Islamabad, AP—A bomb exploded near a convoy carrying former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf who is on trial for treason, but the former ruler was not harmed, a police official and his spokeswoman said on Thursday. Musharraf had survived multiple assassination attempts while he was in office. Wh
Sana’a and London, Asharq Al-Awsat—South Yemen’s old city of Aden lies in the crater of an inactive volcano on the southeastern side of the Aden peninsula. On the peninsula is one of the world’s largest natural harbors, with deep, crystal-clear waters. The potential of Aden, which stands at the inte
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Former Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said that US foreign policy has lost initiative in the Middle East due to public anger and lack of trust in Washington. In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, the well-known Egyptian statesman said that recent tensions between the
Khartoum, Reuters—Qatar will deposit 1 billion US dollars at Sudan’s central bank, Khartoum said on Wednesday, announcing an aid package to Sudan’s Islamist government that is likely to worsen Doha’s already tense relations with Egypt. The announcement by Finance Minister Badr El-D
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Addis Ababa confirmed on Wednesday that it is ready to open talks with Cairo on its Renaissance Dam project, following news that Egypt has formed a special legal committee to look at the possibility of securing international arbitration over the issue of Ethiopia’s Grand Renai
The movement of the British authorities toward outlawing the Muslim Brotherhood is a great catastrophe for the group—even greater than the Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi catastrophe. Reports say that British Prime Minister David Cameron has ordered an immediate investigation into the activities of Egypt
Beirut, Reuters—Syria’s civil war has inflicted such carnage that in some districts of Damascus, three quarters of homes have been damaged and more than 90 percent of residents say they need help to survive, according to a UN survey released on Wednesday. Three years of conflict have devastate
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Muslim Brotherhood has said it is fully prepared to cooperate with British authorities following the news that Prime Minister David Cameron has ordered an official investigation into the organization’s activities in the UK. Cameron’s office said on Tuesday that “the prime
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—Lebanon’s security forces launched a large-scale crackdown in Tripoli on Tuesday in a bid to restore peace and stability to the northern city, which has been the scene of escalating sectarian violence this week. The move is part of a government-approved plan to contain
Manchester and Barcelona, Reuters—Bayern Munich and Barcelona were held to 1-1 draws against Manchester United and Atletico Madrid respectively in their Champions League quarter-final first legs on Tuesday. Holders Bayern held at Old Trafford Holders Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw at a resili
Santiago, Reuters—A major earthquake of magnitude 8.2 struck off the coast of northern Chile on Tuesday, causing five deaths and triggering a tsunami that pounded the shore with 2-meter-tall waves. Officials said the dead included people who were crushed by collapsing walls or were killed by heart a
Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat—Tenders for subcontractors involved in the Saudi–Egyptian electricity grid project will be held later than initially planned, but the project is progressing on schedule, according to Gaber El-Desouky, the president of Egypt’s state-owned electricity company. Speaking to
Washington, Asharq Al-Awsat—For many foreigners, one of the most striking—yet often overlooked—features of the US political system is the impact that the US Congress can have on foreign policy. One of the key players in this regard is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the House of Representatives
London and Ramallah, Asharq Al-Awsat—The future of the US-sponsored Israel–Palestine peace process was thrown into doubt on Tuesday after the escalation of a dispute over an agreement to release a group of Palestinian prisoners. Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, citing Israeli delays in releasing
The battle for the coast is different to the other battles raging on our soil in Syria. In some areas, the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and other rebel factions are fighting a regular army dominated by a specific sectarian and religious group. This does not mean the FSA is fighting a specific sect or reli
The topic of the moment is still the ongoing tensions triggered by Russia’s unilateral annexation of Crimea following a hastily arranged referendum conducted under the close watch of pro-Russian militias. That crisis has diverted attention from the fact that the Syrian regime carries on using barrel
Beirut, Reuters—Lebanon’s parliament approved a law on Tuesday designed to curb domestic violence but activists said it had been watered down so much it would provide only limited protection for women. Meeting for the first time since a year-long political deadlock was broken last month with t
London, Asharq Al-Awsat—British Prime Minister David Cameron has ordered an official investigation into the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK, with the government saying it has received evidence linking the group’s members in London with attacks carried out in Egypt. Cameron’s office sa
There is a colloquial Egyptian expression that describes someone shouldering a heavy responsibility: they are said to “carry the night.” This accurately describes interim Egyptian President Adly Mansour, who will have completed almost a year in the country’s top executive post when he hands power to
Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat—Iraq’s elections campaign got under way on Tuesday, marking the end of a political crisis after members of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) withdrew their resignation following a row with the government. Disputes between the judiciary and the government over
