Kuwait City, Asharq Al-Awsat—Kuwait’s National Assembly has passed a key law to bolster partnership between public and private sectors. The new bill is an amendment of the 2008 Build, Operate and Transfer (B.O.T) law which aimed at attracting foreign investment. The bill was passed with 28 MPs votin
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Fighting continued to rage in the city of Tikrit on Tuesday between government forces and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters as Iraqi lawmakers failed to elect a new government to confront the militant group. In the first meeting of Iraq’s new parliament, Sunni
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—The formal declaration by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) of an Islamic caliphate, with ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi as caliph, looks set to create an inter-Islamist war between the militant group and Al-Qaeda and its affiliates. ISIS on Sunday declared “an Isl
Ankara, Reuters–Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared his candidacy on Tuesday for a more powerful presidency which rivals fear may entrench authoritarian rule and supporters, especially conservative Muslims, see as the crowning prize in his drive to reshape NATO member Turkey. Supporters of his ruling Isla
“We will go to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon; wherever Sheikh Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi wants us to go, we will go . . . the hope of the nation is in your hands, Sheikh.” The person who uttered these words is not an Iraqi, Syrian or even an Arab jihadist. He is a young Briton of Yemeni origins, bo
Jerusalem, Reuters—Israel bombed dozens of sites in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, striking at Hamas after finding the bodies of three missing teenagers whose abduction and killing it blames on the Palestinian Islamist group. Israel’s security cabinet, which held an emergency session late on
Belo Horizonte, Reuters—Germany and France snuffed out African hopes and reached the World Cup quarter-finals on Monday with hard-won victories over Algeria and Nigeria, while Uruguay striker Luis Suarez broke his silence to apologize for biting. Both European powerhouses struggled for their wins, F
Paris, Reuters—Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was held on Tuesday for questioning into suspicions that a network of informers kept him abreast of a separate inquiry into alleged irregularities in his 2007 election campaign, a legal source said. Local media said it was the first time a
The actions of the terrorists who have launched a new wave of attacks on Lebanon via bombings in the Dahieh suburbs south of Beirut have gone beyond being simply a response to Hezbollah for its intervention in the fighting in Syria and a bid to deter its leaders. The success achieved at lightning sp
Jeddah, Asharq Al-Awsat—Total household spending in Saudi Arabia in the run-up to the Muslim holy month of Ramadan has reached its highest levels this year, Asharq Al-Awsat has learned. A report due to be published within the next few weeks by the Kingdom’s central bank, the Saudi Arabian Monetary A
Porto Alegre, AP—Algeria’s players are being left to decide whether or not they observe the Ramadan fast during Monday’s World Cup game against Germany, with coach Vahid Halilhodžić saying it’s not a divisive issue. Observant Muslims avoid food and liquids from dawn to dusk during
Bangkok, Reuters—Thailand’s military government said on Monday it had begun an overhaul of the electoral system following an announcement by junta leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha that polls could take place by late 2015. The military took power on May 22 in a bloodless coup following six mont
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraq has received five Sukhoi-25 fighter aircraft from Russia as it seeks to contain the advance of extremist fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) across its territory. A statement issued by the Iraqi defense ministry said: “The first batch of Russian Suk
Beirut, AP—Heavy clashes were underway Monday between several Syrian rebel factions and the Al-Qaeda breakaway group, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), in a fight for control of a border crossing with Iraq, opposition activists said, just hours after the jihadi group declared the establish
Tunis, Asharq Al-Awsat—Potential presidential candidates in Tunisia have begun seeking political endorsement to be legally entitled to run in the race following the announcement of the date of the polls on June 23. There are currently 13 potential candidates for the elections, due to begin on Novemb
Kalak, Iraq, AP—Waving pots and pans, police pushed back dozens of hungry Iraqi refugees as they rushed to seize free food, ending their first daylong fast of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan in an encampment for the displaced. Shouting men scrambled Sunday to reach pots of rice, meat and chicken st
Brasília, Reuters—The World Cup served up more nerve-shredding drama with the Netherlands scoring two late goals to beat shattered Mexico 2–1 and 10-man Costa Rica bouncing back from conceding a stoppage time equalizer to oust Greece on penalties on Sunday. Dutch forward Arjen Robben was at th
Mogadishu, Reuters—At least two people were killed and seven wounded when a bomb ripped through a busy market in the Somali capital on Monday, a government official said. It is not clear who carried out the attack but in the past similar attacks in Mogadishu have been claimed by Al-Shabaab militants
Cairo, Reuters—Egypt’s cabinet has submitted a revised budget for the new fiscal year which starts on Tuesday, proposing a narrower deficit after President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi rejected a previous draft because spending was too high, Finance Ministry spokesman Ayman Alkaffas told Reuters on Su
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—The federal government in Baghdad must now accept that Kirkuk is a part of the autonomous Kurdistan region, a senior Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) official has said, echoing earlier comments by Kurdish President Massoud Barzani. Speaking exclusively to Asharq Al-Awsat,
