World

White House Says 'not there yet' on Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Deal

This is Beirut 2024-12-01 16:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States Ceasefire Gaza Palestine Israel

The White House is working on a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza but is "not there yet," the US National Security Advisor told NBC on Sunday, with fighting in the conflict raging on as Arab leaders meet in Cairo to discuss the crisis. "We are working actively to try to make it happen. We are engaged deeply with the key players in the ...

Houthis Say they Targeted Israel with Missile

This is Beirut 2024-12-01 16:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Yemen Israel Red Sea Houthis

The Houthis said they fired a missile at central Israel on Sunday, as Israeli forces announced they had intercepted a "projectile". The Iran-backed rebels "carried out a targeting operation against a vital target" in the Tel Aviv area using a "hypersonic missile", a Houthi statement said. An Israeli armed forces ...

Iranian FM Vows Full Support to Syria in Meeting With Assad

This is Beirut 2024-12-01 16:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Damascus Hezbollah Israel UN Security Council United Nations USA

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Damascus on Sunday to deliver a message of support to Syria's government and armed forces, days after rebels launched a swift offensive capturing Aleppo, the coutry’s second largest city, and other localities. Araghchi is said to have assured Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ...

EditorialSyria and the Domino Effect

Marc Saikali 2024-12-01 15:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel Tehran Turkey Syria Russian

Benjamin Netanyahu has warned in his speech announcing the ceasefire in Lebanon: "Assad is playing with fire." Less than a week later, the Syrian regime is collapsing on all fronts. This time, Turkey is taking the lead. Erdogan has successfully brought together a diverse coalition of militias, from Islamists to Kurds, for the operation. His goal: ...

Announcement – AIDS, the Untold Story...

This is Beirut 2024-12-01 13:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United States AIDS France

On the occasion of World AIDS Day, This is Beirut takes you behind the scenes of one of the most groundbreaking scientific discoveries of the 20th century: the identification of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the infectious agent responsible for AIDS. For the first time, Professor Ara Hovanessian (then a research director at the CNRS in ...

UNRWA Halts Aid Deliveries on Key Route Due to Security Concerns

This is Beirut 2024-12-01 13:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hamas Israel Palestine United Nations USA

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has halted the delivery of aid through the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza because of security concerns, its chief said Sunday. "We are pausing the delivery of aid through Kerem Shalom, the main crossing point for humanitarian aid into Gaza. The road out of this crossing has not been safe ...

Iraq to Debate Revised Bill After Underage Marriage Outcry

This is Beirut 2024-12-01 12:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iraq Marriage Crime

Iraq's parliament will review contentious legal amendments Sunday, including a reworked family law bill that has sparked civil society outrage over fears of a resurgence in underage marriages. The proposed amendments would let people choose between religious or state regulations for family matters, such as marriage, inheritance, divorce and ...

Iran's Foreign Minister to Visit Damascus in Support of Assad

This is Beirut 2024-12-01 11:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Tehran Syria Hezbollah Ankara

Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi said Sunday he will leave Tehran for Damascus to deliver a message of support for Syria's government and armed forces, state media said, after a lighting advance by rebels. Araghchi will head afterwards to Ankara for consultations with Turkish officials. Tehran has been a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar ...

New EU Chiefs to Visit Kyiv on First Day

This is Beirut 2024-12-01 10:41 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Kyiv EU Ukraine

The EU's new top diplomat Kaja Kallas and head of the European Council Antonio Costa arrived in Kyiv Sunday in a symbolic show of support for Ukraine on their first day in office. "We came to give a clear message that we stand with Ukraine, and we continue to give our full support," Costa told media outlets including AFP ...

US, Russia, Iran, and Turkey Address Escalation in Syria

This is Beirut 2024-12-01 10:04 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Turkey Syria Russia Iran

The United States on Saturday said Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad lost control of Aleppo because of his reliance on Russia and Iran. Syria's "reliance on Russia and Iran," along with its refusal to move forward with a 2015 peace process outlined by the UN Security Council, "created the conditions now unfolding," National ...

Macron’s Future Visit to Riyadh: Strengthening Strategic Ties With KSA

This is Beirut 2024-11-30 20:23 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron Middle East Saudi Arabia France

French President Emmanuel Macron, leveraging his role in the Lebanon ceasefire, hopes to bring Saudi Arabia back into play in Beirut and strengthen France's influence in the Middle East during a state visit to Riyadh starting Monday. The head of state, who will spend three days in Saudi Arabia, also aims to project a "new ambition" in relations ...

Gaza: Hamas Releases New Video of Israeli Hostage

This is Beirut 2024-11-30 17:40 - Reading : less than a minute

Hamas Israel USA hostage

Hamas has released a propaganda video featuring Edan Alexander, a 20-year-old hostage,the first such video in several months. The three-and-a-half-minute video is undated, but Alexander states he has been in captivity for over 420 days, suggesting the footage was filmed this week if accurate. Alexander, a US citizen and soldier, was stationed ...