Wildfires in Spain burn ten times more land than last year
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), part of the Copernicus European Environmental Monitoring Programme, shows that 411,315 ...
Lebanon’s cabinet will meet on Tuesday to discuss the arsenal of Hezbollah, following increased pressure from the United States for ministers to commit publicly to disarming the group, amid fears of renewed Israeli strikes if they fail to do so.
The meeting, scheduled for 3:00 p.m. (12:00 GMT) at the presidential palace, marks the first time the Lebanese cabinet will formally address the fate of Hezbollah’s weapons — a scenario that would have been unthinkable when the group was at its peak just two years ago.
U.S. pressure on Hezbollah to relinquish its arms has grown since last year’s conflict with Israel, which killed senior Hezbollah commanders, thousands of fighters, and destroyed much of its rocket arsenal.
In June, U.S. envoy Thomas Barrack presented a roadmap to Lebanese officials that would see Hezbollah fully disarmed in exchange for Israel halting strikes and withdrawing from five contested areas in southern Lebanon.
That proposal included a condition that Lebanon’s government pass a cabinet decision explicitly pledging to disarm Hezbollah.
Following several visits to Lebanon, Washington’s patience began to wear thin, and U.S. officials urged Lebanon’s ministers to make the pledge quickly so negotiations could continue.
But Lebanese officials and diplomats say that such a commitment could inflame sectarian tensions in Lebanon, where Hezbollah retains significant support within the Shi’ite Muslim community.
On Monday evening, dozens of motorcyclists waving Hezbollah flags rode through a Beirut suburb known as a party stronghold.
Ahead of Tuesday’s session, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a key Hezbollah ally, has been in talks with President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to agree on a compromise that would satisfy U.S. demands while avoiding internal fallout, two Lebanese officials said.
Berri’s proposed wording would commit Lebanon to forming a national defence strategy and upholding a ceasefire with Israel, but stop short of an explicit pledge to disarm Hezbollah, the officials said.
Other ministers, however, plan to push for a more direct statement.
"There's frankly no need to kick the can down the road and postpone a decision. We have to put Lebanon's interest first and take a decision today," said Kamal Shehadi, a minister aligned with the anti-Hezbollah Lebanese Forces party.
Lebanese officials and foreign envoys say there is growing concern that failure to issue a clear decision could prompt Israel to escalate its operations, including potential strikes on Beirut.
A U.S.-brokered ceasefire in November ended open hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, though Israel has continued targeted strikes on what it says are Hezbollah arms depots and fighters, mainly in southern Lebanon.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
Kuwait says oil prices will likely stay below $72 per barrel as OPEC monitors global supply trends and U.S. policy signals. The remarks come during market uncertainty fueled by new U.S. tariffs on India and possible sanctions on Russia.
Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have strengthened trilateral cooperation, enhancing ties among the Turkic states around the Caspian Sea.
The Minister of Finance of Tajikistan, Faiziddin Kahhorzoda, and the Director General of the Qatar Development Fund, Fahad Hamad Al-Sulaiti, have signed an agreement to provide a $50 million concessionary loan to support the construction of the Rogun Hydropower Plant.
Istanbul has stepped up its tsunami preparedness; two districts in the city are joining a UNESCO-backed project to improve early warnings and drills.
The South Caucasus is going through one of its most dynamic periods in decades. After years of tension, Armenia and Azerbaijan are moving closer to a final peace deal.
Gaza authorities warned on Sunday that relocating 1.3 million civilians from the territory’s north to the south is “almost impossible” as Israel prepares to occupy Gaza City.
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