Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—Yemen’s Shi’ite Houthis have no plans to withdraw their fighters from the capital Sana’a, Houthi spokesman Mohamed Abdulsalam told Asharq Al-Awsat. The Houthis advanced into the capital Sana’a last month, taking control of government buildings and state radio and TV sta
Monrovia, Liberia, AP—Liberian lawmakers on Friday rejected a proposal to grant President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf the power to further restrict movement and public gatherings and to confiscate property in the fight against Ebola. One legislator said such a law would have turned Liberia into a police s
One of the most famous quotes by US President Abraham Lincoln is that “you can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” This is something that, in one way or another, applies to what is […]
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Director of Information and Communication at the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) denied that Riyadh intends to limit the number of licenses issued under the system of foreign investment. In comments to the state-owned Saudi Press Agency (SPA), SAGIA C
Karachi, AP—Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban, and India’s Kailash Satyarthi were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their advocacy of rights for children. “It’s a prerequisite for peaceful global development that the rights of children and
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—At least twelve armed militias are operating openly on the streets of the capital Baghdad, Iraqi political and military figures informed Asharq Al-Awsat warning of an absence of law and order in the country. Armed militias have increased their presence across Iraq as p
Since they assumed power in a military coup 25 years ago, Sudan’s Islamists have been adjusting their stance and policies, breaking conventions and promises. They have justified all their actions, however removed from the spirit of Islam and the tolerance the Sudanese people are known for, by claimi
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iran showcased the latest anti-riot equipment designed to suppress unrest in the country during a joint ceremony held by elite units of Iran’s military and police forces on Wednesday October 9 in Tehran. In the aftermath of Iran’s contested 2009 presidential election th
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Turkish officials condemned the ongoing unrest in the country as Kurds continue to protest in solidarity with the Syrian border town of Kobani, under siege by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants. Turkey has witnessed some of the worst violence in the spillo
Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi met with the ambassadors of the ten countries sponsoring the Gulf Initiative to discuss the latest developments in Yemen as the death toll in the country continues to rise amid increasing violence and instability. “Ensuring security, sta
Mursitpinar, Turkey, AP—The US-led coalition intensified its aerial bombardment of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) positions on Thursday in the Syrian border town of Kobani as the extremist group fought street battles with Kurdish forces and reportedly rushed in reinforcements. The battle for
Madrid, Reuters—Seven people turned themselves in late on Thursday to an Ebola isolation unit in Madrid where Teresa Romero, the nurse who became the first person to contract Ebola outside Africa, lay gravely ill. Alarm about Ebola’s spread around Europe grew on Friday as Macedonia said it was
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Former interim Egyptian president Adly Mansour has rejected a number of offers to stand in the country’s forthcoming parliamentary elections, as part of a broader plan that would see him assume the role of speaker of parliament, Egyptian political sources told Asha
Six weeks ago when President Barack Obama, no doubt after reading the latest opinion polls, decided to “do something” about the so-called “Islamic State” of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), many welcomed it as good news. After all, if used effectively, the United States’ unique military capabilities could sho
Let me confess at the outset that I am happy that Patrick Modiano has won this year’s Nobel Prize for Literature. In fact, the choice of Modiano may be a sign that the Swedish Academy is breaking out of the fog of political prejudice that had affected its judgment for decades. Since the 1990s at [&h
Vienna, Reuters—Talks between the UN nuclear watchdog and Iran this week appear not to have substantively advanced an investigation into suspected atomic bomb research by Tehran, potentially dimming chances for a broader deal between the Iranians and big powers. Western officials say Iran must impro
Monrovia, AP—Presidents of West African countries ravaged by Ebola pleaded for aid at the World Bank on Thursday as the US military ramped up its efforts in Liberia, the hardest-hit country. “Our people are dying,” Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma said by videoconference at a Wor
Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Yemeni president’s favored candidate for prime minister, Ahmed Bin Mubarak, rejected his nomination on Wednesday, following fierce opposition from Houthi rebels controlling large parts of the capital Sana’a. In a letter submitted to President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, Bin M
Washington, Asharq Al-Awsat—Economic growth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is projected to average 4.2 percent in 2015, up from 3.5 percent this year, the World Bank said in a report published on Wednesday, as representatives from across the globe gather in Washington for the IMF
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraq’s restive western province of Anbar is on the verge of completely falling into the hands of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) unless urgent action is taken to address military failures, the Anbar Tribal Council warned on Wednesday. The Anbar Tribal Counci
