The Latest Breaking News from Asharq AlAwsat

Skyrocketing prices coupled with a lack of citizens’ purchasing power have left Damascene markets in the doldrums and prevented most locals in the Syrian capital from the traditional conviviality accompanying the advent of Islam’s holy month of fasting, Ramadan. Touring the Al-Midan neighborhood market, also known as “Al-Jazmatia,” Asharq Al-Awsat…

Kanan Makiya, Iraqi architect and author of the “Republic of Fear” (1989), a best-selling book after Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, described the Baathist regime in Iraq as “exceptional” in terms of totalitarian and authoritarian rule in the world. Overthrowing Saddam’s regime in Iraq was a matter of “morality, not…

Participants in the security meeting of Sharm El Sheikh have stressed the urgency of achieving calm in the Palestinian territories. They reiterated in a statement on Sunday their commitment to reinforce the security and stability of Israelis and Palestinians, expressing their will to hold another meeting in Egypt. Egyptian, Jordanian,…

The Saudi Finance Ministry terminated some services for financial claims through "Etimad," a government platform that supports a partnership between the public and private sectors to achieve development goals and facilitate service procedures. Asharq Al-Awsat learned that the authorities intend to stop the service permanently at the end of next…

Former Jordanian Prime Minister Ali Abu Al-Ragheb revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat, and for the first time, the behind-the-scenes dealings related to the build up of the US invasion of Iraq in March 2003. Jordan had repeatedly warned decision-makers in the West that chaos would reign in Iraq should the invasion…

Former French Ambassador Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, who recently published a remarkable book entitled "The Others Don't Think Like Us," experienced the US invasion of Iraq "first hand." Gourdault-Montagne served as the diplomatic adviser to late French President Jacques Chirac and his representative at the G7 and G20 in the summer of…

The Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and the head of the interim unity government, Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, are having "undisclosed" understandings to coordinate security and military cooperation ahead of the postponed presidential and parliamentary elections, according to informed sources. The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the…

Meeting the veteran diplomat, Amr Moussa, always clarifies historical events, especially that for decades, he was a maker and a witness to the course of Arab politics, whether as the head of Egyptian diplomacy (1991-2001) or during 2001-2011 when he was the Arab League Secretary-General. In an interview with Asharq…

Gulf businesswomen participating at the 5th Gulf Businesswomen Forum 2023 called for creating a platform that brings them together to share aspirations, plans, and investment opportunities. They said it would support their businesses and encourage them to move assets and enter the industry. More than 1,000 prominent figures from Gulf…

The Mauritanian authorities announced that an anti-terrorism military unit carried out a special operation in a remote desert area, killing three of the four al-Qaeda members who escaped from the central prison in Nouakchott a week ago. The fleeing prisoners were apprehended about 400 km northeast of the capital en…

A Yemeni official revealed that the new round of negotiations over a prisoner swap with the Iran-backed Houthi militias reached an agreement to review and confirm the names of individuals who will be released in the next exchange. They will also hold talks to add more names to the list.…