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)
Features Centrifuges at the Fordow nuclear facility before the June 2025 attacks (Reuters)

Iran's Strongest Card in Nuclear Talks: Its Highly Enriched Uranium

Iran and the United States are in discussions to extend ‌their ceasefire so as to start negotiations on issues including Tehran's nuclear program, where…

Asharq Al Awsat
Arab World The border wall separating Israel (R) and Lebanon is pictured from a position along the Upper Galilee region of northern Israel on May 29, 2026. (AFP)

US Hails ‘Productive’ Talks Between Lebanon, Israel Military Officials

Military officials from Lebanon and Israel held "productive" talks in Washington on Friday, a US official said, adding that the meeting will complement…

World People wave Iranian flags during a rally in Tehran, Iran, May 29, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

US Sanctions Iranian Buyers of Military Technology

The United States announced Friday that it is "dismantling a sophisticated Iranian network" used to obtain sensitive military technology. The network …

Trump Insists on Red Lines as Iran Deal Remains Elusive

World  Vessels anchored at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, May 29, 2026. (Reuters)

Trump Insists on Red Lines as Iran Deal Remains Elusive

US President Donald Trump will only make a peace deal with Iran if it meets all of his conditions, a White House official told AFP on Friday, as questions…


Arab World Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa waves as he arrives to visit a flooded area after the Euphrates River overflowed its banks in recent days, in Deir Ezzor, Syria, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)

Syria: Sharaa Visits Deir Ezzor after Flooding Caused by Rising Euphrates Levels

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa visited the province of Deir Ezzor on Friday, accompanied by a ministerial delegation, to assess the situation and…

Asharq Al Awsat
Features A woman walks past an anti-US and anti-Israel mural depicting missiles hitting an aircraft carrier in Tehran on May 26, 2026. (AFP)

US and Iran Standoff at Sea: A Test of ‘Who Will Blink First’

Naval blockades, military history has shown, require patience. That is not the leading attribute of the officials in Washington. “So when President Trump…

Sunken Treasures Exhibition Showcases Red Sea Maritime Heritage, Conservation Efforts

Culture The "Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea" exhibition at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah documents underwater archaeological discoveries off the Saudi coast. (SPA)

Sunken Treasures Exhibition Showcases Red Sea Maritime Heritage, Conservation Efforts

The "Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea" exhibition at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah documents underwater archaeological…

Asharq Al Awsat

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

Fonseca Fever Sparks Tennis Boom in Brazil

Sports Joao Fonseca of Brazil reacts as he plays against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their third round men's singles tennis match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, Friday, May 29, 2026. (AP)

Fonseca Fever Sparks Tennis Boom in Brazil

The rise of teenage tennis star Joao Fonseca -- who pulled off a stunning win over Serbian great Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros -- has fueled a tennis fever…


Sports The match ball is on display prior to a press conference, in Budapest, Hungary, 29 May 2026. (EPA)

Key Talking Points Ahead of PSG vs Arsenal Champions League Final

Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain face Arsenal in Saturday's final in Budapest aiming to defend their crown. The Gunners have never won the trophy…

Sports Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores his side's second goal from the penalty spot during a World Cup 2026 group F qualifying match between Hungary and Portugal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP)

Ronaldo’s Final Bid for World Cup Glory

For some, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the essential spearhead for Portugal's 2026 World Cup bid, while others believe his presence will prevent Roberto Martinez…

Sports The initial plan had been to have the venues for the 2030 Games stretch from the Alps to Nice. Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP

Lyon 'Best Solution' to Replace Nice for Ice Events at 2030 Winter Games

Organizers of the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps said on Friday that Lyon was now "the best solution" to host ice events in place of Nice. The…

Asharq Al Awsat
Sports Football - International Friendly - Egypt v Russia - Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt - May 28, 2026 Egypt's Mohamed Salah looks on before the match. (Reuters)

Salah Heads Egypt World Cup Squad, Teen Talent Abdel Karim Earns Call-up

Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s talismanic winger, will head Egypt’s final squad for the 2026 World Cup in North America next month, coach Hossam Hassan said on…


Blue Origin Rocket Explosion is Bad News for Both Bezos and NASA

Varieties Video of the Blue Origin New Glenn rocket explosion showed the spacecraft combusting into a massive fireball. JohnCn (@JConcilus) on X / UGC/AFP

Blue Origin Rocket Explosion is Bad News for Both Bezos and NASA

Space exploration is filled with setbacks, but the spectacular explosion of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket on Thursday night marked a significant blow to not…

Asharq Al Awsat

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…