Borrell to Propose Sanctioning Israeli Officials over 'Violent Settlers'

This Is Beirut, 2024-08-16 16:43 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

European Union Josep Borrell West Bank

The European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell said Friday he would propose sanctions against Israeli government "enablers" of Jewish settler violence, following a deadly attack on a village in the occupied West Bank. "Day after day, in an almost total impunity, Israeli settlers fuel violence in the occupied West Bank, contributing to endanger ...

Greece Battles Deadly Wildfire for Third Day as EU Sends Support

2024-08-13 12:16 - Reading : less than a minute

European Union

2024 on Track to Be the Hottest Year on Record

This Is Beirut, 2024-08-08 14:04 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union

It is "increasingly likely" 2024 will be the hottest year on record, despite July ending a 13-month streak of monthly temperature records, the EU's climate monitor said Thursday. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said last month was the second warmest on record books going back to 1940, only slightly cooler than July 2023. Between June ...

EU Expresses Concern as Israeli Settlements in West Bank Grow

This Is Beirut, 2024-08-03 11:36 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

European Union

Israel advanced last year the highest number of settlements in the occupied West Bank since the Oslo Accords of the 1990s, the European Union's representative office in the Palestinian territories said on Friday. Plans for 12,349 housing units moved towards approval in the West Bank, the EU office said, warning of the impact on a potential ...

Stark Divide as Cyprus Marks 50 Years Since Turkish Invasion

This Is Beirut, 2024-07-20 17:27 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

European Union Turkey

Cyprus on Saturday marked 50 years since Turkish troops invaded the Mediterranean island, with comments from the Turkish and Cypriot leaders demonstrating the stark divide that remains. The Greek-Cypriot president of Cyprus, who seeks a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation under a UN framework, said there was no other option but reunification. But ...

Von Der Leyen Reappointed as EU Chief

This Is Beirut, 2024-07-18 11:04 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

European Union

Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected by MEPs on Thursday as head of the European Commission, paving the way for continuity in the European Union's main institutions. Members of the European Parliament meeting in Strasbourg on Thursday granted a second five-year term of office to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who had already ...

Iran President Ready for "Constructive Dialogue" with Europe

This Is Beirut, 2024-07-13 14:31 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union

Iran's president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian said he looks forward to improved relations with European nations, even though he accused them of reneging on commitments to mitigate the impact of US sanctions. Pezeshkian won a runoff election against ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili last week. The 69-year-old has called for ...

France Greenlights Flying Taxis for Paris Olympics

This Is Beirut, 2024-07-09 12:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union

France's government on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for the construction of a floating landing pad on the River Seine for flying taxis set to be shown off during the Paris Olympics. An official decree said that the pad "can be used until December 31, 2024" after months of suspense over whether the taxis would take to the air during the July 26 - ...

Le Pen and Orban's Far-Right Groups Unite in EU Parliament

This Is Beirut, 2024-07-08 19:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Europe European Union

Marine Le Pen's party on Monday teamed up with the camp of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to launch a new far-right camp in the European Union parliament, a day after being dealt a surprise defeat in French elections. Jordan Bardella, Le Pen's 28-year-old lieutenant and chief of her National Rally (RN) party, will take the reins of the ...

EU Chief in Egypt for Joint Investment Conference

This Is Beirut, 2024-06-29 17:53 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen was in Cairo on Saturday to kick off a two-day investment conference, where deals potentially worth over $42 billion are expected to be signed. "At this conference, European companies are signing over 20 new deals... which are worth over 40 billion euros," von der Leyen said at the meeting in the ...

EU Imposes Sanctions on Hamas Financiers

This Is Beirut, 2024-06-28 18:21 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

European Union Hamas

The European Union imposed on Friday asset freezes and visa bans on several firms and individuals accused of helping to finance Palestinian militant Islamist group Hamas, Brussels said. The sanctions were the second round to be imposed by the EU on the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad groups after their attack on Israel on October 7. Overall, ...

EU Leaders Return Ursula Von Der Leyen to Top Job

This Is Beirut, 2024-06-28 11:54 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

European Union

EU leaders struck a deal Thursday to return Ursula von der Leyen as head of the powerful European Commission, while tapping Estonia's prime minister Kaja Kallas as the bloc's top diplomat. The late-night accord carves up the EU's top institutional jobs for the next five years, with former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Costa to head the ...