World

ChronicleRalph Fiennes Shines in 'Conclave,' the Thriller That Shakes Up the Church

Bélinda Ibrahim 18/02 18:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Film Chronicle Vatican Culture Ralph Fiennes

Steeped in unrelenting tension, Conclave, directed by Edward Berger and adapted from Robert Harris’s novel, pulls viewers into the inner workings of religious power struggles. Following the sudden death of the pope, the College of Cardinals convenes in the utmost secrecy to choose his successor. But behind the sealed doors of the Sistine Chapel, ...

Hamas to Free 6 Israeli Hostages, Hand Over 4 Bodies this Week

This is Beirut 18/02 17:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Israel Hamas Gaza Israeli Hostages

Hamas said Tuesday that it would hand over all six living Israeli hostages due for release under the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire this week, as well as the bodies of four dead captives. The fragile Gaza truce took effect on January 19 after more than 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the Palestinian militant group's ...

Russia Tells US It Opposes Any NATO Member Sending Troops to Ukraine

This is Beirut 18/02 16:36 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

USA Ukraine Donald Trump US Secretary of State Russia

Russia told the United States in talks on Tuesday that it opposed any NATO member sending troops to Ukraine as part of a ceasefire, Moscow's foreign minister said. "The appearance of troops of armed forces from the same NATO countries, whether under a foreign flag, under the flag of the European Union or under national flags, does not ...

VideosFrom Revolution to Reconstruction: Homs Residents Return to Their City

This is Beirut 18/02 15:50 - Reading : less than a minute

Homs Syria War Bashar al-Assad

Once dubbed the capital of the revolution against Bashar al-Assad, Homs saw some of the fiercest fighting in Syria's civil war. Now, displaced people are returning to their neighborhoods, only to find them in ruins.

Pope Eating, Reading but Weekend Events Cancelled

This is Beirut 18/02 14:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Pope Francis Vatican

Pope Francis breakfasted and read the papers as usual on Tuesday on his fifth day in hospital but appears no closer to being discharged, with the Vatican cancelling his weekend events. The 88-year-old was admitted to Rome's Gemelli hospital last Friday for bronchitis, but the Holy See said Monday it was changing his treatment to deal with a ...

Arab League Summit on Gaza Postponed to March 4

This is Beirut 18/02 14:10 - Reading : less than a minute

Arab League Egypt Gaza

An extraordinary Arab League meeting on Gaza, initially set for next week, has been postponed to March 4, host Egypt said on Tuesday. The Egyptian foreign ministry said the new date was agreed with Arab League members as part of "substantive and logistical preparations" for the summit. The meeting was called in response to US President Donald ...

EU tells US Europe Wants to 'partner' on Ukraine Peace

This is Beirut 18/02 12:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union Ukraine USA Ursula von der Leyen

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen told US envoy Keith Kellogg on Tuesday that Europe wants to work with Washington for peace in Ukraine, and is ready to do more to arm Kyiv. "Financially and militarily, Europe has brought more to the table than anyone else. And we will step up," von der Leyen wrote on X after meeting Kellogg in Brussels. "We want to ...

AnalysisBack in the fold, Saudi becomes dealmaker for US, Russia

This is Beirut 18/02 09:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

ksa russia us

A pariah under the former US administration, Saudi Arabia has returned to the diplomatic fold, hosting breakthrough US-Russia talks and an Arab leaders' summit on Gaza in a complete reversal of fortunes for the monarchy. Top Russian and US officials are meeting on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia for discussions aimed at restoring relations and laying the ...

New York City Councils Calls for Mayor's Resignation

This is Beirut 18/02 05:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States New York Justice

The head of New York's city council on Monday called for the resignation of Mayor Eric Adams, days after the US Justice Department moved to dismiss a corruption case against him. Adams, who pleaded not guilty in September to charges of fraud and bribery, has denied allegations he asked for the case to be dropped in exchange for enforcing ...

UK's Starmer Says 'US Backstop' Ukraine's Only Defense Against Russia

This is Beirut 17/02 22:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United Kingdom Ukraine Keir Starmer

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday warned that a "US security guarantee" would be the "only way" to prevent Russia from attacking Ukraine again in the event of peace. "I'm prepared to consider committing British forces on the ground alongside others if there is a lasting peace agreement, but there must be a US backstop, because a US ...

Top US Diplomat Rubio Meets Saudi Crown Prince in Riyadh

This is Beirut 17/02 21:45 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

United States Marco Rubio Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman

Top US and Russian diplomats will meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for talks on resetting the countries' fractured relations and making a tentative start on trying to end the Ukraine war. Both sides played down the chances that the first high-level meeting between the countries since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022 would result in a ...

Russian Delegation Lands in Saudi Arabia for Talks with US

This is Beirut 17/02 21:40 - Reading : less than a minute

Sergei Lavrov Marco Rubio Russia United States Saudi Arabia

A Russian delegation including foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov has arrived in Saudi Arabia for high-level talks with US officials, Russian state TV reported Monday. The Rossiya 24 news channel showed the officials disembarking a plane in the Saudi capital Riyadh. "The main thing is to begin a real normalisation of ...