News
Lebanon records 44th failed attempt to elect president
There was no breakthrough in Lebanon’s political crisis Wednesday, as less than half the number of lawmakers needed to activate a presidential election session showed up
Dialogue can resume when positions change: Berri
Speaker Nabih Berri has expressed a willingness to resume all-party talks when rivals are ready to engage in a productive dialogue
Iran-Saudi war of words heats up ahead of hajj
A bitter war of words between Iran and Saudi Arabia intensified Wednesday ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage from which Iranians have been excluded for the first time in decades.
Syria’s war: HNC unveils road map for transition
Syria’s main opposition bloc has put forward a plan for a political transition and a ceasefire to end more than five years of civil war in the country.
Syrians begin returning home, two
weeks into Turkish offensive
A group of 292 Syrians went back to the Syrian town of Jarablus from Turkey Wednesday, marking the first formal return of civilians since Ankara launched a military incursion two weeks ago to try to secure the border region, a Turkish official said.
Swedish court to rule next week on Assange warrant
A Swedish appeals court will decide next week whether to maintain an arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over a 2010 rape accusation, judicial sources said Wednesday
Trump promises huge boost in military spending
Republican Donald Trump vowed to boost military spending by tens of billions of dollars on Wednesday, outlining plans for major increases in the number of active troops, Navy ships and submarines, and fighter planes as he works to convince skeptics in both parties that he’s ready to lead the world’s most powerful military.
Russia hacks US networks ‘all the time’: spy chief
America’s intelligence chief Wednesday said Russia hacks U.S. computer networks “all the time,” while also seeking to reassure the public the transition to a new president would “be OK.”
25 dead in Egypt bus, train accidents before holiday
At least 22 people were killed in a bus collision and three died when a train derailed in separate accidents south of Cairo Wednesday during a busy holiday travel time.
Kaag to receive peace prize for risky missions
U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag will be awarded the 2016 Carnegie Wateler Peace Prize for her efforts leading risky missions within the region, the organization said Monday. “She’s proven to be a natural bridge-builder between different parties, and that’s something we feel characterizes the Dutch [people] in general,” Dutch Ambassador Hester Somsen told The Daily Star of her fellow countrywoman.
