Middle East

Google Proposes Adtech Changes to Avoid Breakup After EU Fine

This is Beirut 2025-11-14 09:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

European Union USA Google Fine Advertising

Google on Friday announced changes to its advertising services to avert the risk of a breakup, two months after Brussels hit the US giant with a massive fine. The European Commission slapped a 2.95-billion-euro ($3.43 billion) antitrust fine on Google for favoring its own services in September, giving the company 60 days to resolve the issues ...

Blue Origin Launches NASA Mars Mission and Nails Booster Landing

This is Beirut 2025-11-14 09:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA NASA Blue Origin Mars

Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn rocket on Thursday with NASA twin spacecraft destined for Mars aboard and, in a breakthrough, nailed the landing of its booster. The launch was stalled for days over weather both on Earth and in space, but it was worth the wait: in the rocket's second-ever flight, Blue Origin managed to ...

BBC Apologizes to Trump, but Rejects Defamation Claim

This is Beirut 2025-11-14 09:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA White House BBC Panorama

The BBC said Thursday that its chairman had sent a letter to US President Donald Trump apologizing for a misleading edit of one of his speeches but rejected that it was grounds for a defamation lawsuit. The comments came after Britain's embattled public broadcaster said earlier that it was investigating a possible second instance in which a Trump ...

US Announces New Military Operation in Latin America

This is Beirut 2025-11-14 09:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA Venezuela Drug Narco Southern Spear

US War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Thursday a military operation to "remove narco-terrorists," amid growing concerns that a US naval buildup in Latin American waters could presage land strikes and a wider conflict. "Today, I'm announcing Operation SOUTHERN SPEAR," Hegseth posted on X. "This mission defends our Homeland, removes ...

Israel Receives One of the Last Hostage Remains from Gaza via the ICRC

This is Beirut 2025-11-13 22:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Hostages Gaza Hamas

Israel received the body of one of the last four hostages held in Gaza from the Red Cross on Thursday as part of the ceasefire deal with Hamas, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. The coffin was handed over in the Gaza Strip to the Israeli army and Shin Bet security service, the office said, adding that it would be sent to Tel ...

West Bank Tensions Rise as Israeli Army Kills Two Suspects and Mosque Is Torched

This is Beirut 2025-11-13 20:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam West Bank Settlers

The Israeli military said its troops killed two suspected militants in a town in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, while Palestinian officials accused Israeli settlers of setting fire to a mosque in the territory. Settler violence has surged in recent weeks across the West Bank, drawing international condemnation and even rare criticism from ...

Trump’s Plan for Gaza: Heading into Phase 2

Paul Guillot 2025-11-13 19:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Donald Trump Gaza Hamas ceasefire Israel-Hamas accord

One month after the October 10 ceasefire meant to close the chapter on two years of war in Gaza, the United States is struggling to turn the truce into a meaningful political process. Phase 2 of Trump’s ambitious 20-Point Plan was meant to shift from a halt in fighting all the way to reconstruction. Yet internal documents obtained by Politico ...

ExplainerWhat Lies Ahead in Iraq: The Hard Task of Forming a Government

This is Beirut 2025-11-13 15:55 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Iraq Vote Parliament

Following Iraq's parliamentary election this week, the complex and often lengthy task of choosing the country's next leader is set to begin. Incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani claimed victory for his coalition after preliminary results showed it was the largest bloc -- though it still falls short of the majority needed to ...

SpotlightCaesar Act Suspended: Can Lebanon Ride Syria’s Recovery?

Mario Chartouni 2025-11-13 13:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Damascus Saudi Arabia Washington

For the first time since 2019, Washington has eased sanctions on Damascus, granting a 180-day exemption under the Caesar Act to allow certain “humanitarian” and “civilian” transactions. The move, though temporary, carries clear political weight. It appears to be a test to see how far neighboring countries can reconnect with the Syrian ...

VideosIraq PM Sudani Claims Election Win

This is Beirut 2025-11-13 13:35 - Reading : less than a minute

Iraq elections Sudani politics

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani celebrates a lead in the general elections, as supporters take to Baghdad’s streets in celebrations. Final results and parliamentary negotiations are still to come.

Turkey Suspends C-130 Flights After Fatal Plane Crash

This is Beirut 2025-11-13 13:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Turkey Georgia Azerbaijan Aviation Crash

Turkey suspended flights by its C-130 military cargo planes as a precautionary measure a day after one crashed in neighboring Georgia, killing all 20 people on board, the defense ministry said Thursday. The plane crashed on Tuesday while returning home from Azerbaijan, with the victims' bodies due to be repatriated on Thursday, the ministry ...

Paramilitary Drone Attacks Target Town in Northern Sudan

This is Beirut 2025-11-13 12:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Sudan Conflict Paramilitary Drone

Sudanese paramilitary forces on Thursday launched several drone strikes on the northern town of Merowe, targeting a major dam in army-held territory, the army and other sources said. Drones "targeted the army headquarters, the airport and the Merowe Dam", an army statement said, adding that it had intercepted the attacks that it blamed ...