Middle East

Polish PM calls Confidence Vote after Nationalist Wins Presidency

This is Beirut 2025-06-03 09:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called for a parliamentary confidence vote in a bid to demonstrate continuing support for his pro-EU government after nationalist Karol Nawrocki won the presidential election. European far-right leaders welcomed the election of the 42-year-old Nawrocki, a fan of US President Donald Trump who has said he will ...

Trump says Iran Deal Would not Allow 'any' Uranium Enrichment

This is Beirut 2025-06-03 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA Iran

US President Donald Trump on Monday ruled out allowing Iran to enrich uranium under any nuclear deal between the foes -- as Tehran defended what it said was its "peaceful" pursuit of fuel for power generation. Uranium enrichment has remained a key point of contention in five rounds of talks since April to ink a new accord to replace the deal ...

Suspect Faces US Hate Charges after Fire Attack on Jewish Protest

This is Beirut 2025-06-03 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam colorado Gaza Hostages

The man suspected of a Molotov cocktail attack on Jewish protesters in Colorado is facing federal hate crime charges, officials said Monday, as President Donald Trump's administration vowed to pursue "terrorists" living in the US on visas. Mohammed Sabry Soliman is alleged to have thrown fire bombs and sprayed burning gasoline at a group of ...

5.8-Magnitude Quake Rattles Turkey's Southwestern Resorts

This is Beirut 2025-06-03 08:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkey earthquake

A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Marmaris area of southwestern Turkey early on Tuesday, killing one teenager and injuring dozens of people, the interior minister said. A 14-year-old girl died following a panic attack and some 70 people were hurt in the Mugla province as they rushed to find safety, including "some who jumped from a height", ...

Israel Army Says Intercepts Yemen Missile after Air Raid Sirens Sound

This is Beirut 2025-06-02 23:02 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Yemen Houthi Movement

The Israeli army said it intercepted a missile launched Monday from Yemen, whose Houthis insurgents claimed an attack targeting Israel's main airport. "Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted," the army said in a statement, as loud booms were heard ...

Trump and Xi ‘Likely’ to Speak This Week

This is Beirut 2025-06-02 21:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States Xi Jinping China

US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping will likely hold a long-awaited call later this week, the White House said Monday, as trade tensions between the world's two biggest economies ratchet back up. Trump reignited strains with China last week when he accused the world's second-biggest economy of violating a deal that had led ...

Trump 'Open' to Meeting Putin, Zelensky in Turkey

This is Beirut 2025-06-02 20:44 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Turkey Ukraine Russia Volodymyr Zelensky Vladimir Putin Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump is open to an invitation by his Turkish counterpart to hold three-way peace talks in Turkey with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, the White House said Monday. "The president has said he's open to it if it comes to that, but he wants both of these leaders and both sides to come to the table together," Press Secretary ...

Zelensky Urges Trump to Approve Sanctions to 'Push' Russia to Full Ceasefire

This is Beirut 2025-06-02 20:35 - Reading : less than a minute

Volodymyr Zelensky Ukraine United States Donald Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday urged his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to approve more sanctions to "push" Russia into a full ceasefire after Moscow once again declined a 30-day halt to hostilities. "We really expect Trump to take strong steps," he said at a briefing with journalists after a second round of ...

Witkoff’s Proposal Could Break Deadlock on Iran Nuclear Deal

This is Beirut 2025-06-02 20:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran Nuclear Sanctions Diplomacy Enrichment MiddleEast

As global attention shifts back to Tehran, the Iranian government is reportedly reviewing a far-reaching US proposal aimed at reviving the stalled nuclear talks. The plan, relayed via Oman, was drafted by Steve Witkoff, the US President’s special envoy to the Middle East. According to diplomatic sources quoted by Kuwait’s Al-Jarida, the ...

SpotlightPeace vs. Normalization: Distinct Paths, Diverging Logics in ME Diplomacy

Mario Chartouni 2025-06-02 20:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Middle East United Arab Emirates Bahrain Hezbollah

From the peace treaties signed between Israel and certain Arab States – most notably Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994 – to the wave of diplomatic normalizations initiated in 2020 with the Abraham Accords, two concepts have consistently shaped discussions about regional diplomacy: peace agreements and normalization. Although these terms are ...

Italy's Mount Etna Erupts, Spewing Ash, Gas and Rock

This is Beirut 2025-06-02 20:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Italy Mount Etna Sicily

A huge plume of ash, gas, and rock spewed forth on Monday from Italy's Mount Etna as authorities warned people to steer clear of Europe's largest active volcano. Sicily's Mount Etna has been active recently but Monday's eruption was the most dramatic, with experts warning that such activity could continue for weeks. Images showed ...

Ukraine and Russia Agree Another Prisoner Exchange, but No Ceasefire

This is Beirut 2025-06-02 18:41 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Russia Vladimir Putin

Ukraine and Russia agreed to another large-scale prisoner exchange at talks in Istanbul on Monday but failed to make a breakthrough on an immediate halt to the fighting. At the second round of direct talks between the warring sides, Ukraine said Moscow had rejected its call for an unconditional ceasefire, offering instead a partial truce of two ...