Spotlight
-
Middle East
US push to get Iran talks started hits an early bump due to intense fighting in Lebanon
The American push to quickly begin high-stakes talks with Iran hit a snag Friday, just days after the signing of an agreement that opens a two-mont...
1
-
Lebanon
Israel and Hezbollah agree to ceasefire from 4pm Friday
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed a ceasefire that begins 4pm Friday Beirut time, a U.S. official said Friday, after deadly new exchanges in L...
1
A former student opened fire at a high school in southeast Turkey on Tuesday, wounding at least 16 people before killing himself, an official said.
The 18-year-old attacker, armed with a shotgun, fired randomly at a vocational high school in Siverek, Sanliurfa province, before hiding inside the building. He later killed himself with the same shotgun, Gov. Hasan Sildak said.
Full Story
Liverpool is aiming for another famous Champions League comeback against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
The six-time European champion trails 2-0 after the first leg of the quarterfinal in Paris. But it is hoping for the type of Anfield night that saw it rout Barcelona 4-0 in the semifinals in 2019 to overturn a 3-0 first leg loss.
Full Story
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid meet for the fifth time in less than two months on Tuesday, with the Catalan club needing to overcome a two-goal disadvantage to return to the Champions League semifinals.
Atletico is at home to defend its 2-0 win from the first leg and try to make it to the last four of the European competition for the first time in nearly a decade.
Full Story
The leaders of China and Spain on Tuesday pledged to strengthen their relations and work to safeguard multilateralism at a time when the world is being impacted by various conflicts, including the recent war in Iran, during a meeting in Beijing on Tuesday.
"We should strengthen communication, consolidate mutual trust, cooperate closely, oppose the world's retrogression to the law of the jungle, and jointly safeguard genuine multilateralism," said Chinese President Xi Jinping during a reception for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the Great Hall of the People.
Full Story
Pakistani officials said Tuesday that Islamabad has proposed a second round of talks to the U.S. and Iran, while U.S. Vice President JD Vance earlier said negotiations with Iran “did make some progress" and U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday “we’ve been called by the other side” and “they want to work a deal.”
The Pakistani officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the press.
Full Story
Chinese President Xi Jinping floated a four-point proposal for promoting Middle East peace during a meeting Tuesday with Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Chinese official news agency Xinhua reported.
Xi’s proposal calls for upholding the principle of regional peaceful coexistence and respecting national sovereignty while underscoring the principles of coordinating development and security, Xinhua reported.
Full Story
French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Noël Barrot reaffirmed Tuesday that Lebanon must be included in the initial ceasefire agreement.
"The ceasefire must absolutely include Lebanon, which under no circumstances can be the scapegoat of the Israeli government," Barrot said on French radio RFI.
Full Story
Hezbollah will not abide by any agreements that may result from the direct Lebanon-Israel talks in the United States, negotiations it firmly opposes, a senior Hezbollah official said Monday.
Wafiq Safa, a high-ranking member of Hezbollah's political council, spoke on the eve of the talks expected in Washington between Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the U.S. It will be the first time in decades that envoys from Lebanon and Israel, which do not have diplomatic relations, meet face-to-face in direct talks.
Full Story
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem on Friday called on the Lebanese government to stop giving what he called "free concessions" to Israel, with the two governments due to begin negotiations in Washington next week.
Full Story
A Hezbollah official said the militant group backed by Iran is giving a chance for mediators to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon.
In the meantime, the official said, "We have not announced our adherence to the ceasefire since the Israelis are not adhering to it."
Full Story


