Washington

America, Iran, and the Appearance That Deceives

Judging from the statements out of Tehran and Washington, the American-Iranian nuclear talks are going swimmingly. This studied appearance is only natural. Iran's leaders are highly motivated to draw the U.S. into protracted negotiations, during which they can appear perfectly reasonable while avoiding further consequences for their inglorious ...

Iran’s Strategic Port Rocked by Deadly Explosion

A massive explosion ripped through Iran's Shahid Rajaee Port near Bandar Abbas on Saturday, killing at least 25 people and injuring more than 800. The blast triggered smaller explosions in nearby containers and fires that continued into Sunday. Here is what we know: Strategic port  The Shahid Rajaee Port is one of Iran's most ...

Iran, US To Hold New Round of High-Level Nuclear Talks

Iran, US hold new round of high-stakes nuclear talks The United States and Iran were expected to start haggling over details of a potential nuclear deal in Oman on Saturday as they entered their third round of talks in as many weeks. US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are again leading the discussions, ...

US Roadmap for Lifting Sanctions on Syria Takes Center Stage

As Syria stands at a pivotal crossroads, the urgent question of lifting US and international sanctions takes center stage. These sanctions have profoundly impacted the nation's economy and governance since the outbreak of the civil war. With the Syrian interim government, now led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, striving to stabilize the country and ...

China Insists No trade Talks With US, Despite Trump's Claim

China repeated Saturday that it had held no talks with the United States on trade issues, despite President Donald Trump's claim that he had taken a call from Xi Jinping. In an interview conducted on April 22 with Time magazine and published Friday, Trump did not say when the call with the Chinese leader took place or specify what was ...

In Washington, Lebanon’s Central Bank Governor Calls for a Structured National Recovery

During the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington, Banque du Liban Governor Karim Souhaid delivered a stark and candid assessment of Lebanon’s critical condition. Speaking to an audience of international experts and policymakers, Souhaid described a country “at a crossroads—between fragility and ...

Google Faces Breakup Threat Over Chrome Monopoly

US government attorneys urged a federal judge Monday to make Google spin off its Chrome browser, arguing artificial intelligence is poised to ramp up the tech giant's online search dominance. The Department of Justice (DOJ) made its pitch at a hearing before District Judge Amit Mehta, who is considering "remedies" after making a landmark decision ...

Gold Hits Record, Dollar Drops as Tariff Fears Dampen Sentiment

Gold prices hit a fresh record on Monday while the dollar weakened further and stocks were mixed amid worries about Donald Trump's tariff blitz and his bubbling row with the Federal Reserve. With several markets still closed for the Easter holiday, business was limited ahead of a week that will see the release of key data that should give an ...

Vance in India for Tough Talks on Trade

US Vice President JD Vance began a four-day visit to India on Monday as New Delhi looks to seal an early trade deal and stave off punishing US tariffs. Vance's visit comes two months after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with US President Donald Trump at the White House. A red carpet welcome with an honour guard and troupes of ...

Southern Lebanon: Is Israel Answering Qassem with Fire?

Sunday marked one of the most violent days since the February ceasefire. Through a series of targeted strikes on alleged Hezbollah positions, the Israeli army raised the level of confrontation. This offensive came just days after Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, reaffirmed the group’s categorical rejection of disarmament, declaring ...

Qatar’s Chief Negotiator Says ‘Frustrated’ by Pace of Gaza Talks

Qatar's chief negotiator voiced frustration over talks for a truce in Gaza in an interview with AFP, a month after Israel resumed its strikes on the Palestinian territory and another round of negotiations ended without a deal. "We're definitely frustrated by the slowness, sometimes, of the process in the negotiation. This is an urgent matter. ...

Ukraine PM to visit Washington Next Week for Resource Deal Talks

Ukraine's prime minister will visit Washington next week for talks with top US officials aimed at clinching a long-fraught minerals and resources deal by April 26, according to a memorandum released on Friday. Kyiv and Washington had planned to sign a deal on extracting Ukraine's strategic minerals weeks ago, but a clash between presidents Donald ...