Middle East

US Veto Blocks UN Security Council Resolution on Gaza Ceasefire

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 22:50 - Reading : less than a minute

UN Security Council Gaza United States United Nations

The United States on Thursday again wielded its veto and thwarted a UN Security Council call for a ceasefire in Gaza, shielding its ally Israel from meaningful diplomatic pressure. "The United States rejects this unacceptable resolution. It is beyond time that Hamas release every single hostage now and surrender immediately. The United States ...

UN Syria Envoy Geir Pedersen Resigns After Seven Years in Post

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 21:50 - Reading : less than a minute

Geir Pedersen Syria United Nations

UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen announced Wednesday that he is resigning “for personal reasons” after nearly seven and a half years in the post. Speaking before the UN Security Council, the Norwegian diplomat said he was “deeply indebted and deeply grateful to the Syrian people, who have shown extraordinary courage and humanity ...

Missile From Yemen Intercepted Over Israel, Military Confirms

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 21:10 - Reading : less than a minute

Nawaf Salam Yemen Missile Houthis

The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen toward Israeli territory on Thursday, after air raid sirens sounded in several areas, including Jerusalem. "Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF (air force)," the military said ...

UN Security Council to Vote on Reimposing Sanctions Against Iran

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 20:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Iran UN Security Council Sanctions

The UN Security Council will vote Friday on whether to reimpose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, the Council's presidency said, after Britain, France, and Germany triggered the process that led to the vote. The three European countries, signatories to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) intended to stop Tehran from obtaining ...

SpotlightSaudi-Pakistan Defense Pact Reshapes Regional Power Dynamics

Rayan Chami 2025-09-18 18:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Saudi Arabia Gulf Middle East Pakistan

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement on Wednesday, making any act of aggression against one country an act of aggression against both. The accord was formalized during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s state visit to Riyadh, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Officials described the deal as a ...

VideosA State Banquet in Trump’s Honor at Windsor Castle

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 17:45 - Reading : less than a minute

Donald Trump

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump attended a state banquet at Windsor Castle, joined by 160 guests alongside members of the royal family.

Syria to Strike Security Deals with Israel by End of 2025

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 17:08 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Syria Damas

Syria expects to finalize security and military agreements with Israel this year, an official said Thursday, in what would be a breakthrough less than a year after Bashar al-Assad's ouster. With the United States pushing for a settlement between the two neighbors, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani arrived in Washington to discuss talks with ...

Trump and Starmer Seal Historic 205 Billion Dollar Tech Deal

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 16:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump United Kingdom Keir Starmer United States

Donald Trump hailed America's "unbreakable bond" with Britain Thursday as he and Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a huge tech deal on the second day of the US president's pomp-filled state visit. A day after King Charles III treated Trump to a day of royal pageantry at Windsor Castle, Trump flew to Starmer's Chequers country residence for talks ...

Two Dead in Shooting at Jordan-West Bank Crossing

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 16:29 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam West Bank Jordan

An assailant who arrived in a truck carrying humanitarian aid from Jordan shot dead two men Thursday at the main border crossing between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jordan, the Israeli military and medics said. The security forces "neutralized" the attacker, the military said. Israeli emergency service Magen David Adom said the ...

UN Warns of Increasingly Erratic Global Water Cycle

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 16:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

World Meteorological Organization Water Climate change Science

Climate change is spurring increasingly erratic and extreme swings between deluge and drought across the world, the United Nations warned on Thursday. The UN's World Meteorological Organization said in a report that the world's water cycle was becoming ever more unpredictable, with shrinking glaciers, droughts, unbalanced river basins, and severe ...

Major Disruption Hits France on Day of Anti-Macron 'Anger'

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 14:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron France Paris Lecornu

French protesters were on Thursday staging a day of nationwide disruption in a show of anger over President Emmanuel Macron's budget policies, with mass protests expected, transport chaos and clashes between police and demonstrators. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, Macron's seventh head of government, took office last week, vowing a break from ...

Swiss Exports to US Tumble After Tariff Punch

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 12:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States Swiss

Swiss exports to the United States fell to their lowest level since 2020 in August when massive US tariffs came into effect, official data showed Thursday. The Alpine country's exports to the United States reached 3.1 billion Swiss francs ($3.9 billion) in August, a 22.1 percent drop from July, customs figures showed. Donald Trump imposed a ...