World

ExplainerFrance's 2007 Presidential Campaign: Sarkozy Faces Conviction

Soumia Benmerzoug 06/01 21:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Accused of having received Libyan funds to finance his 2007 presidential campaign, Nicolas Sarkozy appeared on Monday before the Paris court in a historic trial. Former president Nicolas Sarkozy, already convicted for corruption in the Bismuth case and for illegal campaign financing in the Bygmalion case, faces justice for the third time in ...

Brazil Announces Indonesia Entry Into BRICS

This is Beirut 06/01 21:18 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

BRICS Brazil Indonesia

Brazil on Monday announced that Indonesia had become a full member of BRICS, a bloc of developing economies increasingly seen as a counterweight to the West. Brazil's foreign ministry said in a statement that Southeast Asia's most populous country "shares with the other members the will to reform the institutions of global governance and ...

UN Envoy in Rare Yemen Visit to Push for Peace

This is Beirut 06/01 21:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Yemen Houthi Movement United Nations United Nations

Hans Grundberg, the United Nation's special envoy for war-torn Yemen, arrived Monday in the rebel-held capital in a bid to breathe life into peace talks, his office said. Grundberg last visited the capital Sanaa, controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis, in May 2023 for meetings with the rebels' leaders in an earlier effort to advance a roadmap for ...

Erdogan Declares Readiness to Intervene to Prevent Syria's Division

This is Beirut 06/01 19:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Recep Tayyip Erdogan Turkey Syrian Democratic Forces

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday he would order an intervention to prevent any splintering of Syria, a warning aimed particularly at the country's Kurdish forces. "We can not accept under any pretext that Syria be divided and if we notice the slightest risk we will take the necessary measures," the Turkish head of ...

WFP Accuses Israel of Firing on Its Gaza Convoy

This is Beirut 06/01 19:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

UN WFP Gaza Israel

The UN's World Food Programme on Monday accused Israel of firing on one of its aid convoys in the war-torn Gaza Strip, saying at least 16 bullets hit the clearly marked vehicles but no staff were injured. Condemning the "horrifying" and "unacceptable" incident, the WFP called again for "all parties to respect ...

Iran Executed Over 30 Women in 2024

This is Beirut 06/01 18:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Tehran

Iran in 2024 executed at least 31 women, an NGO said on Monday, warning that female prisoners were increasingly being caught in a surge in the use of capital punishment in the Islamic republic. Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR), which closely tracks executions in Iran, said in a report that the figure for 2024 marked the highest number of ...

Justin Trudeau Resigns as Prime Minister, Cites Internal Divisions and Poll Slump

This is Beirut 06/01 17:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Canada Justin Trudeau

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on Monday, stating he would step down once the ruling Liberal Party elects a new leader, following months of declining poll numbers and internal divisions. "I intend to resign as party leader and as prime minister after the party selects its next leader," Trudeau, who ...

UAE and Syria Discuss Bilateral Relations in First Official Visit Since Assad's Downfall

This is Beirut 06/01 17:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

UAE Syria Asaad al-Shaibani Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Foreign ministers from the UAE and Syria's new government discussed strengthening relations at a meeting on Monday, marking the first official Syrian visit to the Gulf country since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad. The United Arab Emirates' top diplomat, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Syria's new Foreign Minister Asaad ...

Macron: Iran 'Main Strategic and Security Challenge' in Middle East

This is Beirut 06/01 16:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Emmanuel Macron France Ukraine Russia Germany Syria

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said Iran was the main strategic and security challenge in the Middle East, citing the acceleration of its nuclear programme and support for Russia's war against Ukraine. "Iran is the main strategic and security challenge for France, the Europeans, the entire region and beyond," Macron said in a speech ...

Spotlight'Protect Our People': Armed Syrian Volunteers Watch Over Damascus

This is Beirut 06/01 14:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Damascus USA

Every night, Damascus residents stand guard outside shops and homes armed with light weapons often supplied by Syria's new rulers, eager to fill the security vacuum that followed the recent takeover. After Islamist-led rebels ousted former president Bashar al-Assad in early December, thousands of soldiers, policemen and other security officials ...

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby Faces Final Day in Role

This is Beirut 06/01 13:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United Kingdom Justin Welby Canterbury

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby will officially step down on Monday as leader of the world's Anglicans, nearly two months after resigning over failures in the Church of England's handling of a serial abuse case. Welby, 69, will be replaced on a temporary basis by outgoing Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, currently the second most senior ...

Gaza: List of Hostages Set for Release; Blinken Expresses Confidence in Future Ceasefire Agreement

This is Beirut 06/01 12:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Palestine Ceasefire Antony Blinken Donald Trump

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced confidence Monday that a ceasefire deal in Gaza would come together, but possibly after President Joe Biden leaves office on January 20. Blinken, who tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully last year to broker a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, said that the Biden administration "will work every ...