Beirut – Not so long ago, Syrian children in Daraa scribbled “Freedom for Syria” across their hometown’s walls, knowing so little that a humble call for freedom will soon snowball into a full-fledged civil war that has stretched on for over six years. Although it was not the sole factor at pla
Riyadh – Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi said that the visit of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz to China was a positive message to the countries of the Middle East and the international community. He added that such state visit would reflect Beijing and Riyadh’s keenness on promoting strate
Washington- The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action Tuesday against al-Nusra Front (ANF) and al-Qaeda (AQ) facilitator Muhammad Hadi al-Anizi. Anizi, who is based in Kuwait, was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to E
Manama – Bahrain’s High Criminal Court postponed on Tuesday the announcement of the verdict in the money laundering case against Isa Qassim, a local cleric, and two others to May 7, deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad al-Quraishi said. The Public Prosecution had charged the suspects with “committin
Al-Khobar – Oil prices fell after OPEC’s monthly report stated that Saudi Arabia increased its February output by 263,000 barrels per day to 10 million bpd, but the prices soon rose again after a source explained that the increase was not intended for the international market. On Tuesday, oil fell t
Iraqi forces battling ISIS in Mosul seized control on Wednesday of the Iron Bridge that links the eastern sector with the militant-held Old City and were making a “steady advance” towards the Grand Mosque, federal police said. Federal police and Interior Ministry Rapid Response units seized the brid
London- Arab activists have warned of unprecedented rise in arrests made by Tehran forces against activists based in the controversial city of Ahwaz. Arbitrary arrests increased just as the date of presidential and municipal elections scheduled for mid-May neared. Ahwazi activists accused Iran autho
London – British Prime Minister Theresa May welcomed on Tuesday the parliament’s backing of the government’s Brexit bill, saying it will be a “defining moment” for the whole country. The PM told MPs: “This will be a defining moment for our whole country as we begin to forge the new
Dutch people went to polls on Wednesday in elections that will test nationalist sentiment that has been highlighted by a dispute with Turkey that has simmered in recent days. The elections are the first of three this year in the European Union where anti-immigrant parties are seeking breakthroughs.
Washington- The Trump administration is close to finishing a review that would make it easier for the Pentagon to launch counterterrorism strikes anywhere in the world by lowering the threshold on acceptable civilian casualties and scaling back other constraints imposed by the Obama administration,
This has been a significant week for Saudi diplomacy: reinforcing relations with China, the biggest oil importer in the world and opening a new page with US President Donald Trump to mend what has been ruined by former President Barack Obama who strengthened ties with Iran against Gulf and Saudi int
Tokyo – Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nizar Obaid Madani stated that King Salman’s official visit to Japan stemmed from the strong bonds between the two countries and sought to enhance and develop relations to broaden horizons in order to serve common interests. The Minister held a pre
Ramallah, Tel Aviv- Head of the Palestine National Authority Mahmoud Abbas has convened in a central meeting with US President Donald Trump’s special representative for international negotiations Jason Greenblatt, Palestine-based sources reported. They said the meeting would lay down the foundations
Tokyo- Japan’s Emperor Akihito awarded King Salman bin Abdulaziz the prestigious “Daisy High Medal”, in appreciation of his leading role on both the regional and international levels. King Salman met with the Japanese emperor on Tuesday in Tokyo. A statement from the Saudi Press Agency said that the
London- Women who do not conceive after IVF are at greater risk of developing heart disease than those who get pregnant with it, a new study revealed. Drugs used in the IVF process to maximize conception chances were proven strong with severe side effects; they were found to be dangerously affecting
Beirut – Canadian singer Bryan Adams lit up the stage in Beirut on Saturday night in a concert that was attended by more than 5,000 fans. The singer was in Beirut as part of a Middle Eastern concert tour that kicked off in the UAE and that takes him to Bahrain and Qatar. During the […]
Los Angeles- A few years ago, the summer season was not dedicated for movies, except for films with no hopes of success. People, including cinema fans and even the owners of theaters used to invest their summers in long vacations. However, this tradition changed when the Universal Company first show
London – UN Special Envoy to Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed said he was optimistic about reaching a political solution in war-torn Yemen, but denied media reports about a new international plan in this regard. In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, the UN envoy said: “I heard a lot about a
Beirut, Moscow- ISIS is currently busy preparing for two intertwined battles inside Syria. The first is anticipated to take place in its self-proclaimed Syrian capital of Raqqa ahead of the expected offensive of US-allied Syrian forces in the upcoming weeks. The second battle is likely to be in Deir
Ankara – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan escalated on Tuesday the tone against the Netherlands on the eve of Wednesday’s Dutch election, which far-right parties have a high chance of winning. During his campaign to garner votes for the constitutional referendum, Erdogan tackled the sens
