Asharq Al-Awsat Editorial

Editorial desk and wire-service reports (AFP, Reuters, AP) as published in the Asharq Al-Awsat English Edition. This archive preserves the original text (2005–2017); attribution appears in the article dateline where provided by the source.

articles
World

At Least 10 Killed in Roadside Bomb in Pakistan

At least ten people were killed in a roadside bomb that targeted a minibus in Pakistan’s remote northwestern tribal region bordering Afghanistan, an official in the region said. Shahid Ali Khan, a senior regional Pakistani official, told Reuters militants planted a roadside bomb in the Kurram

Happy Earth Day. Enjoy It While You Last.

The people who know the most about life on Earth tend to be the most impressed by its staying power. Harvard professor Andrew Knoll marvels that our planet has sustained life continuously for four billion years — most of its 4.5 billion years in existence. This is not just a matter of location

How to Decide Which Headphones to Buy

New York Times – Shopping for consumer electronics can get overwhelming. The staff of The Wirecutter and The Sweethome, product review websites owned by The New York Times, do the hard work of narrowing down the options. We spoke with Lauren Dragan, the headphone editor, about — what else? — h

University in Pyongyang Confirms Arresting US Citizen

Seoul- A university in North Korea has confirmed the arrest of a United States citizen who was lecturing there – the third American held in the country amid growing tensions between Pyongyang and Washington. Kim Sang Duk, or Tony Kim, was arrested at the Capital’s airport on Saturday as he was

Libyan Factions Reach Diplomatic Breakthrough in Rome

London – Italy managed to broker a diplomatic breakthrough in Libya that has the potential to bring the two main warring sides together in a new political agreement after years of division, fighting and economic deterioration. Yet, the scale of the advance will be established later this week. Howeve

World

Four Shabaab Fighters Executed in Somalia

Somalia announced that it executed four suspects who fought with the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group. The four men were behind a 2016 attack that killed 80 people, a military officer said on Tuesday. The four men were executed in Baidoa, which lies about 245 km (150 miles) northwest of Mogadishu, o

We Oppose the Spheres of Influence

Colonial powers are historically held responsible for tensions and conflicts straining the Middle East in pre-WWII times, with approximately 60 percent of the regional map having been occupied by foreign forces. After the Second World War, colonialism was mostly driven out of the region—however, con

The Crisis of Western Civ

Between 1935 and 1975, Will and Ariel Durant published a series of volumes that together were known as “The Story of Civilization.” They basically told human history (mostly Western history) as an accumulation of great ideas and innovations, from the Egyptians, through Athens, Magna Carta, the Age o