World

US Hiring Drops to Lowest Since Biden Took Office

This is Beirut 2024-11-01 16:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States 2024 US Presidential Elections Labor Market

US job growth slowed drastically in October, hit temporarily by hurricanes and labor strikes, in a final major economic snapshot at the end of a razor-edge presidential election campaign where cost-of-living worries dominated voter concerns. The world's biggest economy added 12,000 jobs last month, far below expectations and down from a ...

Gaza Polio Vaccinations to Resume Saturday

This is Beirut 2024-11-01 15:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United Nations Gaza Polio Vaccination

The World Health Organization said Friday that the necessary second round of child polio vaccinations in northern Gaza would begin on Saturday, after Israeli bombing had halted the drive. The announcement that the final phase of polio vaccination in the Gaza Strip can go ahead came a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urgently called ...

PoliticsEU and Japan Announce New Defense Pact

This is Beirut 2024-11-01 14:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

European Union Josep Borrell Ukraine USA

Japan and the European Union announced a sweeping new security and defense partnership in Tokyo on Friday, which EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell hailed as a historic and "very timely" step. Borrell and his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya unveiled the pact to develop cooperation on joint military drills, the exchange of ...

Pope Expresses Solidarity with Those Affected by Spanish Floods

This is Beirut 2024-11-01 14:20 - Reading : less than a minute

Pope Francis USA Spain Floods

Pope Francis expressed his solidarity on Friday with the Spanish populations affected by the floods, which have resulted in at least 158 deaths and dozens of missing persons. "Let us pray for the people of the Iberian Peninsula, especially for the community of Valencia, ravaged by storm Dana," the name given in Italy to the severe weather that ...

SpotlightQatar’s Diplomacy: Strengths and Limitations

Sana Richa Choucair 2024-11-01 14:15 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Gulf Middle East Saudi Arabia United States Qatar Diplomacy

For over a year now, Qatar has been acting as the principal mediator, alongside the United States and Egypt, in negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza. The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023. However, this is not the first time this oil-rich Gulf emirate has emerged on the international stage. Qatar has established itself ...

PoliticsBiden Administration Increases Pressure on Israel Ahead of Election

This is Beirut 2024-11-01 13:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Antony Blinken Benjamin Netanyahu Palestine USA

The Biden administration is increasing the pressure on the Netanyahu government to meet its demands over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. If Israel fails to meet the US’ demands by November 13th, Biden may suspend military assistance to Israel, reports Axios. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin presented ...

US Claim Thousands of North Koreans Preparing to Fight in Ukraine

This is Beirut 2024-11-01 10:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Ukraine United States Volodymyr Zelensky North Korea Russia

The United States revealed Thursday that up to 8,000 North Korean soldiers are preparing to fight in Ukraine, as Pyongyang heightens tensions with the launch of an intercontinental missile just days before the U.S. elections. Citing U.S. intelligence services, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that of the 10,000 North Korean soldiers, ...

Asian Markets Fall Ahead of US Elections

This is Beirut 2024-11-01 10:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

US Presidential Elections US Treasury Asia Nasdaq

Asian markets mostly fell Friday, tracking a global slide in stocks fuelled by tame tech earnings and investor jitters less than a week before neck-and-neck US elections. All three major US indices fell Thursday, with the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index dropping nearly three percent. Microsoft and Meta topped earnings estimates, but saw their ...

Blinken Reports 'Good Progress' on Lebanon Ceasefire Agreement

This is Beirut 2024-10-31 21:41 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States Benjamin Netanyahu Yoav Gallant Antony Blinken Amos Hochstein

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that negotiators have made "good progress" toward a deal that would bring a ceasefire in Israel's offensive in Lebanon. The top US diplomat said that Washington was "working very hard" on concluding arrangements on a deal that would include the withdrawal of Shiite militia ...

Israel Targets Hezbollah Weapons Depots in Syria

This is Beirut 2024-10-31 19:42 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

SOHR Syria

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said five civilians were killed Thursday in Israeli strikes on Syria's Qusayr region near the border with Lebanon, where Israel said it hit Hezbollah weapons depots. The Britain-based war monitor said three strikes targeted the town of Qusayr, where Iran-backed Hezbollah holds sway, and surrounding ...

VideosD-5: Harris Rallies Schwarzenegger and Trump Shows Off on a Garbage Truck

Tylia El Helou 2024-10-31 18:20 - Reading : less than a minute

Donald Trump Republicans

With less than a week left until the presidential election, Republican candidate Donald Trump took to the stage on a garbage truck to respond to criticism from President Joe Biden. Meanwhile, Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris continued receiving celebrity endorsements.

Saudi Arabia Hopes for Swift Non-Military Agreements with US

This is Beirut 2024-10-31 16:06 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Faisal bin Farhan Saudi Arabia United States Bilateral Agreement

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Thursday that Riyadh could potentially move "quite quickly" on some bilateral agreements with Washington even if a mega-deal involving recognizing Israel remains out of reach. Since last year Saudi Arabia has been bargaining hard for a defence pact with the United States as well as assistance with a ...