This is Beirut - US Secretary of State

Pope Francis: "Providence Will Never Forsake Lebanon"

Fady Noun, 21/04 16:30 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

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Pope Francis has always kept Lebanon close to his heart. According to those close to him and many of his visitors, the Holy Father has remained closely informed about developments in the country. While he has not visited Lebanon—due to both health concerns and the political vacuum created by the absence of a president and a fully functioning ...

Rubio in Paris to Meet Macron on Ukraine War

This is Beirut, 17/04 12:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Paris on Thursday to meet French President Emmanuel Macron about crafting an Ukraine ceasefire, as Washington and Europe seek common ground on ending the fighting. Top Ukrainian officials were also in the French capital on Thursday to meet EU and US delegations, President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of ...

Macron to Meet Rubio, Witkoff amid Transatlantic Tensions

This is Beirut, 16/04 19:11 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

US Secretary of State Paris Ukraine War

French President Emmanuel Macron will on Thursday meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US envoy Steve Witkoff, the Elysee Palace said, as transatlantic tensions soar over the war in Ukraine. Witkoff, who recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Rubio are heading to Paris for talks on ending the war in Ukraine, the State ...

Russia, US Swap Prisoners in Push for Closer Ties

This is Beirut, 10/04 15:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump US Secretary of State Ukraine

A Los Angeles-based ballet dancer released by Russia as part of a prisoner swap landed safely in the United States Thursday night, the second swap under President Donald Trump as Moscow and Washington push to rebuild ties. Ksenia Karelina, a US-Russian dual national convicted in Russia of "treason" over a one-time donation worth around ...

US Will Not let Greenland 'Become Dependent on China': Rubio

This is Beirut, 04/04 15:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

USA US Secretary of State Greeland Marco Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday Washington respected the self-determination of Greenlanders but was not going to allow the resource-rich autonomous Danish region to become dependent on China. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to take over the Arctic island for security reasons – to the anger of Copenhagen, a ...

Rubio Says US Committed to NATO - But Tells Allies to Spend More

This is Beirut, 03/04 14:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump US Secretary of State Europe European Union

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told nervous NATO members on Thursday that Washington remained committed to the alliance, but said they must agree to massively ramp up their spending targets for defense. President Donald Trump has rattled Europe by casting doubt on his willingness to defend all allies, and by reaching out to Russia over the war ...

Trump-Era Official Sought to End US Aid to Lebanon

This is Beirut, 15/03 12:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump Hezbollah US Secretary of State

According to an email reviewed by Reuters, a Trump administration official overseeing USAID sought to phase out US aid to Lebanon, arguing that the country had developed an "odd dependency" on American assistance. In a February 16 directive seen by Reuters, acting USAID deputy administrator Peter Marocco instructed officials to draft a memo ...

Rubio Says Not Going to Discuss How to 'Take Over Canada' at G7

This is Beirut, 12/03 15:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he would not raise Canada's sovereignty when he visits Quebec later on Wednesday, for Group of Seven talks, despite taunts by President Donald Trump. "We're going to be focused in the G7 and all of those things," he said, mentioning the war in Ukraine. "That's what the meeting is ...

83% of USAID programs to be scrapped, according to Rubio

This is Beirut, 10/03 17:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

US Secretary of State USA Marco Rubio USAID

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday the United States was cancelling 83 percent of programs at USAID, as the Trump administration guts spending not aligned with its "America First" agenda. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) distributes humanitarian aid around the world, with health and emergency programs in around 120 ...

Russia, US Diplomats Meet in Istanbul for Embassy Talks

This is Beirut, 27/02 12:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump US Secretary of State Kyiv Turkey

Russian and US officials met in Istanbul on Thursday for talks on resolving embassy issues as the two countries aimed to restore ties, Russian news agencies reported. The talks are being held at the US consul general's residence and come after this month's first high-level meeting between the two nuclear powers since the start of Russia's Ukraine ...

Pope Suffers Respiratory Attack, Condition Critical

This is Beirut, 23/02 12:04 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Pope Francis US Secretary of State

Pope Francis's condition "continues to be critical", the Vatican said Saturday, saying the 88-year-old was alert but had suffered a respiratory attack that required "high-flow oxygen", and also blood transfusions. "At the moment the prognosis is reserved," it said, as the head of the Catholic Church prepared to spend his ninth night in Rome's ...

Russia Tells US It Opposes Any NATO Member Sending Troops to Ukraine

This is Beirut, 18/02 16:36 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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Russia told the United States in talks on Tuesday that it opposed any NATO member sending troops to Ukraine as part of a ceasefire, Moscow's foreign minister said. "The appearance of troops of armed forces from the same NATO countries, whether under a foreign flag, under the flag of the European Union or under national flags, does not ...

US Secretary of State