US President Donald Trump is expected to announced on Friday a new policy on relations with Cuba to counter some of the decisions made by his predecessor Barack Obama. The previous US administration had taken great efforts to normalize ties between Washington and Havana and US Secretary of State Rex
As insurgents are making advances on the ground in Afghanistan, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres declared on Wednesday that there is no military solution to the conflict in the country. He made his remarks on an unannounced visit to the war-torn country. Guterres’ first visit
A gunman opened fire on Republican members of Congress practicing for a charity baseball game this morning at Eugene Simpson Stadium Park in Alexandria, Virginia, police, and witnesses said. At least five people were injured, including House of Representatives Majority Whip Steve Scalise. The city&#
Tunis – The Tunisian presidency extended on Wednesday the country’s state of emergency for four months. “President Beji Caid Essebsi decided on Wednesday to extend the state of emergency for four months starting from Thursday, June 15,” his office said on Facebook. The state of emergency
Saudi Arabia and Bahrain agreed on a plan to build a new road and rail causeway between the two countries and they hope private firms and the state can share the costs, risks and profits. The new connection will help ease congestion on the existing link and will seek funding from the private sector,
Aden – Yemeni security forces announced arresting a senior militia leader in Marib east of the country, said officials. Military sources revealed that national army units were able to comb through remaining territory of the Nihm district, in the eastern region of rebel-held Sana’a. Arres
Paris – In his first official visit outside Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron will arrive in Rabat on Wednesday to meet with King Mohammed VI. The visit was seen as an initiative by the new French president to stress his keenness to preserve excellent relations with the African country. In pa
Moscow – A Russian official said that the next round of Astana talks on Syria would be held in early July, noting that the meeting, which was supposed to be held in June, was delayed due to the holy month of Ramadan. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Tuesday that the next roun
British Prime Minister Theresa May will continue on Wednesday her efforts to garner the supports she needs to allow her minority government to survive as European Union officials grow disgruntled in the delay in the start of Brexit talks. Following the loss of her parliamentary majority in last week
Dammam- Saudi Arabia’s Interior ministry announced initial investigation results on the June 1 car-bombing in Qatif. DNA testing identified the two suicide-terrorists as Fadhel Abdullah Mohammed Al Hamada, Saudi national and Mohammed Hassan Al Suwaimal also a Saudi national. The interior ministry sp
Rabat- Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday to deliver a message from King Mohammed VI to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, within efforts to resolve the crisis between Gulf countries and Qatar. Earlier on Tuesday, the Emir of Kuwait,
Paris – France is working on devising a political-diplomatic initiative on the war on Syria. To that end it has been intensifying contacts on all sides, whether with the United States, Russia, members of the European Union or countries of the Arab Gulf. Official French sources told Asharq Al-Awsat t
Beirut – Oil and gas extraction and export topped the discussions of Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades with Lebanese officials in Beirut, amid expectations that Cyprus would assume coordination on fuel extraction in the Middle East, in light of the absence of any relation or communication between
London- Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reiterated his concerns on polarization taking a toll on the country over political rifts among officials, labeling the situation as grave. Khamenei made clear threats on ousting former president Abolhassan Banisadr from Iranian politics. Evoking the memory
Cairo – The Egyptian parliament will vote on Wednesday on a Saudi-Egyptian agreement to demarcate the marine borders. The parliament’s legislative committee had approved the deal, signed last year, on Tuesday. It passed with 35 lawmakers for and eight against. It was then sent to the Committee on De
London, Gaza – The militant Hamas movement announced on Tuesday that it was taking stricter security measures along the Egyptian border of the Gaza Strip. The decision was made a day after a Hamas delegation had held talks in Cairo with Egyptian authorities on security issues. A spokesman for the Ha
Ramallah – Palestinian intelligence chief Majed Faraj sounded accusations on Tuesday over Hamas being unwarrantedly involved in crisis in the region, in a thinly-veiled hint to the recent diplomatic crisis with Qatar. “Palestinian Authorities have sided with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and
Ankara – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Tuesday for Gulf measures to be taken to end the crisis with Qatar. He demanded that Saudi Arabia use its clout as the largest Gulf state to resolve the crisis, reiterating his stance that the accusations over Doha’s support of terrorism were
Washington – US President Donald Trump’s tweets would be preserved as presidential records if a Democratic lawmaker’s proposed COVFEFE Act becomes law. Representative Mike Quigley of Illinois introduced on Monday an Act that would amend the Presidential Records Act and require the
London – The US ambassador in Qatar announced on Tuesday that she was leaving her post in Doha. Dana Shell Smith announced on Twitter: “This month, I end my 3 years as US Ambassador to #Qatar. It has been the greatest honor of my life and I’ll miss this great country.” She did not explain [&he
