Report2025 Celebrations Begin as the World Reflects on a Chaotic 2024

This is Beirut 2024-12-31 11:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump Europe Middle East

Crowds will marvel at fireworks and toast champagne to greet 2025 on Tuesday, waving goodbye to a year that brought Olympic glory, a dramatic Donald Trump return, and turmoil in the Middle East and Ukraine. It is all but certain 2024 will go down as the hottest year on record, climate-fuelled disasters wreaking havoc from the plains of Europe to ...

China Rejects U.S. Cyberattack Allegations on US Treasury, Denouncing "False Pretexts"

This is Beirut 2024-12-31 11:16 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United States China Cybersecurity US Treasury Department

Beijing on Tuesday hit back at accusations that a China state-sponsored actor was behind a cyber breach at the US Treasury Department, calling the claims "groundless". The Treasury said the attack resulted in access to some of its workstations, according to a letter to Congress seen by AFP. According to the Treasury, the incident ...

Xi Jinping Calls for "World Peace" in His New Year's Message to Vladimir Putin

This is Beirut 2024-12-31 10:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United States Vladimir Putin China

Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to promote "world peace" in a New Year's message to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, state media reported on Tuesday. "No matter how the international situation changes, China will remain steadfast in further comprehensively deepening reform... and promoting world peace and development," Xi said, ...

ReportCarter's Legacy in Iran: A "Negative Role" in the Eyes of Many Iranians

This is Beirut 2024-12-31 10:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

USA Tehran United States

Iran played a central role in Jimmy Carter's presidency, but in Tehran, where state television branded him the "architect of economic sanctions", many have far from fond memories of the late US president. The former US president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who passed away on Monday at the age of 100, left behind a legacy of punitive measures ...

South Korea: Arrest Warrant Issued for President Yoon Suk Yeol

This is Beirut 2024-12-31 10:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

A South Korean court issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday for ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol to compel him to appear before investigators seeking to question him over his failed attempt to impose martial law. "The arrest warrant and search warrant against President Yoon Suk Yeol (...) were issued this morning," the High-Ranking Officials ...

Houthis Claim Missile Strikes on Israel and US Aircraft Carrier

This is Beirut 2024-12-31 10:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

USA Israel Gulf Hamas Houthi

Houthis said Tuesday that they had fired two missiles at Israel, hours after the Israeli military said it had intercepted a projectile launched from the Yemen. "The first (attack) targeted Ben Gurion Airport" in Tel Aviv, and the second was fired at a power station south of Jerusalem, a Houthi military statement said. The rebels also said they ...

Russia Pledges to Punish Those Responsible for Azerbaijan Plane Crash

This is Beirut 2024-12-30 20:09 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Azerbaijan Russia Plane Crash Kazakhstan

Azerbaijan said on Monday that Moscow had promised to punish those responsible for the downing of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane that Baku says was shot at by Russian air defences. The AZAL Embraer 190 jet crash-landed in Kazakhstan on December 25, killing 38 of the 67 people on board. The incident prompted several airlines to cancel flights to ...

US Announces $5.9 Billion in Military and Budget Aid for Ukraine

This is Beirut 2024-12-30 19:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Joe Biden United States Ukraine Russia Military Aid

The United States on Monday unveiled almost $6 billion in military and budget aid for Ukraine, as Washington races to provide assistance before Donald Trump takes office next month. The imminent return of Trump, who has repeatedly criticized aid for Ukraine, has cast doubt on American support continuing at similar levels as under outgoing ...

Russia and Ukraine Exchange Over 300 POWs Ahead of New Year's Eve

This is Beirut 2024-12-30 17:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Russia Ukraine Prisoner Exchange

Russia and Ukraine swapped more than 300 prisoners of war on Monday in an exchange brokered by the United Arab Emirates ahead of New Year's Eve, officials from both countries said. The two sides have exchanged hundreds of captive soldiers since Russia began its military assault on Ukraine in February 2022, in one of the few areas of ...

Jimmy Carter: From Humiliation in Iran to the Historic Camp David Accord

This is Beirut 2024-12-30 17:38 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Middle East Tehran United States White House

The humiliation of the hostages in Iran will remain a stain on the record of Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 100. However, the former U.S. president achieved the first Israeli-Arab peace agreement, one of the successes of a foreign policy long criticized for its perceived weakness. Even Zbigniew Brzezinski, his national ...

Former US President Jimmy Carter Has Died Aged 100

This is Beirut 2024-12-30 17:37 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United States Washington White House Jimmy Carter

Former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jimmy Carter passed away on Sunday at the age of 100 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, in the southeastern United States, prompting a wave of tributes from his successors at the White House and leaders around the world. Outgoing President Joe Biden declared a national day of mourning on ...

'Foreign Jihadists' Among Rebels to Be Made Syria Army Officers

This is Beirut 2024-12-30 16:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria HTS Ahmad al-Sharaa SOHR

Former rebels were promoted to officers in Syria's future army in a decree passed by de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa—with a war monitor and experts identifying on Monday foreign jihadists among them. The new authorities in Damascus, who until recently were Islamist-led rebels fighting to overthrow Bashar al-Assad, last week unveiled an accord ...