This is Beirut -

Trump Claims Musk Will Uncover "Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in Fraud"

This is Beirut, 09/02 19:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

President Donald Trump said in remarks airing Sunday that Elon Musk, who is presiding over a purge of US government jobs, will help find "hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud" in federal agencies. Speaking in a Fox News interview set to air before the Super Bowl football championship, Trump said the American people "want me to find" waste ...

Syrian Shelling on Lebanese Border Towns Causes Several Injuries

This is Beirut, 08/02 14:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Joseph Aoun Lebanese Army Lebanese Red Cross

After a calm night, residents of the Lebanese border town of Jarmash woke up on Saturday to the sounds of Katyusha rockets and mortar shells fired from the Syrian side. A barrage of 50 shells rained down on several towns in Jurud al-Hermel during the early morning hours, escalating tensions along the border. The Lebanese Red Cross has so far ...

IMF to Unveil New Loan Package for Egypt

This is Beirut, 06/02 20:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

International Monetary Fund Houthi Palestine Washington

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) plans to submit a new loan agreement with Egypt for approval by its board, the global lender’s communications chief said Thursday, as the country seeks to strengthen its economy. “A policy package of reforms will be considered by the Fund’s executive board, along with the fourth review of Egypt’s ...

Trump Wants to Jail American Citizens in Salvador

This is Beirut, 05/02 04:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States US Secretary of State USA

President Donald Trump on Tuesday backed an offer by El Salvador to take in prisoners -- including US citizens -- despite clear legal problems with such an outsourcing under American law. "If we had the legal right to do it, I would do it in a heartbeat," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "It's no different than our prison system, except ...

Qatari Prime Minister Calls for Implementation of Resolution 1701

This is Beirut, 04/02 18:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Beirut International Airport Lebanese Army Joseph Aoun United Nations

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, emphasized on Tuesday the necessity of implementing UN Resolution 1701 “to restore Lebanon’s sovereignty.” Speaking at a press conference following his meeting with President Joseph Aoun at the Presidential Palace, Bin Abdulrahman ...

Japan 'deeply concerned' at global impact of Trump tariffs

This is Beirut, 02/02 11:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States USA Washington

Japan is “deeply concerned” about the possible repercussions on global trade of US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs targeting major trading partners Canada, Mexico and China, its finance minister said Sunday. Trump said Canadian and Mexican exports to the United States would face a 25 percent tariff starting Tuesday, while goods from ...

Netanyahu appoints Major General Eyal Zamir as Israel's new army chief

This is Beirut, 01/02 22:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Benjamin Netanyahu Israel Hamas Palestine

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appointed retired Major General Eyal Zamir as Israel's new Chief of Staff on Saturday, following the resignation of his predecessor last month, who took responsibility for failing to prevent Hamas's October 2023 attack. "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz have agreed this evening ...

Hamas Names Three Israeli Hostages to be Freed Saturday

This is Beirut, 31/01 12:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Hamas Benjamin Netanyahu Israel Palestine

Hamas's armed wing released the names of three Israeli captives to be freed on Saturday in the fourth hostage-prisoner swap of the Gaza ceasefire. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed it had received the names of the captives to be freed on Saturday. It has yet to officially release their names. "All ...

DeepSeek's 'Sputnik moment' exposes holes in US chip curbs

This is Beirut, 29/01 11:55 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump United States Washington

US export controls on high-tech chips may have inadvertently fuelled the success of start-up DeepSeek's AI chatbot, sparking fears in Washington there could be little it can do to stop China in the push for global dominance in AI. The firm, based in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, has stunned investors and industry insiders with its R1 ...

US Stocks, Nvidia Shares Steady After Chinese AI Shock

This is Beirut, 28/01 19:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Banks New York

US stocks and shares in chip-making giant Nvidia on Tuesday clawed back some of their losses following a sell-off triggered by the sudden success of Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek. US tech shares tanked Monday, with Nvidia tumbling 17 percent, after China's DeepSeek unveiled its R1 chatbot, which can apparently match the capacity ...

Palestinian Sources say to Free Gaza Hostage Demanded by Israel Before Next Swap

This is Beirut, 26/01 19:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Palestine Benjamin Netanyahu Hamas

Two Palestinian sources told AFP on Sunday that an Israeli woman held hostage in Gaza, and whose release Israel has demanded before allowing the return of displaced Palestinians, will be handed over within days. "Arbel Yehud is expected to be freed before the next (hostage-prisoner) exchange" scheduled for February 1, said a source from the ...

Death Toll Rises as Displaced Return to Villages on Israeli Withdrawal Deadline

This is Beirut, 26/01 17:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanese Army Hezbollah Israel United Nations

The death toll climbed on Sunday as displaced people attempted to return to their homes in southern Lebanon, despite warnings from the Israeli army not to approach border towns “until further notice.” The day marked the deadline for Israel’s withdrawal under a truce deal that ended its recent conflict with Hezbollah, but violence persisted ...