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Yemen Leader Warns Separatists a 'Serious Threat' after Territorial Gains

The leader of Yemen's internationally recognized government criticized separatists who have made large territorial gains in a near bloodless takeover in recent days, calling them a threat to the country's stability. Last week, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council, which wants to revive an independent South Yemen, swept through large parts ...

Saudi Powers Forward with Deficit Spending to Fund Reforms

Saudi Arabia greenlit its 2026 budget Tuesday, projecting a deficit of 165 billion riyals ($44 billion) as the kingdom presses on with an ambitious spending drive to diversify its oil-dependent economy. The Arab world's largest economy is overseeing a major push to slash its dependence on oil revenues, with officials pouring billions into ...

Three Separatist Fighters Killed In Drone Strike As Yemen's Government Coalition Fractures

A drone strike killed three separatist Yemeni fighters on Friday, their commander told AFP, blaming rival Islamist forces they had dislodged from large areas. The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council last week swept through swathes of Yemen in a near-bloodless takeover they say aimed to expel Islamists and halt smuggling for the benefit of ...

From Paul VI to Leo XIV: The Vatican’s Bond with Lebanon

From Paul VI to Benedict XVI, Lebanon has welcomed historic visits from popes, each carrying a message of peace, unity, and intercommunal dialogue. As the country continues to face crises, Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming visit follows this tradition and underscores the unique bond between the Vatican and the Land of the Cedars. Since 1964, three ...

Lebanon on Edge as Israel Raises the Stakes

The run-up to the mechanism meeting scheduled for December 19 is shaping up to be particularly tense—and for good reason. Israel has been gathering extensive data on Hezbollah’s efforts to rebuild its military capabilities. Israeli representative Yury Reisnick is expected to present these findings to the head of the Lebanese delegation, former ...

WSJ: Ex-Syrian General Jamil Hassan Hiding in Lebanon

Maj. Gen. Jamil Hassan, the former head of Syria’s Air Force Intelligence and one of the most wanted figures of the Assad regime, is believed to be hiding in Lebanon after fleeing Syria last December, according to an investigation published by The Wall Street Journal. Hassan, long considered a central architect of the regime’s repression, ...

Scathing Message by “Shiite Depositor” Targets Yassine Jaber

The page “Lebanon Pulse” published on its X account a message purportedly from a “Shiite depositor”, addressed to Finance Minister Yassine Jaber. In the message, the author accuses the minister of having, in the past, incited members of the Shiite community in front of the US ambassador and called for their bombardment and removal of ...

Jounieh Turns Pink: 10,000 Runners Take Over the Women’s Race

Under the patronage of First Lady Nehmat Aoun, represented by Minister of Youth and Sports Nora Bayrakdarian, Jounieh came alive on Sunday for the Women’s Race organized by the Beirut Marathon Association. Ten thousand participants transformed the city’s historic streets into a ribbon of color, energy, and celebration for the 10th edition of ...

Israel Arrests Citizen Suspected of Spying for Iran

Israeli authorities announced on Thursday the arrest of an Israeli man on suspicion of committing security offenses under the direction of Iranian intelligence agents, days after Tehran executed an Iranian accused of spying for Israel. The arrest is the latest in a series of cases in which Israel has charged its own citizens with spying for its ...

Paris Arthouse Cinemas Reinvent Themselves to Survive the Attendance Slump

Paris is one of the world's arthouse cinema hotspots, but falling attendance levels mean beloved independent operators must innovate and invest to survive. The centre of the City of Light has the highest density of silver screens in the world per capita and arguably one of the most cinephile local populations. That has long supported its dense ...

Israel Launches Airstrikes on Hezbollah Targets Across Lebanon

Israeli warplanes struck multiple sites across southern and eastern Lebanon on Thursday, targeting Hezbollah military infrastructure including a compound used for training and weapons storage, the IDF said. According to the Israeli army, the strikes dismantled militant infrastructure and launch sites where Hezbollah operatives underwent shooting ...

Yemen Declares State of Emergency as Separatist Conflict Flares

The leader of Yemen's presidential council declared a state of emergency and cancelled a security pact with the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday after Abu Dhabi-backed separatists seized swathes of territory. "The Joint Defence Agreement with the United Arab Emirates is hereby cancelled," a statement said, while a separate decree announced a ...

Simon Karam's Appointment Sparks Reactions from Political Leaders

President Joseph Aoun’s appointment of former ambassador Simon Karam to Lebanon’s delegation for the ceasefire monitoring committee, established under the November 27, 2024, agreement, has sparked a wave of political reactions. The reactions, largely supportive, underscore the high political stakes tied to the appointment. Several national ...

Exhibition of Franco-Chinese Print Master Zao Wou-Ki Opens in Hong Kong

An exhibition by the Franco-Chinese master printmaker Zao Wou-Ki opened in Hong Kong on Saturday, the first time his work has been on display in Asia. Hong Kong's M+ museum is hosting a collection of more experimental prints by the artist, who is considered a master of the lyrical abstraction movement and whose work regularly fetches vast sums at ...

Hanoi to Welcome a Renzo Piano “Opera Island” in 2027

By 2027, a striking new landmark will rise from the calm waters of Hanoi. Built on an artificial island between West Lake and Đầm Trị Lake, the Isola Della Musica, designed by Renzo Piano and his studio, the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), will unfold like a bright, sculptural form with fluid, organic lines. Revealed in autumn 2025, the ...

The Clock Ticks on Lebanon's Empty Promises

One year on from Lebanon’s signing of the November 27, 2024 Cessation of Hostilities with Israel, Beirut’s agreement to enforce UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and disarm Hezbollah looks less like a commitment and more like theater. Lebanon has announced deadlines, staged symbolic troop deployments, and assured the world that Hezbollah’s ...

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 ...

Israeli Operation in Southern Syria: 13 Killed

Violent clashes erupted overnight from Thursday to Friday in southern Syria when Israeli soldiers operating in the Beit Jinn area came under fire from armed residents, according to local and military sources. At least one Syrian was reported killed in the first hours of the exchange, which began around 3:15 a.m. local time and lasted several ...

Pope Urges Lebanese to Stay in Their Country Despite Difficulties

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called on the Lebanese people to embrace reconciliation and to remain in their country. Arriving from Turkey on his first international trip, the American pope brought a message of peace for Lebanon, while also urging its leaders to put themselves fully "at the service of your people". "There are times when it is easier to ...

Director Rob Reiner and Wife Found Dead at Los Angeles Residence

American director Rob Reiner and his wife were found dead at their Southern California mansion, US media reported on Sunday, as the Los Angeles mayor said she was "heartbroken" by their loss. Two people were found dead at the home of "When Harry Met Sally" and "Princess Bride" director Reiner, local broadcaster NBCLA and other media outlets ...

US Congress Ends Syria Sanctions

The US Congress on Wednesday permanently ended sanctions imposed on Syria under ousted leader Bashar al-Assad, paving the way for the return of investment to the war-ravaged nation. President Donald Trump had already twice suspended the implementation of sanctions in response to pleas from Saudi Arabia and Turkey, allies of the new government ...

Syria State TV Reports Jordanian Strikes Targeting Drug Trafficking Networks

The Jordanian army launched air strikes targeting drug smuggling networks in southern Syria on Wednesday, Syrian state media said. State broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya reported on Telegram that the Jordanian army targeted "drug smuggling networks and storage farms in the southern and eastern countryside" of Sweida. In a statement, the Jordanian army ...

Historic Pont Neuf Set to Become Artist JR’s Latest Monumental Installation

French artist JR, who made his way from tagging graffiti on the street to being one of the most recognizable figures on the country's art scene, has told AFP how he plans to turn the oldest bridge in Paris into an "immersive cave" for his latest project. Once hailed as the "French Banksy" after the secretive British street artist, JR has become ...

Kassem Rejects Disarmament, Opposes the Appointment of a Civilian to the "Mechanism"

Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem reaffirmed his militia’s categorical refusal to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese state and criticized the appointment of a civilian—former ambassador Simon Karam—to the ceasefire supervision mechanism. He described the decision as “illegal,” “baseless,” and “another mistake,” ...

Gunmen Seize 315 in Latest Nigerian Mass School Kidnapping

Gunmen have kidnapped more than 300 students and teachers in one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria, a Christian group said Saturday, as security fears mounted in Africa's most populous nation. The early Friday raid on St. Mary's co-education school in Niger State in western Nigeria came after gunmen on Monday stormed a secondary ...

South Lebanon Ceasefire: One Year On, Life in Limbo

One year after the ceasefire, south Lebanon remains a land fraught with tension. Even when the strikes seem to ease, the shadow of war lingers. Israel’s sporadic bombardments never truly stop, and each moment of calm feels like a brief pause in an invisible countdown. Life here is fragile, shaping a population caught between the urgent need ...

One Million Refugees Are Expected to Return to Syria in 2026

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) predicted that around one million Syrian refugees will return to their country during 2026, given the gradual recovery that Syria is witnessing after the fall of the Assad regime. Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, the UNHCR representative in Syria, stated, "Our estimates indicate that 2026 could see ...

Sharaa Says Israeli Push for Buffer Zone Would Endanger Syria

President Ahmed al-Sharaa warned Saturday that Israel's demand for a demilitarized zone in southern Syria would endanger his country, as Israeli forces continue to operate in the area. Israel sent troops into a UN-patrolled buffer zone, which has separated Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights since 1974. Sharaa's Islamist forces ...

Football: Lebanon Heads to Qatar to Launch Its 2025 Arab Cup Campaign

Lebanon’s national football team departed for Doha on Sunday afternoon to begin final preparations ahead of their opening match in the 2025 Arab Cup. Miodrag Radulović’s men will face Sudan on Wednesday, November 26 at 6:00 p.m. (Beirut time) at Al-Gharafa Stadium, in a decisive knockout match that will determine their qualification to the ...