Latest World News

World Residents secure spots for their boats near the Sydney Opera House ahead of the New Year's Eve fireworks display in Sydney on December 31, 2025. (AFP)

World Bids Farewell to 2025, a Year of Trump, Truces and Turmoil

New Year's Eve revelers celebrated the end of 2025 on Wednesday, waving goodbye to 12 months packed with Trump tariffs, a Gaza truce and vain hopes for peace…

World Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) chairs a meeting to discuss Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine, as Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, First Deputy Defense Minister Valery Gerasimov (R) sits nearby, at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 29 December 2025. (EPA/Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool)

Russia’s Gerasimov Says Putin Ordered Ukraine Buffer Zone Expansion in 2026

Russia’s top general said its forces were pressing forward in northeastern Ukraine and President Vladimir ​Putin had ordered expansion of territory Moscow…

World This handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Emergency Service on December 25, 2025, shows damaged building on fire following an alleged air attack in Odesa region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Handout /Ukrainian Emergency Service / AFP)

Four Injured, Including Three Children in Russian Attack on Odesa, Ukraine Says

Russia launched an overnight drone attack on ​Ukraine’s Odesa region, damaging residential buildings and infrastructure and injuring four people, including…

Arab World A US military patrol is seen in northeastern Syria. (Reuters file)

Nearly 25 ISIS Fighters Killed or Captured in Syria, US Military Says

The US military said Tuesday that nearly 25 operatives of the ISIS group were killed or captured in Syria this month following an ambush that killed two US…

Saudi Govt: Escalation in Yemen Not Aligned with UAE’s Pledges

Gulf Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs the cabinet meeting in Riyadh. (SPA)

Saudi Govt: Escalation in Yemen Not Aligned with UAE’s Pledges

The Saudi government reiterated on Tuesday that the Kingdom “will not hesitate in taking the necessary steps and measures to confront any violation or threat…


Gulf Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah. SPA

Saudi FM, Rubio Discuss Developments in Yemen

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah has held a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the situation…

Asharq Al Awsat (Rubio)
World Israeli soldiers mourn reservist Master sergeant Asaf Cafri, 26, who was killed in Israel's ground operation in the Gaza Strip, during his funeral. (AP)

Israel Grants Special Status to Soldiers Who Died by Suicide During War on Gaza

The Israeli army and the Defense Ministry announced that they will grant the special status of “died after service” to soldiers who served in the war on Gaza…

Asharq Al Awsat (Tel Aviv)

Cultural Camp at King Abdulaziz Camel Festival Showcases Saudi Heritage

Culture The camp celebrates authentic Saudi heritage and reinforces culture as a cornerstone of national identity - SPA

Cultural Camp at King Abdulaziz Camel Festival Showcases Saudi Heritage

The cultural camp is a key feature of the 10th King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, held in Al-Sayahid desert. The camp celebrates authentic Saudi heritage and…

Asharq Al Awsat

Culture The 2026 edition features a month-long live sculpting phase alongside a community engagement program - SPA

Tuwaiq Sculpture 2026 Announces 25 Participating Artists for Seventh Edition

Under the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and Riyadh Art, Tuwaiq Sculpture has announced the selection of 25 artists for the seventh edition of the annual…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture Arabic calligraphy adorns wrcades, Walls of the Grand Mosque of Makkah - SPA

ALECSO Celebrates Opening of Arabic Calligraphy Center in Saudi Arabia

The Arab League of Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) congratulated Saudi Arabia on the opening of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture The "Hegra After Dark" cultural event in AlUla. (SPA)

‘Hegra After Dark’ Event Showcases AlUla's History through the Ages

The "Hegra After Dark" cultural event in AlUla provides an interactive evening featuring live performances, storytelling, and diverse flavors. It highlights…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture The school focuses on empowering girls, teaching craft skills rooted in ancestral trades and presenting them in modern ways that create sustainable and creative opportunities - SPA

Madrasat Addeera Empowers AlUla Youth Through Traditional Crafts

Madrasat Addeera in AlUla Governorate offers specialized training programs and workshops to develop the skills of local youth in traditional crafts and arts,…

Asharq Al Awsat

Villa's Emery Downplays Missed Handshake with Arteta

Sports Aston Villa's Spanish manager Unai Emery gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium in London on December 30, 2025. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)

Villa's Emery Downplays Missed Handshake with Arteta

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery played down the absence of the traditional post-match handshake with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on Tuesday after his side’s 4-1…

Asharq Al Awsat

Sports Japanese forward Kazuyoshi Miura of Suzuka plays in a JFL soccer match against Oita in Suzuka, central Japan, July 14, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP, File)

Life Begins at 59 for the Globe's Oldest Professional Soccer Player

He turns 59 in February, and the globe's oldest professional soccer player has a new club as he gets set for his 41st season. This is of course Kazuyoshi…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports  Sudan's players pose for the team picture before the Africa Cup of Nations group E soccer match between Algeria and Sudan in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025. (AP)

Sudan Dream of AFCON Glory as Conflict Rages at Home

When war broke out in Sudan in April 2023, Ammar Taifour was in a training camp with his club Al Merrikh in Khartoum. "I just remember the surprise, the…

Sports This comes as part of ongoing preparations to host the global sporting event - SPA

Prince Abdul Mohsin Airport Receives First Dakar Rally 2026 Arrivals

Prince Abdul Mohsin bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Yanbu has received the first arrivals of competitors participating in the Dakar Rally 2026, as part…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Pakistan’s ODI’s team captain Shaheen Shah Afridi attends a press conference, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)

Knee Injury for Shaheen Shah Afridi Forces Early Exit from Big Bash League

A knee injury has forced fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi to return home after playing four games for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League. “Due to an…

Asharq Al Awsat

Infant Screen Exposure Shapes Long-Term Brain Changes and Teen Anxiety, Study Finds  

Varieties The study concluded that children exposed to high levels of screen time before age two are exposed to endure adolescent mental health. (The University of Queensland)

Infant Screen Exposure Shapes Long-Term Brain Changes and Teen Anxiety, Study Finds  

Children exposed to high levels of screen time before age two showed changes in brain development that were linked to slower decision-making and increased…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)

Varieties Explosive activity concentrates at the north-east crater of the Mount Etna, as an eruption started on Dec. 24 continues, in Sicily, Italy, Monday Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Salvatore Allegra)

Indonesia Raises Alert for Mount Bur Ni Telong Volcano after Spike of Activity

Indonesian authorities have raised the alert level for the Mount Bur Ni Telong volcano in the country’s westernmost province of Aceh to its second highest…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties A general view of the melting Lewis Glacier in Mount Kenya National Park on March 7, 2025. (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP)

Regional Temperature Records Broken Across the World in 2025

Central Asia, the Sahel region and northern Europe experienced their hottest year on record in 2025, according to AFP analysis based on data from the European…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties AlUla’s participation in Gulf Wildlife Day reflects its ongoing commitment to protecting its natural resources. SPA

Saudi Arabia: AlUla Showcase its Environmental Diversity on Gulf Wildlife Day

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Governorate showcased its environmental wealth and natural diversity during its participation in Gulf Wildlife Day, highlighting its…

Asharq Al Awsat (AlUla)
Varieties  Police officers stand in front of the savings bank branch in the Buer district in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025 following a break-in into the bank's vault. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa via AP)

Thieves Drill into a German Bank Vault and Steal Tens of Millions of Euros Worth of Property

Thieves stole tens of millions of euros worth of property from safety deposit boxes inside a German bank vault that they drilled into Monday during the holiday…