Search : 500 result(s)

Jordan Tells Russia to Stop Recruiting its Citizens After Two Killed

Jordan on Thursday asked Russia to stop recruiting its citizens for its armed forces after two of them were killed fighting for Moscow. In a statement, the foreign ministry called the recruitment "a violation of Jordanian law and international law" that "exposes citizens to serious danger". Spokesman for the ministry Fuad al-Majali called on ...

Basij: An Iranian Paramilitary Force Serving the Regime

The Basij is an Iranian paramilitary force created in 1980, shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It was initially conceived as a popular volunteer force tasked with defending the Revolution and the nascent regime. Rapidly integrated into the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Basij played a major role during the Iran-Iraq War ...

Negotiations Under Way on Hamas Fighters Trapped in Gaza Tunnels: Sources Close to Talks

Negotiations are under way to ensure safe passage for dozens of Hamas fighters holed up in tunnels in southern Gaza, multiple sources close to the talks told AFP on Thursday. Israeli media has reported that for weeks, between 100 and 200 Hamas militants have remained trapped in a network of tunnels under the city of Rafah, in an area of the Gaza ...

Pope Urges Turkey to Embrace Mediator Role on First Overseas Trip

Pope Leo XIV began a four-day visit to Turkey on Thursday, urging Ankara to embrace its role as a mediator in a world gripped by conflict, he said after talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "Mr President, may Turkey be a source of stability and rapprochement between peoples, in service of a just and lasting peace," he said in the capital as ...

Fadi Khalaf: Lebanon Is on the Path to Economic Restructuring

The Secretary General of the Association of Banks in Lebanon, Fadi Khalaf, stated that the country is beginning to return to the path of economic recovery, considering the return of the Union of Arab Banks to Lebanon as a promising sign of hope. However, he warned that the Lebanese State’s failure to comply with the conditions set by Arab ...

Johnny Depp Calls Life With Vanessa Paradis “Bliss” in Rare Interview

Johnny Depp's life with former French partner Vanessa Paradis and their two children was "bliss," the US actor told AFP in an interview on Thursday. "I have nothing but incredible memories from those days. They gave me time to be a tour father," Depp said in Tokyo. "Vanessa was doing her shows, you know, various tours. I got to be just Daddy for ...

Football – 2025 Arab Cup: Lebanon Self-Destructs Despite Numerical Advantage

No one will be able to say the context wasn’t favorable. In Doha, on the pitch of the Thani bin Jassim Stadium, in front of 20,816 spectators and under the eyes of Gianni Infantino and Lebanese FA president Hachem Haidar, Lebanon played more than an hour with eleven men against ten… only to lose 2–1 to Sudan and crash out of the 2025 Arab ...

The Crisis, the State, and the Banks

The State must acknowledge its main share of responsibility in the crisis. Yet nothing suggests it is ready to do so. The political class opposes it, and the plan supported by the IMF also seeks to absolve those responsible at the expense of depositors.  

One Year After Ceasefire, Israeli Raids Intensify

One year after the November 27 ceasefire, the Israeli air force on Thursday launched new strikes in southern Lebanon on the Nabaa al-Taseh, al-Jarmaq, and al-Mahmoudiyeh villages. Two air raids were also reported over Iqlim al-Tuffah area.  The Israeli Broadcasting Authority described the operations as “the first major strike” since the ...

Ceasefire Anniversary: Hezbollah Rebuilds, Israeli Strikes Persist

One year after the 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, southern Lebanon remains tense as the militia steadily rebuilds its military and civilian infrastructure, triggering daily Israeli airstrikes despite the truce. Hezbollah’s Ideology Drives Reconstruction An analysis of 669 Israeli airstrikes since November 27, 2024, by the ...

Over Half of Gen Z Already Shows Noise-Induced Hearing Damage

In the deafening clamor of the 21st century, Generation Z, those born between the late 1990s and early 2010s, stands out for its unprecedented relationship with sound. From massive festivals to headphones glued to their ears and constant social media use, exposure to noise has never been so intense or continuous. The figures from the Royal ...

Badminton: Lebanon Shines in Erbil With 12 Medals

Lebanese badminton soared high in Erbil. At the West Asia Regional Championships, held in the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, Lebanon’s young shuttlers delivered a statement performance: 12 medals in total (2 gold, 4 silver, 6 bronze) across the U15, U17, and U23 categories—plus a team title and a steady harvest in individual events. Under the ...

Israeli Army Launches New Operation in West Bank

Israel's military on Wednesday launched a new operation against Palestinian armed groups in the occupied West Bank, where a local governor told AFP that Israeli forces had raided several towns. The Israeli military, police and internal security service said in a joint statement that they had begun "a broad counter-terrorism operation" in the ...

UAE Pledges $1 Billion Investment in Electricity for Government-Controlled Yemen

The United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday it would invest $1 billion in the electricity infrastructure of government-held Yemen, which has been devastated by civil war. On a visit to Aden, where the internationally recognized government is based, Emirati ambassador Mohammed Hamad al-Zaabi announced his country had "allocated $1 billion to build ...

Tensions Rise Between Israel’s Military and Government, Netanyahu Accused of Dodging Responsibility

Tensions are rising in Israel between the political leadership and the military over investigations into October 7, 2023, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused of shirking responsibility for the authorities’ failure to anticipate and prevent the deadliest attack in the country’s history. Weekly protests, reflecting public anger, ...

Love Bombing: Irresistible Pull of Excess

In digital culture as in everyday language, love bombing is quite literally a “bombardment of love.” The term describes a seduction phase in which someone is overwhelmed with attention, declarations, and conspicuous displays of interest (streams of messages, unexpected gifts, sudden plans, sweeping promises). It is less the passion or joyful ...

Egyptian Initiative Stalls: Token Disarmament and Sharm El-Sheikh Talks

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty is once again visiting Beirut to push forward the Egyptian initiative aimed at resolving the crisis between Lebanon and Israel. He cautions that the failure of this or any alternative proposal could push Lebanon toward further escalation and a potential military confrontation with Israel. According to ...

Perrier: Court Ruling Drops the Case

The French court rejected UFC-Que Choisir’s complaint, which called Perrier’s sale as “mineral water” misleading due to microfiltration. Senator Antoinette Guhl calls for better traceability to distinguish treated water from truly natural water, while Nestlé Waters praises a ruling confirming the “safety” of its waters.

Lebanon and Cyprus Sign Maritime Border Deal

Lebanon and Cyprus formally signed a maritime border demarcation agreement on Wednesday, marking a major step in bilateral relations and paving the way for expanded energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides signed the agreement at Lebanon's presidential ...

As Pope Leo XIV’s Visit Nears, Hope Runs Deep in Beirut

In Beirut, residents are awaiting Pope Leo XIV’s visit, scheduled from November 30 to December 2, with a mix of hope and caution, anticipating a unique moment for a capital suspended in uncertainty. Across Beirut, in cafés, malls, offices, and homes, the pontiff's expected arrival is sparking a wide range of feelings. Between hope, devotion, ...

Egypt's Foreign Minister Presents De-Escalation Proposal to Lebanon

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed Cairo’s “full support” for Lebanon’s efforts to assert exclusive state control over weapons during an official visit to Beirut on Wednesday. After talks with President Joseph Aoun, Abdelatty underscored Egypt’s backing for the president’s latest Independence ...

Syria: Explosion of Unknown Origin Injures Civilians in Idlib

An explosion of unknown origin shook the town of Kafr Takharim in western Idlib on Wednesday, injuring several civilians, according to local sources. A correspondent on the ground reported that the blast—likely linked to an ammunition depot containing rockets—sent a large plume of smoke into the air and caused significant damage in an ...

Israel Defense Minister Vows 'No Calm' in Lebanon Without Security for Israel

Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday warned there would be "no calm" in Lebanon if Israel's security was not guaranteed, as Israeli forces intensify operations despite a year-old ceasefire with Hezbollah. "We will not allow any threats against the inhabitants of the north, and maximum enforcement will continue and even ...

Maroon 5 to Headline Chambord Live in Only French Date of 2026

Maroon 5 will perform their one and only French show of 2026 on June 27 at the iconic Château de Chambord, organizers AZ Prod confirmed Tuesday to AFP. Known for their signature blend of pop, funk and R&B, and for global hits like Sugar, Memories and Girls Like You, the American band will take the stage in one of France’s most celebrated ...