USA

Syria: New Authorities Announce the Dissolution of All Armed Groups

The new authorities in Syria announced on Wednesday evening the dissolution of "all armed groups" that had led the offensive against Bashar al-Assad, as well as the dissolution of the army of the former regime, which was overthrown on December 8. "All armed groups, political and civil bodies claiming to represent the revolution are ...

EU Pledges 3 Billion Euros for Jordan in New 'Strategic' Partnership

The European Union on Wednesday promised 3 billion euros ($3.1 billion) of financing and investments for Jordan as part of a new "strategic" partnership with the key Middle East ally. "With the current geopolitical shifts and growing crises in the region, strengthening the EU-Jordan partnership is the right decision at the right time," European ...

DeepSeek's 'Sputnik moment' exposes holes in US chip curbs

US export controls on high-tech chips may have inadvertently fuelled the success of start-up DeepSeek's AI chatbot, sparking fears in Washington there could be little it can do to stop China in the push for global dominance in AI. The firm, based in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, has stunned investors and industry insiders with its R1 ...

US Lawmakers Urge Lebanese Leaders to 'End Hezbollah’s Influence'

In an open letter sent on Tuesday, US lawmakers Darin LaHood and Darrell Issa, co-chairs of the US-Lebanon Friendship Caucus in the House of Representatives, urged Lebanese leaders to end Hezbollah’s influence on the country’s political and security landscape. The letter, addressed to President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister-designate Nawaf ...

Rubio Widens Exemption for US Aid After Freeze

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday widened exemptions in a sweeping freeze on foreign assistance, saying the United States would keep funding humanitarian items such as shelter and medicine. President Donald Trump on returning office last week ordered a 90-day pause to review assistance by the United States, the world's largest donor in ...

Ukraine: Putin Says He Is Ready to Negotiate but Rules Out Zelensky

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that talks with Ukraine were possible but not with its President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he deemed "illegitimate". US President Donald Trump has put pressure on both sides to end the nearly three-year conflict, saying last week that Zelensky wanted to negotiate a "deal" to stop the fighting. "If ...

Turkish Airstrikes Kill 12 Civilians in Northern Syria

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Tuesday that two days of Turkish strikes had killed 12 civilians in Kurdish-held areas of northern Syria. Turkish-backed forces launched an offensive against the SDF in November that has seen them capture several Kurdish-held enclaves in the north despite US efforts to broker a ceasefire. The ...

US Stocks, Nvidia Shares Steady After Chinese AI Shock

US stocks and shares in chip-making giant Nvidia on Tuesday clawed back some of their losses following a sell-off triggered by the sudden success of Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek. US tech shares tanked Monday, with Nvidia tumbling 17 percent, after China's DeepSeek unveiled its R1 chatbot, which can apparently match the capacity ...

LAF Continues Deployment Amid Israeli Breaches in South Lebanon

On Monday evening, the Israeli army released six Lebanese who had been captured on Sunday evening in Houla (Marjeyoun) when a large number of civilians tried to reach their villages in the south between Sunday and Monday. Situation on the ground and deployment of the Lebanese army On Tuesday, the Israeli army blew up the area around a mosque in ...

Boeing Reports 2024 Loss of $11.8 bn After Strike, Safety Issues

Boeing reported a hefty fourth-quarter loss Tuesday following a bruising 2024 that included a lengthy labor strike, major safety issues on commercial planes and defense contract cost overruns. The US aviation giant reported a fourth-quarter loss of $3.9 billion, putting the full-year loss at $11.8 billion. Revenues in the fourth quarter were ...

Al Habtoor Halts Investments and Plans Full Exit from Lebanon

Emirati businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor has announced the cancellation of all planned investment projects in Lebanon, citing the country’s deteriorating security and economic stability. The decision marks a significant blow to Lebanon’s investment landscape, which has struggled to attract foreign capital amid ongoing political and financial ...