Arab World

Witkoff: 'Further Progress Expected on Abraham Accords'

This is Beirut 06/05 14:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Donald Trump Bahrain Middle East Palestine

US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced that several major declarations concerning the expansion of the Abraham Accords are expected “very soon,” just days before Trump embarks on a high-stakes diplomatic tour of the region. Scheduled for May 13-16, Trump’s visit will include stops in Saudi Arabia, the ...

Cardinals to Move Into Vatican on Eve of Conclave to Elect New Pope

This is Beirut 06/05 13:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Pope Francis Vatican Cardinals

Cardinals will on Tuesday begin moving into the Vatican accommodation where they will stay during the conclave, on the eve of their historic, secretive meeting to elect a new pope. Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 133 cardinal electors will gather on Wednesday in the Sistine Chapel for an election that could last hours, days, or ...

Drone Strikes Rock Port Sudan in Third day of Attacks

This is Beirut 06/05 13:45 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Sudan airport drone

Drones struck the airport and knocked out power across Port Sudan on Tuesday, officials said, the third straight day the Sudanese army-aligned government's seat of power has come under attack. The strikes, which also targeted an army base, come a day after the country's main fuel depot was hit, causing a massive blaze just south of the ...

Trump's Film Tariff Shocks Hollywood: 'Makes no Sense'

This is Beirut 06/05 13:10 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Trump Films Tariff Hollywood

Hollywood reacted with skepticism on Monday to US President Donald Trump's announcement of 100 percent tariffs on foreign films, with movie insiders calling it a policy made up on the fly by a president who fails to understand how the industry works. "It makes no sense," entertainment lawyer Jonathan Handel said of Trump's idea. Handel told AFP ...

Blow for Merz as he Misses Majority in first Vote for Chancellor

This is Beirut 06/05 12:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Friedrich Merz Germany Vote

Germany's conservative leader Friedrich Merz suffered a serious blow on Tuesday when he failed to win a parliamentary majority in the first round of voting to become the next chancellor. Merz had expected to win a majority of at least 316 of the 630 votes in the lower house of parliament. But he won the backing of only 310 MPs, with 307 voting ...

Major Ukraine Drone Attack Restricts Russia's Airport Traffic

This is Beirut 06/05 11:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Ukraine Vladimir Putin Drone

Russian airports restricted traffic after Ukraine launched more than 100 drones overnight, including in Moscow just days before its World War II victory parade, officials said Tuesday. A total of 105 drones targeted Russia overnight, the defense ministry said, ahead of the May 9 Moscow parade, presided by President Vladimir Putin and attended by ...

Total Offensive in Gaza: Israel Prepares Final Assault, Diplomacy at a Standstill

Soumia Benmerzoug 06/05 11:30 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Gaza Iran Hamas Houthis Qatar

As the war in Gaza enters what might be its final and most intense phase, Israel is ramping up its military operations while also confronting a new “aerial” threat from the Houthis in Yemen. Amid this military surge, the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen, as diplomatic efforts stall under the weight ...

China says to Welcome EU Chiefs Costa, Von der Leyen for Visits

This is Beirut 06/05 11:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

European Union von der Leyen China

China said Tuesday it would welcome EU chiefs Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen for visits as part of events marking 50 years of ties between Beijing and the bloc. "China welcomes European Council President Costa and European Commission President von der Leyen to come to China for a new round of China-EU meetings," foreign ministry spokesman ...

Putin Gears up for 'Grandest' Victory Day Amid Ukraine Conflict

This is Beirut 06/05 09:55 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Donald Trump Kyiv

Russian President Vladimir Putin will address the "grandest" ever annual Victory Day parade in Moscow on Friday, evoking the Soviet Union's defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II to rally support for his troops fighting in Ukraine. Russia marks the event more than three years into its offensive, and after it pummelled Ukraine with a string of ...

Hamas Says no Point in Further Gaza Truce Talks

This is Beirut 06/05 09:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Hamas Palestine Benjamin Netanyahu

A senior Hamas official said Tuesday the group was no longer interested in truce talks with Israel and urged the international community to halt Israel's "hunger war" against Gaza. "There is no sense in engaging in talks or considering new ceasefire proposals as long as the hunger war and extermination war continue in the Gaza Strip," Basem Naim ...

Macron to Host Syrian President's First European Visit

This is Beirut 06/05 09:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Emmanuel Macron Damascus United Nations

French President Emmanuel Macron will host Syrian counterpart Ahmed al-Chareh on Wednesday for the former Islamist rebel's first European visit, the French presidency told AFP. Macron will "reiterate France's support for the construction of a new Syria, a free, stable, sovereign Syria that respects all components of Syrian society", the ...

Ford Sees $1.5 Bn Tariff Hit This Year, Suspends 2025 Forecast

This is Beirut 06/05 05:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Ford United States Economy Tariffs

Ford reported a 65 percent drop in first-quarter profits Monday, citing a near-term drag on auto sales from new vehicle launches, as it withdrew its forecast amid tariff uncertainty. The carmaker estimated a full-year net hit of about $1.5 billion in adjusted operating earnings following President Donald Trump's myriad tariff actions since ...