This is Beirut - United States

UK, EU Hail new Partnership deal, but Questions Remain

This is Beirut, 21/05 09:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

European Union Europe United States United Kingdom

Britain has hailed Monday's strategic partnership agreement with the European Union as the start of a new era, but the effects of the deal on defense and trade remain unclear. Will the agreement boost UK economic growth? That is one of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's key arguments for restoring closer ties with the EU. This deal, along with ...

US Expects Russia Offer Soon as Zelensky Sounds Warning

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

United States Russia Ukraine

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday he expected Russia to present a Ukraine ceasefire outline within days that will show if it is serious, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of buying time. President Donald Trump spoke separately by telephone on Monday to Zelensky and Russia's Vladimir Putin, after Russian and ...

Trump Unveils Plans for 'Golden Dome' Missile Shield for US

This is Beirut, 20/05 23:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States Golden Dome

US President Donald Trump unveiled new details Tuesday on his plan for a "Golden Dome" missile shield system to protect the country against attacks, saying it should be operational in about three years. The president announced $25 billion in initial funding for the plan, which he said could eventually cost a total of some $175 ...

U.S. Asking Countries for 'Voluntary' Palestinian Relocation

This is Beirut, 20/05 20:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Gaza Marco Rubio United States

The United States has reached out to countries about accepting "voluntary" relocations of Palestinians fleeing Israel's offensive in Gaza, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday. Israel has again warned the population of Gaza -- nearly entirely displaced since the war broke out over the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas -- to move ...

Lebanon Should Take a Cue from al-Sharaa - and Talk to Israel

Hussain Abdul-Hussain, 20/05 16:48 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Syria United States Donald Trump

A joke has it that Syria’s self-proclaimed president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, offered to build a Trump Tower in Damascus to make up for the two New York towers that Al-Qaeda, al-Sharaa former organization, destroyed on 9/11, killing 2,753 Americans. Times are changing. Since October 7, Iran has been begging America for a nuclear deal that ...

Trump Gets talks Pledge but no Ukraine Ceasefire from Putin

This is Beirut, 20/05 09:04 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Vladimir Putin United States Russia

Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine would "immediately" start peace talks after he spoke with Vladimir Putin on Monday, despite the Russian leader rebuffing the US president's call for an unconditional truce. Trump framed the two-hour conversation as a breakthrough as the Republican seeks an elusive deal to end the conflict that he ...

Trump Fuels Biden Cancer Cover-up Claims

This is Beirut, 20/05 05:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Joe Biden Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump fueled speculation Monday that Joe Biden's cancer diagnosis was covered up, saying he was "surprised" the public was not told about his predecessor's condition earlier. Republican Trump's extraordinary claim came just a day after it emerged that his bitter Democratic political rival, 82, had an ...

Zelensky Warns U.S. Against Disengagement from Ukraine Peace Efforts

This is Beirut, 19/05 23:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Russia United States

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday issued a warning to the United States, cautioning that any withdrawal from peace efforts would play directly into the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking after former U.S. President Donald Trump held calls with both Zelensky and Putin as part of a new initiative to end the ...

Pope Meets Vance ahead of Ukraine Ceasefire Push

This is Beirut, 19/05 17:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump Pope Francis United States Vatican

Pope Leo XIV received US Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican on Monday, ahead of a US-led push to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Vatican released photographs of Vance and Rubio smiling as they met with the Chicago-born pontiff, who was elected as head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics on May 8 ...

Nvidia Unveils Plans for Taiwan’s First AI Supercomputer

This is Beirut, 19/05 11:38 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Nvidia boss Jensen Huang announced plans for Taiwan's "first AI supercomputer", as he showcased on Monday the company's latest advances in artificial intelligence. Global semiconductor chip giants have gathered in Taiwan for the island's top tech expo, Computex, as the sector grapples with the impact of US tariffs and disrupted supply ...

New Middle East US Foreign Policy Shifts Put Lebanon at a Crossroads

Amal Chmouny, 19/05 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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As Lebanon finds itself at a crucial juncture, the implications of recent US diplomatic maneuvers cannot be overstated. As the US focuses more on its relationships with Sunni Gulf states, tensions with Iran are on the rise, changing the complex political dynamics in Lebanon. These changes come at a time when Iran's influence appears to be ...

Joe Biden Diagnosed with Aggressive Prostate Cancer

This is Beirut, 19/05 09:12 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Joe Biden

Former US president Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an "aggressive" form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, and is reviewing treatment options, his office said Sunday. On Friday, the 82-year-old Democrat -- whose son Beau Biden died of cancer in 2015 -- was diagnosed with the disease after he experienced urinary symptoms and a ...

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