World

ExclusiveNicolas Hénin on the ISIS Defendants’ Denial: “A disturbing dual role”

Bélinda Ibrahim 25/02 12:00 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Middle East ISIS Nicolas Hénin Mehdi Nemmouche trial

The trial opened on Monday, February 17, 2025. Nicolas Hénin, a former hostage of Daesh, faced his jailer Mehdi Nemmouche in a French court. Nemmouche, already convicted for the attack on the Jewish Museum of Brussels, is now on trial for the kidnapping and detention of 27 Westerners in Syria between 2013 and 2014. Among them, four French ...

ReportMacron and Trump Rekindle Le Bromance with a Touch of Tension

This is Beirut 25/02 09:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Emmanuel Macron Europe Ukraine USA

They hugged, they gripped hands, they touched knees and they backslapped. But they did not agree on everything. French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump rekindled the most touchy-feely bromance in world politics as they met on Monday for talks on Ukraine. The pair have a long history of public displays of affection dating ...

Macron Warns Ukraine Peace can't Mean 'Surrender', after Trump Talks

This is Beirut 25/02 09:15 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron Donald Trump United States France Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron warned Monday that peace cannot mean the "surrender" of Ukraine, but said talks with US President Donald Trump had shown a path forward despite fears of a transatlantic rift. Meeting at the White House on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion, the two leaders said there was progress on the idea ...

EU Suspends Sanctions on Key Syria Economic Sectors

This is Beirut 24/02 23:08 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union Damascus Europe United Nations

The European Union on Monday eased sanctions on Syria's energy, transport and banking sectors in a bid to help the country's reconstruction after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Syria's new leaders have been clamouring for the West to ease sanctions imposed on Assad's regime during the civil war. But Europe and other powers have ...

Pope Francis Still in Critical Condition, Despite a Slight Improvement

This is Beirut 24/02 22:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Vatican Pope Francis

Pope Francis, in hospital with pneumonia in both lungs, remains in critical condition but is showing "slight improvement," the Vatican announced on Monday evening, amid growing concern for the health of the 88-year-old pontiff. "The clinical condition of the Holy Father, while remaining critical, has slightly improved. No episodes of asthmatic ...

Sweida's Military Council Announces Its Goals Amid Fears of Israel

This is Beirut 24/02 22:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Damascus Israel Benjamin Netanyahu

The Military Council in Syria’s Sweida announced on Monday that it is coordinating with the spiritual leader of the Druze, Hikmat al-Hijri, and is advocating for a decentralized secular state. This announcement was made in the council’s first official statement during a military parade held at the Kafr Agricultural Airport in the province's ...

US to Veto Any Amendments to its Ukraine Proposal at UN Security Council

This is Beirut 24/02 18:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United States Ukraine UN Security Council

The United States threatened Monday to veto any amendments, including by its European allies, to a proposed Security Council resolution that urges a "swift end" to the Ukraine war without mentioning territorial integrity. "We're going to veto a Russian amendment if it comes to us in the Security Council, we will veto the Europeans' amendments if ...

Major Overhaul in Washington: Trump Strikes on All Fronts

Moncef Ait-Kaci 24/02 18:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Donald Trump Elon Musk

US President Donald Trump has initiated a major reshuffling of the federal government since his return to the White House in January 2025. Thousands of government employees have been dismissed, and several programs have been put on hold, with no sector spared. Among the high-ranking officials dismissed was General Charles Q. Brown Jr., Chairman ...

Ukraine Has Lost Almost Half Its Population Since 1991

Élie-Joe Kamel 24/02 18:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky United Nations Russia Demography

The demographic crisis that Ukraine has been suffering from for decades has worsened over the past three years. After the collapse of the USSR in 1991 and the country’s independence a year later, Ukraine had approximately 52 million inhabitants. Today, the Ukrainian population is estimated at nearly 35 million, according to the United Nations ...

US Slaps Sanctions on Iranian National Oil Company Chief over Oil Shipments

This is Beirut 24/02 18:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United States Sanctions Iran National Iranian Oil Company

The United States on Monday announced sanctions against more than 30 Iran-linked people and vessels, including the head of the national oil company, for brokering the sale and shipment of Iranian oil. "Iran continues to rely on a shadowy network of vessels, shippers, and brokers to facilitate its oil sales and fund its destabilizing activities," ...

Apple Announces $500 bn Investment in US as Trump Tariffs Bite

This is Beirut 24/02 17:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Apple Artificial Intelligence Donald Trump Technology

Apple said on Monday it will spend more than $500 billion in the United States over the next four years and hire 20,000 people, with President Donald Trump quickly taking credit for the announcement. The Silicon Valley-based giant said it was its "largest-ever spend commitment," which comes as tech companies battle for dominance in developing ...

Explosives Thrown at Russian Consulate in Marseille on Ukraine War anniversary

This is Beirut 24/02 13:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Europe Ukraine Vladimir Putin Russia explosion

Three improvised explosive devices were thrown at the Russian consulate in the southern French port city of Marseille on Monday but no one was injured, a police source said. Only two of the three devices exploded in the attack on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the source said. The consulate was sealed off ...