Washington, AP—The United States said Wednesday that a video showing the beheading of a second US journalist by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants is authentic. ISIS extremists released the video showing freelance reporter Steven Sotloff’s beheading on Tuesday, two weeks after th
Aswan and Luxor, Asharq Al-Awsat—”The bookings for September have been cancelled . . . We’ve had phone calls telling us not to return to our hotels, despite being optimistic for the recovery of tourism for this year’s season,” said Hussam, a staff member at a renowned tour
Dubai, Asharq Al-Awsat—Gulf countries will be the engine driving the growth of the global sukuk market, according to a report released on Monday by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The report, which is based on data from the UK Islamic Finance Secretariat (UKIFS) and the Malaysia Internat
Over the past few days, it has been said that the Gulf states have been compelled to put their disputes aside out of fear of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Has this terrorist organization’s threat reached the extent that it is capable of ending the Gulf’s disputes? And is ISIS really ca
Erbil, Asharq Al-Awsat—Baghdad has delayed the delivery of vital international military assistance to Kurdistan to fight advancing Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Peshmerga Affairs Mustafa Qadir said on Tuesday. In an interview with As
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—The recent release of a number of senior members of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is not a sign of the government’s willingness to reconcile its differences with the movement, the prisoners’ lawyer said on Tuesday. The release of three Brotherhood members currently awaiting trial
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—In the final part of our two-part extensive interview with Hazem El-Beblawi, Asharq Al-Awsat talks to the former Egyptian prime minister about his experience in two transitional cabinets—in 2011 and 2013—and about the controversial decision taken in August 2013 to
Cairo, AP—Fierce clashes between Islamist militiamen and rival forces loyal to a renegade general in Libya’s eastern city of Benghazi have killed 31 fighters on both sides, a security official said Tuesday. The fighting erupted late on Monday, with troops and fighter jets belonging to Gen. Kha
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabian security services have arrested 88 people involved in promoting “extremist ideology,” the Interior Ministry announced on Tuesday. The Interior Ministry announced that the arrests had taken place over the past few days following months of investigation, and
There is a video doing the rounds at the moment of armed militiamen inside a residential compound belonging to the US embassy in Tripoli. The video shows the militiamen jumping into a swimming pool from a balcony while other armed fighters cheer them on. The circumstances surrounding this video are
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—Fierce fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels erupted once more in the Golan Heights on Monday, while 44 Fijian soldiers from the UN peacekeeping force patrolling the region remained hostages of the Al-Nusra Front. The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Ri
Paris, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz continued his latest official visit to France with talks on the strategic relationship between the two countries with French President François Hollande at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Monday, according to French presidential sources. T
Islamabad, Reuters—Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a joint session of parliament on Tuesday as a deepening crisis over violent protests demanding his resignation prompted fears of army intervention. Sharif enjoys a solid majority in parliament and by convening both houses he seeks to r
I have discovered I am not the only person who suddenly feels alert or wary when scrolling down their news feeds on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube. This is especially true when I see a picture of a head or a body looming at the bottom of the screen. No sooner do I hold my breath […]
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Egypt’s art scene has become increasingly diverse since the country’s 2011 uprising, with various projects reflecting the mood on the streets. Graffiti painted on the walls of Egypt’s squares and coffeehouses documenting the upheaval of January 25, 2011 became one of the symbo
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—It was family friend Mohamed El-Baradei who first told Hazem El-Beblawi he had been chosen to become Egypt’s new prime minister. It was a dangerous time for the country: Islamist president Mohamed Mursi had just been ousted by the army (headed by then-Gen. Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi
It was as if the current fight against terror erupted out of nowhere, as if the entire world was stable and peaceful. When the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) began to wreak havoc, the world seemed to wake up from a beautiful dream to the harsh realities of ISIS’s war drums—and its prox
Sana’a, Reuters—Defying calls by the UN Security Council to end hostilities against the Yemeni government, a Houthi tribal leader on Sunday urged supporters to wage a campaign of civil disobedience until their demands are met. The Houthis, who have been fighting for years for more power for their Za
Paris, Asharq Al-Awsat—French President François Hollande will hold a meeting on Monday evening with Saudi Crown Prince, Prime Minister and Deputy Defense Minister Salman Bin Abdulaziz, the Presidential Palace in Paris announced on Sunday. Crown Prince Salman started a three-day official visit to Fr
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—The formation of a new Libyan government is imminent, the country’s interim speaker of parliament, Faraj Bouhashem, told Asharq Al-Awsat on Sunday. Speaking via telephone from Tobruk, where the interim parliament is currently based, Bouhashem said the country would have a new
