Sana’a, Asharq Al-Awsat—Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi said that it will take Yemen years to completely eradicate Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) from the country, as Yemeni military forces continue a massive offensive against the militant group in the country’s south. In comments
Kabul, Asharq Al-Awsat—“Nations remain alive if they preserve their history and culture.” These are the words that greet visitors to Afghanistan’s National Museum, located near what remains of Kabul’s once-lavish Darulaman Palace, now lying in ruins after being damaged during the Soviet invasion in
Is the unfurling drama in Ukraine hiding a potentially bigger crisis in Russia? The question is not fanciful. Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has entered uncharted waters as potentially deadly storms gather on the horizon. Putin’s stewardship of Russian affairs can be studied in three phases.
The worst violence in six years defined the backdrop for the Iraqi elections in April. The vote, the first to take place since the US troop withdrawal in 2011, briefly pushed the beleaguered country back onto the news agenda. Before then, it seemed that only particularly bloody days would register i
Donetsk and Moscow, Reuters—Pro-Moscow separatists in eastern Ukraine ignored a public call by Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone a referendum on self-rule, declaring they will go ahead on Sunday with a vote that could lead to war. The decision, which contradicted the conciliatory tone set
Abuja, Reuters—Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan pledged on Thursday to find more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist rebels, as the hostage crisis overshadowed his opening address to a major conference designed to showcase investment opportunities in Africa’s biggest economy. Speakin
Jeddah and Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabia has ruled out a ban on camel imports amid a crackdown on unlicensed animal dealers and growing fears of the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) across the Kingdom. To date a total of 449 Saudi citizens have been diagnosed with the disease
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—Prime Minister Tammam Salam warned against a “presidential vacuum” in Lebanon after lawmakers on Wednesday failed for the third time to elect a successor to President Michel Suleiman, whose term in office ends on May 25. In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat following Wednesda
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—The head of the Syrian National Coalition, Ahmed Jarba, repeated his calls for Western powers to supply Syria’s rebels with arms on a visit to Washington, DC, on Wednesday, but ruled out calls for direct Western intervention in the conflict. Speaking at an event organized by
The last session of Lebanon’s national dialogue under the guidance of President Michel Suleiman came to a close on Monday. As was expected, the March 8 alliance boycotted the session, objecting to the outgoing president’s decision that Lebanon truly is a “state” and that he was entrusted with its we
Donetsk, Reuters—Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on pro-Moscow separatists in Ukraine to postpone a vote on secession just five days before it was to be held, potentially pulling Ukraine back from the brink of violent dismemberment. It is the first sign the Kremlin leader has given that
Erbil, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group is in complete control of the city of Fallujah and there are no government forces within the city limits, former Iraqi finance minister and deputy prime minister Rafie Al-Issawi told Asharq Al-Awsat. Issawi,
The most recent meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) seemed to confirm the idea that the party is not overly keen on seeing President Abdullah Gül extend his term in office, which is set to end this summer. Gül himself has stated, on more than one occ
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Mounir Fakhry Abdel Nour is one the 20 ministers who survived Egypt’s cabinet reshuffle in March, which saw Hazem El-Beblawi replaced by Ibrahim Mahlab as premier. As Egypt’s Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment, he has a tough job on his hands as the country struggles
Warsaw, Reuters—NATO’s Secretary General Anders Rasmussen called on Russia on Wednesday to stop supporting separatists in Ukraine and scale back troops from Ukraine’s border to create a base for political solution to the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Speaking after a meeting with Polish forei
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif appeared before a committee of Iran’s parliament on Tuesday to face questions from Iranian lawmakers about his controversial remarks on the Holocaust and the state of Iran’s military. The summons took place a week before the resump
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—Syrian rebels evacuated the city of Homs on Wednesday, as part of an UN-brokered deal between the Syrian government and its opponents. Videos showing rebel fighters boarding buses and leaving Homs’s Old City appeared on social network websites on Wednesday morning, as well as
Ramallah, Asharq Al-Awsat—It is premature to talk about the failure of the latest round of US-backed Palestinian–Israeli peace talks, senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Asharq Al-Awsat. Erekat said the Palestinian negotiating team remains in contact with Washington over reviving th
Beirut, AP—Lebanese lawmakers affiliated with a Hezbollah-led alliance boycotted a third round of voting in parliament on Wednesday, once again foiling an attempt to elect the country’s new president. It was the third time in less than a month that Lebanon’s legislators failed to elect a
Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday it had apprehended the first terrorist cell affiliated to the outlawed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group, arresting a total of 62 suspects, including 35 Saudi nationals previously detained on terrorist-related charges. Riyadh desig
