Latest World News

World Iranian lawmakers attend the New Iranian parliament inauguration ceremony at the parliament in Tehran, Iran, 27 May 2024. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

After Raisi Funeral, Iran's Focus Turns to Vote for Successor

After Iran mourned president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a recent helicopter crash, the nation's focus turns to an election next month for his successor, with…

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Leadership Conveys Condolences to Papua New Guinea over Landslide Victims

The Saudi leadership conveyed its sincere condolences and expressed its solidarity with Papua New Guinea over the victims of a landslide that took the lives of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Arab World Smoke rises on the Israeli side of its border with Lebanon following a rocket that was launched from Lebanon and fired towards Israel, amid ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, in northern Israel, May 26, 2024. (Reuters)

Israeli Strike in Southern Lebanon Kills 2 People Near Hospital, Officials Say 

An Israeli strike targeting a motorcycle in southern Lebanon hit next to a hospital entrance Monday, killing the motorcycle driver and a hospital security…

World People watch a television screen broadcasting the news of North Korea's alleged launch of their military spy satellite at a station in Seoul, South Korea, 28 May 2024. (EPA)

North Korean Rocket Carrying Its 2nd Spy Satellite Explodes Shortly After Launch 

A rocket launched by North Korea to deploy the country’s second spy satellite exploded shortly after liftoff Monday, state media reported, in a setback for…

Biden Tells Israel to Protect Civilians After Rafah Strike 

Arab World Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike on a camp for internally displaced people in Rafah on May 27, 2024, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group. (AFP)

Biden Tells Israel to Protect Civilians After Rafah Strike 

The Biden administration told Israel to take every precaution to protect civilians after a military strike in Rafah killed dozens of Palestinians, as it faced…


Arab World A Federal police vehicle is parked near a KFC fast food restaurant following an attack in Baghdad, Iraq May 27, 2024. (Reuters)

Two KFC Outlets Attacked in Baghdad Over Gaza War, Police Sources Say 

Two Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants were attacked in Baghdad over the past 48 hours, causing damage but no injuries, and Iraqi security forces arrested some…

Gulf  Palestinians put out a fire at the site of an Israeli strike on an area designated for displaced people, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 27, 2024. (Reuters)

GCC, MWL Condemn Israeli Attack on Tents of Displaced Palestinians in Rafah

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi strongly condemned on Monday Israel for bombing a United Nations Relief and…

Mystery Persists as Missing Swiss Paintings Reappear 

Culture A man walks past the entrance of the Kunsthaus Zurich art museum on March 14, 2023. (AFP)

Mystery Persists as Missing Swiss Paintings Reappear 

One of the Switzerland's top art museums announced Sunday the return of two paintings that went missing last year, refusing to provide details in a case still…


Culture Bahrain’s Information Minister, Dr. Ramzan bin Abdullah Al-Noaimi (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Bahrain Information Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: ‘Al Dana Drama Award’ Boosts Gulf TV Productions

Bahrain’s Information Minister, Dr. Ramzan bin Abdullah Al-Noaimi, said the “Al Dana Drama Award” award, the Gulf’s first for TV series, aims to support Gulf…

Mirza al-Khuweildi (Manama)
Culture Dr. Balu Natarajan, right, from Hinsdale, Ill., poses for a photograph with his son Atman Balakrishnan, 12, at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP)

US Spelling Bee Reflects Economic Success, Cultural Impact of Immigrants from India

When Balu Natarajan became the first Indian American champion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 1985, a headline on an Associated Press article read, …

Culture The flag of Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

King Saud University Signs Academic MoU with University of Tokyo

King Saud University and the University of Tokyo have signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen academic collaboration in physics,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture The flags of Arab countries flutter in Tripoli, Lebanon (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Lebanon’s Tripoli Begins 2024 Celebrations as Arab Culture Capital

Lebanon’s Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati kicked off the “Tripoli the Capital of Arab Culture” celebrations at a formal event held at the Rashid…

Sawsan Abtah (Beirut)

Teenagers Yamal and Cubarsi Included in Young Spain Squad for European Championship 

Sports Barcelona striker Lamine Yamal celebrates during the LaLiga match FC Barcelona vs Rayo Vallecano, in Barcelona, Spain, 19 May 2024. (EPA)

Teenagers Yamal and Cubarsi Included in Young Spain Squad for European Championship 

Spain is set to take a young squad to the European Championship, with teenagers Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi among the players picked by coach Luis de la…


Sports Soccer Football - Saudi Pro League - Al-Nassr v Al-Ittihad - Al-Awwal Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 27, 2024 Al-Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their second goal. (Reuters)

Ronaldo Sets Saudi Pro League Season Scoring Record While Al-Hilal Finishes Unbeaten 

Cristiano Ronaldo finished the Saudi Pro League by setting the season goal-scoring record on Monday. Ronaldo scored twice in Riyadh as Al-Nassr defeated Al…

Sports Aston Villa's Spanish head coach Unai Emery looks on ahead of kick-off in the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Aston Villa at Selhurst Park in south London on May 19, 2024. (AFP)

Unai Emery Signs New Contract at Aston Villa Until 2029 

Unai Emery signed a new contract with Aston Villa on Monday that keeps him at the Premier League club until 2029. Emery took charge in October 2022 with…

Sports Serbia's Novak Djokovic listen to a question during a press conference ahead his first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Sunday, May 26, 2024. (AP)

Djokovic Doubters Await as Title Defense Begins at Roland Garros 

World number one Novak Djokovic will be the main attraction at Roland Garros on Tuesday when he begins his French Open title defense against Pierre-Hugues…

Sports The flag of Saudi Arabia (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi U-23 National Team Participates in Toulon Tournament in France

The Saudi under-23 national team will participate in the Maurice Revello Tournament Toulon Tournament, in France from June 1 to 16, the Saudi Press Agency said…

Asharq Al Awsat

Philippines Deploys River Rangers in Battle Against Plastic 

Varieties In this photo taken on December 27, 2023 a man works on an excavator at a waste recovery facility in Paranaque, Metro Manila. (AFP)

Philippines Deploys River Rangers in Battle Against Plastic 

Using a long-handled net, Ronnel Narvas scoops up discarded plastic soft drink bottles, shopping bags and palm-sized sachets as he wades through a foul…


Varieties A worker sets up a huge black screen on a stretch of sidewalk at Fujikawaguchiko town, Yamanashi prefecture, central Japan Tuesday, May 21, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)

Holes Poked in Mount Fuji Barrier, Japan Town Says 

A Japanese town that mounted a huge barrier to deter unruly tourists from taking photos of Mount Fuji said Tuesday that around 10 small holes have already been…

Varieties  People cool off at Angori dam on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, 27 May 2024. (EPA)

Pakistan Temperatures Cross 52 C in Heatwave

Temperatures rose above 52 degrees Celsius (125.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in Pakistan’s southern province of Sindh, the highest reading of the summer and close to…

Varieties  People compete in the annual Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling competition in Brockworth, Britain May 27, 2024. (Reuters)

Chasing Cheese Wheels or Lugging Sacks of Wool, UK Competitors Embrace Quirky Extreme Races

Dairy-loving daredevils threw caution to the wind Monday for one of Britain’s most extreme annual events: Cheese rolling. Cheered by several thousand…

Varieties This handout picture taken and released on May 21, 2024 by the Indonesian Geological Agency shows Mount Ibu spewing volcanic ash as seen from the monitoring post in West Halmahera, North Maluku. (Photo by Indonesian Geological Agency / AFP)

Indonesia’s Mt Ibu Erupts as Agency Warns Local Aviation Authorities 

A volcano on the remote Indonesian island of Halmahera erupted on Monday spewing a grey ash cloud six kms (four miles) into the sky, the country's volcanology…