Latest World News

Arab World A man casts his vote at a polling station in the first round of municipal elections in Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon on May 24, 2025. (AFP)

South Lebanon Votes in Municipal Elections That Will Test Support for Hezbollah

Residents of southern Lebanon voted Saturday in the country's municipal elections that will test support for Hezbollah in the predominantly Shiite areas,…

Arab World A man holds a sign reading in Arabic "Libya is greater than all of you", as demonstrators gather for an anti-government protest, calling upon the Government of National Unity (GNU) to resign, at the Martyrs' Square in Libya's capital Tripoli on May 23, 2025. (AFP)

AU Urges Permanent Ceasefire in Libya After Clashes

The African Union called for a permanent ceasefire in Libya on Saturday after deadly clashes in the capital earlier this month and demonstrations demanding the…

Arab World Members of State Security Service stand guard outside a polling station during the municipal elections in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, 4 May 2025.  EPA/WAEL HAMZEH

Lebanese State Will Not Rest Until Every Inch of Land is Liberated, Minister Says

Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmed al-Hajjar stressed on Saturday that the Lebanese state is adamant to free all parts of its land occupied by Israel. “The…

Asharq Al Awsat
Arab World People walk past a billboard displaying portraits of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and US President Donald Trump with a slogan thanking Saudi Arabia and the United States, in Damascus on May 14, 2025. (AFP)

Syria Hails US Lifting of Assad-era Sanctions

Syria on Saturday hailed the Trump administration's lifting of US sanctions, as Washington looks to open a new chapter in its relations with Damascus. US…

Gaza Civil Defense Says Six Killed in Israeli Strikes

Arab World A Palestinian man carries items he salvaged from a house targeted in an Israeli strike at the Nuseirat camp for refugees in the central Gaza Strip on May 24, 2025. (AFP)

Gaza Civil Defense Says Six Killed in Israeli Strikes

Gaza's civil defense agency said Israeli strikes killed at least six people on Saturday across the Palestinian territory, where Israel has ramped up its…


Business A general view of the Nile River from the Egyptian capital, Cairo (Reuters).

Egypt Seeks Up to 60 LNG Shipments

Egypt is in advanced talks with global energy and trading firms to secure between 40 and 60 shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG), aiming to meet urgent…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
World An Indian army soldier keeps a vigil from one of the forward posts along the line of control between India and Pakistan during a media tour somewhere in north of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP)

Indian Troops Shoot Dead Pakistani Crossing Frontier

Indian border troops shot dead a Pakistani man who they said had crossed the international frontier and did not stop when challenged, the force said Saturday. …

Napoleon's Sword Sold at Auction for 4.7 Mn Euros

Culture Napoleon memorabilia regularly comes up for sale in France. STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP

Napoleon's Sword Sold at Auction for 4.7 Mn Euros

A sword that belonged to Napoleon and was specially ordered for the personal use of the French emperor fetched almost 4.7 million euros at auction in Paris,…

Asharq Al Awsat

Culture Artist Takashi Murakami is pictured during an interview in front of a true-to-scale recreation of the Yumedono from the Horyuji Temple complex in Nara, at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (AP)

Japanese Artist Takashi Murakami Opens Exhibit in Ohio Museum with More than 100 Works

Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami has never been limited to one medium, creating paintings, sculptures, luxury goods with fashion houses like Louis…

Culture Saudi Heritage Commission Reveals Oldest Known Use of Harmal Plant in Human History

Saudi Heritage Commission Reveals Oldest Known Use of Harmal Plant in Human History

A landmark scientific study published in the international "Communications Biology" journal revealed the earliest known use of the harmal plant (Peganum…

Asharq Al Awsat
Culture Ernest Urtasun, Minister of Culture, gives a speech during a ceremony held by the Spanish government returning paintings to the family of Pedro Rico, former mayor of Madrid, stolen during the Spanish Civil War, at the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain, May 22, 2025. (Reuters) 

Spain Returns Artwork Seized During Civil War 

Spain on Thursday returned paintings belonging to a former Madrid mayor that were seized for their protection during the 1936-39 Civil War and never returned…

Culture The initiative aligns with the Ministry’s strategic vision to strengthen scientific research in the cultural sector and advance the generation of cultural knowledge

Saudi Culture Ministry Launches Research Grants to Enrich Cultural Studies

The Saudi Ministry of Culture has announced the launch of six specialized research grants as part of the inaugural cycle of its Culture Research Grants Program…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)

Liverpool’s Salah Named Premier League Player of the Season for Second Time

Sports Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Liverpool - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - May 19, 2025 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah looks dejected after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)

Liverpool’s Salah Named Premier League Player of the Season for Second Time

Mohamed Salah was named the Premier League player of the season on Saturday after the Egyptian enjoyed a stellar individual campaign as Liverpool cruised to…


Sports Liverpool's Dutch manager Arne Slot reacts during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on May 19, 2025. (AFP)

Slot Eyes Long Tenure Inspired by Liverpool and FSG Tradition

Liverpool manager Arne Slot, who has won the Premier League in his debut season, can see himself staying with the English side for a long spell, saying the…

Sports (FILES) Brazilian former football star Ronaldo waves to the crowd during a friendly match with legends of Brazil's Flamengo and Italy's Inter Milan as farewell of former brazilian player Adriano at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on December 15, 2024. (Photo by Daniel RAMALHO / AFP)

Brazil Great Ronaldo Sells Majority Stake in Valladolid

Real Valladolid said Friday Brazil great Ronaldo is selling his stake in the Spanish club to a North American investment company. "The chairman of the board of…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Tottenham's Son Heung-min holds the Europa League trophy during an open-top bus parade. BENJAMIN CREMEL / AFP

Thousands Hail Spurs' Europa League Heroes in Victory Parade

Europa League winners Tottenham were saluted by around 150,000 ecstatic fans during an open-top bus parade through north London on Friday. Ange Postecoglou's…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands speaks during the drivers' press conference at the Formula One Grand Prix of Monaco at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, Monaco, 22 May 2025. (EPA)

Verstappen a ‘Pipe Dream’ Until Aston Build a Better Car, Says Newey

Aston Martin's chances of signing Max Verstappen will be a "pipe dream" until they have a car good enough for Red Bull's four-times world champion, according…


India’s Monsoon Rains Arrive 8 Days Early, Earliest in 16 Years

Varieties Dark monsoon clouds hover over the city skyline in Mumbai on May 22, 2025. (AFP)

India’s Monsoon Rains Arrive 8 Days Early, Earliest in 16 Years

Monsoon rains hit the coast of India's southernmost state of Kerala on Saturday, eight days earlier than usual, marking the earliest arrival in 16 years and…


Varieties Men light a fire to prepare the burning embers before a select group known as 'anastenarides' walk across the hot coals. Sakis Mitrolidis / AFP

Fire Walkers Defy Pain in Ancient Greek Ritual

Under a cloud of incense smoke, a group of men and women in a village in northern Greece swayed slowly to the music before removing their shoes and rushing,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties The planet K2-18b is 124 light years away in the Leo constellation. (ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser)

Doubt Cast on Claim of ‘Hints’ of Life on Faraway Planet

When astronomers announced last month they might have discovered the most promising hints of alien life yet on a distant planet, the rare good news raised…

Varieties The plush toys have surged in popularity after endorsements from celebrities such as Rihanna and Dua Lipa. Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP/File

UK Retailer Suspends Labubu Toy Sales amid Safety Fears

A retailer in the UK has suspended in-store sales of Labubu toys amid rising concerns over public safety and staff threats, following reports of global thefts…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties An artist's impression shows a galactic merger in which the galaxy on the right hosts a quasar at its core, in this handout image released by the European Southern Observatory on May 21, 2025. ESO/M. Kornmesser/Handout via REUTERS

Astronomers Spot Galaxy Shaped Like the Milky Way But is Far More Massive

Astronomers have observed a galaxy dating to an earlier epoch in the universe's history that surprisingly is shaped much like our Milky Way - a spiral…

Asharq Al Awsat