This is Beirut 15/05 11:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
US President Donald Trump said Thursday he could still travel to Turkey for the first direct Russia-Ukraine talks aimed at ending their more than three-year war if progress is made. "You know, if something happened, I'd go on Friday if it was appropriate," Trump said in Qatar. "We can help the world psychologically. So we think we're going to do ...
This is Beirut 15/05 11:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
A major wildfire burning in central Canada has killed two people, police said Wednesday, and forced 1,000 more to evacuate their homes, kicking off a fire season authorities warn could prove challenging. Canada has endured a series of significant forest fires in recent years, but deaths involving residents are rare. In 2023, the worst wildfire ...
Marie de La Roche Saint-André 15/05 10:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Saudi Arabia Donald Trump Gulf Syria Qatar
After supporting several Syrian opposition groups in the early stages of the war, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are now looking to capitalize on the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad last December to establish a strategic foothold in the country. With a new regime in place that aligns more closely with their interests, both countries are eager to ...
Mark Saikali 15/05 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Donald Trump Gulf Israel Saudi Arabia Middle East Lebanon
Donald Trump had promised that his visit to the Gulf would be historic — and he delivered. From the moment he stepped off the plane, a series of announcements followed swiftly. Let’s start with the numbers — and they’re staggering: $300 billion in signed deals spanning industry, research, defense, space, and even civilian nuclear energy. ...
This is Beirut 15/05 09:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
An adviser to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that Iran could accept far-reaching curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, US media reported. In an interview with NBC News, Ali Shamkhani said that Tehran could agree to never develop nuclear weapons, give up stockpiles of highly enriched uranium and ...
This is Beirut 15/05 09:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Turkey Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Donald Trump
Ukraine and Russia on Thursday hold their first direct talks since the start of Russia's 2022 invasion. President Volodymyr Zelensky had challenged his Russian counterpart to attend in person. But President Vladimir Putin was not on the Kremlin's delegation list. Here's is what is known about the talks: Who is expected to attend? Putin ...
This is Beirut 15/05 09:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Donald Trump Gulf Middle East UAE
US President Donald Trump on Thursday closes a Middle East tour in the United Arab Emirates as he focuses squarely on seeking deals after billions of dollars of pledges from Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The first major trip of his second term had been scheduled to end Thursday but Trump, always ready with surprises, did not rule out continuing on to ...
Salam El Zaatari 15/05 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Donald Trump MBS Saudi Arabia Dubai Syria Middle East
Trump’s first major foreign trip in his second term didn’t start in Jerusalem, Cairo or Baghdad, it began in Riyadh. That alone says a lot. This wasn’t about Abraham Accords 2.0 or sermonizing about “shared values.” This was pure transactional diplomacy, wrapped in the glossy skin of petrodollars and lined with AI circuits. The visuals ...
This is Beirut 15/05 05:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Fresh gunbattles erupted on Wednesday in the Libyan capital between two powerful armed groups, a security official said, a day after authorities declared the fighting over. Clashes flared between the Radaa force and the 444 Brigade in key areas of the city, including the port, the source said. Fighting eased towards the end of the day, according ...
This is Beirut 14/05 23:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Ahmed al-Sharaa United States Donald Trump Syria Sanctions
In a significant address following his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Riyadh, Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa praised US President Donald Trump's decision to lift sanctions, calling it "historic and courageous." Speaking in a live television address, Sharaa said Trump's move "was a historic and courageous decision, which ...
This is Beirut 14/05 23:26 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
United States Iran China Sanctions
The United States on Wednesday unveiled fresh sanctions against six people and 12 firms -- including several based in China and Hong Kong -- for their support of Iran's ballistic missile program. The action follows sanctions on a series of entities and individuals linked to Iran's oil industry and nuclear program the Trump ...
This is Beirut 14/05 22:18 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
United States Donald Trump Syria Ahmad al-Sharaa
US President Donald Trump landed in Doha on Wednesday after visiting Riyadh, where he urged Syria's president to normalize relations with Israel after offering a major boost to the war-ravaged country by vowing to lift sanctions. Trump became the first US president in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader -- Ahmed al-Sharaa, an erstwhile Islamist ...