Baghdad– Disparity among Iraqi forces surfaced following the “suspicious” deal between Lebanese Hezbollah and Syrian regime from one side, and ISIS from the other. The deal granted ISIS militants a safe exit from the Syrian-Lebanese borders towards the Syrian Deir Ezzor, near the borders with Iraq’s
Ankara- International credit rating agency Moody’s has upgraded its year-end growth forecast for Turkey in 2017 from 2.6 percent to 3.7 percent. Turkish exports will exceed $155 billion in 2017 and the target for 2018 will be to reach $170 billion, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci said last mon
Al-Khobar– Saudi Aramco is using new technology to re-explore areas of the desert Empty Quarter, which could help enhance its reserves of oil and gas before the company offers its shares to the public. In a statement issued, Aramco explained that a team of about 900 people is using advanced seismic
Beirut- Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said on Thursday he had traveled to Damascus to meet head of Syrian regime Bashar al-Assad to request the evacuation of ISIS militants from their enclave on the Syrian-Lebanese borders. “I personally met with President Bashar al-Assad… I went to h
Irbil, Baghdad- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared on Thursday victory over terror group ISIS’ militants in Tal Afar and the entire province of Nineveh. “Tal Afar has been liberated,” Abadi said in a statement. “We say to the ISIS fighters: wherever you are, we are coming for you, and you
Ramallah- Israeli authorities raided and shut down a Palestinian radio station for six months for allegedly “inciting terrorist attacks” early on Thursday in the southern occupied West Bank. Israeli soldiers raided Al-Hurriya (Freedom) Media Company and destroyed, damaged, and confiscated vari
Kuwait– Kuwait’s Emiri Diwan said on Thursday that Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah would travel to Washington on Friday for talks with US President Donald Trump. According to a statement published by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the Emir of Kuwait will meet with Trump on September 7. Kuwait em
Holy Sites– The level of services provided by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to all pilgrims during Hajj and Umrah is a clear message to anyone doubting the country, according to Chechnya Deputy Mufti for foreign relations Torko Dawdov. Dawdov praised the security services provided during Hajj which sh
Cairo- Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdul-Malek al-Mekhlafi has said that the latest clashes between militias of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh and head of Ansar Allah group Abdul Malik al-Houthi in Sana’a “are a natural outcome of an illegal marriage or a so-called passion of the snakes.” In commen
Tel Aviv- UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday condemned the recent white supremacist rally in the United States as well as “political figures who exploit fear to win votes,” hinting at US President Donald Trump Speaking at the end of a three-day visit to Israel, the West Bank and the
Dubai- Russia reiterated on Thursday its support for Kuwaiti mediation efforts concerning the Qatar crisis but said it had not made any specific proposals “different” from the proposals currently being put forward, particularly initiatives presented by Kuwait and the United States. Russi
London- Former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on Wednesday described infighting and widening rift among coup ranks in Sana’a an act of “sedition.” Saleh, leading a party of armed loyalists partaking in a nation-wide insurgency, demanded that investigations be conducted over the killing of Offic
Geneva, Caracas- The UN human rights office of the high commissioner accused on Wednesday Venezuela of extensive human rights violations and abuses in the context of anti-Government protests, questioning whether democracy was still functioning at all in the crisis-torn country. President Nicolas Mad
Beirut- Lebanese President Michel Aoun declared Lebanon’s victory over terrorism, calling on the Lebanese to be proud of their army and security forces. He underlined the need “to take advantage of the victory to consolidate rapprochement and prevent political strife.” His remarks came during a news
Gaza- Hamas security services in the Gaza Strip released three Fatah Movement supporters within the framework of an agreement with the faction of Mohammed Dahlan, a leader dismissed from Fatah, in a sign of consolidated alliance between the two parties. Well-informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat tha
Barcelona (Spain) – Contrary to popular belief, consuming a higher amount of fat is associated with a lower risk of death compared to lower intakes, a Canadian study has found. However, a diet high in carbohydrates is related to higher mortality, although not with the risk of cardiovascular di
Al Mashaer Al Moqadasa – More than 2.5 million pilgrims are standing at Arafat on Thursday – a dignified spectacle of worshippers praying that God accepts their deeds, forgive their sins and grant mercy to the deceased, after the completion of Mina rituals on Wednesday. Custodian of the Two Holy Mos
Beirut– The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called upon Lebanese authorities to fulfill their obligations to uncover the fate of those who went missing during conflicts in Lebanon and to provide answers to their families. “We have been constantly reminding authorities of their r
New York- The United Nations adviser on the prevention of genocide, Adama Dieng , has expressed deep concern at the deteriorating situation of civilians trapped in Syria’s Raqqa. “I am deeply disturbed by reports coming out of Raqqa of the horrendous situation faced by civilians caught up in t
London- King Abdullah II of Jordan said Tuesday he hopes that a recent ceasefire in southern Syria will spread to other parts of the country to lead to a negotiated peace. “In Syria, we hope that the ceasefire in the southwest will be replicated elsewhere in the country, easing the way for a p
