World

Israel Says to Close Embassy in Ireland Over ‘Extreme Anti-israeli Policies’

This is Beirut 2024-12-15 16:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

International Court of Justice International Criminal Court Israel Palestine Ireland Diplomacy

Israel's Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that it would be closing its embassy in Ireland, citing the Dublin government's "extreme anti-Israeli policies," further straining already tense relations between the two nations. Diplomatic ties between Ireland and Israel have deteriorated following a series of actions, including Ireland's ...

Iran Closes Offices, Schools Over Cold, Energy Shortage

This is Beirut 2024-12-15 16:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Saudi Arabia Tehran USA Economic Sanctions Iran

Iran announced the closure of offices and schools in many provinces across the country on Sunday due to a cold snap and energy shortages, according to state media. Iran is an energy giant, with the world's second-largest reserves of natural gas, according to the US Energy Information Administration. However, the country has been forced to ration ...

Un Envoy Urges Justice, Not Revenge in Syria

This is Beirut 2024-12-15 16:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria UN HTS

"We need to see justice and accountability for crimes, and it must go through a credible justice system. We must ensure that no acts of revenge take place," Geir Pedersen said upon his arrival in Damascus. Assad fled Syria last weekend following an 11-day rebel offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), marking the ...

WindowSyria: From Euphoria to Growing Concern

Elie Ziadé 2024-12-15 15:30 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Turkey HTS Bashar al-Assad Syria

The fall of Bashar al-Assad took everyone by surprise, almost no one saw it coming. Yet, it was met with joy. Scenes of celebration across Syria, as well as in countries hosting millions of Syrian nationals and refugees, along with the shared joy of other populations — notably in Lebanon — reflect the harsh rule that the Assad dynasty had ...

Turkey Ready to Provide Military Support to New Syria Government

This is Beirut 2024-12-15 12:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Turkey United Nations Syria

Turkey is ready to provide military support to Syria's new Islamist-led government set up by rebels who overthrew Bashar al-Assad if it requests it, Defense Minister Yasar Guler said on Sunday. He said the new leadership should be given "a chance" and that Turkey was "ready to provide the necessary support if the new ...

ReportSyrian Pubs Cautiously Reopen After Islamist Victory

This is Beirut 2024-12-15 11:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Damascus HTS Syria

The citizens of Damascus largely celebrated the fall of Bashar al-Assad's hated regime with joy, after 13 long years of brutal civil war. But the city's drinking holes did have one concern. The rebel army that overthrew the former leader was led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group which some drinkers feared would forbid the sale of ...

SOHR Reports 60 Israeli Strikes on Syria in a Few Hours

This is Beirut 2024-12-15 11:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus Israel United Nations

More than 60 Israeli strikes targeted military sites across Syria in the space of a few hours, almost a week after an armed coalition overthrew Bashar al-Assad and seized Damascus, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Saturday. The SOHR counted “61 strikes in less than five hours” on Saturday evening by Israel, which has ...

TestimoniesSyrian Christians Who Took on the Challenge of Trust

Fady Noun 2024-12-15 10:00 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Damascus USA

Introduced by Vincent Gelot, L'Œuvre d'Orient's representative in Syria and Lebanon, the conference featured addresses by Archbishop Jacques Mourad, the Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Homs, Hama and Debek, Sister Jihane, a member of the Soeurs de Besançon (Sisters of Besançon) and director of Damascus' largest Christian school, and Salim Safir, ...

Trump Taps Truth Social CEO to Lead Intelligence Advisory Board

This is Beirut 2024-12-15 09:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump Republicans Ukraine USA White House

US President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday named loyalist Devin Nunes, who heads his social media platform Truth Social, to serve as chairman of a White House intelligence advisory board. Nunes is a Republican ex-congressman from California who led the US House intelligence committee during the start of Trump's first presidential term. He has ...

Founder of Spain’s Mango Clothing Chain Dies in Accident

This is Beirut 2024-12-14 22:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Spain Mango Retail Clothing Isak Andic

Isak Andic, the founder of Spanish clothing retailer Mango, one of Europe's largest fashion groups, with nearly 2,800 stores worldwide, died Saturday in an accident, the company said. While the company did not provide further details, Spanish media reports said the 71-year-old died after falling while hiking with several members of his family ...

US Says in Contact With New Syria Rulers

This is Beirut 2024-12-14 20:35 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

United States Anthony Blinken Syria HTS Ahmed al-Sharaa

The United States has made contact with Syria's victorious Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday, despite previously designating the group as terrorists. Blinken's comments, after talks on Syria in Jordan, came as Turkey reopened its embassy in Damascus, nearly a week after the Islamist-led rebels toppled ...

Turkey Reopens Embassy in Syria as Diplomats Gather for Talks

This is Beirut 2024-12-14 17:50 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Turkey Syria Damascus HTS

Turkey reopened its embassy in Damascus on Saturday, nearly a week after president Bashar al-Assad was toppled by forces backed by Ankara, and 12 years after the diplomatic outpost was shuttered early in Syria's civil war. The move came as Middle Eastern and Western diplomats were meeting in Jordan for high-level talks on Syria, and a day after ...