Middle East

Saudis Invest Big in US Weapons, AI as Trump Basks in Welcome

This is Beirut 2025-05-13 22:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Saudi Arabia Donald Trump Mohammed bin Salman United States Defense Artificial Intelligence

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday promised billions of dollars in deals with the United States, from defense to artificial intelligence, as it threw a lavish welcome for President Donald Trump on the first state visit of his second term. Trump returned the favor by lavishing praise on the kingdom's crown prince and moving on a key Saudi policy request ...

Trump, Casting Himself as Peacemaker, to Lift Syria Sanctions

This is Beirut 2025-05-13 21:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Saudi Arabia Iran Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would lift sanctions on Syria to offer it a chance for "greatness" after Bashar al-Assad's fall, as he cast himself as a peacemaker in the Middle East. On a state visit to Saudi Arabia primarily aimed at securing billions of dollars of investment, the billionaire president took aim at both ...

Zelensky Urges Trump to Make Putin Meeting Happen

This is Beirut 2025-05-13 21:02 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Volodymyr Zelensky Ukraine Russia Vladimir Putin

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday urged his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to help secure a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Turkey on Thursday, accusing the Russian leader of not seriously wanting to negotiate an end to the war. Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv that the West should impose massive sanctions if Putin skips ...

Trump Set to Meet Syrian Leader Ahead of Qatar Visit

This is Beirut 2025-05-13 20:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam United States Donald Trump Ahmad al-Sharaa Saudi Arabia Syria

Donald Trump is set to meet the leader of Syria and the heads of the Gulf states Wednesday in Riyadh before travelling to Qatar where controversy is swirling over the gifting of a luxury aircraft. The US president was set to "say hello" to Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa during his last day in Riyadh, after vowing to remove sanctions against ...

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Donald Trump Hails a "Tremendous Relationship" with MBS

This is Beirut 2025-05-13 18:04 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump Saudi Arabia United States MBS

U.S. President Donald Trump began his Gulf tour on Tuesday with a high-profile visit to Saudi Arabia, marking the first stop in a regional trip focused on strengthening economic and strategic ties. During a meeting at the royal palace with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump described him as a “friend” and praised the “tremendous ...

US and Saudi Arabia Ink Massive $142 Billion Arms Deal

This is Beirut 2025-05-13 17:28 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

United States Donald Trump Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman

The US and Saudi Arabia signed a mammoth arms deal Tuesday that the White House called the largest "in history" amid a raft of agreements inked by Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh. "The United States and Saudi Arabia signed the largest defense sales agreement in history -- nearly $142 billion, providing Saudi ...

Israel PM Says Army Entering Gaza 'with Full Force' in Coming Days

This is Beirut 2025-05-13 16:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Benjamin Netanyahu Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military would enter Gaza "with full force" in the coming days, a statement from his office said Tuesday. "In the very coming days, we are going in with full force to complete the operation. Completing the operation means defeating Hamas. It means destroying Hamas," Netanyahu ...

What Riyadh Really Expects from Trump's Visit

Soumia Benmerzoug 2025-05-13 16:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Donald Trump Gulf Saudi Arabia

On May 13 in Riyadh, Donald Trump kicked off a high-stakes tour of the Middle East, starting with a lavish welcome in Saudi Arabia. Escorted by Saudi F-15 fighter jets and greeted warmly by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the former real estate mogul turned president is under close scrutiny from the Kingdom. What are the Saudis really hoping to ...

Trump Basks in Saudi Welcome on Business-Focused State Visit

This is Beirut 2025-05-13 16:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Gulf Saudi Arabia Middle East Palestine

Donald Trump enjoyed a lavish, royal welcome in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday on the first state visit of his second term, with the US president foremost focused on business deals at the start of a Gulf tour. Saudi Arabia escorted Air Force One with fighter jets before bringing out long-stretching honour guards both at the airport and a palace decked ...

Op-edLebanon Is Finally on the Right Track

Hussain Abdul-Hussain 2025-05-13 15:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Lebanon Hezbollah Syria Middle East

A glimmer of hope can finally be seen in the Middle East and is emanating, surprisingly, from Lebanon, where the state is restoring its sovereignty and shrinking the Hezbollah tumor. More needs to be done. For now, however, the country is on the right track. “It has only been six or seven months,” a senior U.S. official told The Wall Street ...

VideosTrump Welcomed by Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh

This is Beirut 2025-05-13 15:17 - Reading : less than a minute

Donald Trump Muhammad bin Salman Saudi Arabia United States

US President Donald Trump touched down in Riyadh on Tuesday amid heightened tensions across the region.

Libya Armed group Leader Among dead in Tripoli Clashes

This is Beirut 2025-05-13 14:42 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United Nations Libya

Overnight clashes in Libya's capital killed at least six people, an emergency medical service said Tuesday, with local media reporting that an armed group leader was among the dead. Heavy arms fire and explosions were heard in several areas of Tripoli from 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) on Monday as violent clashes between rival armed groups rocked the ...