World

Can Bashar al-Assad Be Judged for His Crimes?

Natasha Metni Torbey 2024-12-20 11:41 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

International Criminal Court UN Security Council Vladimir Putin Bashar al-Assad

War crimes, crimes against humanity, the use of chemical weapons against civilians… The accusations directed at former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad raise pressing questions, particularly following the fall of his regime on December 8: can he be brought to justice? If so, through what legal mechanisms? And what about the status he enjoys in ...

US diplomats visit Syria to meet new rulers

This is Beirut 2024-12-20 10:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Antony Blinken Barbara Leaf Damascus Donald Trump United States

US diplomats have arrived in Syria to speak directly to the new rulers, hoping to encourage a moderate, inclusive path and to find clues on missing Americans, the State Department said Friday. It is the first formal US diplomatic mission to Damascus since the early days of the brutal civil war that broke out in 2011 and culminated in a surprise ...

One Killed as Russian Missile Strikes Hit Ukraine Capital

This is Beirut 2024-12-20 09:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Kyiv Ukraine Vladimir Putin

One person was reported killed on Friday in a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, where AFP staff saw smoke rise over parts of the city after a series of explosions. "According to preliminary reports, one person was killed," the head of the city's military administration, Sergiy Popko, said on Telegram. Popko said Russian forces ...

US Moves Closer to Budget Paralysis After New Bill Fails

This is Beirut 2024-12-20 04:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Democrats Donald Trump Republicans US Congress US House of Representatives White House

On Thursday, the US House of Representatives largely rejected a new Republican budget proposal aimed at avoiding a paralysis of the federal government, in a stinging defeat that increases the uncertainty before the fateful midnight hour on Friday. The Republicans, despite having a majority in the lower house, had put this new proposal to the vote ...

Yemen: the Houthis Claim Responsibility for Firing on Israel After Strikes Against Their Infrastructure

This is Beirut 2024-12-20 01:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Gulf Hamas Hezbollah Houthi Israel

Yemen's Houthi rebels on Thursday claimed responsibility for firing two missiles and a drone at Israel after Israeli raids on Yemeni ports and energy infrastructure, which left nine people dead according to their leader. The Israeli army announced that it had struck ports and energy infrastructure belonging to the Houthis, more than 1,500 ...

The UN Asks The ICJ For Its Opinion On Israel's Obligations Towards The Palestinians

This is Beirut 2024-12-20 00:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Banks Hamas International Court of Justice Israel Palestine United Nations West Bank

On Thursday, the United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to rule on Israel's humanitarian obligations towards the Palestinians, at a time when the Israeli government is accused of obstructing access to aid in Gaza. The resolution, submitted by Norway, was adopted by a large ...

Hundreds in Damascus Protest for Democracy, Women's Rights

This is Beirut 2024-12-19 20:58 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Damascus Women's Rights Syria HTS

In Damascus's Ummayad Square, hundreds gathered Thursday, demanding a democratic state that includes women in public life, marking the first such demonstration since Islamist-led rebels toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. Women and men, young and old, chanted slogans including "No to religious rule", "God is for religion ...

Turkey, Iran Leaders at Muslim Summit in Cairo

This is Beirut 2024-12-19 19:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel Palestine Tehran Turkey UN Security Council

The leaders of Turkey and Iran called on Thursday for unity in Syria at a summit of eight Muslim-majority countries after the ouster of Syria's president Bashar al-Assad. Turkey historically backed Assad's opponents, while Iran supported his rule. The gathering of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, also known as the ...

From Glorifying Assad to Praising al-Joulani: The Shifting Allegiances of Syrian Celebrities

Soumia Benmerzoug 2024-12-19 19:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Syria Assad Al-Jolani Celebrities

The term “mukawiin” (literally “those who took a turn” and figuratively “weather vanes”) has flooded Syrian socio-media landscape since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8. As the former president fled to Russia and rebels seized control of Damascus, a new label emerged to describe those who shifted allegiances with ...

UN Chief Sees 'Flame of Hope' in Syria, Calls for End to Israel Strikes

This is Beirut 2024-12-19 17:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel United Nations Syria HTS Guterres

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday that there was a "flame of hope" in Syria following the fall of president Bashar al-Assad's regime but warned of significant challenges ahead. He also underlined that Israel's widespread strikes on Syrian military infrastructure were "violations" of the country's sovereignty and called for them ...

Thousands Protest in Northeast Syria in Support of Kurdish-Led Force

This is Beirut 2024-12-19 16:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Turkey USA Syria kurds

Thousands of people demonstrated Thursday in northeast Syria in support of a US-backed, Kurdish-led force that for weeks has been pushing back against Turkey-backed fighters, an AFP correspondent said. The show of support for the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) comes after Islamist-led rebels toppled Syria's longtime strongman Bashar al-Assad ...

Israel Accused of 'Acts of Genocide', 'Ethnic Cleansing' in Gaza

This is Beirut 2024-12-19 16:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Hamas Israel Genocide Gaza

Israel on Thursday faced accusations of "acts of genocide" in Gaza, while a medical charity said the devastation caused in the Palestinian territory showed "signs of ethnic cleansing". They are the latest in a series of similar accusations levelled against Israel during its 14-month war in the Gaza Strip. In a new report focused specifically on ...