This is Beirut - United States

Trump Puts EU Trade Deal Odds at 50/50 Ahead of Von der Leyen Meeting

This is Beirut, 25/07 22:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States European Union

Donald Trump said Friday there was a 50 percent chance of a trade deal with the European Union as the bloc's chief, Ursula von der Leyen, announced a weekend meeting with the US president. In an attempt to slash his country's trade deficits, Trump has vowed to hit dozens of countries with punitive tariff hikes if they do not hammer out a pact ...

Senior ISIS Leader Killed in US Raid in Syria's Aleppo Province

This is Beirut, 25/07 17:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United States ISIS Syria

American forces killed an Islamic State group leader in a raid in Syria's Aleppo province on Friday, the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said. The raid resulted "in the death of senior ISIS leader, Dhiya Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, and his two adult ISIS-affiliated sons," CENTCOM said in a statement, using an acronym for the jihadist ...

Reluctant Settlements with No Preconditions

Johnny Kortbawi, 25/07 15:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel United States Tom Barrack

Lebanon is in a position few would envy in the current round of settlements. This situation does not stem from a government crisis, but from the dominance of a single party. Had the state itself been responsible for the decisions that brought us here, the outcome—though difficult—might have been more acceptable. Unfortunately, Lebanon is now ...

Iran Meets European Powers Amid Threats of UN Sanctions Snap Back

This is Beirut, 25/07 10:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United Nations Israel Tehran United States Snap Back

Iranian diplomats met counterparts from Germany, Britain and France on Friday for renewed nuclear talks, amid warnings that the three European powers could trigger "snap back" sanctions outlined under the 2015 deal. The meeting in Istanbul was the first since Israel's mid-June attack on Iran, which sparked a 12-day war and targeted ...

Washington "Strongly" Rejects France's Plan to Recognize a Palestinian State

This is Beirut, 25/07 05:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United States Israel Palestine Gaza France

The United States "strongly" rejected on Thursday French President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state, calling it a "reckless" decision that undermines peace. “This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th,” declared U.S. Secretary of ...

Syrian, Israeli Ministers to Attend US-Brokered Meeting in Paris

This is Beirut, 24/07 22:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Syria United States

Damascus's top diplomat Asaad al-Shaibani is set to meet an Israeli minister on Thursday in Paris to discuss recent sectarian violence in Syria's south that had drawn in Israel's military, a senior diplomat told AFP. The US-brokered talks would be the first ministerial meeting between the new Syrian authorities and Israel. The two ...

Gaza: UN Unable to Verify Number of Aid Shipments Awaiting Distribution Due to Lack of Access

This is Beirut, 24/07 17:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United Nations Palestine Hamas Israel United States

The United Nations said Thursday it does not know how many aid consignments are currently in Gaza awaiting distribution, as it has not been authorized by Israel to be present at the crossing points. The Israeli military denied on Wednesday that it was blocking humanitarian aid and claimed that 950 trucks were in Gaza waiting for international ...

EU Prepares 93 Billion Euros in Tariffs as US Trade Talks Hang in Balance

This is Beirut, 24/07 12:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

European Union Tariffs United States

EU states on Thursday approved a 93-billion-euro ($109-billion) package of counter-tariffs on US goods that would kick in from August 7 if talks with the United States fail, European diplomats said. US President Donald Trump blind sided the European Union this month when he threatened a 30-percent levy on EU goods unless the two sides reach a ...

Trump's First Five Trade Deals

This is Beirut, 24/07 10:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States Tariffs Trade

Japan and the Philippines bring to five the number of countries that have concluded trade deals with the United States ahead of an August 1 deadline set by President Donald Trump to avoid punitive tariff rates. The agreed levies are often higher than the new base rate of 10 percent that the United States has applied to most countries since April ...

Columbia Strikes $221 Million Deal to Restore Federal Funding After Trump Threats

This is Beirut, 24/07 10:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Columbia United States Donald Trump

Columbia University said Wednesday it will pay $200 million to the US government after President Donald Trump threatened to pull federal funding over what he said was its unwillingness to protect Jewish students. In a sweeping deal that will restore the prestigious New York institution's federal monies, Columbia has pledged to obey rules that bar ...

The Middle East: Recalibrations, Fractures and a Coming Storm

Salam El Zaatari, 24/07 10:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Lebanon Syria Hezbollah Israel

By now, we should know that when the Middle East falls silent, it’s rarely a good sign. As if history itself were pausing for breath, the region today is locked in what I call a “violent pause”—not peace, not war, but something infinitely more dangerous: indecision. The past six months have redrawn the map of alliances and threats, but ...

United States

Top US Justice Official Questions Epstein Accomplice for 2nd Day