This is Beirut - Bahrain

U.S. Embassies Brace for Evacuations Amid Escalating Regional Tensions

This is Beirut, 11/06 23:17 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The United States is taking urgent steps to reduce its diplomatic and military presence in parts of the Middle East region as tensions continue to mount, with officials citing increasing security risks. "Based on our latest analysis, we have decided to reduce the footprint of our mission in Iraq," an anonymous U.S. official told AFP. A ...

Peace vs. Normalization: Distinct Paths, Diverging Logics in ME Diplomacy

Mario Chartouni, 02/06 20:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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From the peace treaties signed between Israel and certain Arab States – most notably Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994 – to the wave of diplomatic normalizations initiated in 2020 with the Abraham Accords, two concepts have consistently shaped discussions about regional diplomacy: peace agreements and normalization. Although these terms are ...

SE Asian Leaders Meet China's Li and Gulf States to Bolster Ties

This is Beirut, 27/05 09:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Southeast Asian leaders are looking to insulate their trade-dependent economies from geopolitical uncertainty, in particular US tariffs, as they hold talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Gulf state dignitaries in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday. US President Donald Trump blew up global trade norms in April when he announced a slew of punishing levies ...

Touch Signs Roaming Deal with Zain Omantel

This is Beirut, 26/05 11:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Mobile operator Touch announced on Monday a new regional partnership through the signing of a roaming agreement with Zain Omantel International (ZOI), a major telecommunications alliance in the Middle East. According to a company press release, the agreement will allow Zain and Omantel subscribers from eight countries – Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, ...

Abraham Accords: Israeli Ambassador to Washington Cites Lebanon and Syria... Before Saudi Arabia

This is Beirut, 25/05 17:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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While Saudi Arabia is often cited as the next country to join the Abraham Accords, a statement by Israeli diplomat Yechiel Leiter upsets predictions. In an interview with Marissa Streit, CEO of US platform PragerU, the Israeli ambassador to the United States openly raises the possibility of Lebanon and Syria joining the normalization agreement ...

France and Saudi Arabia to Co-Chair June Conference on Israeli-Palestinian Two-State Solution

This is Beirut, 23/05 17:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot is hosting on Friday afternoon his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt to prepare the conference on a so-called "two-state" solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, diplomatic sources said. “It is a working meeting at 3:30 PM with his Egyptian, Jordanian, and Saudi counterparts,” ...

Safe Drinking Water Access: Lebanon Lags Behind in the Arab World

This is Beirut, 23/05 10:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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A recent report by the US-based World Population Review highlights significant disparities across Arab countries in access to “safely managed” drinking water. While several Gulf states lead the region, Lebanon posts alarming figures that reflect the country’s deepening infrastructure crisis. At the top of the regional ranking, Kuwait has ...

From Iran’s Nuclear Program to Gaza: The Gulf as the New Hub of Global Diplomacy (1/2)

Malo Pinatel, 12/05 21:00 - Reading : 7 minute(s)

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On December 8, 2024, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) stated that the member states of the GCC “are committed to strengthening dialogue and diplomacy, ensuring that the Gulf region remains a hub for peace and cooperation amid growing global competition.” This was said during a roundtable on the future of cooperative ...

Witkoff: 'Further Progress Expected on Abraham Accords'

This is Beirut, 06/05 14:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced that several major declarations concerning the expansion of the Abraham Accords are expected “very soon,” just days before Trump embarks on a high-stakes diplomatic tour of the region. Scheduled for May 13-16, Trump’s visit will include stops in Saudi Arabia, the ...

F1: Troubled Red Bull Search for Path Back to Fast Lane

This is Beirut, 16/04 14:40 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Bahrain Formula One Max Verstappen

Ailing Red Bull arrive on the Red Sea for this weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, desperate to prevent their 2025 season from sinking into mediocrity. The Austrian Formula One giants left Bahrain on Sunday in a somber mood, their limitations laid bare under the harsh floodlights in the desert of Sakhir. Here AFP Sport assesses the ...

Lebanon Ranks 9th Among Arab Countries for Living Costs

This is Beirut, 14/04 18:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Lebanon ranked 68th worldwide and 9th among Arab countries in terms of cost of living, according to the report published in April 2025 by Numbeo, the world's largest participatory database on prices and living conditions. With an index of 38.84, Lebanon is in the top third of the global ranking, based on prices observed in 139 countries and ...

McLaren’s Piastri Claims Bahrain Pole as Norris, Verstappen Struggle

This is Beirut, 13/04 10:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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McLaren's Oscar Piastri claimed pole position for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday as his teammate Lando Norris and Red Bull's Max Verstappen had a trying evening under floodlights at the desert circuit. Series leader Norris could only make it onto the third row with Verstappen facing an even tougher time on Sunday from the fourth row. George ...