Latest World News

Arab World  This picture taken from the Israeli side of the border with the Gaza Strip shows a smoke plume rising from explosions above destroyed buildings in the northern Gaza Strip on January 13, 2025 amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. (AFP)

Qatar Gives Israel, Hamas Final Draft of Gaza Truce Deal after Midnight Talks ‘Breakthrough’, Official Says

Mediator Qatar gave Israel and Hamas a final draft of a deal to end the war in Gaza on Monday, after a midnight "breakthrough" in talks attended by US…

Gulf The tenth Saudi relief plane, operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), arrived at Damascus International Airport in Syria on Monday. (SPA)

Tenth Saudi Relief Plane Arrives in Syria

The tenth Saudi relief plane, operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), arrived at Damascus International Airport in Syria on…

World In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin talks on the phone with 9th-grader Arina Porkhal from Gorlovka, Donetsk region, a participant in the charity event "Yolka Zhelaniy" ("Christmas Tree Wish"), fulfilling children's Christmas wishes, in Moscow on January 7, 2025. (AFP)

Trump Call with Putin Expected Soon, Trump Adviser Says

US President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to have a call in the coming days or weeks, and it is unrealistic to aim to…

World This photo provided by the North Korean government, shows a military parade to mark the 90th anniversary of North Korea's army at the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, on April 25, 2022. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

Seoul Says 300 North Korean Soldiers Killed Fighting Ukraine

Around 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed and 2,700 wounded while fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine, a South Korean lawmaker said Monday, citing…

New Lebanon President Starts Consultations on Naming PM

Arab World Lebanese President-elect Joseph Aoun poses for a picture before the oath-taking ceremony at the parliament in Beirut, Lebanon, 09 January 2025. (EPA)

New Lebanon President Starts Consultations on Naming PM

New Lebanese President Joseph Aoun began parliamentary consultations Monday to designate a prime minister tasked with forming a government desperately needed…


World A person holds a placard which reads as '2 years of wasted life in Iranian prisons, it's enough'. Kiran RIDLEY, Kiran RIDLEY / AFP

'Exhausted' Frenchman Held in Iran since 2022 Reveals Identity

A Frenchman held in Iran since October 2022 on Monday revealed his identity in an audio message broadcast on a French radio station, saying he was becoming…

Asharq Al Awsat
Business Saudi and Japanese official attend a meeting of the Saudi-Japanese business council in Riyadh on Sunday. (SPA)

Saudi-Japanese Business Council Discusses Investment Opportunities

The Saudi-Japanese business council convened in Riyadh on Sunday to explore avenues for strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations across…

Hail HARFA Festival Concludes with Over 91,000 Visitors

Culture The festival was held at the historic Al-Qishla Palace from January 5 to January 11 - SPA

Hail HARFA Festival Concludes with Over 91,000 Visitors

The activities of Handicrafts Festival (HARFA) 2025 in Hail were concluded Saturday, celebrating a highly successful event that drew over 91,000 visitors. …

Asharq Al Awsat

Culture The three-day conference will address several key topics, including camels and cultural heritage. SPA

King Saud University Hosts 5th Int’l Conference on Camels in Arab Culture

Saudi Arabia’s King Saud University, in collaboration with the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, will host the 5th International Conference on…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture  The devastation of the Palisades Fire is seen in the early morning in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (AP)

Southern California Wildfires Claim Will Rogers Ranch, Other Landmarks

Raging wildfires that continue to burn a path of destruction through Southern California claimed the Will Rogers ranch along with a number of other local…

Culture A group of tourists look at chopsticks products at the Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo on January 10, 2025. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)

Hayy Matsuri in Jeddah Celebrates Japanese Culture

The second edition of the Japanese Hayy Matsuri cultural festival, held under the theme "Saudi Celebrates Japan," was inaugurated on Thursday in Hayy Jameel,…

Asharq Al Awsat (Jeddah)
Culture The competition aims to celebrate the rich heritage of traditional Emirati handicrafts and the artisans behind them. WAM

DCT Abu Dhabi Launches House of Artisans Design Competition

House of Artisans, an initiative under The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) which is dedicated to preserving the UAE's rich…

Asharq Al Awsat (Abu Dhabi)

Alcaraz Crushes Shevchenko to Reach Second Round at Australian Open

Sports  Carlos Alcaraz of Spain waves as he leaves Margaret Court Arena after his first round win over Alexander Shevchenko of Kazakhstan at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP)

Alcaraz Crushes Shevchenko to Reach Second Round at Australian Open

Carlos Alcaraz began his bid to complete a career Grand Slam with an imperfect but entertaining 6-1 7-5 6-1 win over Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko to ease into…


Sports Jannik Sinner of Italy reacts after defeating Nicolas Jarry of Chile during their first round match during the 2025 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 13 January 2025. (EPA)

Jannik Sinner Starts His Australian Open Title Defense with a Straight Set Win

After wasting a set point in the second tiebreaker with an ill-conceived drop shot, Jannik Sinner quickly reverted to what's been working for him and finished…

Sports  Alex Michelsen of the US plays a backhand return to Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP)

Alex Michelsen Upsets Tsitsipas at the Australian Open and Thanks His Mom

Alex Michelsen produced the biggest win so far of his fledgling career to upset 2023 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas in the first round of the Australian Open,…

Sports Casper Ruud of Norway speaks to his coaching staff during an Australian Open tennis tournament round 1 match against Jaume Munar of Spain at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 12 January 2025. (EPA)

New Australian Open Coaching ‘Pods’ Get Mixed Reaction

The Australian Open has introduced court-side "coaching pods" at this year's tournament in a Grand Slam first, but they have met with a mixed reaction. The…

Sports Jurgen Klopp (5thL), new global head of football at Red Bull, arrives next to Saxony's State Premier Michael Kretschmer (R) prior to the German first division Bundesliga football match between RB Leipzig and SV Werder Bremen in Leipzig, eastern Germany on January 12, 2025. (Photo by Ronny HARTMANN / AFP)

Klopp Smiles Broadly as Leipzig Defeats Werder Bremen 4-2 in Bundesliga

Jürgen Klopp watched with a broad smile as Leipzig defeated Werder Bremen 4-2 to reclaim fourth place in the Bundesliga on Sunday, The Associated Press…

Asharq Al Awsat

Dazzling Ice Castles Draw Tourists to New Hampshire, Other States

Varieties  Colorful lights shine inside inside the walls of ice at Ice Castles, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in North Woodstock, N.H. (AP)

Dazzling Ice Castles Draw Tourists to New Hampshire, Other States

An annual architectural celebration of ice is up and running again in New Hampshire and several other US states. Ice Castles, which are both temporary art…


Varieties Zeytin, a 5-month-old male gorilla infant who was rescued at Istanbul Airport, drinks milk in a specially created section of a zoo, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

A Young Gorilla Rescued from Aircraft Hold Recovers at Istanbul Zoo

A young gorilla rescued from a plane’s cargo hold is recovering at an Istanbul zoo, officials said Sunday, while wildlife officers consider returning him to…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties A drone view shows dragon and cat figures created by Thunyapong Jaikum, a Thai farmer and artist, in rice fields in Chiang Rai province, north of Thailand, January 11, 2025. REUTERS/Artorn Pookasook

Thai Rice Fields Transformed into Vibrant Art Depicting Red Dragon, Feline Deity

A red dragon, a feline deity and dogs and cats cover Tanyapong Jaikham's rice paddies in northern Thailand, a living tribute in rice plants to flooding that…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties Marine specialists treat a sea turtle on a care barge in Tunisia's Kerkennah Island, the only one in the Mediterranean, on December 18, 2024. (Photo by Akim REZGUI / AFP)

Tunisia Rehab Barge Offers Hope for Vulnerable Sea Turtles

On a barge hundreds of meters off the Kerkennah Islands in southern Tunisia, a group of students watches intently as Besma, a recovering sea turtle, shuffles…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties Riyadh Season 2024 has achieved a historic milestone, surpassing 16 million visitors. SPA

Riyadh Season Sets New Record with Over 16 Million Visitors

Riyadh Season 2024 has achieved a historic milestone, surpassing 16 million visitors, according to Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)