São Paulo, Reuters—Despite opposition from nearly half of Brazil’s voters, leftist President Dilma Rousseff won re-election on Sunday and will have another four years to try to revive growth in a once-booming economy gone stagnant. The 66-year-old Rousseff, who was a Marxist guerrilla in her y
Tunis, Reuters—Leading Tunisian secular party Nidaa Tounes has won more than 80 seats in an election for the new 217-member parliament against 67 seats for Islamist party Ennahda, a party source, citing a preliminary ballot count, said on Monday. Election authorities are expected to announce officia
It is simply Saudi Arabia’s fate that it is held responsible for every little thing that occurs in the global oil markets. If prices go up or down, the finger of blame points her way. If the global economy requires a balance between the supply and demand for oil, all eyes are suddenly on Riyadh, [&h
In recent history, political battles were limited. Most of the time, each epoch was distinguished by a single crisis. A crisis in a country would not extend to neighboring states for a number of reasons: the political situation was governed by regional powers, the borders of the region were taken ve
Marrakesh, Asharq Al-Awsat—This year’s Atlantic Andalusia Music Festival in Morocco will display an exhibition of works by French artist Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), including his famous painting Jewish Musicians of Mogador. When Delacroix painted this work, Mogador was the name used by Europeans f
Rabat, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Islamic Justice and Development Party (PJD) broke new ground in Morocco three years ago when it became the first Islamist party to form a government. In a year of revolution across the Arab world, the PJD won the majority of seats in Morocco’s parliamentary elections in No
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Friday’s attacks on army posts in the northern part of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula were carried out by Palestinian militants, a senior Interior Ministry official told Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday, at the same time that President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told Egyptians in a televised ad
Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Reuters—British troops ended their combat operations in Afghanistan on Sunday as they and US Marines handed over two huge adjacent bases to the Afghan military, 13 years after a US-led invasion launched the long and costly war against the Taliban. Their departure leave
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani visited Saudi Arabia on Sunday, fulfilling a vow made during his presidential election campaign to make a religious pilgrimage to the country. President Ghani was welcomed to Riyadh by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz, who
Beirut, Reuters—Lebanese soldiers battled Islamist gunmen in the country’s north for a third day on Sunday, in some of the worst fighting to break out since fighters linked to Syria’s civil war briefly seized a border town over the summer. Security forces carried out raids in the norther
Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Houthi movement has secured six cabinet seats in the new Yemeni government, at the same time that President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi retained the right to appoint ministers of defense, interior, finance, and foreign affairs. Interim Prime Minister Khaled Bahah announced on
Tunis, Reuters—Tunisians voted on Sunday in parliamentary elections that bring full democracy finally within their reach, four years after their revolution cast out autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali. The moderate Islamist party Ennahda and rival secular alliance Nidaa Tounes are favored to win most s
Erbil, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraqi government and Kurdish forces claimed to be making progress against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) on Saturday and Sunday, retaking territory in northern Iraq from the group with the backing of Shi’ite militias and US airstrikes. On Sunday, Iraqi security for
Kiev, Reuters—Ukrainians voted on Sunday in an election that is likely to install a pro-Western parliament and strengthen President Petro Poroshenko’s mandate to end separatist conflict in the east, but may fuel tension with Russia. Voting started on a cold but sunny morning in Kiev in the fir
Tobruk, Asharq Al-Awsat—Libyan Speaker of Parliament Aqeela Saleh said that a new Minister of Defense is set to be appointed within the coming few days, but refused to divulge the name of the ministerial candidate that the Tobruk-based parliament is set to discuss. The appointment of a Defense
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—When the American Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Gen. John Allen, arrives in Saudi Arabia today, his priorities will be to discuss the ‘long-term’ strategy to fight the group, in add
Kiev, Reuters—President Petro Poroshenko called on Ukrainians on Saturday to elect a majority on Sunday that would see through a pro-Europe, reform agenda and break with the Soviet past. Poroshenko, who is expecting a big win for his political bloc in the first parliamentary election since the overt
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraqi army forces raised the national flag on government buildings in the Jurf Al-Sakhr district, 43 miles (70 km) south of Baghdad, on Friday after a months-long battle with militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the Shi’ite-majority area. “Army
Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—Houthi militants captured a historic castle in Al-Hudaydah Governorate on Friday following clashes with members of Hirak Al-Tuhami, an anti-Houthi political group based in the west of the country. “The Houthi militia managed to take control of the Corniche Al-Huda
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said “foreign hands” were behind Friday’s attack on troops in the country’s restive Sinai Peninsula, which resulted in the deaths of 31 soldiers. In a speech following an emergency meeting of the Supreme Council of the Armed Force
