World

Russia Expects More Truce Talks with US Once Witkoff Briefs Trump

This is Beirut 14/03 12:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA Volodymyr Zelensky Ukraine Vladimir Putin

Russia said Friday it expected Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump would discuss a US-proposed ceasefire in Ukraine, but that US envoy Steve Witkoff needed to relay Putin's thoughts to the American president first. Witkoff met the Russian president late Thursday to lay out the details of the US plan, which Ukraine agreed to on Tuesday. "When Mr ...

EU Hails Finalisation of Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Talks

This is Beirut 14/03 12:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Armenia Azerbaijan

Top European Union officials on Friday congratulated Armenia and Azerbaijan for finalising a peace deal to end their decades-long conflict, and urged them to sign the treaty soon. Baku and Yerevan, who fought two wars for control of Azerbaijan's Armenian-populated region of Karabakh, said they had wrapped up talks on Thursday. "The announcements ...

Saudi Crown Prince Tells Putin he Supports 'all Initiatives' to end Ukraine War

This is Beirut 14/03 09:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the kingdom supports "all initiatives" to end the Ukraine war, a statement said on Friday, after US-Ukraine talks in Jeddah proposed a 30-day ceasefire. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's "commitment to facilitating dialogue and supporting all ...

China Urges end to 'Illegal' Sanctions as it Hosts Iran Nuclear Talks

This is Beirut 14/03 09:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Tehran China Russia

China urged an end to "illegal" sanctions on Iran as it hosted diplomats from that country and Russia on Friday for talks Beijing hopes will restart long-stalled negotiations on Tehran's nuclear programme. The United States withdrew from a landmark 2015 deal, which imposed curbs on Tehran's nuclear development in return for sanctions relief, ...

Canada Rallies Against Russian 'Aggression' as New US Tone Splits G7

This is Beirut 14/03 09:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

G7 USA Europe

Canada called Thursday on the Group of Seven powers to back Ukraine against Russia's "aggression" as US President Donald Trump's more conciliatory approach toward Moscow split the club of wealthy democracies. Canada, the current G7 president, is gathering foreign ministers for three days of talks inside a rustic hotel in snow-dusted Charlevoix, ...

New York's Trump Tower Overrun by Pro-Palestinian Protesters

This is Beirut 14/03 05:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United States New York Trump Tower Palestine Protest

Hundreds of Jewish demonstrators overran New York's Trump Tower on Thursday in support of Palestinians as well as detained Palestinian student campaigner Mahmoud Khalil. Wearing matching red T-shirts emblazoned with "Jews say stop arming Israel," the group protested for over an hour inside the Manhattan skyscraper, where President ...

US Treasury Sanctions Iran Oil Minister

This is Beirut 13/03 22:31 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United States US Treasury Department Iran Sanctions

The US Treasury Department on Thursday issued sanctions against Iran's oil minister Mohsen Paknejad, as President Donald Trump seeks to increase pressure on Tehran. "The Iranian regime continues to use the proceeds from the nation's vast oil resources to advance its narrow, alarming self-interests at the expense of the Iranian people," US ...

Putin Says Any Ceasefire Must Lead to Long-Term Settlement

This is Beirut 13/03 21:36 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Ukraine United States Russia Steve Witkoff

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he backed the idea of a truce with Ukraine, but said he had "serious questions" about how it would be implemented that he wanted to discuss with Donald Trump. He was responding to a joint US-Ukrainian plan for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine that US special envoy Steve Witkoff is due to present to ...

Qatar Supplying Natural Gas to Syria via Jordan

This is Beirut 13/03 21:22 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Qatar Syria Jordan Gas

Qatar has begun funding gas supplies to Syria from Jordan, state media in the Gulf state reported Thursday, as Damascus's new leadership seeks economic relief for the war-torn country. "Qatar has started today providing... natural gas supplies to the Syrian Arab Republic through the territories of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan," ...

ReportKurds of Syria Celebrate Agreement with Damascus

This is Beirut 13/03 20:05 - Reading : less than a minute

Damascus Syria Kurds SDF PKK

The Kurds of Syria celebrate the agreement reached between the new Syrian government and the leader of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are primarily made up of Kurds.

PoliticsDiplomatic Uncertainties and Reconstruction: Lebanon’s Challenges Amid International Expectations

Tylia El Helou 13/03 19:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon USA Hezbollah Israel

A recent interview with Morgan Ortagus, deputy to the U.S. president’s special envoy for the Middle East, highlighted significant discrepancies between official announcements and the on-the-ground reality in Lebanon. While the U.S. administration claims to have initiated diplomatic working groups to address the Lebanese-Israeli border issue, ...

VideosA Hospitalized Pope Francis Celebrates 12 Years of Pontificate

This is Beirut 13/03 18:30 - Reading : less than a minute

Pope Francis Christianity Vatican

Pope Francis marks 12 years as head of the Catholic Church on Thursday, seemingly out of danger after a month-long hospitalization, though his health continues to cast a shadow over his future.