Verstappen Wins “Incredible” Azerbaijan GP as Piastri Crashes Out

This is Beirut 2025-09-21 17:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Formula One F1 Max Verstappen Lando Norris Ferrari

Four-time champion Max Verstappen cruised to victory for Red Bull in Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix after series leader Oscar Piastri crashed on the opening lap and McLaren failed to clinch the constructors’ title. Driving with supreme authority, the Dutchman led from lights to flag to claim his first win on the unforgiving barrier-lined Baku ...

President Aoun and First Lady Begin Official Program in NY

This is Beirut 2025-09-21 12:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon United Nations Joseph Aoun New York UN General Assembly

President Joseph Aoun and First Lady Nehmat Aoun will begin their official program in New York on Sunday by attending a celebratory Mass at Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral at 11:30 AM local time (6:30 PM Beirut time). After the service, they are expected to meet members of the Lebanese parish community. The presidential couple and their ...

The Metropolitan Opera Reimagines Itself with New Themes and Celebrity Stars

This is Beirut 2025-09-21 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

New York Art Opera Culture Museum Stars

The iconic Metropolitan Opera of New York is continuing its evolution amidst financial challenges, launching its new season this Sunday with a politically charged opera featuring a comic book superhero. The season also welcomes actress Sandra Oh, known for her roles in Grey's Anatomy and Killing Eve, in a beloved opera-comique. The Met is ...

Verstappen Takes Pole After Wild Session of Six Red Flag Clashes

This is Beirut 2025-09-20 18:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Formula One F1 Max Verstappen Ferrari Azerbaïdjan

Max Verstappen tip-toed through the hazards of a wild qualifying session featuring six red-flag stoppages on Saturday to claim pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. As series leader Oscar Piastri crashed and his McLaren team-mate and title rival Lando Norris struggled for outright speed on his final lap, Red Bull's four-time champion made ...

Hamilton Beaming After Ferrari 1-2 in Baku Practice as McLaren Struggle

This is Beirut 2025-09-20 09:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Formula One F1 Azerbaïdjan Ferrari Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton beamed with satisfaction on Friday after topping second practice ahead of Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, his first significant sign of progress since he claimed sprint race victory in China in March. As the title-chasing McLaren duo, series leader Oscar Piastri and closest rival Lando Norris, ...

Budget 2026: Balancing Fiscal Discipline and Social Promises in Lebanon

This is Beirut 2025-09-19 20:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon UNIFIL Cabinet Budget Environment

The Council of Ministers resumed discussions on the 2026 draft budget on Friday, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Ministers who had not yet reviewed the funds allocated to their portfolios presented their remarks, including the Ministers of Environment and Tourism. Debate also centered on several articles left unresolved in ...

Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh’s Gold Bracelet Melted, Sold Cheaply

This is Beirut 2025-09-19 16:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Egypt Museum Art Culture Heritage Gold

Egyptian police said on Thursday they arrested a museum employee and three alleged accomplices after a priceless ancient gold bracelet was stolen from Cairo's Egyptian Museum, sold for about $4,000, and then melted down. The 3,000-year-old bracelet, a gold band adorned with lapis lazuli beads, dated back to the reign of Amenemope, a pharaoh of ...

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 ...

End-of-Service Benefits: The Only Social Safety Net at Risk Since the Crisis

Liliane Mokbel 2025-09-18 16:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanon economy Indemnities National Social Security Fund retirement

There is no doubt that employees remain the most vulnerable group in the struggle to ensure a dignified retirement. Their end-of-service benefits, intended to preserve part of their purchasing power, have been almost completely eroded by the multidimensional crisis that hit the country at the end of 2019. Employers Plead Powerlessness Employers ...

Trump's UK State Visit Gets Political After Royal Welcome

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 12:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump United Kingdom Kyiv

After the royal hospitality and pageantry, US President Donald Trump's unprecedented second state visit to the UK takes a serious turn on Thursday when he is hosted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer for wide-ranging talks. Starmer will greet Trump on the second day of the visit at his country residence, Chequers, with pressing issues such as trade, ...

Picasso’s Hidden Portrait of Dora Maar to Go Under the Hammer in Paris

This is Beirut 2025-09-18 12:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Painting Auction Picasso Drouot France Culture

A previously unknown portrait by Pablo Picasso of one his lovers was unveiled at a Paris auction house on Thursday after being put up for sale by its owners. Entitled Bust of a woman with a flowery hat, it depicts Dora Maar, a French photographer, painter and poet who was Picasso's best-known muse. Painted with oil, the colorful work measuring ...

'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' — A Farewell Fit for Royalty

Marie-Christine Tayah 2025-09-18 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Downtown Abbey Cinema Film Series Culture Britain

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale marks the end of an era for one of Britain’s most iconic series. Directed by Simon Curtis and written by series creator Julian Fellowes, this third and final film revisits the beloved Crawley family and their loyal staff, taking audiences back to the stunning Highclere Castle one last time. Set in the 1930s, the ...

Behind the (Secret) Scenes of Lebanese Sports (17)

This Is Beirut 2024-09-23 15:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

- The president of a well-known federation and his treasurer succeeded in removing the federation's general secretary from his post. They informed a president of an individual sports federation and a sports activist of their position. The activist was not satisfied with what he heard from the two officials. - A businessman from a large club in a ...

Lady Gaga Reimagines Art at the Louvre with 'Mona Lisa' Lipstick

2024-09-27 10:24 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

In a captivating display blending art with pop culture, Lady Gaga visited The Louvre in Paris to film a daring promotional video for the museum's upcoming exhibition, Figures of the Fool. Released on September 25, the video sees Lady Gaga in an unusual yet mesmerizing role where she faces Leonardo da Vinci's revered Mona Lisa, leaving a whimsical ...

Iran Warns Deal With U.S. Not Yet Close, Despite Some Progress

This is Beirut 25/05 13:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu US Secretary of State Bahrain

Iran warned Monday that, while some progress had been made, it was not yet close to striking a deal with the United States to end the Middle East war, after a weekend of mixed messages from Washington and Tehran. World oil prices tumbled on renewed optimism about an agreement, after top US diplomat Marco Rubio suggested a deal could be reached ...

Lavrov Meets Xi in Beijing: Russian Foreign Ministry

This is Beirut 2025-07-15 09:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United States Lavrov Xi Jinping Beijing

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with China's leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday, Moscow said, as the top Russian diplomat visited for a Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting. Xi received Lavrov in the Chinese capital "as part of his participation in the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation ...

CENTCOM Chief in Beirut: US Reaffirms Support for Lebanese Army

This is Beirut 2025-07-31 18:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Joseph Aoun Lebanese Army

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received US General Michael Kurilla, the Commander of CENTCOM (US Central Command), on Thursday in Baabda. The meeting was held in the presence of US Ambassador Lisa A. Johnson and a delegation of senior military officials, underscoring America’s continued commitment to Lebanon. According to the Lebanese ...

Russia, Syria to Bolster Ties, Review Assad-Era Agreements

This is Beirut 2025-07-31 12:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Russia Syria Diplomacy Lavrov Shibani

Russia and Syria signalled Thursday they would bolster ties and review agreements made under the previous pro-Moscow government of Bashar al-Assad amid uncertainty over the future of two Russian military bases in the country. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani appealed for Russia's support at talks in Moscow, where Assad had ...

'Panigiria': Folk Festivals Punctuate Greek Summer Life

This is Beirut 2025-07-29 11:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Festival Greece Culture Art Music Dance

It's midnight in the Aegean Sea, but on the Greek island of Ikaria, in the courtyard of the church of St. Elijah, the revelry is barely getting started. Dozens of dancers and scores of onlookers, including many tourists, are attending the local panigiri, a folk celebration that is an integral part of centuries-old summer traditions in villages ...

Trump Slashes Russia Ultimatum to '10 or 12 Days'

This is Beirut 2025-07-28 22:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States Russia Vladimir Putin United Kingdom Keir Starmer

Donald Trump issued on Monday a dramatic new ultimatum to Russia to end the war in Ukraine or face tough new sanctions, as he met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland. Saying he was not very interested in talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin anymore, the US leader also shifted his tone on Gaza, acknowledging there were signs of "real ...

George Abdallah in Beirut After 40 Years in French Jail

This is Beirut 2025-07-25 15:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon France Politics Justice

One of France's longest-held inmates, the pro-Palestinian Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, arrived in Beirut on Friday, having been released from prison after more than 40 years behind bars for the killings of two diplomats. At around 3:40 am (0140 GMT), a convoy of six vehicles with flashing lights left the Lannemezan prison in ...

'Star Wars' Creator, George Lucas, Makes Epic Comic-Con Debut in San Diego

This is Beirut 2025-07-25 12:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Comic-Con Pop Culture Festival Culture Art Star Wars

Comic-Con kicked off Thursday in California, with expectations running high among devoted fans keen to catch a glimpse of George Lucas at his first-ever appearance at the convention. Warriors, princesses, pirates, wizards, and all manner of costumed characters flooded the streets of San Diego on the first day of an annual event that has become one ...

‘Star Wars’ Creator George Lucas Makes Comic-Con Debut

This is Beirut 2025-07-24 13:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Entertainment Comic-Con George Lucas Star Wars Culture

Comic-Con kicks off Thursday in San Diego, California, with expectations running high among devoted fans keen to catch a glimpse of George Lucas at his first ever appearance at the convention. Other expected highlights of the gathering - one of the world's biggest celebrations of pop culture - include the world premiere of the prequel series ...

Trump Returns to His Scottish Roots to Open Golf Course on Ancestral Isle

This is Beirut 2025-07-24 10:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Scotland Aberdeen Golf

Donald Trump will fly into Scotland on Friday for a private visit to the land where his mother was born and spent her childhood on the remote Isle of Lewis. "It's great to be home; this was the home of my mother," he said when he arrived on his last visit in 2023. Born Mary Anne MacLeod, Trump's mother immigrated to the United States when she ...

Top Palestinian Official Meets US Ambassador to Israel in Ramallah

This is Beirut 2025-07-22 21:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Donald Trump PLO Hussein al-Sheikh USA

Hussein al-Sheikh, vice president of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), on Tuesday said he met the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, in the occupied West Bank. Sheikh, a close aide to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and seen as a potential successor, said the meeting took place in his office. The meeting was Huckabee's first ...

Barrack: Hezbollah Disarmament Is a Lebanese Internal Matter

This is Beirut 2025-07-21 13:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Lebanon Hezbollah Joseph Aoun Tom Barrack

US presidential envoy Tom Barrack arrived in Beirut on Sunday for his third official visit to Lebanon in recent weeks, signaling a ramp-up in diplomatic efforts to ease escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Barrack began his meetings on Monday with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Palace, accompanied by US Ambassador Lisa ...

Libya Commander Haftar Seeks to Force International Engagement

This is Beirut 2025-07-21 09:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Europe Libya Khalifa Haftar EU

Libya's eastern authorities recently expelled a senior European delegation in a move analysts say was meant to send a message: the unrecognized administration backed by military leader Khalifa Haftar cannot be ignored. On July 8, an EU commissioner and ministers from Greece, Italy and Malta were in Libya to discuss irregular migration from the ...

Catherine, Princess of Wales: Her Wardrobe Speaks Volumes

Bélinda Ibrahim 2025-07-18 19:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United Kingdom Kate Middleton Princess of Wales Catherine Fashion Wardrobe

On official visits, Catherine, Princess of Wales, engages in a silent yet strategic diplomacy through her style. From national colors and local designers to heirloom jewelry, every element is deliberate. Her wardrobe becomes curated art, a refined dialogue between nations. Catherine, Princess of Wales, applauds from the Royal Box on Centre ...

Top Russian Diplomat Arrives in Pyongyang for Working Visit

This is Beirut 2025-07-11 18:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Sergei Lavrov Russia North Korea

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in North Korea on Friday for a working visit, Russian state media reported, the latest in a series of high-profile trips by top Moscow officials. "The minister's plane landed at the airport in Wonsan," news agency TASS reported, adding that Lavrov was due to meet his North Korean ...

US Envoy Meets Israeli Hostage Families in Tel Aviv

This is Beirut 2025-08-02 19:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam United States Steve Witkoff Gaza Israeli Hostages

US envoy Steve Witkoff met anguished relatives of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza on Saturday, as fears for the captives' survival mounted almost 22 months into the war sparked by Hamas's October 2023 attack. Witkoff was greeted with some applause and pleas for assistance from hundreds of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv before going into a ...