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Gulf Muslim pilgrims pray on Saudi Arabia's Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal al-Rahma or Mount of Mercy, during the climax of the Hajj pilgrimage early on May 26, 2026. (AFP)

Hajj Pilgrims Head to Muzdalifah after Arafat, as Mina Prepares for Their Return

Hajj pilgrims began heading to Muzdalifah at sunset on Tuesday, the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah, to spend the night there after standing on the plain of Arafat…

Omar al-Badwi (Holy sites) Ibrahim al-Qurashi (Holy sites)
Gulf Sheikh Ali bin Abdulrahman Al-Huthaify, in his Day of Arafat sermon, called for the glorification of God's rites, adherence to calmness and order, and avoidance of anything that undermines the spirit of the pilgrimage. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Masjid al-Namirah: The Mosque Where Only One Prayer is Held Each Year

Masjid al-Namirah is considered one of the most prominent Islamic landmarks associated with the Hajj season, drawing the attention of millions of Muslims on…

Ibrahim  Abuzayed (Riyadh)
Arab World The aftermath of an Israeli airstrike is seen in the southern Lebanese area of al-Hosh, near the coastal city of Tyre on May 26, 2026.  (Photo by AFP)

Strikes Hit South Lebanon City as Israel Expands Ground Operations

Several strikes hit the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on Tuesday after an Israeli evacuation warning, an AFP correspondent said, as an Israeli military…

Asharq Al Awsat
Arab World  Israeli soldiers keep watch during a weekly settlers' tour in Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, May 23, 2026. (Reuters)

Palestinians Say Israeli Forces Kill Man in Jenin Refugee Camp

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man inside the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said on Tuesday. "A citizen…

Iran Says New US Strikes Violate Ceasefire

World A US F-16 fighter jet conducts a patrol near the Strait of Hormuz last month. (CENTCOM)

Iran Says New US Strikes Violate Ceasefire

Iran said the United States had violated a ceasefire after the US conducted what it called defensive strikes in southern Iran, while US Secretary of State…

Asharq Al Awsat

Arab World  Israeli soldiers keep watch during a weekly settlers' tour in Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, May 23, 2026. (Reuters)

Israel Issues Expropriation Order for West Bank Religious Site

Israel has issued an expropriation order for land in the occupied West Bank near the site of a Biblical prophet's grave north of Jerusalem, an Israeli NGO…

World A boy plays the accordion in front of a shopping center damaged by Russian strikes in Kyiv on May 25, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)

Russian Call for Diplomats to Leave Kyiv Draws Western Backlash

Russia's call for diplomats and foreigners to leave Kyiv over the threat of fresh strikes drew a sharp backlash from Western countries on Tuesday, some of whom…

As Iran Diplomacy Picks Up, Rubio Tours Taj Mahal

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
Culture The Saudi Heritage Commission logo

Saudi Heritage Commission Discovers Abbasid-Era Gold Jewelry in Qassim

Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission announced the discovery of a collection of Abbasid-era gold jewelry at the archaeological site of Diriyyah in Qassim Region…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture The House of Islamic Arts in Jeddah marked International Museum Day 2026 with a special exhibition offering visitors a cultural journey into the past. (SPA)

Jeddah’s House of Islamic Arts Marks International Museum Day 2026

The House of Islamic Arts in Jeddah marked International Museum Day 2026 with a special exhibition offering visitors a cultural journey into the past. The…

Asharq Al Awsat

Champion Gauff Cruises into French Open Second Round

Sports US Coco Gauff celebrates after winning against US Taylor Townsend at the end of their women's singles match on day 3 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on May 26, 2026. (AFP)

Champion Gauff Cruises into French Open Second Round

Coco Gauff began her defense of her French Open title by dispatching fellow American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-0 at Roland Garris on Tuesday. Townsend, who had…


Sports Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior will lead the Brazil attack at the World Cup © MIGUEL J RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO / AFP

Brazil's World Cup Challenge Faces Morocco Test in Group C

Brazil's credentials to end a 24-year wait to be world champions will be tested from the off as 2022 semi-finalists Morocco and a Scotland side seeking a…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi walks on the field during the second half of an MLS soccer match, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Messi Suffers Muscle Strain, Return Date Undetermined

Inter Miami star Lionel Messi was suffering from muscle fatigue in his left hamstring when he requested a sub Sunday during a 6-4 win over the visiting…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports France's Gael Monfils (L) poses with a trophy next to French Tennis Federation's President Gilles Moretton (R) during a ceremony honoring his career on day 2 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on May 25, 2026. (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP)

Monfils Aims to Emulate Ronaldo, LeBron after Roland Garros Farewell

Gael Monfils is determined to emulate the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James by playing into his 40s and hopes to play at Wimbledon, Montreal and the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Paris)
Sports TIJUANA, MEXICO - MAY 25: Panoramic view of Estadio Caliente on May 25, 2026 in Tijuana, Mexico. Francisco Vega/Getty Images/AFP

FIFA Reveals 48 World Cup Team Base Training Sites

Defending champions Argentina and England will have their World Cup teams based in Kansas City under a list of training sites announced by FIFA on Monday. …

Asharq Al Awsat

Holy Kaaba Aligns with Sun in Rare Astronomical Event Over Makkah

Varieties During the moment of alignment, shadows cast by vertical objects in Makkah’s surroundings nearly disappear as sunlight falls almost perpendicularly on the surface. (SPA)

Holy Kaaba Aligns with Sun in Rare Astronomical Event Over Makkah

The skies above Makkah witnessed on Tuesday the sun aligning directly over the Holy Kaaba at 12:18 PM Makkah time, an astronomical phenomenon used to determine…

Asharq Al Awsat

Varieties A woman shields herself from the sun with a newspaper as she crosses London Bridge during a heatwave in London, Britain, May 26, 2026. REUTERS/Jack Taylor

More Climate Records Under Threat as Spring Heatwave Bakes Western Europe

Western Europe faced another day of record-breaking temperatures Tuesday as a heatwave pushed the mercury well above normal levels for May. A so-called "heat…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties (FILES) This photo illustration shows a mobile phone screen displaying the icons for the social networking apps Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, taken in Manchester on March 22, 2018. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

British Doctors: Social Media as Bad for Children as Smoking

Social media ranks alongside smoking as a danger to children, senior British doctors said on Tuesday, as they urged lawmakers to tackle the harm that they say…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Varieties During the moment of alignment, shadows cast by vertical objects in Makkah’s surroundings nearly disappear as sunlight falls almost perpendicularly on the surface. (SPA)

Holy Kaaba to Align with Sun on Thursday in Rare Astronomical Event

The skies above Makkah will witness the phenomenon of the sun aligning directly over the holy Kaaba on Thursday, at approximately 12:18 PM local time. Jeddah…

Varieties A drone view shows people using kayaks and paddle boards in the River Thames at Teddington Lock, London’s first official river bathing water site, as temperatures climb over the bank holiday weekend due to a heat dome spreading across the region, in London, Britain, May 24, 2026. (Reuters)

Heat Dome Over Europe Scorches UK, France, Spain

Temperatures hit record highs for May in the United Kingdom and France on Monday, as forecasters warned of a prolonged period of extreme heat across Europe…