Abu Dhabi, Reuters—Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) has received regulatory approval from the United Arab Emirates central bank for its purchase of Barclays’ retail operations in the country, its chief executive said on Tuesday. The largest sharia-compliant lender in the emirate agreed a 650 mill
Belgrade, Reuters—Serbia on Tuesday declared three days of national mourning and reported another death in the worst rainfall to hit the Balkan region in living memory, even as the rising River Sava threatened more havoc. Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić said the death toll in the town of Obrenovac,
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Jaseer Al-Jaseer is one of Saudi Arabia’s most experienced journalists, especially in the investigative field. The former editor-in-chief of As-Sharq newspaper, he moved to the paper after a period as deputy editor and then editor of Al-Watan. In addition to his work as an ed
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraq’s electoral authorities announced the preliminary results of the country’s parliamentary elections on Monday amid mounting tension in the capital. Incumbent prime minister Nuri Al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition fell short of an outright majority but won the largest num
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Maj. Gen. Khalifa Haftar, commander-in-chief of a breakaway military force denounced by the Libyan central government, has pledged to “purge” Libya from Islamists in a broad-ranging interview with Asharq Al-Awsat. “The [Benghazi] operation, God willing, will not take too much
The beach or the countryside, a country lane or a main road: the common denominator between them is Iranian women and girls removing their headscarves, raising them in the air joyously and taking photos of themselves to document the fleeting moment before anyone can see them and persecute them. A de
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Syrian National Coalition’s defense minister resigned on Monday, in another sign of the deep splits plaguing both the group and the Syrian opposition in general. As’ad Mustafa, who held the defense portfolio in the “interim government” set up by the Coalition—the pr
Bangkok, Reuters—Thailand’s army declared martial law nationwide on Tuesday to restore order after six months of street protests that have left the country without a proper functioning government, but denied that the surprise move amounted to a military coup. While troops patrolled parts of Ba
The late politician, poet and novelist Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, who served briefly as Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Health in 1984, mentions in one of his books about how he managed the ministry during a time when the Kingdom was not sure of how to address the issue of poor medical services. He wrote that whe
Azaz, Asharq Al-Awsat—Maybe it was force of habit or maybe it was lingering fear, but Fares still kept his most treasured photographs hidden away behind the sofa. He picked them out from their hiding place and carefully unrolled them on the table to reveal the faces of seven young men, martyrs of Az
Jeddah, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met with King Juan Carlos of Spain in Jeddah on Sunday to discuss ties between the two states. The Spanish monarch arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday for a three-day official visit. According to the official Saudi Pres
Washington, AP—The United States has brought first-of-its kind cyber-espionage charges against five Chinese military officials accused of hacking into US companies to gain trade secrets. According to an indictment announced on Monday, hackers targeted the US nuclear power, metals and solar products
London and Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Libyan government ordered members of loyalist militias to Tripoli on Monday, a day after fighters claiming loyalty to renegade general Khalifah Haftar stormed the parliament building in a show of support for his campaign against Islamist militias in Benghazi. Li
Manchester, AP—Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal was hired as Manchester United manager on Monday, tasked with repairing the damage from David Moyes’ disappointing 10 months in charge and reviving the fortunes of one of the world’s biggest clubs. The 62-year-old Dutchman has signed a thre
London, Reuters—Brent crude rose above 110 US dollars a barrel on Monday on renewed concerns over Libya’s oil output following some of the worst violence in Tripoli since the 2011 war against Muammar Gaddafi. Heavily armed men stormed Libya’s parliament on Sunday and demanded its suspens
Damascus, Asharq Al-Awsat—The head of the Syrian military’s air defense branch died on Sunday from wounds received the previous day in a battle for the village of Mleiha on the outskirts of Damascus. The death of the officer, Gen. Hussein Ishaq, was reported by Agence France-Presse and confirmed by
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab said on Sunday that the authorities would prevent any attempts to disrupt Egypt’s forthcoming presidential elections, a day after a bomb attack on an election rally injured four people. At a news conference in Aswan province, Mahlab said
Moscow, Reuters—Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered military forces to return to their permanent bases following drills in three regions bordering Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Monday. Putin’s office said he had issued the order because the spring maneuvers were over. The move could also be
London and Tehran, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that it was still “possible” to reach a comprehensive nuclear agreement in the negotiations with the world powers, despite little progress in the latest round of talks. The Iranian foreign min
Whenever fears mount and concern grows over a killer disease, a destructive war or a natural disaster—such as earthquakes, volcanoes or meteors hitting earth—people often ignore the simple, rational explanation for such phenomena, and more bizarre interpretations appeal to confused peopl
