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Bulgaria Court Refuses to Extradite Beirut Blast Shipowner

A Sofia court on Wednesday refused to extradite a shipowner wanted by Lebanon over the devastating 2020 Beirut port blast, one of the world's largest non-nuclear explosions that destroyed swathes of the Lebanese capital, killed more than 220 people, and injured more than 6,500. Lebanon wants Bulgaria to extradite Igor Grechushkin, a ...

Lebanese MP Yacoubian Files Complaint Against Antoun Sehnaoui Over “Illicit Relations with Israel”

Lebanese parliamentarian Paula Yacoubian has filed a complaint with the Ministry of Economy and Trade, specifically with the Office for the Boycott of Israel, against Antoun Sehnaoui, chairman and general manager of Société Générale, accusing him of maintaining “illicit relations with the enemy Israeli ...

Syria's Sharaa Recognised 'Legitimate Demands' of Alawite Protesters

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Thursday that protesters had "legitimate demands", state media reported, days after thousands took to the streets to denounce violence against the country's Alawite minority. The demonstrations earlier this week in several cities along Syria's coast -- the heartland of the country's Alawites -- were the ...

Iran Says New Framework Needed to Access Bombed Nuclear Sites

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a new approach should be taken for the monitoring of the country's nuclear sites attacked in a recent war with Israel. Tehran is under pressure from Western powers to allow inspectors from the UN's nuclear watchdog into the facilities. "We need a method or a framework for how to inspect ...

Basij: Iran's Paramilitary Militia Serving the Regime

Formed in 1980 in the aftermath of the Islamic Revolution, the Basij is an Iranian paramilitary militia used by the regime to systematically monitor the population and maintain a constant presence in society. It was initially conceived as a popular volunteer force tasked with defending the Revolution and the nascent regime. Rapidly integrated ...

Pope Reiterates Support for Two-State Solution for Israel and Palestinians

Pope Leo XIV said Sunday that a two-state solution was the only one likely to resolve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Flying from Istanbul to Beirut during his first foreign trip since his election in May, the pope continued the tradition of his predecessors by speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane. "The Holy See has ...

'Black Panther’ Star Chadwick Boseman Honored with Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman was posthumously honored on Thursday with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ryan Coogler, who directed Boseman in the 2018 hit, actress Viola Davis, and Boseman's widow, Simone Ledward-Boseman, led the emotional ceremony in the heart of Tinseltown. "Today was a beautiful day," Ledward-Boseman told ...

Lebanese Army Arrests Six after Attack on UN Patrol

The Lebanese army has arrested six people after gunmen attacked UN peacekeepers patrolling in the south of the country, the military said Saturday. The UN force, known as UNIFIL, had reported that six men riding on three mopeds opened fire on a patrol vehicle Thursday without hurting anyone. Saturday's statement said the army's intelligence ...

King Charles III Cedar Trail Opens in Lebanon

The British Ambassador to Lebanon Hamish Cowell and Minister of Environment Tamara El Zein inaugurated the King Charles III Cedar Trail in the Shouf Biosphere Reserve on Friday. The ceremony brought together the mayors and mokhtars of Ain Zahalta, Bmahray, and Mokhtara; the head of the reserve committee, Faisal Abu Ezzeddine; and the reserve ...

Spanish Star Rosalía Unveils 2026 World Tour for New Album Lux

Spanish star Rosalia on Thursday announced 2026 world tour dates for her critically acclaimed new album, Lux, with shows across Europe, the United States, and Latin America. The 33-year-old, hailed for her genre-defying versatility, revealed the news on Instagram. The trips will begin with a stop in the French city of Lyon on March 16 and finish ...

Drone Strike Hits Major Kurdistan Gas Facility, Knocking Out 80% of Power Supply

A drone strike on Wednesday targeted an Emirate-owned gas complex in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, disrupting the gas supply to the region's power plants, local authorities said. "At 11:30 pm (2030 GMT), a drone attacked the Khor Mor gas field facility, cutting off all gas supplies to power plants," the regional natural resources and ...

Pope Plans Trip to Africa, Starting with Algeria

Wrapping up his first international trip as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday he would like to visit Algeria in 2026 as part of a voyage to Africa, which could be his next overseas destination. "I hope to make a trip to Africa, which could be my next trip," the US pope said during a press conference aboard the papal plane during his return from ...

Hezbollah Training Compound Hit in Overnight Israeli Airstrikes

Israel launched a wave of intensive airstrikes on southern Lebanon overnight, targeting several Hezbollah facilities, including what the Israeli military described as a training and qualification compound used by the group’s elite Radwan Force. Training Compound and Military Sites Targeted In a statement, the Israeli army said the air ...

Boualem Sansal Breaks His Silence After Release From Algerian Custody

In his first public remarks since being freed by Algeria and returning to France, French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal said on Sunday that he had always sought “reconciliation” between the two countries, while acknowledging that diplomatic sensitivities still constrain what he can say. Imprisoned in Algeria for a year over comments he made ...

US Ambassador: Israel Differentiates Between Lebanon Talks and Hezbollah Conflict

Israel makes a clear distinction between its negotiations with the Lebanese government and its ongoing conflict with Hezbollah, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa said following a meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri on Wednesday. The meeting was also attended by Edward Gabriel, chairman of the American Task Force for Lebanon ...

Lebanese Red Cross’s Final Sprint Ahead of the Pope’s Visit

Ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lebanon, scheduled from November 30 to December 2, the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) shared with This is Beirut details of the unprecedented medical and logistical setup designed to ensure the safety of anticipated crowds. Through its Emergency Medical Services Sector (EMS), the Red Cross says it is fully prepared to ...

A Lasting Message of Peace: Last Day of the Pope's Visit

The Pope concludes his stay, and This is Beirut brings you every key moment, live. Starting at 8:30 a.m., we will be at Jal El Dib, located at the Sisters of the Cross Hospital. At 10:30 a.m., follow the mass on the waterfront, a unique moment of reflection and unity. At 12:45 p.m., the farewell ceremony at Beirut Airport marks a solemn close to ...

Syrian Security Forces Foil Hezbollah Landmine Smuggling Operation

Syrian authorities said on Wednesday they had killed a man and arrested four others who were attempting to smuggle hundreds of landmines to Hezbollah. In a statement, the interior ministry said it launched a raid in Al-Jebbe, near the capital Damascus, during which "four people were arrested and a fifth neutralized after a clash." Khaled Abbas ...

Pope Leo Meets Families of Beirut Port Blast Victims

Pope Leo XIV visited the site of the August 4, 2020 Beirut port explosion on Tuesday morning, in what became one of the most symbolically charged moments of his third and final day in Lebanon. Still scarred by the blast, he was welcomed by families of the victims, who came to express both their grief and their unrelenting demand for truth and ...

FM Warns of Imminent Israeli Offensive, Slams Hezbollah and Iran

Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi told Al Jazeera on Friday that Lebanon has received warnings from various Arab and international sources indicating that Israel may be preparing a large-scale military operation against the country. Raggi said the Lebanese government is intensifying diplomatic contacts to prevent any potential Israeli strikes on the ...

At the Airport, a Wave of Emotion After the Arrival of Pope Leo XIV

This is Beirut spoke with children Celine Rai and Tony Beainy, who welcomed Pope Leo XIV upon his arrival at the Beirut airport, offering him bread, salt, and flowers. Rita Abi Hanna, the representative of the Guides du Liban to APECL Jeune (the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon), also shared her thoughts with This is Beirut.

'Wicked' Sequel Dominates Box Office With Record-Breaking Debut

Universal's musical sequel Wicked: For Good stole the box office spotlight in its North America debut this weekend, with a record-setting haul to the tune of $150 million, industry estimates showed Sunday. Variety said the film's debut was the highest ever for a Broadway musical adaptation, while analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment ...

President Aoun's Initiative Trapped Between Israel and Hezbollah

President Joseph Aoun is waiting for responses to his initiative, unveiled on the eve of Independence Day, fully aware that its outcome depends largely on two actors: Hezbollah and Israel. According to sources, Hezbollah has no intention of providing a clear response to the Lebanese presidency. The Iran-backed group remains determined to retain ...

Ambassador Issa Commends Lebanon’s Progress Toward Peaceful Regional Engagement

The United States’ Ambassador to Lebanon, Michael Issa, issued a statement Thursday praising Lebanon and Israel for opening a channel of dialogue at a sensitive moment, signaling “a sincere willingness to pursue peaceful, responsible solutions grounded in good faith.” Ambassador Issa emphasized that durable progress can only be achieved ...

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation Announces End of Its Mission

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.- and Israeli-backed private organization that provided aid for Palestinians in Gaza but was criticized by the UN, said on Monday it was ending its mission. "The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) today announced the successful completion of its emergency mission in Gaza after delivering more than 187 ...

Lebanon and Cyprus Seal Landmark Maritime Boundary Agreement

The official signing of the Maritime Boundary Agreement (MBA) between Lebanon and Cyprus is a major achievement, one that confers important advantages on both parties. This process was delayed for a very long time for no good reason, so President Joseph Aoun and the government deserve congratulations for having seized the initiative and for having ...

Iran: Tehran dams reach critical levels

The water level in Tehran’s dams and those in its surrounding areas is less than half of what it was last year due to a historic drought, according to state media, as Iranian authorities warn of the risk of shortages. Iran is facing its worst drought in six decades this year, and in Tehran, the capital, the low level of rainfall is “almost ...

“Embargo”: When Economics Becomes a Weapon

On January 1, 2025, the United States tightened its technological embargo on China, doubling tariffs on a wide range of strategic goods, from semiconductors to industrial equipment. Beijing retaliated ten days later with countermeasures targeting American agricultural products, adding a new chapter to the escalating economic confrontation between ...