Are you puzzled by what is going on in the “complicated Orient” these days? There’s the continuing tragedy in Syria, the bloody struggle in Iraq, a multi-layered civil war in Yemen, and a power vacuum in Lebanon, not to mention daily terrorist attacks in half a dozen countries and the never-ending f
Kiev and Donetsk, Reuters—Ukraine said on Wednesday it was redeploying troops in the east because of fears separatists will launch a new military offensive, despite Russia’s denials it has sent troops to reinforce the rebels. A ceasefire agreed by the pro-Russian rebels and government forces m
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—Fourteen armed opposition groups in Syria’s second city, Aleppo, have signed an agreement to form a unified “Revolutionary Council,” in what may be a signal they are ready to hold talks over a UN-sponsored ceasefire plan for the city. A source from the Syrian opposition who r
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—As the US continues its military efforts against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in both countries, the world’s attention has drifted away from efforts to find a negotiated end to the ongoing crisis in Syria. Nonetheless, efforts continue by figures like the UN’s e
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—An emergency meeting of the leaders of members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is expected to be held next week in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, to discuss resuming talks on ending the diplomatic rift between Qatar and its neighbors, informed Gulf sources told Asharq Al-
Benghazi, Reuters—Car bombs exploded in eastern Libyan towns under the control of the internationally-recognized government on Wednesday, wounding at least 20 people, officials said. Libya is in growing chaos as armed factions compete for power. One has taken over the capital Tripoli, setting up its
Moscow and Muscat, Reuters/Asharq Al-Awsat—A senior Russian diplomat expressed optimism on Wednesday that a deal could be reached this month between world powers and Tehran on curbing Iran’s nuclear program despite “deep gaps” on some issues. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov
Riyadh and Najaf, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, met with Iraqi President Fuad Masoum at the Royal Palace in Riyadh on Tuesday evening, to discuss regional developments and steps to improve the relationship between the two countries
Beijing, Reuters—China and the United States agreed on Wednesday to new limits on carbon emissions starting in 2025, but the pledge by the world’s two biggest polluters appears to be more politically significant than substantive. As China’s President Xi Jinping agreed to a date for peak
US President Barack Obama seems enthusiastic about bringing about a new era of restoring good relations with Tehran, which was an important ally until the Shah’s downfall in 1979. This is why American and European officials met with an Iranian delegation in the Omani capital Muscat this week, as the
Ever since the union of North and South Yemen was declared in 1990, political conflicts and differences in the Arabian Peninsula’s poorest country have never ceased, reaching their climax in the 1994 bloody civil war between former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and the Southern secessionist leaders,
Cairo, Reuters—Morocco has been stripped of the right to host next year’s African Nations Cup, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided on Tuesday as it examined prospective replacements. It has also disqualified Morocco from playing in the finals, which CAF said would go ahead as p
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—”Every year in mid-October, my friends and I pack up a car to travel to the northern and western part of the Saudi Arabian desert. We earn hundreds of thousands of riyals from this month-long business venture,” says Ra’ad Al-Mizani, who joined the falconry profess
Washington and Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—The United States followed in the footsteps of the UN Security Council on Tuesday by imposing sanctions on former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh and two senior military commanders from the Houthi movement. The US Treasury imposed asset freezes on Saleh and
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz left the Kingdom for Australia on Monday to represent Saudi Arabia at the G20 summit. The Crown Prince, who also serves as the Kingdom’s minister of defense and deputy prime minister, will be attending the meetings
Muscat and Beijing, Reuters—Senior officials from Western powers and Iran started a one-day round of talks in Muscat on Tuesday, with a deadline for reaching a nuclear deal less than two weeks away and no imminent breakthrough in sight. Tuesday’s discussions follow two days of meetings between
Baghdad, AP—Iraqi soldiers battling the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group recaptured the heart of the town of Baiji, home to the country’s largest oil refinery, state television and a military official said Tuesday. Retaking Baiji, 155 miles (250 kilometers) north of Baghdad, could
Gwangju, Reuters—The captain of a South Korean ferry that capsized in April killing 304 passengers was jailed for 36 years on Tuesday after a court found him guilty of negligence, but was acquitted of homicide for which prosecutors had sought the death penalty. The court convicted the ship’s c
Al-Khobar, Asharq Al-Awsat—After years of operating in Asia through its offices in Hong Kong and South Korea, Saudi Aramco, the Kingdom’s state-owned oil company, is opening a brand new Asian subsidiary, Aramco Asia, setting up shop in the Chinese capital, Beijing. Structured as a holding company, A
In the last few years, the news that has been reaching us about the Syrian regime of Bashar Al-Assad has periodically veered all the way from the abominable to the absurd, arousing feelings of horror and complete shock, and sometimes even hysterical laughter deriving from sheer disbelief. So it is w
