Middle East

Harris Unchallenged as Democrats Vote for White House Nominee
Harris Unchallenged as Democrats Vote for White House Nominee

Kamala Harris will be confirmed as the Democratic US presidential nominee in an electronic vote starting Thursday that replaces the fanfare of in-person balloting that usually kicks off the party's national convention. Less than two weeks after Joe Biden ended his reelection bid, his 52-year-old vice president is in full control of the party, ...

Trump Accuses Harris of “Turning Black” for Political Gain
Trump Accuses Harris of “Turning Black” for Political Gain

Donald Trump suggested Wednesday that Vice President Kamala Harris had decided to "turn Black" for political gain, as he attacked his Democratic White House rival during a combative interaction with African American journalists in Chicago. The Republican former president's inflammatory comments marked an escalation of the 78-year-old's vitriol ...

Where Does the Saudi-Iranian Agreement Stand Now?
Where Does the Saudi-Iranian Agreement Stand Now?

It's been nearly a year and a half since the Saudi-Iranian agreement, brokered under China's auspices, which surprised many observers. The decision by the two longtime rivals to turn to Beijing to settle their differences was unexpected. This agreement underscored the emerging role of Chinese diplomacy in a complex issue that had troubled the ...

US Sanctions Houthi Weapons Procurement Network
US Sanctions Houthi Weapons Procurement Network

The United States sanctioned two people and four firms on Wednesday for facilitating the procurement of weapons on behalf of Yemen's Houthis. The group began launching attacks on ships in the Red Sea following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, forcing many shipping companies to alter their routes and triggering retaliatory strikes by ...

The World Reacts to the Death of Ismail Haniyeh
The World Reacts to the Death of Ismail Haniyeh

Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas' political bureau, was killed Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike in Iran. [readmore url="https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/israel-hamaswar/277344"] Reactions are flooding in from across the globe. Haniyeh's son, Abdoul Salam Ismail Haniyeh, stated that his father had “gotten what he wanted. We are in a state of ...

US Strikes Kill Four Pro-Iran Fighters in Iraq
US Strikes Kill Four Pro-Iran Fighters in Iraq

American forces carried out a "defensive" air strike on combatants who were attempting to launch drones that were deemed a threat to US and allied troops, a United States official said. The strike – which Iraqi sources said left at least four people dead – was the first by American forces in Iraq since February, when the US military said it ...

US Sanctions Iranian and Chinese Firms for Aiding Tehran's UAV Program
US Sanctions Iranian and Chinese Firms for Aiding Tehran's UAV Program

The United States sanctioned five people and seven companies in China and Iran on Tuesday, accusing them of aiding Tehran's ballistic missile and drone programs. The sanctions targeted individuals and companies in China, Hong Kong and Iran involved in procuring key components for "subordinates" of Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces ...

Algeria Announces Withdrawal of Its Envoy to France
Algeria Announces Withdrawal of Its Envoy to France

Algeria announced Tuesday it was withdrawing its ambassador to Paris after France said autonomy within Morocco was the "only" solution to the decades-long Western Saharan dispute. In a letter Tuesday to Morocco's King Mohammed VI congratulating him on his 25th coronation anniversary, French President Emmanuel Macron said Rabat's autonomy plan for ...

Far-Right Rioters Storm Two Israeli Bases
Far-Right Rioters Storm Two Israeli Bases

Dozens of protesters stormed two Israeli army bases on Monday, demanding the release of nine reservists detained as part of an investigation into alleged "substantial abuses" against a Palestinian detainee. Earlier on Monday morning, the Israeli army announced the arrest of nine soldiers stationed at the Sde Teiman detention center, located in ...

US to Significantly Step Up Support to Philippines
US to Significantly Step Up Support to Philippines

The United States will provide $500 million in military funding to the Philippines, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, as Washington boosts ties with Manila in the face of China's growing assertiveness. Blinken was in Manila with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as part of an Asia-Pacific tour to strengthen Washington's ...

Biden Unveils Long-Shot Plan to Overhaul US Supreme Court
Biden Unveils Long-Shot Plan to Overhaul US Supreme Court

Joe Biden unveiled plans Monday for sweeping US Supreme Court reforms, as he seeks to cement his legacy in the twilight of his presidency despite Republicans branding the proposals dead on arrival. Stung by shock rulings on abortion and other topics and by a series of scandals involving the conservative-dominated court, Biden called for 18-year ...

Dozens Dead, Hundreds More Feared Trapped in India Landslides
Dozens Dead, Hundreds More Feared Trapped in India Landslides

Landslides in India triggered by pounding monsoon rains have killed at least 63 people with hundreds more feared trapped under mud and debris, officials said Tuesday. The southern coastal state of Kerala has been battered by torrential downpours, and the collapse of a key bridge at the disaster site in Wayanad district has hampered rescue ...