While the UN Security Council approved the “cessation of hostilities” agreement in Syria which came into effect at midnight yesterday, a White House official told Asharq Al-Awsat about the details of a plan B that the United States has talked about in the event that the truce failed. The truce is co
Noman M. Benotman, former member of the Libyan militant organization who had also side-by-side fought with al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden against Russians in Afghanistan, said that ISIS is drawing closer to its end whilst “al-Qaeda prevails and will be surprising everyone”. Benotman added that Bri
Those who have closely followed President Obama’s foreign policy over the past seven and a half years know that he has always been concerned about two things. The first is how things look rather than how they are; in other words, the triumph of form over substance. The second is an almost obsessive
The Saudi government is providing exceptional facilities for the benefit of Yemeni students residing in Saudi Arabia in order to facilitate their access to higher education. The assistant cultural attache at the Yemeni consulate in Jeddah Dr. Mohammed Al-Ahdal told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Sa
The head of Syria’s branch of al-Qaeda, one of its most powerful rebel groups, called for an escalation in fighting against the government and its allies on Saturday and urged opponents of President Bashar al-Assad to reject a ceasefire due to begin at midnight. The government and the oppositi
It is very difficult to stand in the face of the growing hatred against Arabs and Muslims around the world since no government or party contemplates tackling this issue directly despite the damage inflicted on Arabs and Muslims, including governments and groups. What about popular and official Islam
Millions of Iranians crowds rushed on Friday to cast their ballots in two high-stake elections after a week of ferocious campaigning between conservatives desperate to maintain their influence over the country’s political landscape and their reformist rivals seeking a comeback. Voters are choosing n
Riyadh, Sanaa-The public presence of the Lebanese Hezbollah militants and their military role taking the Houthi rebels’ part have raised questions on the methods they used to reach Yemen. The Yemeni Ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Ahmad Al Dailami, commented on this matter by telling Asharq Al-Awsat that
Syria faces a crucial day on Friday as combatants in the country’s 5-year-old civil war are asked to meet a deadline to sign up to a “cessation of hostilities” agreement due to take effect at midnight Damascus time, 10pm GMT. Heavy air strikes were reported to have hit opposition-held ar
Last week I enjoyed reading an article by the American writer Thomas Friedman entitled ‘The Many Mideast Solutions’ about what Middle East the next US president should expect to see. Before that, a friend of mine who is a senior researcher in International Affairs at a leading American university, c
Beirut-The Executive Chairman of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, summoned the so-called “sovereign party” in the Lebanese government to meet and put a strategy to face Hezbollah, which has dropped self-distancing to attack Gulf States militarily, politically, and through media. He said that the g
The Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament Salim Al-Jabouri said that his country will always stand in solidarity with fellow Arab countries and that a rift like the one that has developed between the Gulf states and Lebanon will not develop between the Gulf states and Iraq. He also expressed his wi
The Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry on Friday designated and imposed sanctions on four companies and three Lebanese men as having links to the Shi’ite Muslim group Hezbollah. 1- Fadi Hussein Sarhan (Lebanese National). Place of birth: Kafr Kila. Date of birth 01/04/1961. 2- Adel Mohammed Sheri
While a “cessation of hostilities” agreement in Syria will come into effect at midnight today amidst broad support from almost all parties, the US Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday that Iran has withdrawn “a large number of Revolutionary Guards forces” and “has reduced their numbers on th
A group of about 50 supporters of Bahraini Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa’s bid to be elected FIFA president rallied on the road as delegates arrived before casting their votes in Zurich for new leader of world soccer on Friday. The crowd cheered while holding banners saying “FIFA
In light of the Syrian ceasefire closing in, many are talking about the declining number of ISIS fighters. Initially, ISIS terrorists were the reason behind many of the international instigation battlefronts in Syria. Moreover, reports came in showing spiked-up figures of Iranian Revolutionary Guard
Riyadh-The first phase of the Riyadh Metro project has been completed with final tests taking place of the train for the multibillion-riyal public transport system, according to the High Commission for the Development of Riyadh. The project is being supervised by the High Commission for the Developm
Riyadh-Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, confirmed that King Fahd Charity Foundation will be an extra achievement for charity and humanitarian work in Saudi Arabia. HRH King Salman chaired at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Wednesday the first trustee meeting of the King F
Shahindokht Molaverdi, vice president of Iran in the cabinet of Hassan Rouhani’s section of Women and Family Affairs, revealed an Iranian village which had all its men delivered to capital punishment over the past few years. Molaverdi, in her exclusive with Mehr News Agency criticized the eliminatio
Al Ekhbariya, Arabic news and TV channel based in Riyadh, broadcasted on Feb.25 a video showing the Lebanese-based Hezbollah being involved with terrorist activities in both Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The Government in Yemen confirmed that Hezbollah is directly caught up in, with the war tearing throug
