Despite all Nuri Al-Maliki’s attempts to cling to power, which are still ongoing, it is clear that the man is on the way out. Everything that Maliki is doing now is nothing more than an attempt to ensure that he leaves in the best possible position following his expulsion, while his own closest alli
Erbil, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Yazidi, or “Yazdani,” religion is one of the oldest Eastern religions. It appeared in Mesopotamia thousands of years ago, gradually transitioning from nature worship to monotheism, and developing its own unique beliefs and rituals. The pre-2003 population of Yazidis in Ira
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Muslim Brotherhood are no longer capable of carrying out large-scale protests on the Egyptian street, a senior Egyptian Interior Ministry official said. Head of the Interior Ministry’s Public Relations and Media Department, Maj. Gen. Abdel-Fattah Osman, told Asharq A
Dammam, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Council of Saudi Chambers, one of the Kingdom’s leading business bodies, has launched a series of awards for businesswomen. Kholoud Al-Tamimi, the director of the National Women’s Committee at the Saudi Council of Chambers, told Asharq Al-Awsat the main object
Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Russia, AP—In a diplomatic game of chicken, a large Russian aid convoy rolled toward the Ukrainian border on Thursday—but it was heading toward a crossing controlled by pro-Russian rebels instead of a government post as Ukraine had demanded. Ukraine’s government threatened
Rafha (Northern Borders Province), Asharq Al-Awsat—With the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq and the continued predations of Al-Qaeda in Yemen, Saudi Arabia faces instability to its north and south, refocusing attention on the security of the Kingdom’s borders. In res
Jeddah, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Palestinian government has begun the process of documenting the recent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip in a bid to push for an International Criminal Court (ICC) probe into potential war crimes committed by the Israeli government, Palestinian Prime Minister Rami H
Ramallah, Asharq Al-Awsat—The head of the Palestinian delegation in Cairo, Azzam Al-Ahmad, announced the beginning of a five-day truce between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday evening, after indirect talks between the two sides in the Egyptian capital. However, the ceasefire extension appeared in doubt
Washington, AP—Far fewer refugees remain on Iraq’s Sinjar Mountain and a US-led rescue mission is far less likely, US officials said on Wednesday night. A team of US military personnel assessed the situation and reported that only several thousand refuges are on the mountain and that they appe
Seoul, Reuters—Pope Francis sent an unprecedented message of good will to China on Thursday before touching down in Seoul, but the first papal trip to Asia in 15 years got off to a shaky start with the news some Chinese had been barred from joining a youth celebration. About half of more than
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Al-Awsat—Iraqi prime minister-designate Haider Al-Abadi has called on the country’s political blocs to begin talks on distributing ministerial portfolios in the new Iraqi government. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Abadi said talks about the formation of the cabinet are
Istanbul, Asharq Al-Awsat—The shocking rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its rampage across Iraq has taken attention away both from the conflict in neighboring Syria and the other organizations seeking the downfall of Bashar Al-Assad’s government. At the height of the world’s in
There is horror and fear in the eyes of ordinary people previously unaware of extremism and terrorism. This is down to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the very model of an extremist–revolutionary organization, astute enough to establish a new state while fully appreciating the regi
Nuri Al-Maliki, the outgoing Iraqi prime minister, could have been a historic hero, not just in Iraq, but for all Arabs and Muslims. However self-interest got the better of him, his insight betrayed him, and all his views and actions ran to narrow partisan politics. There are politicians and leaders
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Haider Al-Abadi, the man tasked with forming the country’s next government and resolving a longstanding political crisis that has very real security implications on Iraq, appears to have come out of nowhere. Abadi, a member of Maliki’s ow
Cairo, Reuters—Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak denied in court on Wednesday ordering the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that ended his 30-year rule. Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison in 2012 for complicity in the deaths of demonstrators and the breakdown of law and orde
Istanbul, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Lebanese government should take tangible steps to curb Hezbollah’s role in the Syrian war, the newly elected head of the Western-backed main opposition group in Syria told Asharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday. “We understand adopting a policy of ‘self-distancing,’ but we do not
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Though often seen through the lens of poverty and homegrown conflicts, sub-Saharan Africa is fast becoming a major destination for global, and Gulf, capital. Investors are now rushing to secure a share of what has been over the past 10 years the world’s second-fastest growing
Baghdad and Erbil, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, congratulated Iraq’s new leaders, President Fuad Masoum, Prime Minister-designate Haider Al-Abadi and Speaker of Parliament Salim Al-Jabouri, on Tuesday. In his messages, King Abdullah expres
Arar, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi National Guard Minister Prince Miteb Bin Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz said that the Kingdom’s security forces were more than capable of dealing with any cross-border terrorist threats on Tuesday, denying reports that troops from friendly Muslim countries had been deployed
