World

Q&ARare Earths: Strategic Metals Key to Future Tech

This is Beirut 16/10 09:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump European Union US Treasury China Rare Earths

Rare earths are minerals used to make magnets crucial to the auto, electronic and defense industries, as well as in renewable energy. The US Treasury Secretary slammed export curbs imposed by Beijing last week on technologies used for rare-earth mining, smelting, and other processing steps. Scott Bessent said on Thursday it was "China versus the ...

Trump Indicates Approval of CIA Action Against Venezuela

This is Beirut 16/10 08:54 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United States Venezuela Donald Trump CIA

US President Donald Trump indicated Wednesday he had authorized covert CIA action against Venezuela and said he was considering strikes against alleged drug cartels on land in the South American country. Trump's comments triggered outrage from leftist Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who decried "coups d'etat orchestrated by the ...

Israel Threatens To Resume Fighting if Hamas Does Not Respect Gaza Truce Deal

This is Beirut 16/10 05:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Gaza Israel Hamas Palestine

Israel's defence minister threatened Wednesday to resume fighting if Hamas does not honour the terms of a US-backed ceasefire that halted the war in Gaza. The statement from Defence Minister Israel Katz's office came after Hamas handed over the remains of two more deceased hostages, and said it would be unable to retrieve any more bodies ...

Israel Says Military Received Two Hostage Bodies from Red Cross in Gaza

This is Beirut 15/10 23:26 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Gaza Hamas Israel

Israel said its forces received two hostage bodies from the Red Cross on Wednesday, which had been returned under a US-brokered ceasefire deal in Gaza. "Israel has received, through the Red Cross, two coffins containing the bodies of hostages who were handed over to the [Israeli military] and Shin Bet (security agency) forces inside the Gaza ...

NATO and EU Scramble to Boost Drone Defenses to Counter Russia

This is Beirut 15/10 21:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

NATO European Union Russia Mark Rutte

NATO and the EU on Wednesday sought ways to boost anti-drone defenses, as Europe scrambles to counter the threat from Russia after a series of air incursions. High-profile incidents in Poland and Estonia have set off a flurry of activity from European officials to plug gaps in the continent's defenses. NATO has launched a new mission and beefed ...

UN Humanitarian Chief Says Israel Should Immediately Open Gaza Crossings to Aid

This is Beirut 15/10 21:01 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United Nations Tom Fletcher Gaza Israel

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher urged Israel on Wednesday to immediately open all crossings into Gaza for humanitarian aid, as called for in a US-backed ceasefire plan. "It should happen now. We want it to happen immediately as part of this agreement," Fletcher told AFP in an interview in Cairo, ahead of a planned trip to the Gaza ...

SpotlightDisarming Hamas: How Could Gaza Be Demilitarized?

Natasha Metni Torbey 15/10 20:00 - Reading : 7 minute(s)

Hamas Palestine Donald Trump Israel Turkey

The peace plan co-signed on Monday in Sharm el-Sheikh by US President Donald Trump and the leaders of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey raises a crucial question: How would Hamas be disarmed? The Trump plan lays out a stark reality: Gaza must be demilitarized. To achieve this, a stabilization force will need to be created. On paper, the plan seems ...

Gaza: Senior US Military Official Urges Hamas to “Stop Firing on Palestinian Civilians”

This is Beirut 15/10 19:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States CENTCOM Gaza Hamas

A senior US official for the Middle East (CENTCOM) called on Wednesday for Hamas to “stop firing on Palestinian civilians” following the release by the Palestinian Islamist movement of a video showing summary executions of alleged “collaborators.” “We strongly urge Hamas to cease targeting innocent Palestinian ...

US Treasury Chief: Beijing's Rare Earths Move is 'China vs the World'

This is Beirut 15/10 19:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

US Treasury Department Scott Bessent United States China Trade Rare Earths

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slammed Beijing's rare earth export curbs Wednesday as "China versus the world," vowing that Washington and its allies would "neither be commanded nor controlled." "This should be a clear sign to our allies that we must work together, and work together we will," Bessent told reporters at a press ...

Syrian Leader Seeks Reset in Russia Relations in Putin Meeting

This is Beirut 15/10 18:33 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Syria Bashar al-Assad Ahmad al-Sharaa

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said Wednesday he wanted to "redefine" relations with Moscow as Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted him in their first meeting since key Kremlin ally Bashar al-Assad was ousted last year. In front of the television cameras, Putin greeted Sharaa warmly at the Kremlin, but behind closed doors the ...

Israel Returns 45 Palestinian Bodies to Gaza

This is Beirut 15/10 17:30 - Reading : less than a minute

Israel Gaza Hamas

Israel returned the bodies of 45 Palestinians on Wednesday, bringing the total number handed over to 90, Gaza's health ministry said. Under a ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump, Israel was to turn over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli returned. On Monday, Hamas gave up three Israeli bodies and one ...

Pakistan and Afghanistan Agree to 48-Hour Ceasefire

This is Beirut 15/10 16:40 - Reading : less than a minute

Pakistan Afghanistan

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire on Wednesday, the foreign ministry in Islamabad said, after dozens of troops and civilians were killed earlier in a fresh round of border skirmishes. "The Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban regime, at the Taliban's request... have decided to implement a temporary ceasefire starting ...