Washington

Stocks Up as Fears Ease Over Next Trump Tariffs

Wall Street clung to strong gains and European stocks rose on Tuesday over easing concerns about the next round of tariffs from US President Donald Trump. The Dow, the broad-based S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq were all up around 0.1 percent in early deals, following a rally fuelled by technology stocks the previous day. Sentiment was buoyed ...

South Sudan Opposition Decries Strike as US Warns of Rise in Violence

The South Sudan opposition said one of its army bases near the capital Juba was bombarded late Monday as Washington warned it was "deeply concerned" by escalating violence between the rival factions. Clashes between forces allied to President Salva Kiir and his long-time rival, First Vice President Riek Machar, have left their 2018 power-sharing ...

US Pressures Lebanon on Border Security Amid Rising Tensions

The United States is increasing pressure on Lebanon over security concerns in the south, questioning the Lebanese army’s role in preventing rocket launches and urging action to resolve border disputes. US Deputy Special Envoy Morgan Ortagus emphasized Washington’s commitment to stability in Lebanon, reaffirming strong US-Lebanese ties while ...

IMF Mission Concludes Meetings in Beirut

Finance Minister Yassine Jaber made reassuring remarks regarding negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following an extensive meeting held at the Ministry of Finance with the IMF mission. During the meeting, Jaber affirmed that the elimination or partial deduction of bank deposits is a sovereign and national decision, ...

China Says to Host Russia, Iran for Nuclear Talks this Week

China will host Russia and Iran for trilateral talks on Tehran's nuclear programme on Friday, Beijing's foreign ministry said. "The three parties will exchange views on the Iranian nuclear issue and other issues of mutual interest," a foreign ministry spokesperson said Wednesday. The meeting will be attended by China's Vice Foreign Minister Ma ...

Washington Begins Addressing Border Issues Between Lebanon and Israel

The Americans and Israelis surprised the Lebanese by announcing the imminent launch of indirect negotiations to resolve the dispute along the southern border, specifically at the five points still occupied by Israel following the war in support of Gaza. The talks will also address the 13 remaining points of contention along the Blue Line. Notably, ...

Washington Suspends Iranian Electricity Imports to Iraq: What Are the Consequences?

A significant blow to Iran came on March 8, when the United States decided not to renew the waiver that allowed Iraq to import electricity from Iran, despite sanctions imposed on Tehran. Since 2018, Baghdad had benefited from this exemption, which covered nearly a third of its energy needs, despite the country’s considerable oil potential, which ...

Iran says US Decision to not Renew Iraq Sanctions Waiver 'Illegal'

Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday the decision by the United States to end a sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to buy electricity from Iran was "illegal". "Such statements are an admission of lawlessness, an admission of crimes against humanity, because the US sanctions, the unilateral US sanctions, against the Iranian nation have no ...

Massad Boulos: Peace Is 'Close'

US President Donald Trump's Middle East advisor, Lebanese-American businessman Massad Boulos, said that peace between Lebanon and Israel was “close,” during a meeting with Israeli politician Yossi Dagan in Washington. “We are looking forward to peace, and we are aiming for peace, and by the grace of God, this will be achieved, hopefully ...

Trump's Tariff Rollback Brings Limited Respite As New Levies Loom

US President Donald Trump imposed vast tariffs this week on key partners Canada and Mexico, roiling cross-border ties before offering temporary relief to manufacturers—but with more levies kicking in next week, the respite may be fleeting. US companies faced a series of duties starting Monday, with Trump doubling an additional levy on ...

Washington Reaffirms Its Conditional Support for the Lebanese Army (LACC)

The Lebanese-American Coordination Committee (LACC) conducted a tour in Washington, D.C. and held a series of meetings as part of its ongoing efforts to support the Lebanese cause. During a meeting with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Natasha Franceschi, the committee was informed that despite budget cuts under the Trump administration, the ...

Trade Wars Intensify as US Tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China Take Force

Mounting trade wars between the United States and its largest economic partners deepened on Tuesday as US tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China kicked in, sparking swift retaliation from Beijing and Ottawa. Steep US tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods came into effect as a deadline to avert President Donald Trump's levies passed without the ...