World

VideosPope Francis Makes Joyful Easter Appearance Despite Health Struggles

This is Beirut 20/04 19:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Pope Francis Donald Trump Hamas Israel Palestine

Pope Francis called for freedom of thought and tolerance in his Easter Sunday address, as the weakened pontiff delighted the crowds of Catholic faithful by making a much-anticipated holiday appearance, even circling St. Peter's Square in his popemobile. "Happy Easter," said the 88-year-old Argentine pope in a faint voice from his wheelchair on ...

Russia and Ukraine Accuse Each Other of Breaching Easter Truce

This is Beirut 20/04 18:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Russia Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine on Sunday accused each other of violating an Easter truce announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian forces were continuing their shelling and assaults along the front line despite Putin announcing the surprise truce. The 30-hour truce starting Saturday evening to mark ...

Israel Army Probe Says No 'Indiscriminate Fire' in Killing of Gaza Medics

This is Beirut 20/04 17:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Gaza Hamas Israel

An Israeli military investigation concluded Sunday that its troops did not use "indiscriminate fire" in an incident that killed 15 Gaza emergency service personnel but acknowledged failures and announced plans to dismiss a field commander. The killings occurred in the southern Gaza Strip in the early hours of March 23, just days into a renewed ...

Baghdad Divided Over Invitation of Syria's Interim President to Arab Summit

This is Beirut 20/04 17:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iraq Syria Ahmad al-Sharaa

Several powerful pro-Iran Iraqi politicians have in recent days voiced opposition to a potential visit by Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Iraq for the upcoming Arab League summit. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said earlier this week that Baghdad has invited al-Sharaa to attend the summit, scheduled to take place in the ...

Trump Considers Gutting US Diplomatic Footprint in Africa

This is Beirut 20/04 17:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States Africa US State Department Donald Trump

The United States would drastically reduce its diplomatic footprint in Africa and eliminate State Department offices focused on climate change, democracy, and human rights, according to a White House order under consideration. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that The New York Times, which first reported the existence of the draft order, had ...

NASA's Oldest Active Astronaut Returns to Earth on 70th Birthday

This is Beirut 20/04 15:21 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

NASA Kazakhstan Soyuz MS-26

Cake, gifts, and a low-key family celebration may be how many senior citizens picture their 70th birthday. But NASA's oldest serving astronaut, Don Pettit, became a septuagenarian while hurtling towards the Earth in a spacecraft to wrap up a seven-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). A Soyuz capsule carrying the American ...

Pope Briefly Meets US Vice President JD Vance

This is Beirut 20/04 15:17 - Reading : less than a minute

Vatican Pope Francis JD Vance United States

Pope Francis had a brief private meeting with US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday, the Vatican said, on the last day of the Republican's visit to Rome. "The meeting, which lasted a few minutes, gave the opportunity to exchange greetings on Easter Sunday," wrote the Vatican in a brief statement, saying the encounter took place at the pope's ...

Iranian Press Trumpet Strength in Ongoing US Talks

This is Beirut 20/04 15:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Hezbollah Israel Middle East

Iranian media portray Tehran as holding a strong position after Saturday's nuclear talks with the United States, ahead of further discussions in Oman in the coming days. "Iran's military might has forced America to negotiate," headlines the Kayhan newspaper, whose editorial line has long opposed any compromise or negotiations with the United ...

Gaza Rescuers Say Israeli Airstrikes Kill 25

This is Beirut 20/04 15:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Gaza Israel Hamas

Gaza's civil defense agency reported that Israeli air strikes since dawn on Sunday have killed at least 25 people across the Gaza Strip, including women and children. Israel resumed its aerial and ground assault on Gaza on March 18, reigniting fighting after a two-month ceasefire that had paused more than 15 months of war in the coastal ...

Pope Wishes 'Happy Easter' to Faithful in Appearance at St Peter's Square

This is Beirut 20/04 13:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Vatican Pope Francis

Pope Francis appeared in front of thousands of Catholic faithful at St. Peter's Square on Sunday for Easter, despite the 88-year-old pontiff's frail health that has kept him from most Holy Week events. "Happy Easter," said the Argentine pontiff in a weak voice from his wheelchair at the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, to the delight of tens of ...

InterviewsQatar’s Chief Negotiator Says ‘Frustrated’ by Pace of Gaza Talks

This is Beirut 20/04 11:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Palestine Benjamin Netanyahu Washington Gulf Hamas

Qatar's chief negotiator voiced frustration over talks for a truce in Gaza in an interview with AFP, a month after Israel resumed its strikes on the Palestinian territory and another round of negotiations ended without a deal. "We're definitely frustrated by the slowness, sometimes, of the process in the negotiation. This is an urgent matter. ...

SpotlightAmerican and European Rivalry Serves China and Its Axis

Pierre Nahas 20/04 11:30 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

USA China United States Europe

It is in no way simplistic to say that the 20th century has been the American century. Our modern world was and is still being shaped by innovations made in America. The nuclear bomb, the Apollo mission to the moon and the internet. Indeed, America can draw from a long list, but one overlooked American achievement is Europe. It would not be an ...