Diyarbakir, Turkey, Reuters—Jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Öcalan called on Saturday for his militant group to hold a congress on ending a three-decade insurgency against the Turkish state but stopped short of declaring an immediate halt to its armed struggle. “This struggle of our 40-ye
Tehran, AP—Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday painted an optimistic picture of ongoing negotiations with world powers over his country’s nuclear program, saying there has been progress in the talks and that a final accord is possible. “At this round of talks, shared views emerg
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Leaders attending the upcoming Arab League summit must seek “joint Arab confrontation” of terrorism across the Middle East, the deputy secretary-general of the Arab League Ahmed Bin Helli said, while describing the US-led coalition against Islamic State of Ir
Sana’a, Reuters—Suicide bombers in the Yemeni capital Sana’a blew themselves up during noon prayers at two mosques used mainly by Shi’ite Muslims on Friday, killing at least 50 people and wounding scores, medical sources said, in a major escalation of the worst wave of violence in
Sana’a and Al-Hudaydah, Asharq Al-Awsat—Yemen’s internationally recognized president accused former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and Houthi rebels of attempting a military coup after warplanes attacked the presidential palace of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi in the southern city of Aden on Thursd
Longyearbyen, Norway, AP—Sky-gazers in the Arctic were treated to a perfect view of a total solar eclipse Friday as the moon completely blocked out the sun in a clear sky, casting a shadow over Norway’s remote archipelago of Svalbard. People shouted, cheered and applauded as Longyearbyen, the
Until a few weeks ago, Yemen hardly featured in the Iranian political landscape. Now, however, it gets top billing as the latest nation to embrace the Khomeinist ideology. “The people of Yemen have joined Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon in a common struggle for the glory of Islam,” said Ay
Aden, Reuters—An unidentified warplane attacked the presidential palace in Aden on Thursday after rival forces fought the worst clashes in years in Yemen’s second city, an official and residents said, in a sharp escalation of the country’s months-long turmoil. Thirteen people were killed
Baghdad, Erbil and New York, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraqi militias, volunteer fighters and members of the Iraqi security forces engaged in the deliberate destruction of civilian property in the town of Amerli after forcing out Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said o
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Libyan army is close to retaking the eastern city of Benghazi from extremist militants, an army spokesman told Asharq Al-Awsat, as the Libyan air force stepped up strikes on Islamist positions in oil-rich areas in the east. In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Col. Ahmed Abu Ze
Tunis, AP—One of the two gunmen who killed 19 tourists and others at a prominent Tunisian museum was known to intelligence services, Tunisia’s prime minister said Thursday. But no formal links to a particular terrorist group have been established in an attack that threatens the country’s
Bangkok, AP—Thailand’s Supreme Court announced Thursday that former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will stand trial for her role in overseeing a rice subsidy program spearheaded by her ousted government that lost billions of dollars, a move likely to deepen the long-running political crisi
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—As Iran and the United States resume talks on a deal for Iran’s nuclear program, there are conflicting signals from Tehran regarding the Islamic Republic’s strategy. Last Monday a group of 80 or so mullahs gathered behind closed doors in Tehran and elected a new head of a sha
Tunis, AP—Attackers opened fire Wednesday at a major museum in Tunisia’s capital, gunning down 17 tourists as dozens more sprinted to safety. At least 21 people in all were killed, including two gunmen, but some attackers may have escaped, authorities said. The attack on the famed National Bar
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iran and Turkey will have no role in the imminent offensive to liberate Iraq’s second city Mosul from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the governor of Nineveh province told Asharq Al-Awsat on Tuesday. In answer to a question regarding reports of Iranian involvemen
Geneva, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) reiterated its rejection of the Shi’ite Houthi group’s takeover in Yemen, stressing that it will not accept the country being transformed into a haven for terrorists, in a statement issued at the UN on Tuesday. The joint Arab League–GC
Riyadh and Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—Yemen’s newly released Prime Minister Khaled Bahah may resume his duties soon if efforts to persuade him to retract his resignation succeed, a Yemeni presidential aide said. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, presidential adviser Mohammed Marem said President Abd Rabbuh
Tel Aviv, AP—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud Party scored a resounding victory in the country’s election, final results showed Wednesday, a stunning turnaround after a tight race that had put his lengthy rule in jeopardy. With nearly all votes counted, Likud appe
Port Vila, Reuters—International aid agencies ramped up appeals for cyclone-hit Vanuatu on Wednesday, warning that the powerful storm that affected more than two-thirds of the South Pacific island nation had wiped out crops and destroyed fishing fleets, raising the risk of hunger and disease. Reside
One can only be shocked and surprised by the way the Arab media has been reporting on terrorism and terrorists. Most recently we had the story of the Australian teenager Jake Bilardi, aged 18, who is believed to have carried out a suicide bombing in Iraq’s central city of Ramadi on behalf of the Isl
