This is Beirut

Trump Asks US Supreme Court to Pause Law Threatening TikTok Ban

This is Beirut, 2024-12-28 10:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump Republicans Tik Tok US Supreme Court USA

US President-elect Donald Trump filed a brief Friday urging the Supreme Court to pause a law that would ban TikTok the day before his January 20 inauguration if it is not sold by its Chinese owner ByteDance. "In light of the novelty and difficulty of this case, the court should consider staying the statutory deadline to grant more breathing ...

Old $100 Bill Still Valid

This is Beirut, 2024-12-27 21:35 - Reading : less than a minute

Internal Security Forces USA

The Directorate General of the Internal Security Forces (ISF) has issued a statement denying rumors circulating on certain social networks, claiming that the old printing of the hundred-dollar bill is still in circulation in the country. According to these rumors, the distribution of these bills has been suspended worldwide. However, the ISF said ...

Souhaid from Damascus: What Unites Us Is Stronger Than Events

This is Beirut, 2024-12-27 13:25 - Reading : less than a minute

Damascus USA

In a speech in front of the Maronite Archdiocese of Damascus, former MP Fares Souhaid declared, “We have come from Lebanon to tell everyone to look with hope at the transformations in our region.” Souhaid added, “We came to tell our brothers in Syria that what unites us is stronger than the events, to wish a free and dignified life for all ...

South Korean Lawmakers Impeach Acting President Han Duck-soo

This is Beirut, 2024-12-27 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

USA

South Korean lawmakers impeached acting President Han Duck-soo on Friday, finding he "actively participated in the insurrection" after his predecessor declared martial law earlier this month. "I announce that Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's impeachment motion has passed. Out of the 192 lawmakers who voted, 192 voted to impeach," said National ...

Israeli Violations Spark Concerns Over Ceasefire Agreement’s Fate

This is Beirut, 2024-12-26 12:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Amos Hochstein Ceasefire UN Security Council United Nations USA

Israeli Merkava tanks crossed Wadi Hujair near Marjeyoun on Thursday morning, conducting a large-scale sweep of nearby forests with heavy machine guns. In response, the Lebanese army blocked the road leading into the valley. The municipality of Majdel Selm issued a statement urging residents to avoid the Slouqi-Wadi Hujair to Nabatiye road and ...

Ukraine Reports Massive Christmas Day Attack by Russia

This is Beirut, 2024-12-25 09:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Ukraine USA Volodymyr Zelensky Washington

Russian missiles killed at least one person and damaged energy infrastructure across Ukraine, according to officials, who reported a massive Christmas attack. Air raid sirens rang out over Ukraine on Wednesday morning, while the air force reported Russian Kalibr cruise missiles had been launched from the Black Sea. Ukraine faces its toughest ...

The Houthis Claim Responsibility for a Ballistic Missile Strike on Israel

This is Beirut, 2024-12-24 19:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Houthi Israel Middle East Benjamin Netanyahu Palestine USA

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 ...

Iran Lifts WhatsApp Ban After Two Years of Restrictions

This is Beirut, 2024-12-24 17:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

USA

Iran's top council responsible for safeguarding the internet voted Tuesday to lift a ban on the popular messaging application WhatsApp, which has been subject to restrictions for over two years, state media reported. "The ban on WhatsApp and Google Play was removed by unanimous vote of the members of the Supreme Council of ...

US NGO Believes Missing Journalist Austin Tice 'Alive' in Syria

This is Beirut, 2024-12-24 13:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus USA Syria Austin Tice NGO

US group Hostage Aid Worldwide said Tuesday that it believes journalist Austin Tice, who went missing in Syria in 2012, is still alive, though it did not offer concrete information on his whereabouts. "We have data that Austin is alive till January 2024, but the president of the US said in August that he is alive, and we are sure that he is alive ...

Christmas in South Lebanon: A Breath of Life, a Hint of Melancholy

Katia Kahil, 2024-12-24 11:03 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

South Lebanon USA

We’ve all lost something, but we’ve also learned to help one another. It’s important to keep the Christmas spirit alive, even if it’s challenging under the current circumstances. We need to show that we’re rooted here, that we haven’t given up hope,” says Paul, a shop owner in Marjeyoun, as he carefully ...

What Next?

David Hale , 2024-12-23 15:05 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Syria Lebanon USA Donald Trump Iran Turkey

So many Syrians and Lebanese are celebrating the downfall of the Assad regime, whose last decade of rule came courtesy of Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah. The proximate cause of the final collapse is debatable; some attribute it to the inability of Russia to come to Assad's defense, while others cite Israel's decimation of Assad's Hezbollah ...

Jordan Foreign Minister Hold Talks With Syria's New Leader

This is Beirut, 2024-12-23 12:58 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus European Union Middle East United Nations USA

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 ...

USA