Latest World News

Gulf The holy sites were marked by organization and harmony, in a scene that embodied the combined efforts of the various participating bodies. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia Declares This Year’s Hajj an Exceptional Success

Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of the Makkah region, announced on Friday the “exceptional” success of this year’s Hajj, saying it was…

Omar al-Badwi (Holy sites) Ibrahim al-Qurashi (Holy sites)
Arab World  Smoke billows from southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Nabatieh, Lebanon, May 29, 2026. (Reuters)

Aoun Tells Rubio That Israel Truce Crucial to Talks Progress as Netanyahu Says Troops Crossed Litani

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday that a ceasefire with Israel was crucial, as Israeli and Lebanese military…

World In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends the extended-format meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) at the Palace of Independence in Astana on May 29, 2026. (AFP)

Putin Says It’s Too Early to Say if the Drone Which Strayed into Romania Was Russian

Russian ‌President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that it was too early to say if the drone which crashed into an apartment block in Romania was Russian…

Arab World  29 May 2026, Palestinian Territories, Dair al-Balah: Palestinians inspect the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip. (dpa)

Hamas Calls Netanyahu’s Plan to Expand Control in Gaza a Dangerous Escalation

Hamas said on Friday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's declaration that his country would expand its area of control in Gaza was a dangerous…

Trump to Decide Imminently on Iran Deal, Says Hormuz Strait Must Open

World US President Donald Trump looks on during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 27 May 2026. (EPA)

Trump to Decide Imminently on Iran Deal, Says Hormuz Strait Must Open

US President Donald Trump said he would make a final decision on Friday over a deal with Iran to extend their ceasefire that would need to include opening the…


Arab World  Rubble lies around damaged building at the site of an Israeli strike in Tyre, Lebanon, May 28, 2026. (Reuters)

Eleven Children Killed, Injured Every 24 Hours in Lebanon, UN Says

Eleven children have been killed or injured on average every 24 hours in Lebanon over the last week, the UN's children's agency said on Friday, as Israel has…

Arab World  Palestinian women inspect the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)

Israel Plan to Seize More of Gaza Means ‘More Children Will Suffer’, Says UN

The UN warned on Friday that an Israeli plan to take control of 70 percent of Gaza is sure to increase suffering among children already hit by the impacts of…

Egypt Discovers Rare Reservoirs, Buildings at Ancient Aydhab Port in Halaib

Culture A collection of archaeological finds and fragments of Chinese porcelain (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)

Egypt Discovers Rare Reservoirs, Buildings at Ancient Aydhab Port in Halaib

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced Thursday the discovery of massive water reservoirs and cisterns, along with rare buildings and service…

Fathiya al-Dakhakhni (Cairo)

Culture  Many Saudis say traditional dishes remain an essential part of Eid celebrations. (Ministry of Tourism)

Modern Dishes Challenge Traditional Eid al-Adha Breakfasts in Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, the smell of liver and muqalqal drifting from family kitchens on the morning of Eid al-Adha has long been part of the holiday ritual, closely…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Culture United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio poses with his wife, Jeanette Rubio, during their visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, Monday, May 25, 2026. Pool via Reuters

As Iran Diplomacy Picks Up, Rubio Tours Taj Mahal

As diplomacy intensifies on ending the Iran war, top US diplomat Marco Rubio was spending Monday not in negotiations but at India's world-famous monument to…

Culture People walk along the Seine river next to "The Pont Neuf Cave," an inflated art installation by French street artist JR, on Paris' oldest bridge, the Pont Neuf, Thursday, May 21, 2026, which will be open to the public from June 6-28. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

French Artist Begins Giant ‘Cave’ Art Inflation Over Paris’ Oldest Bridge

The oldest bridge in Paris has begun to vanish this week, as the artist JR — who is known as the “French Banksy” — began inflating a giant “cave” over the Pont…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture The 'Winston Churchill: The Painter' exhibition opens on Saturday at the Wallace Collection in London. Justin TALLIS / AFP

Winston Churchill's 'Playful' Paintings Go on Show in London

As Britain's wartime leader, Winston Churchill was known for his stirring speeches, but a new London exhibition explores another side to his creativity -- as a…

Asharq Al Awsat

Deschamps Bidding to End Glorious France Reign on a High at World Cup

Sports France head coach Didier Deschamps, right, instructs his players after their second goal during the UEFA Nations League match between France and Belgium at the Groupama stadium in Decines, outside Lyon, France, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP)

Deschamps Bidding to End Glorious France Reign on a High at World Cup

After a remarkable 14-year spell in charge capped by one World Cup triumph and another run to the final, Didier Deschamps is hoping to go out on a high as he…


Sports Football - Manchester City FA Cup and Carabao Cup Victory Parade - Manchester, Britain - May 25, 2026 Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates with the Premier League trophy after the victory parade. (Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff)

Norway’s Natural-Born Goalscorer Haaland Finally Gets Global Stage

Erling Haaland propelled Norway back to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years and spearheads a golden generation ready to thrive on the global stage. …

Sports Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi waves to supporters as he warms up ahead of a friendly football match between Argentina and Zambia at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires on March 31, 2026. (AFP)

Can Messi Deliver Again for Argentina at His Final World Cup?

Lionel Messi will turn 39 during the upcoming World Cup and could have been forgiven for quitting international football after leading Argentina to glory in…

Sports Football - Premier League - Crystal Palace v Arsenal - Selhurst Park, London, Britain - May 24, 2026 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrates with the trophy after winning the Premier League. (Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs)

Arsenal’s ‘Utmost Priority’ Is Agreeing New Contract for Arteta, Owners Say

Arsenal's top priority is ‌agreeing a new contract for manager Mikel Arteta after the Spaniard delivered the club's first Premier League title in 22 years…

Sports Football - International Friendly - Republic of Ireland v Qatar - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - May 28, 2026 A banner is displayed in the stands as part of a protest during the match. (Reuters)

Ireland's McGrath Calls for Resolution to Israel Fixture Controversy

Ireland midfielder Jamie ‌McGrath said the team do not want to get embroiled in the controversy surrounding their Nations League games against Israel…


Half of France Hits New Monthly Records in Heatwave

Varieties  Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 29, 2026 A spectator uses a tap outside the courts during the matches. (Reuters)

Half of France Hits New Monthly Records in Heatwave

Towns and villages in more than half of France have smashed temperature records for the month of May over the past week during an unusually early heatwave, a…


Varieties Palestinian girl Ilan, 4, feeds pigeons at the Flag Square in the coastal city of Tyre, southern Lebanon, 20 May 2026. (EPA)

Pigeons May Be Navigating with Their Liver, Study Suggests

A surprising gut feeling may help pigeons find their way home. Animals use various techniques to navigate including following the stars and remembering key…

Varieties This photograph taken on May 20, 2026, shows mountaineers climbing a slope lined up during their ascent from the Hillary Step to summit Mount Everest in Nepal. (Furte Sherpa / AFP)

Legacy of Himalaya’s ‘Sherlock Holmes’ Lives on in Digital

In a crowded Kathmandu restaurant far from Nepal's famed icy peaks, Billi Bierling questions climbers about their ascents, preserving each triumph in the…

Varieties A general view of oysters on the roots of mangroves at Number Two River in Freetown on April 13, 2026. (AFP)

Mangrove Loss Threatens Sierra Leone’s Oyster Harvesters

For 20 years, Millicent Turay has supported her family by collecting mangrove oysters near Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, a common livelihood along the west…

Varieties Thomas Jefferson's desk, on which he drafted the Declaration of Independence, can be seen on display by The Smithsonian for its 'American Aspirations' exhibition. Mandel NGAN / AFP

Light, Flight, and Rights: 250 Years of US History in 30 Objects

How do you choose just 30 artifacts from millions to encapsulate 250 years of American history? That's the question the government-funded Smithsonian…

Asharq Al Awsat