Ici Beyrouth - United States

US Slaps Sanctions on Dozens of Russian Banks over Ukraine War

This is Beirut, 21/11 18:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Ukraine United States banks Russia war sanctions

The United States unveiled sanctions on dozens of Russian banks Thursday, including the largest remaining one yet to face such action, over the war in Ukraine. The move taking aim at financial institutions and officials "will further diminish and degrade Russia's war machine," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement. "This sweeping ...

Iran Says Western Resolution Will ‘Weaken’ Interaction With IAEA

This is Beirut, 21/11 12:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump Tehran United Nations United States IAEA

A resolution tabled by Western countries to censure Iran's nuclear program at the International Atomic Energy Agency "will weaken and disrupt" interactions between the UN body and Tehran, it warned ahead of the vote on Thursday. Paris, Berlin, London and Washington have formally submitted a text condemning Iran for alleged lack of cooperation ...

World Still Split Over Money as Clock Ticks on COP29

This is Beirut, 21/11 09:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

European Union United Nations United States Climate

A fresh draft of a climate pact unveiled Thursday at COP29 failed to break an impasse over money, with time running out for nations to reach a long-sought trillion-dollar finance agreement. The UN climate summit in Azerbaijan is supposed to conclude on Friday but the latest draft only underlines divisions as nations return to the negotiating ...

US Explains its Decision to Supply anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine

This is Beirut, 21/11 04:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Ukraine United States Russie

The US decision to send anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine -- a major policy shift slammed by rights groups -- was triggered by a change in Russian battlefield tactics favoring infantry over mechanized units, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday. "They don't lead with their mechanized forces anymore," Austin told ...

US Vetoes Gaza Ceasefire Call at UN

This is Beirut, 20/11 18:54 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Ceasefire Hamas Israel Palestine UN Security Council United States

The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council push to call for a ceasefire in Gaza that Washington said would have emboldened Hamas. The resolution demanded "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire" in the war between Israel and the Palestinian group, along with "the immediate and unconditional release of ...

Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia is Venezuela's "president-elect", says US

This is Beirut, 20/11 05:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Venezuela United States

The United States said Tuesday it recognizes opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as president-elect of Venezuela -- the first time it called him that -- four months after a disputed election in which incumbent Nicolas Maduro claimed victory amid accusations of fraud. The statement from Secretary of State Anthony Blinken prompted a ...

SpaceX Fails to Catch its Starship Megarocket, as Donald Trump watches on

This is Beirut, 20/11 05:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United States Donald Trump Space SpaceX

SpaceX flew its latest test flight of its Starship megarocket on Tuesday, with President-elect Donald Trump joining Elon Musk to witness the spectacle firsthand in the latest sign of their ever closer ties. But the Republican leader was deprived of the chance to see the descending first stage caught in the launch tower's "chopstick" arms, an ...

Trump Names China Hawk Howard Lutnick Commerce Secretary

This is Beirut, 19/11 21:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United States Donald Trump Howard Lutnick US Secretary of Commerce

President-elect Donald Trump nominated Howard Lutnick, the co-chair of his transition team, as his commerce secretary on Tuesday -- a choice set to bring a tougher stance on China from the incoming administration. Lutnick will also lead the country's tariff and trade agenda, with "additional direct responsibility for the Office of the United ...

Kremlin Accuses Biden of 'Fuelling' War as Ukraine Strikes Odesa

This is Beirut, 18/11 16:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Volodymyr Zelensky Russia Ukraine

The Kremlin accused US President Joe Biden on Monday of escalating the war in Ukraine by allowing Kyiv to use long-range missiles supplied by Washington to strike targets inside Russia. The comments came as Moscow unleashed a second missile attack in as many days on the UNESCO-protected Ukrainian city of Odesa on the Black Sea that left 10 dead ...

Iran Hopes for Nuclear Talks 'Without Pressure' Under Trump

This is Beirut, 18/11 12:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump Tehran United Kingdom United Nations United States

Iran said Monday it hoped talks on its nuclear program would be conducted "away from political pressure and considerations" ahead of a UN nuclear agency board meeting this week. "All our efforts and our emphasis in our talks were to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to do its technical work away from the destructive and evil ...

US and Philippines Sign Military Deal

This is Beirut, 18/11 09:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States USA Philippines

US and Philippine defense chiefs signed an agreement Monday on sharing classified military information and technology, as the long-time treaty allies deepen cooperation in a bid to counter Chinese influence in the region. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin signed the deal with his Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro at the start of a visit to ...

The American Ceasefire Plan Put to the Test

Philippe Abi-Akl, 18/11 09:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Amos Hochstein Ceasefire Hezbollah Israel United States Washington

Lebanese Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri and Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati received a 13-point US ceasefire proposal from US Ambassador Lisa Johnson. Berri, who forwarded the proposal to Hezbollah for review and feedback, announced that Lebanon's response would soon be issued in writing, with amendments. He explained that "the proposal ...

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