Iran and Israel, discouraged many from taking summer breaks outside Lebanon. Travel agencies are bracing for significant losses with the increasing number of ...

Damascus Church Attack Draws International Condemnations

This is Beirut, 23/06 11:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The suicide bombing of a Greek Orthodox church in Damascus during Sunday mass, killing at least 20 people, drew strong international condemnations. The attack was the first known suicide bombing in the Syrian capital since December, when a rebel coalition ousted Syria’s autocratic president, Bashar al-Assad. EU The EU on Monday condemned as ...

Aramaic Has Not Yet Uttered Its Final Word

Sarah Martin, 22/06 16:40 - Reading : 7 minute(s)

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From Berlin, 28-year-old Jarjoura logs into his Aramaic class every week. “It’s the language my grandparents spoke in Maaloula, but my parents stopped using it after moving to Germany. Thanks to the Yawna association, I’m reconnecting with my roots,” he says. Founded by linguist Rimon Wehbi, the program offers structured lessons in ...

Arab Foreign Ministers Hold Emergency Talks in Istanbul Over Iran-Israel Escalation

This is Beirut, 20/06 23:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Arab League foreign ministers gathered in Istanbul late Friday to discuss the escalating war between Iran and Israel, Turkish state news agency Anadolu said, quoting diplomatic sources. The ministers were in Turkey's largest city on the eve of weekend gathering of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was also slated to discuss the ...

Armenia PM Arrives in Turkey for 'Historic' Visit

This is Beirut, 20/06 23:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he held "in-depth" talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on a rare visit to arch-foe Turkey Friday, which Yerevan described as a "historic" step toward regional peace. The talks between the two leaders -- whose nations have never established formal diplomatic ties ...

Tactical Nukes Worry Strategists

Mario Chartouni, 20/06 22:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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The Kremlin, via spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, reiterated on Friday its firm opposition to the use of tactical nuclear weapons, describing any potential US strike on Iran as “catastrophic.” Peskov was responding to “media rumors” about a possible nuclear strike aimed at destroying Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Fordow, stressing ...

UN Refugee Chief Calls for Support to Syria to Facilitate Refugee Returns

This is Beirut, 20/06 21:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on Friday urged the international community to support Syria’s recovery in order to speed up reconstruction and allow more refugees to return home, fourteen years after the start of the war. “I am here to appeal to the international community to provide more aid and support to the Syrian ...

Lebanon Announces Three Return Options for Citizens Stranded in Antalya

This is Beirut, 17/06 22:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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In response to the situation of Lebanese citizens stranded in the Turkish city of Antalya, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport announced three return options, following instructions from Minister Fayez Rasamny. This initiative aims to ensure the safety of Lebanese nationals and facilitate their swift return home. Option 1: Via ...

Lebanon Hoped for Tourists and Got War Instead

Christiane Tager, 16/06 22:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Tourism, a vital sector that accounted for over 20% of Lebanon’s GDP before the 2019 crisis, was poised to provide a much-needed boost to the country’s battered economy. Following Eid al-Adha, hotel occupancy rates in Beirut surged to 80%, signaling a bright season ahead. “We had a surge of bookings for the next two weeks, but they’re ...

Istanbul Mayor on Trial for 'Threatening' Prosecutor

This is Beirut, 16/06 12:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Istanbul's jailed mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the leading opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, appeared in court Monday on charges of threatening the city's public prosecutor. The case is one of a number of investigations targeting Imamoglu, but is not connected to the graft probe that led to his arrest in March, which sparked Turkey's ...

‘Urgent Action’ Needed to Prevent Iran-Israel Conflict Spreading: Turkey

This is Beirut, 15/06 20:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said "urgent action" was needed to prevent the Iran-Israel conflict engulfing the Middle East, in a call with US counterpart Donald Trump on Sunday. "President Erdogan hailed the recent comments by US President Trump concerning a resolution of the conflict between Israel and Iran... and stressed that urgent ...

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