This is Beirut

What Lies Behind Nawaf Salam's Visit to Saudi Arabia?

Mario Chartouni, 31/03 18:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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The lavish reception for Nawaf Salam during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia has raised many questions. This high-profile welcome, marked by exceptional hospitality, is more than a simple protocol gesture and reflects significant political stakes. To shed light on the real motives behind this meeting, This is Beirut spoke with political analyst ...

UK Imposes Travel Permit on Europeans from Wednesday

This is Beirut, 31/03 09:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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In a shake-up of long-standing travel rules, European nationals heading to the UK will from Wednesday need a mandatory entry permit, which the British government says will strengthen border security. The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) can be bought online in the next few days for £10 (12 euros), but the price is rising swiftly from April ...

Yemen Rebels Report Overnight Air Strikes Blamed on US

This is Beirut, 28/03 12:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen on Friday reported dozens of overnight air strikes they blamed on the United States, including in the capital Sanaa, saying several people were wounded. In Sanaa, which the Huthis seized in 2014, "American aggression" targeted the international airport and part of the city centre, "damaging houses and ...

Yemen's Huthis Say Two Killed in US Strikes

This is Beirut, 27/03 11:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Yemen's Huthi rebels said on Thursday that two people were killed in overnight air strikes near Sanaa that they blamed on the United States. The Huthis' Al-Masirah TV channel reported nearly 20 strikes on Sanaa governorate, both north and south of the capital. "The American aggression killed two and injured two," the Huthi-run health ministry's ...

Trump Team Splits on Message as Iran Considers Talks

This is Beirut, 26/03 09:45 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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In a matter of days, US President Donald Trump has extended a hand to Iran and bombed Tehran's allies in Yemen. His administration has both demanded that Iran dismantle its nuclear program and offered more flexibility. Trump has for years dangled force as a means to get his way in negotiations. But on Iran, some observers see less a strategy ...

Football: Lebanon Challenges Brunei, Asia in Sight

Makram Haddad, 25/03 09:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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The Lebanese national football team begins its third round of 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers with a clear objective: to make a strong impact right from the start. Miodrag Radulović's men face Brunei tonight at 8:30 PM (Beirut time) on the pitch of Al-Wakrah Stadium, a venue considered the “home” ground for the Lebanese players in these ...

Boosting the Agricultural Sector: Joint Efforts Between Economic Organizations and Minister of Agriculture

This is Beirut, 24/03 21:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Gulf

Economic organizations, led by former Minister Mohammad Choucair, discussed strategies to revitalize and modernize Lebanon's agricultural sector with Minister of Agriculture Nizar Hani on Monday. The meeting was held at Beirut and Mount Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, in the presence of representatives of the main agricultural associations. Choucair ...

Digital Revolution in Lebanon: The Ministry of Technology's Plan to Revitalize the Economy

This is Beirut, 24/03 21:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Facing economic and technological challenges, Lebanon is turning towards a digital revolution to reshape its economy and services. In an interview with Akhbar al-’An, Kamal Shehadeh, Minister of the Displaced and State Minister for Technology Affairs and Artificial Intelligence, outlined an ambitious plan to modernize the country’s digital ...

Houthis Claim fourth Attack Against US Warships

This is Beirut, 19/03 09:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Houthis claimed on Wednesday to have carried out a fourth attack in 72 hours on an American fleet in the Red Sea, as the US military said its campaign against the Iran-backed rebels was ongoing. The Houthis' military spokesperson said cruise missiles and drones targeted the USS Harry S. Truman carrier group in an attack that was "the fourth ...

Centcom, the American Leviathan Watching Over the East

Mario Chartouni, 18/03 18:55 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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The United States has escalated its military involvement in Yemen by bombing Houthi positions on Saturday, causing dozens of casualties among the fighters of the Iran-backed movement. Behind these strikes is the United States Central Command (Centcom), a crucial component of the American military strategy in the Middle East for ...

Huthis Claim new Attack on American Warships, Report new US Strikes

This is Beirut, 18/03 10:17 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Gulf Huthis

Yemen's Huthis on Tuesday claimed their third attack on American warships in 48 hours, despite US strikes on the Iran-backed rebels that have sparked mass protests organised by the group. The rebels also condemned Israel's wave of strikes on Gaza, which the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said killed at least 330 people, vowing ...

US Raids on the Houthis: A Militia Seeking a Crushing Blow

Michel Touma, 17/03 09:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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There are times when one must confront reality and acknowledge the truth, however harsh it may be. In certain parts of the MENA region and the Gulf, specific politico-sociological factions — shaped by a distinct mindset — remain entrenched in rigid denial. The well-known “ostrich policy,” in other words. This is particularly evident in the ...