Spotlight
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Middle East
Trump says considering 'winding down' Iran war, US eases oil sanctions
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he was considering "winding down" military operations against Iran, as the United States temporarily e...
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Lebanon
Israel bombs Beirut's southern suburbs and south Lebanon
The Israeli military said it launched a wave of strikes on Beirut's southerb suburbs, claiming to target Iran-backed Hezbollah early Satu...
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The U.S. ambassador to Paris called the foreign minister and had "amicable" talks, the embassy said Tuesday, as Washington sought to calm a diplomatic spat over the killing of a far-right activist in France.
Ambassador Charles Kushner and Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot "spoke today in a frank and amicable call," a U.S. Embassy spokesperson said in a statement.
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Leaders of the G7 global powers, including U.S. President Donald Trump, on Tuesday reaffirmed their "unwavering support for Ukraine" in a statement on the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion.
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The UK government on Tuesday announced its "biggest sanctions package" against Russia since ones imposed straight after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine four years ago, targeting oil exports and military equipment suppliers.
Marking the anniversary of the invasion, London announced nearly 300 new sanctions as foreign minister Yvette Cooper visited Kyiv.
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The army accused the Israeli military on Tuesday of firing near a position it was setting up in the country's south, saying it had instructed troops to return fire.
In a statement, the Lebanese army said it was "establishing a new observation post on the southern border" when "the area surrounding the post was subjected to gunfire from the Israeli side".
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Foreign minister Youssef Rajji said Tuesday that Lebanon fears its infrastructure could be hit by Israeli strikes if the situation with Iran escalates.
Rajji said Lebanese authorities had appealed to Hezbollah, which has fought several wars with Israel, most recently in 2024, not to respond in any way that could trigger “bad situations” for Lebanese civilians.
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President Donald Trump on Monday denied reports that the top U.S. military officer had flagged the risks of a major operation against Iran, saying Washington would "easily" defeat Tehran in any conflict.
Trump said on Truth Social that General Dan Caine "like all of us, would like not to see War but, if a decision is made on going against Iran at a Military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won."
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Iraqi prime ministerial candidate Nouri al-Maliki told AFP on Monday that maintaining a good relationship with the U.S. is essential but that Baghdad's ties with Iran are defined by shared interests.
"I believe that a relationship with the American side is essential for Iraq's progress," Maliki said, adding that he rejects claims his relationship with the U.S. was bad during his first two terms in power from 2006 to 2014.
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The Mexican army announced Sunday that it had killed powerful drug lord Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera in an operation that sparked a wave of violence in various parts of the country.
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The United States began withdrawing on Monday from a major base in Syria still under the control of Kurdish forces, a Kurdish official who requested anonymity told AFP.
An AFP team saw a convoy of dozens of trucks, loaded with armored vehicles and prefabricated structures, on a road linking the Qasrak base in Hasakeh province to the border with Iraq.
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Iran said Monday that any U.S. attack, including limited strikes, would be an "act of aggression" that would precipitate a response, after President Donald Trump said he was considering a limited strike on Iran.
"And with respect to your first question concerning the limited strike, I think there is no limited strike," foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said at a briefing in Tehran attended by an AFP journalist.
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