World

Syria's New Rulers Urge Russia to Fix Past Mistakes

This is Beirut 29/01 15:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

US Secretary of State Damascus European Union Middle East Saudi Arabia

Syria's new leadership on Wednesday urged Moscow to "address past mistakes" during talks with visiting Russian officials -- the first since former president Bashar al-Assad, a Kremlin ally, was toppled last month. The visit came with Russia keen to secure the fate of two military bases in Syria and after Russian President Vladimir Putin denied ...

Syria Demands Israel Pullout from Buffer Golan Zone

This is Beirut 29/01 14:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Benjamin Netanyahu United Nations Golan Syria

Syria's new authorities on Wednesday urged Israel's withdrawal from Syrian territory it occupied in the Golan Heights after president Bashar al-Assad's ousting, during talks with UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix, state media reported. During Lacroix's meeting with Syria's foreign and defense ministers, "it was confirmed that Syria is ...

Ukrainian Drone Barrage on Russia Kills two, Hits oil Refinery

This is Beirut 29/01 11:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Kyiv Ukraine

A Ukrainian drone attack killed a mother and her toddler in a Russian border region on Wednesday, Russian officials said, as Kyiv launched a major overnight barrage that set an oil refinery ablaze and targeted a nuclear facility. Moscow and Kyiv have exchanged almost daily drone or missile attacks over the nearly three-year war, targeting energy ...

Rubio Widens Exemption for US Aid After Freeze

This is Beirut 29/01 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump US Secretary of State

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday widened exemptions in a sweeping freeze on foreign assistance, saying the United States would keep funding humanitarian items such as shelter and medicine. President Donald Trump on returning office last week ordered a 90-day pause to review assistance by the United States, the world's largest donor in ...

Rwanda, DR Congo Leaders in Crisis Summit as Goma's Fate Hangs in Balance

This is Beirut 29/01 09:40 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

UN Security Council Europe Goma

The president of crisis-hit Democratic Republic of Congo was set to meet his Rwandan counterpart at an emergency summit on Wednesday, as fighters backed by Kigali appeared on the brink of seizing the key city of Goma. The M23 armed group took control of Goma's airport on Tuesday, a security source said, following days of intense clashes that ...

15 Dead in India Stampede at Hindu Mega-Festival

This is Beirut 29/01 09:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

India Religious Festival Hindu

A pre-dawn stampede at the world's largest religious gathering killed at least 15 people in India Wednesday, with many more injured after a surging crowd spilled out of a police cordon and trampled bystanders. Deadly crowd incidents are frequent occurrence at Indian religious festivals, including the Kumbh Mela, which attracts tens of millions of ...

Syria: Senior Russian Officials In Damascus For The First Time Since The Fall Of Assad

This is Beirut 29/01 06:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Damascus Volodymyr Zelensky Middle East Ukraine Vladimir Putin

Two senior Russian officials met new government leaders in Damascus on Tuesday, a first since the fall of the Kremlin's ally, ex-president Bashar al-Assad, in December. Moscow wants to keep its two major military bases in Syria. Quoted by the Russian press agencies, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said that he and his delegation had ...

Putin Agrees To Talks With Ukraine But Without Zelensky

This is Beirut 29/01 06:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Volodymyr Zelensky Ukraine Donald Trump Kyiv USA

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that his country could take part in peace talks with Ukraine, but ruled out speaking directly to President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he described as ‘illegitimate’. The Ukrainian leader responded by saying that Mr Putin was ‘afraid’ of negotiations and was using ...

Ukraine: Putin Says He Is Ready to Negotiate but Rules Out Zelensky

This is Beirut 28/01 21:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Volodymyr Zelensky Ukraine Donald Trump USA Kyiv

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that talks with Ukraine were possible but not with its President Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he deemed "illegitimate". US President Donald Trump has put pressure on both sides to end the nearly three-year conflict, saying last week that Zelensky wanted to negotiate a "deal" to stop the fighting. "If ...

Netanyahu to Meet Trump on February 4

This is Beirut 28/01 20:56 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu White House

US President Donald Trump has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a meeting at the White House on Tuesday on February 4, the Israeli premier's office said. "Prime Minister Netanyahu is the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House during US President Trump's second term," the statement said. The Trump-Netanyahu ...

Turkish Airstrikes Kill 12 Civilians in Northern Syria

This is Beirut 28/01 20:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Antony Blinken Turkey USA

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Tuesday that two days of Turkish strikes had killed 12 civilians in Kurdish-held areas of northern Syria. Turkish-backed forces launched an offensive against the SDF in November that has seen them capture several Kurdish-held enclaves in the north despite US efforts to broker a ceasefire. The ...

Israel Ends All Relations with UNRWA, Citing Security Concerns

This is Beirut 28/01 18:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel UN Security Council Hamas Middle East Palestine

Israel will cease all contact with the UN's Palestinian relief agency UNRWA and any other body acting on its behalf, its UN envoy said Tuesday, after repeatedly accusing the organization of undermining its security. UNRWA's offices and staff in Israel play a major role in the provision of healthcare and education to Palestinians, but ...