Rabigh, Saudi Arabia, Asharq Al-Awsat—The governor of Saudi Arabia’s Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) has said that foreign companies have shown interest in investing in the water and electricity sectors in the Kingdom. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Abdulrahman Al-Ibrahim estimated investme
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi will take Egypt’s oath of office before his predecessor interim President Adly Mansour, in his capacity as the head of Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court, presidential legal adviser Ali Awad said on Thursday. In comments to Asharq Al-Awsat, Mansour
Erbil, Asharq Al-Awsat—The first-ever Erbil International Film Festival is set to kick off today, as part of the city’s celebrations for being named the Arab Tourism Capital for 2014. The festival will run from May 30 to June 4 and will showcase movies from across the region. The Erbil Film Festival
Three years ago, as Egypt and a few other Arab countries were in the throes of popular revolt, some of us wondered whether events would turn the way they did in Europe in 1848. In that year virtually the whole of continental Europe, from France to the borders of Russia, was shaken by a series [&hell
London, Reuters—The long-delayed results of Britain’s inquiry into the Iraq War came a step closer to publication on Thursday after a deal was reached on how to use notes and phone call records between then prime minister Tony Blair and US president George W. Bush. The investigation, called th
Astana, Kazakhstan—Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday signed a treaty with his counterparts from Kazakhstan and Belarus creating a trading bloc of more than 170 million people to challenge the United States and European Union. The formal creation of the Eurasian Economic Union in the Kazakh c
Donetsk, Reuters—Pro-Russian separatists shot down a Ukrainian army helicopter on Thursday, killing 14 soldiers including a general, as government forces pressed ahead with an offensive to crush rebellions in the east swiftly following the election of a new president. After weeks of accusations from
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—The March 14 Alliance is set to move to “Plan B” as the presidential vacuum in Lebanon continues. Former president Michel Suleiman left office over the weekend, before parliament could elect a successor. The rival March 14 Alliance and March 8 Alliance political blocs have so
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will be Egypt’s next president, after he secured a landslide victory against rival Hamdeen Sabahy. Preliminary election results indicate that the popular former defense minister won over 96 percent of the vote, according to a report in Egypt’s state-run A
Ever since I moved to Europe in 1978, I got used to a lot of talk about the standards governing European politics and remarks about Europeans “voting with their pocket,” national sentiments being a thing of the past and fanaticism dying down in an affluent and democratic European society with open b
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraqi Prime Minster Nuri Al-Maliki called for “jihad” against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq’s restive western Anbar province on Wednesday, pledging to crush the Islamist insurgency before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that is set to be begin in late J
Sydney, Reuters—The search for a missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner suffered a further setback on Thursday after Australian officials said wreckage from the aircraft was not on the seabed in the area they had identified. Flight MH370, carrying 239 passengers and crew, disappeared from radar screens
Anybody who has seen Algerians celebrating a national triumph, whether it be the anniversary of their military victory over French colonizers or a simple international sporting success, will be left in no doubt about their patriotism. This is as true for the inhabitants of Algiers and Oran as it is
Ethnic and sectarian conflicts represent a real challenge to Algeria’s stability, as they adversely affect the unity and cohesion of the country’s national fabric. This is principally due to the fact that such conflicts are classified, in most cases, as protracted social conflicts. These social conf
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabia this week implemented the first financial sanctions on Hezbollah’s commercial activities within the Kingdom, part of a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) move to target the Lebanese militia’s interests abroad. The Saudi Interior Ministry withdrew the business l
Tunis,Asharq Al-Awsat—Tunisia’s interim prime minister, Mehdi Jomaa, found himself catapulted into office in January following the resignation of his predecessor, Ali Laarayedh, in whose cabinet he served as Minister on Industry. Now, he finds himself at the head of a government of independent techn
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—As the Italian national football team prepares for the upcoming 2014 World Cup in Brazil, two Italy veterans played down the Azzurri’s chances of winning a historic fifth title. Italy faces a tough challenge competing against England, Uruguay and Costa Rica to qualify from Gr
West Point, New York, Reuters—President Barack Obama fought back against critics of his foreign policy on Wednesday by insisting US reliance on diplomacy over military intervention was working to resolve global crises like Ukraine and Iran, and he pledged to ramp up support for Syria’s opposit
This question has been asked a lot this week. This is only the second time that a US vice president has visited Cyprus, after then-vice president Lyndon B. Johnson’s visit in 1962. So just what was US Vice President Joe Biden doing in Cyprus late last week? We must discuss numerous things together w
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Egyptians are heading to the polls for the third and final day of elections on Wednesday, a day after the Presidential Elections Commission ordered an extra day of polling amid reports of low voter turnout. Egyptians choosing between popular former defense minister Abdel-Fatta
