Washington DC, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabia’s government did not provide support for Al-Qaeda nor had any involvement with the terror group prior to the 9/11 attacks, recently declassified documents by the CIA have revealed. The once-secret documents, released on Friday, said an investigation carrie
Following setbacks for the Criminal of Damascus Bashar Al-Assad, most recently Syrian rebels taking control of a strategic military base close to Dera’a, the Syrian government has announced a monthly bonus of 37 US dollars (10,000 Syrian Pounds) and one hot meal a day for soldiers fighting on
Manama, Asharq Al-Awsat—A higher criminal court in Bahrain has sentenced five nationals to life in prison and stripped 56 people of their nationality on charges of forming a terrorist cell, the state-owned Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said on Thursday. Bahrain’s Public Prosecution said the defendants w
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—UN-sponsored talks between Yemen’s government and Houthi rebels have been postponed to Monday, a UN statement said, citing “unforeseen circumstances” that caused one of the delegations to arrive late to Geneva. “United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and his Special En
Anbar, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraq’s Sunni tribal leaders have reacted cautiously to the US President Barack Obama’s decision to deploy additional troops to confront the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS,) with some casting doubt over the effectiveness of the step. The White House on Wednesday authoriz
When Turkey went to the polls to vote in last Sunday’s general elections, almost all commentators expected a setback for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP). What they could not agree upon was the extent and the intensity of the expected setback. In the event, the re
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) said it would continue targeting Houthi rebels in Yemen if the Geneva talks failed to implement UN resolutions that stipulate restoring President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to power. UN Security Council Resolution 2216 requires that Houthi milit
Dammam, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iran’s Interior Ministry says Sunday’s poisoning of 33 Saudi tourists in the northern city of Masshad was accidental—despite previous comments by Health Minister Sayyed Hassan Hashemi indicating the contrary. The Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) carried a state
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iranian advisers will be accompanying the delegation which the Shi’ite Houthi movement will send to Geneva to hold talks with Yemen’s internationally recognized government, diplomatic sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday. “The Iranian advisers will be present during the
Cairo, Reuters—A suicide bomber blew himself up near the ancient Egyptian Karnak Temple in the southern city of Luxor on Wednesday, security sources said, a possible sign that Islamist militants are shifting focus to try to derail Egypt’s economic recovery. Although officials said no tourists
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—Syrian government forces loyal to President Bashar Al-Assad suffered another major setback on Tuesday after rebel groups captured a strategic army base in the country’s south. This follows other losses for government forces in recent weeks as rebels also made gains in the cou
Ankara, Reuters—Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan appears open to all coalition possibilities after the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost its parliamentary majority in weekend polls, according to a senior opposition lawmaker who met with him on Wednesday. Deniz Baykal, who headed
Moscow, Asharq Al-Awsat—Russia advised Yemen’s Houthi rebel group to go to the Geneva talks without preliminary conditions and show flexibility during the discussions which are expected to begin later this month, a senior Moscow official told Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday. Russian Deputy Foreign Minist
How the Turkish electorate has voted in its most recent general election is its own private matter, nobody else’s. This is democracy, where at the end of the day the decision lies with those who are eligible to vote, have paid their taxes, and are in good standing. They are the ones who for the [&he
Beijing, AP—Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will meet with Chinese leaders in Beijing this week to build ties with her country’s giant neighbor, while China hopes to shore up its declining influence in the Southeast Asian nation following recent democratic reforms there. The seclude
Riyadh and Washington DC, Asharq Al-Awsat—Meetings in Geneva between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Houthi movement currently in control of large parts of the country will comprise “consultations not negotiations,” Prime Minister and Vice President Khaled Bahah said on Monday.
The front cover of this week’s issue of the Economist reads: “Losing the Middle East,” in reference to several disputes that have plagued Arab–US relations since the eruption of the wave of upheavals known as the Arab Spring. Disputes between the two sides have taken a public turn as they bega
Tokyo, AP—Two former Japanese political leaders known for their key apologies over Japan’s Second World War atrocities said Tuesday that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe should not water down their words in a statement marking the 70th anniversary of the war’s end. Former Prime Minister Tomiich
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Al-Jazeera’s televised interview with Abu Mohammad Al-Golani, the leader of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, the Al-Nusra Front, has stirred controversy across the Arab world. While some see the interview as a legitimate scoop for the Qatari-funded channel, others criticized it
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—The US-led coalition targeting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) launched airstrikes against the extremist group’s stronghold in Syria, located in the country’s northeast, the US Department of Defense said on Sunday. A total of 11 airstrikes struck ISIS positions nea
