Middle East

Trump Blocked Israeli Plan to Strike Iran Nuclear Sites

This is Beirut 17/04 11:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Donald Trump Tehran Nuclear sites

US President Donald Trump scuppered an Israeli plan to strike Iranian nuclear sites, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, as Washington attempts to reach a deal to curb Tehran's weapons program. The United States and Iran, which have not had diplomatic relations for more than 40 years, are seeking a new nuclear deal after Trump pulled out of ...

Macron to Hold Ukraine War Talks with Rubio, Witkoff in Paris

This is Beirut 17/04 11:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron Ukraine Marco Rubio Steve Witkoff

French President Emmanuel Macron was set to meet in Paris Thursday with America's top diplomat about crafting a Ukraine ceasefire as Washington and Europe seek common ground on ending the fighting. Top Ukrainian officials were also in the French capital on Thursday to meet EU and US delegations, President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff said, ...

Italy's Meloni Heads to White House Seeking EU Tariff Deal

This is Beirut 17/04 09:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

European Union Donald Trump Giorgia Meloni

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni heads to Washington on Thursday to meet with Donald Trump, hoping a personal charm offensive can help convince the US president to cut a more favourable deal on EU tariffs. The far-right Meloni -- described by Trump as a "fantastic leader" and who shares many of his conservative views -- has looked to ...

Trump Says 'Joke' Harvard Should be Stripped of Funds

This is Beirut 17/04 09:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Harvard

US President Donald Trump called Harvard a "joke" Wednesday and said it should lose its government research contracts after the prestigious university refused demands that it accept outside political supervision. Trump's administration also threatened to ban the famed seat of learning from accepting foreign students unless it bowed to the ...

Op-edTrump’s Disruptions: The End of the Rule-Based Order

Salam El Zaatari 17/04 09:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA China Canada Iran

At first glance, Trump’s new foreign policy approach may seem impulsive, erratic or even personal. But beneath the surface lies a disruptive yet coherent strategic vision. Trump’s foreign policy is rooted in a distinctly realist worldview—one that prizes power and national interest above moralistic crusades or ideological commitments. In ...

UN Watchdog Chief Says Iran 'Not Far' From Nuclear Bomb

This is Beirut 17/04 09:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Iran Nuclear

The UN nuclear watchdog's chief Rafael Grossi warned that Iran was "not far" from possessing a nuclear bomb, shortly before he arrived in Tehran on Wednesday for talks. Western countries including the United States have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons -- an allegation Tehran has consistently denied, insisting that its ...

Canada PM Carney Avoids French Blunder as He Faces Attack in Key Debate

This is Beirut 17/04 05:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Canada Politics Debate Elections

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney avoided major errors in a French debate Wednesday that tested his occasionally shaky language skills, as the election front-runner sought to parry attacks from his conservative opponent. Carney, who leads Canada's Liberal Party, has at times struggled to articulate his positions in French while campaigning ...

California Sues US Government Over Trump Tariffs

This is Beirut 17/04 05:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United States California Government Justice Tariffs

California is suing the federal government over Donald Trump's on-again-off-again tariffs, the governor and attorney general said Wednesday, claiming the American president does not have the right to impose them. The move marks the strongest pushback yet against a tariff roll-out that has sent global stock markets into meltdown, and left ...

Is Jordan’s Stability at Stake?

This is Beirut 16/04 22:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanon Jordan Security Muslim Brotherhood

Long regarded as a rare bastion of stability in a turbulent region, Jordan now finds itself at a critical crossroads. Confronted with rising security threats and significant political shifts, the Hashemite Kingdom faces mounting challenges that could place its future on an uncertain path. Foiled Cross-Border Plot On Tuesday, Jordanian ...

Stocks Fall as US Restricts Nvidia Chip Exports to China

This is Beirut 16/04 21:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Europe New York United Kingdom

Wall Street shares fell but European stocks diverged Wednesday after the US government imposed restrictions on exports of a key Nvidia chip to China, the latest trade war salvo between the world's biggest economies. After a relatively peaceful couple of days on markets following tariff-related volatility last week, investors were once again on ...

Macron to Meet Rubio, Witkoff amid Transatlantic Tensions

This is Beirut 16/04 19:11 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

US Secretary of State Paris Ukraine War

French President Emmanuel Macron will on Thursday meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US envoy Steve Witkoff, the Elysee Palace said, as transatlantic tensions soar over the war in Ukraine. Witkoff, who recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Rubio are heading to Paris for talks on ending the war in Ukraine, the State ...

Kremlin Says Ready to Help with Iran-US Nuclear Talks

This is Beirut 16/04 19:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Iran Russia Nuclear

The Kremlin said Wednesday that Russia was ready to do "everything" in its power to help find a diplomatic resolution to the standoff between the United States and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program. Moscow, which commands the world's largest confirmed arsenal of nuclear weapons, has deepened its military ties with Iran since it launched its ...