United States

Syrian Forces Agree Truce With French-Led Jihadist Group

Syrian authorities have agreed to a ceasefire with a group of jihadists led by Frenchman Oumar Diaby in northwest Syria, sources from both sides told AFP on Thursday. Government forces surrounded the camp of Firqatul Ghuraba ("the Foreigners' Brigade") on Wednesday, leading to the first clashes with jihadists under Syria's new leadership since ...

Rubio Says Israel Annexation Moves in West Bank ‘Threatening’ Peace Deal

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday warned Israel against annexing the West Bank, saying steps taken by parliament and settler violence threatened a Gaza peace deal. Israeli lawmakers voted Wednesday to advance two bills on annexing the occupied West Bank, barely a week after President Donald Trump pushed through a deal aimed at ending ...

Gaza, Israel and Hezbollah with Matthew Levitt

On this week’s episode of This is America, we cover the Gaza ceasefire and the disarming of Hezbollah. We also feature an exclusive interview with Matthew Levitt, Fromer-Wexler Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute, who shares his insights on the situation in Gaza and the prospects for peace in the region.

United States: Joel Rayburn Officially Becomes Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved on Wednesday the nomination of Joel Rayburn as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. Rayburn had been nominated for the position in February by Donald Trump, but the appointment required Senate confirmation. Joel Rayburn is a former U.S. Army colonel, diplomat, and recognized ...

JD Vance Voices ‘Great Optimism' for Gaza Truce on Israel Visit

US Vice President JD Vance expressed "great optimism" that the Gaza truce would hold, ahead of a meeting Wednesday in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Vance is in Israel to shore up support for the US-brokered ceasefire and post-war reconstruction plans. Despite concerns in Israel that Hamas has seized on the pause to ...

Trump and Putin's Budapest Summit Shelved

US President Donald Trump put plans to meet Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Budapest on hold Tuesday, as efforts to end the war in Ukraine ran into yet another roadblock. Trump said just days ago that he would meet Putin within two weeks, while at the same time pressuring Ukraine to give up the eastern Donbas region in exchange for peace, a ...

Trump Urged Ukraine to Give Up Land in 'Tense' Talks

US President Donald Trump pressured his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to give up the eastern Donbas region in exchange for peace during "tense" talks last Friday in Washington, a senior Ukrainian official told AFP. The source added that the talks with Trump were "not easy" and that diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war felt ...

Saudi de Facto Ruler to Meet Trump in Washington Next Month

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler will meet US President Donald Trump during a three-day visit to Washington next month, a source close to the government told AFP on Tuesday. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will arrive on November 17 and discuss political, economic, and security files with Trump the following day, the source said on condition of ...

Trump Says Middle East Allies Ready to 'Straighten out Hamas' If Asked

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that allied nations in the Middle East were prepared to send troops into Gaza, at his request, to confront Hamas if the group did not cease its alleged violations of his peace plan. The threat comes a day after Trump warned Hamas would be "eradicated" if the group did not meet expectations of the agreement, ...

Union Demands Action for German Workers Caught in US Shutdown

A German labor union called on the government Tuesday to compensate workers at US military bases in the country if they suffer delayed salary payments due to the government shutdown in the United States. About 12,000 civilian employees who work at US military installations in Germany could be affected, the Verdi union warned. "Verdi is calling ...

Bolivia's President-Elect Says Will Resume Ties with US after Nearly Two Decades

Bolivia's new center-right president-elect said Monday he would seek to reinstate diplomatic ties with the United States that were broken off nearly two decades ago under leftist ex-leader Evo Morales. "In the specific case of the United States... that relationship will be resumed," economist-turned-senator Rodrigo Paz, 58, told reporters after ...