World

Canada Drops Digital Tax on US Tech Giants as Trade Talks with Trump Resume

This is Beirut 30/06 09:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Canada will rescind taxes impacting US tech firms that had prompted President Donald Trump to retaliate by calling off trade talks, Ottawa said Sunday, adding that negotiations with Washington would resume. The digital services tax, enacted last year, would have seen US service providers such as Alphabet and Amazon on the hook for a ...

$Germany Accuses Russia of Wanting to Impose Kiev's \$

Germany Accuses Russia of Wanting to Impose Kiev's "Capitulation"

This is Beirut 30/06 09:45 - Reading : less than a minute

Johann Wadephul Germany Russia Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to surrender, Germany's top diplomat said on Monday as he visited Kyiv after weeks of stepped-up Russian bombardments of the country. Amid stalled peace talks to end the more than three-year war, "Putin is not ceding on any of his maximalist demands – he doesn't want negotiations; he wants a ...

Top Chinese Diplomat in Europe to Promote Closer Ties

This is Beirut 30/06 09:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

China United States Europe Wang Yi

China's top diplomat heads to Europe on Monday for a visit that Beijing said will highlight ties as an "anchor of stability" in a world in turmoil. Wang Yi's tour will take him to the European Union's headquarters in Brussels as well as France and Germany as China seeks to improve relations with the bloc as a counterweight to superpower rival the ...

AnalysisWhat’s Next, the Scope of Negotiations?

Charles Chartouni 30/06 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Iran Israel United States Syria Donald Trump

The truce finalized by US President Donald Trump should presumably pave the way to the end of the war and tentatively usher in a peace agreement. Otherwise, the restoration of the status quo ante and the rehabilitation of the older scripts of negotiations are highly questionable. The viability of the truce depends largely on the alternative ...

Gunman Who Killed Two Firefighters in Idaho Ambush Found Dead

This is Beirut 30/06 05:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States Idaho Shooting

U.S. authorities found the body of a lone gunman suspected of starting a wildfire on Sunday, then opening fire on firefighters battling the blaze in the northwestern state of Idaho, killing two. The suspected shooter was discovered dead with a firearm on Canfield Mountain in Kootenai County — a popular park and hiking area — following ...

Netanyahu says 'victory' over Iran yields 'opportunities' to free Gaza hostages

This is Beirut 29/06 21:15 - Reading : less than a minute

Netanyahu Israel Gaza Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that his country's "victory" over Iran in their 12-day war had created "opportunities", including for freeing Israeli hostages held in Gaza. "Many opportunities have opened up now following this victory. First of all, to rescue the hostages," Netanyahu said in an address to officers of the ...

Turkey Spy Chief Talks Gaza Truce With Senior Hamas Leader

This is Beirut 29/06 20:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Gaza Turkey talks Hamas Israel

Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met senior Hamas leaders on Sunday for talks on Gaza's humanitarian tragedy and efforts to reach a ceasefire, state news agency Anadolu reported. Kalin held talks with Mohammad Darwish, head of the political council of Hamas that rules Gaza, and his delegation at an undisclosed location, Anadolu said, ...

Trump Says 'Getting Along Well' With China

This is Beirut 29/06 20:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Trump China USA commercial

President Donald Trump on Sunday dismissed the importance of aggressive actions linked to Beijing including recent arrests of two Chinese nationals accused of smuggling a dangerous pathogen into the United States, saying "that's the way the world works." Trump told Fox News that Washington behaves in a similar way. "You don't think we do that to ...

Trump Says 'Very Wealthy' Group to Buy TikTok

This is Beirut 29/06 19:07 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States Donald Trump TikTok

President Donald Trump said Sunday a group of buyers had been found for TikTok, which faces a looming ban in the United States due to its China ties, adding he could name the purchasers in two weeks. "We have a buyer for TikTok, by the way," Trump said in an interview on Fox's Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. "Very ...

US Envoy Urges Syria and Lebanon to Pursue Peace with Israel

This is Beirut 29/06 18:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United States Iran Israel Tom Barrack

With the Iran-Israel war opening up a new road for the Mideast, Syria and Lebanon need to reach peace agreements with Israel, the US special envoy to Syria said Sunday. "President (Ahmed) al-Sharaa has indicated that he doesn't hate Israel... and that he wants peace on that border. I think that will also happen with Lebanon. It's a necessity to ...

Zelensky Signs Decree for Ukraine's Withdrawal from Anti-Landmine Treaty

This is Beirut 29/06 17:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Volodymyr Zelensky Ukraine Ottawa Convention

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday signed a decree putting his war-torn country on track to leave the anti-landmine Ottawa Convention, according to a document published on his website. The treaty bans signatories from acquiring, producing, stockpiling or using anti-personnel mines, which are designed to be buried or hidden on the ...

Iran Voices 'Serious Doubts' over Israel Commitment to Ceasefire

This is Beirut 29/06 17:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Iran Israel

Iran on Sunday said it was not convinced Israel would abide by a ceasefire that ended their 12-day war this week. The most serious escalation to date between the arch-foes erupted on June 13, when Israel launched a bombing campaign in Iran that killed top military commanders and scientists linked to its disputed nuclear program. Israel said its ...