This is Beirut

British FM Says Morocco’s Autonomy Plan for W. Sahara ‘Most Credible’ Solution

This is Beirut, 01/06 22:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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British foreign minister David Lammy said on Sunday that Morocco's autonomy plan for the territory of Western Sahara was the "most credible" solution to the decades-long dispute, reversing London's long-standing position. Western Sahara, a mineral-rich former Spanish colony, is largely controlled by Morocco but has been claimed in its entirety ...

Gaza Rescuers Say Israeli Fire Kills 31 Near Aid Site

This is Beirut, 01/06 20:25 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Palestine United Nations Hamas Israel USA

Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli gunfire killed at least 31 Palestinians near a US-backed aid distribution site on Sunday, with both the group in charge of the site and the military denying any such incident took place. Israel has faced growing condemnation over the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, where the United ...

Berri Says Lebanon Requests UNIFIL Mandate Renewal

This is Beirut, 31/05 22:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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President of Parliament Nabih Berri told the newspaper Asharq al-Awsat that the issue of renewing the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was at the top of the agenda of his recent meeting with President Joseph Aoun. Berri said that a committee had been formed to draft a letter to the UN Security Council requesting ...

When Cigarettes Fueled the Economy…

Christiane Tager, 31/05 21:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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For decades, cigarettes were a real nicotine cash cow for governments. A thriving industry, lucrative taxes, countless jobs and mass consumption that, despite health warnings, was an integral part of the global economic and social landscape. But that was before public health got seriously involved. On May 31st, we take a collective breath: it’s ...

Iran Considers Nuclear Weapons 'Unacceptable', FM Says

This is Beirut, 31/05 13:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Saturday that Iran considers nuclear weapons "unacceptable," reaffirming the country's longstanding position amid delicate negotiations with the United States. Western governments have long suspected Iran of seeking to develop a nuclear weapons capability to counter the widely suspected but ...

Pentagon Chief Warns China 'Preparing' to Use Military Force in Asia

This is Beirut, 31/05 11:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned Saturday that China was "credibly preparing" to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia, vowing the United States was "here to stay" in the Indo-Pacific region. The Pentagon chief made the remarks at an annual security forum in Singapore as the administration of US ...

Musk Says to Remain 'Friend and Advisor' to Trump

This is Beirut, 30/05 22:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Billionaire Elon Musk said Friday he would remain a "friend and advisor" to Donald Trump, as the US president hosted an Oval Office farewell for the man who led his turbulent cost-cutting drive. "I look forward to continuing to be a friend and advisor to the president," Musk told reporters after Trump handed a golden key as a gift to the ...

EU 'Fully Invested' in Trump Trade Talks After US Court Ruling

This is Beirut, 30/05 17:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The EU is "fully invested" in reaching a deal with the United States to avoid sweeping tariffs, the bloc's trade chief said Friday, after US judges ruled the controversial measures were unconstitutional. "Delivering forward-looking solutions remains a top EU priority. Staying in permanent contact," EU trade commissioner ...

Elon Musk's Rocket-Fueled Ride With Trump Flames Out

This is Beirut, 30/05 10:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Elon Musk USA

Elon Musk stormed into US politics as President Donald Trump's chainsaw-brandishing sidekick. Four turbulent months later it's the tech tycoon himself on the chopping block. Trump hailed Musk as "terrific" as he announced that they would hold a joint press conference on Friday as the South African-born magnate leaves the so-called Department of ...

Hamas Says Israel-Approved US Truce Plan Falls Short

This is Beirut, 29/05 22:35 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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The White House said Thursday Israel had "signed off" on a new Gaza ceasefire proposal submitted to Hamas, but the Palestinian militant group said the deal failed to satisfy its demands. Negotiations to end more than 19 months of war have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough, with Israel resuming operations in Gaza in March after a ...

US Says Israel Backs Latest Gaza Truce Plan Sent to Hamas

This is Beirut, 29/05 21:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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The White House said on Thursday that Israel had "signed off on" a new Gaza ceasefire proposal submitted to Hamas, as the Palestinian militants confirmed they were studying the deal. Negotiations to end more than 19 months of war have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough, with Israel resuming operations in Gaza in March after a brief ...

US Special Envoy for Syria Meets Shareh in Damascus

This is Beirut, 29/05 19:26 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The US Special Envoy for Syria, Thomas Barrack, arrived in Damascus on Thursday, according to Syria’s official news agency SANA, marking a new stage in the normalization of relations between the two countries following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. He is currently meeting Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Shareh. Barrack, who also serves as the ...

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