This is Beirut - Middle East

Pope Calls for ‘Arms to Be Silenced’ Across World

This is Beirut, 25/12 14:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Pope Francis called Wednesday for "arms to be silenced" around the world in his Christmas address, appealing for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan as he denounced the "extremely grave" humanitarian situation in Gaza. He used his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" ("to the city and the world") message to the world's 1.4 billion Catholics to call ...

The Houthis Claim Responsibility for a Ballistic Missile Strike on Israel

This is Beirut, 24/12 19:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The Houthis claimed responsibility on Tuesday for launching a "ballistic missile" targeting central Israel, while the Israeli military earlier stated that it had intercepted a "projectile." The operation, carried out with a "hypersonic ballistic missile Palestine 2," targeted a "military enemy position in the ...

Israel Mentions ‘Progress’ Towards An Agreement On Hostages In Gaza

This is Beirut, 24/12 03:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday ‘cautiously’ referred to ‘progress’ towards an agreement on the hostages held in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian Hamas attack in October 2023, one of the conditions for a ceasefire. Indirect negotiations last week in Qatar between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Doha and Egypt, ...

Jordan Foreign Minister Hold Talks With Syria's New Leader

This is Beirut, 23/12 12:58 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi expressed his country's support for Syria's reconstruction in a meeting with its new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Monday, in the latest visit to Damascus by a high-profile delegation since Bashar al-Assad's overthrow. It was the first trip to Syria by a senior Jordanian official since Assad's ...

Jean-Marc Ayoubi: A Leading Figure in Reproductive Medicine

Elie Valluy – Paris Correspondent, 21/12 09:55 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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March 31, 2019, is a landmark date in French medical history. On that day, Professor Jean-Marc Ayoubi led a pioneering surgical team to carry out the country’s first uterus transplant. The recipient, a 34-year-old woman born without a uterus due to MRKH syndrome, received the organ from a living donor — her own mother. Reflecting on the ...

Express Cleanup Before Change of Tenant

Marc Saikali, 19/12 08:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Just a few weeks ago, the defunct “Axis of Resistance” still managed to maintain its facade. From Iran — both a bystander and instigator — to Lebanon, passing through Gaza, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, the fronts were numerous. But the pretense has crumbled, revealing an empty shell. The turning point began in Lebanon. Defying ...

They Have the Oil, We Have Human Energy

Antoine Menassa, 18/12 09:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Middle East USA Oil

At the 5th Economic Summit, organized by the Franco-Arab Chamber of Commerce in Paris on December 12, 2024, TotalEnergies CEO addressed the potential for oil or gas discoveries off Lebanon's Mediterranean coast. He expressed regret that, at this stage of exploration, they had not found what they were hoping for, stating, “At this point, we ...

After Assad’s Fall, Erdogan Enjoys Moment ‘In the Sun'

This is Beirut, 17/12 12:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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After backing the rebels who overthrew Bashar al-Assad and brokering a key Horn of Africa peace deal, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan has boosted his international standing, leaving him well-placed to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, analysts say. Although Turkey was not directly involved in the Syrian strongman's overthrow, it has long ...

The Fall of the Captagon Empire: Assad’s Regime and the Drug Trade

Vanessa Kallas, 16/12 11:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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The Assad regime has fallen, leaving behind the largest Captagon empire in the world. For years, the regime relied on the multibillion-dollar Captagon market to finance its war efforts, support allied militias like Hezbollah and circumvent international sanctions. Recent seizures of Captagon factories and pills in former regime strongholds ...

Navigating the Uncertainties of the Post-Assad Era

Michel Touma, 16/12 11:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had anticipated it well before Bashar al-Assad's downfall, pointing to the emergence of a new Middle East. Likewise, President-elect Donald Trump had set the tone during his campaign, emphasizing his commitment to forging peace in a region beset by over seven decades of armed conflict and largely ...

Egypt inaugurates $500 million solar power plant in Aswan

This is Beirut, 14/12 16:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Egypt inaugurated a $500 million solar plant in the southern city of Aswan on Saturday as part of its push to boost renewable energy production after last summer's severe power outages. The Abydos Solar PV Plant, which was developed by Dubai-based energy company AMEA Power, has a capacity of 500 megawatts and was completed in just 18 months. The ...

Blinken Meets Turkish Counterpart in Ankara

This is Beirut, 13/12 10:01 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Mr. Blinken started his meeting with Mr. Fidan at 9:40 a.m. (6:40 GMT) on Friday, according to a U.S. official. He arrived in the Turkish capital on Thursday evening and held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a lounge at Ankara's airport. "Turkey will never show weakness in the fight against ISIS," President Erdogan told ...

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