This is Beirut

Trump Declares Emergency Over Cuba, Targets Oil Exports, Cites Hamas, Hezbollah Ties

This is Beirut, 30/01 02:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States Cuba Iran Russia Sanctions

President Trump issued an executive order on Thursday declaring a national emergency over Cuba and detailing a policy of implementing secondary sanctions on countries exporting oil to Cuba. In the executive order, the Trump administration claims that Cuba hosts and cooperates with “dangerous adversaries” on its territory: ...

Syrian President al-Sharaa Meets Putin as Russia Repositions Military Presence

This is Beirut, 28/01 17:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Ahmed al-Sharaa Vladimir Putin Donald Trump Syria Russia

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa traveled to Moscow on Wednesday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the future of the two countries’ relationship. Their meeting is expected to focus on Russia’s military presence in Syria and bilateral economic relations. On Tuesday, Russian troops and military assets were withdrawn from ...

Who Really Defeated ISIS in Syria?

Mario Chartouni, 2025-12-09 20:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Damascus European Union Washington Russia Syria ISIS

In the narrative promoted by Moscow and Damascus, Russia and Bashar al-Assad’s regime are credited with delivering the decisive blow against ISIS in Syria. This account frames Russia’s military intervention, which began in September 2015, as the turning point in the fight against the terrorist group. Yet, a closer look at the data paints a ...

Iraq Invites U.S. Companies to Bid on Oil Field Run by Russia's Lukoil

This is Beirut, 2025-12-01 17:30 - Reading : less than a minute

Iraq United States Lukoil Russia Oil & Gas

Iraq's oil ministry announced on Monday that it had invited U.S. companies to bid on an oil field that had been operated by the now American-sanctioned Russian company Lukoil for years. The oil ministry said in a statement it had taken "all necessary measures to directly and exclusively invite several major American oil companies... to submit ...

Jordan Tells Russia to Stop Recruiting its Citizens After Two Killed

This is Beirut, 2025-11-27 20:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Russia Jordan Army

Jordan on Thursday asked Russia to stop recruiting its citizens for its armed forces after two of them were killed fighting for Moscow. In a statement, the foreign ministry called the recruitment "a violation of Jordanian law and international law" that "exposes citizens to serious danger". Spokesman for the ministry Fuad al-Majali called on ...

“Embargo”: When Economics Becomes a Weapon

Sana Richa Choucair, 2025-11-23 15:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Hamas United States Houthis Sanction Russia Iran OFAC

On January 1, 2025, the United States tightened its technological embargo on China, doubling tariffs on a wide range of strategic goods, from semiconductors to industrial equipment. Beijing retaliated ten days later with countermeasures targeting American agricultural products, adding a new chapter to the escalating economic confrontation between ...

Romania Scrambles Jets Over Fresh Drone Incursion

This is Beirut, 2025-11-19 16:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Ukraine Romania Drones Russia NATO

NATO member Romania, bordering Ukraine, scrambled fighter jets early on Wednesday after a fresh drone incursion, the defense ministry said, while neighboring Moldova also reported that its airspace was breached. Romania and Moldova have repeatedly seen violations of their airspaces, including drone fragments falling onto their soil, following ...

UK warns Putin as Russian Military Ship Enters its Waters

This is Beirut, 2025-11-19 15:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United Kingdom Vladimir Putin Russia Ship

The UK government warned the Kremlin on Wednesday after saying a Russian military ship had entered British waters and directed lasers at UK pilots. Defense Secretary John Healey told reporters in London that the ship had "entered" UK waters for the second time this year, following an earlier incursion back in January. "The Yantar is on the edge ...

Zelensky Trip to Turkey Aims to 'Re-Engage' US in Peace Efforts

This is Beirut, 2025-11-18 13:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Volodymyr Zelensky Turkey Russia Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky will head to Turkey on Wednesday seeking to revive the United States' involvement in diplomatic efforts to end the Russian invasion, a Ukrainian official told AFP. Zelensky said he wanted to reinvigorate frozen peace talks, which have faltered after several rounds of Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul this year failed ...

Drone Alert Temporarily Shuts Danish Airport

This is Beirut, 2025-11-17 11:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Europe Denmark Russia Drones Airport

The Aalborg airport in northern Denmark closed for several hours late Sunday after drones were reported in nearby airspace, airport authorities said, the latest in a spate of unexplained drone flights across Europe. "The airport was closed for landings and take-offs between 9:30 pm and 11:15 pm (2030 and 2215 GMT) last night after suspicious ...

Bulatov, Pillar of Russian Contemporary Art Scene, Dies at 92

This is Beirut, 2025-11-10 17:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Painter Erik Bulatov Obituary Contemporary Art Russia Culture

Erik Bulatov, a pillar of Russia's contemporary art scene known for works mocking Soviet propaganda, has died in Paris at the age of 92, the Russian Academy of Fine Arts told AFP Monday. Bulatov was best known as one of the creators of the Sots Art movement that made use of Soviet slogans and shot him to fame in the final years of the USSR. "One ...

Ukraine Scrambles for Energy with Power Generation at 'Zero'

This is Beirut, 2025-11-09 12:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Ukraine Russia Energy

Ukraine was scrambling to turn lights and heating back on Sunday after Russian attacks targeting energy infrastructure, with the state's power provider saying its generating capacity was reduced to "zero." Moscow, which has escalated attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure in recent months, launched hundreds of drones at energy facilities across the ...

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