Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—“It was first decided to impose a car ban because the street is specially designated for pedestrians . . . it is in actual fact an open-air museum.” This was the opinion of the officials from the Cairo governorate who are now supervising the renovations of the c
Unfortunately, once again the Turkish government has fallen into the trap of overconfidence, not just in its domestic politics but also its foreign policy. The latest victory of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in local elections has only contributed to the party and Prime Minister Recep Tayy
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid his first visit abroad after winning the March 30 local elections by travelling to Azerbaijan on April 4. Before leaving for the capital Baku he told a press conference at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport he was happy to see that the foreign policy his gove
Tripoli, Asharq Al-Awsat—One of the sons of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi appeared by video link at the latest session of his trial on Sunday, together with several other former regime figures on trial for their role in the bloody events of the 2011 uprising. Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, dresse
Mayflower, Arkansas, AP—A tornado system ripped through several states in the central US and left at least 17 dead in a violent start to this year’s storm season, officials said. The tornado touched down Sunday about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of Little Rock, Arkansas, then carved an 80-mil
London, Reuters—Brent crude oil slipped below 110 US dollars a barrel on Monday, consolidating near seven-week highs as the United States imposed more sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis. Signs that Libya may soon reopen a small oil port helped take some pressure off the crude market, trader
London, Dubai and Amman, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraq’s military, police, and medical staff began to cast votes in the country’s general election on Monday, despite attempts by militants to disrupt this week’s polls. A string of attacks were reported on security checkpoints and polling stations across the c
Algiers, Reuters—Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was sworn in for a fourth five-year term on Monday after he easily won an election opponents dismissed as fraudulently returning the ailing 77-year-old to power. State television showed Bouteflika sitting in a wheelchair to take the oat
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—Lebanese politicians have failed to guarantee a quorum for Wednesday’s parliamentary session, which is set to make another attempt to elect a successor for President Michel Suleiman. Under Lebanon’s complex, confessional-based political system, in which top political posts ar
Amman and Abu Dhabi, Reuters—War and drought have crippled Syria’s wheat crop, with some experts now forecasting output of the staple food could fall to around a third of pre-war levels, and possibly even below 1 million tons for the first time in 40 years. Agricultural experts, traders and Sy
Manila and Slaviansk, Reuters—US President Barack Obama announced new sanctions against some Russians on Monday in an attempt to stop President Vladimir Putin from fomenting the rebellion in eastern Ukraine, but held off from broad measures that would hit Russia’s economy. The new sanctions, t
Iraq under presidents Abdul Salam and Abdul Rahman Arif—the brothers who ruled the country from 1963 to 1968—was not an oppressive police state. This was especially true of Abdul Rahman, who was moderate and honest, or as some politicians prefer to describe him, “weak.” Nevertheless, the
For the political elites in the Arab world to accept the idea that their societies are witnessing a real period of tribulation whose consequences cannot be postponed, they not only have to rethink the nature of their development policies, but also adopt political reforms and develop freedoms in thei
Libya has made the transition from dictatorship, but it is now an anarchy calling itself a democracy. The chaos enveloping it was once also seen in neighboring Tunisia, where new democratic ambitions were struggling to take root amid counterrevolution, an economic crisis and rising terrorism. Early
Cairo, Reuters—An Egyptian court will on Monday pass final judgment on 529 Muslim Brotherhood supporters sentenced to death last month, in a case that has provoked outrage among Western governments and rights groups. The preliminary death sentences were issued on March 24—just two days after t
Vatican City, Reuters—Pope Francis proclaimed his predecessors John XXIII and John Paul II saints in front of more than half a million pilgrims on Sunday, hailing both as courageous men who withstood the tragedies of the 20th century. Cheers and applause rang out across St Peter’s Square after
Kuala Lumpur/Slaviansk, Reuters—US President Barack Obama said on Sunday that the United States and Europe must join forces to impose sanctions on Russia to stop it destabilizing Ukraine, where armed pro-Russian separatists were for a third day holding eight international observers prisoner. Washing
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—Both the Syrian government and opposition forces claimed to be making progress in the fight for the country’s largest city, Aleppo, on Saturday and Sunday. Syrian rebels claim they have taken control of the city’s main court complex, the Palace of Justice, next to the headqua
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi accused the Iraqi government of targeting his political party’s supporters during its attempts to end the crisis in Anbar in a wide-ranging interview with Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday. Allawi, the leader of the Wataniya parliamentary bl
Baghdad, AP—Two attacks killed at least six people on Saturday in the Iraqi capital, where police also discovered nine bodies, some of them riddled with bullets, officials said. The bloodshed comes a day after a coordinated bomb attack on a campaign rally for a militant Shi’a group killed at least 3
