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.

54082 articles

Two Million Pilgrims Gather at Mount Arafat Today…

Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah- Around two million pilgrims will stand today at the sacred plains of Mount Arafat to perform the Hajj rituals, while Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is expected to arrive today in the tent-city of Mina before the afternoon prayers to su

Bus Bomb Attack Thwarted in Aden

Yemeni security services foiled an attempt to carry out a terrorist attack using a bus laden with explosives. Aden police’s anti-terrorism unit succeeded in preventing the attack before it could take place on Friday. An anti-terrorism unit belonging to Aden police thwarted the bus bombing in the She

British Soldiers Perform Hajj

The British Foreign Office published a picture of British soldiers in Medina performing the rites of Hajj on its official Twitter page. In another Tweet, the FCO quoted BDR Lamin Camara, of 1 Royal Horse Artillery, who is part of the UK delegation, as saying “I am truly humbled and moved. This is on

Opinion: The Arab Nation is in the Hands of UN Mediators

From the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf, “the great Arab homeland” is in the hands of international mediators. Each team of “brothers” and “comrades” does not talk to the opposing team, except in a third country. For the first and last time, I found myself agreeing with the Lebanese Foreign Minister Geb

Study Documents Big Decline in Earth’s Wilderness

Washington-Unspoiled lands are disappearing from the face of the Earth at an alarming pace, with about 10 percent of wilderness regions – an area double the size of Alaska – lost in the past two decades amid unrelenting human development, researchers said on Thursday. South America, whic

World

Geneva Waiting on Kerry-Lavrov Consensus

Beirut, Geneva- All eyes late on Friday evening were still turned towards Geneva awaiting the concluding statement of the meeting bringing together U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. The two diplomats have been trying to land an agreement on cooperation in

World

Smart Apps Facilitate Hajj

Makkah- Millions of pilgrims are showing interest in using the modern communication means and smart applications; smartphone stores are now providing a variety of applications related to Hajj that focus on how to perform this ritual in a correct and easy manner. Egyptian Hajj Abdulrahim Mohammed, 37