Latest World News: Interviews

Microsoft Saudi Head Affirms Kingdom Entering AI Execution Phase

Interviews Saudi Arabia shifts from AI pilots to live deployment in key sectors (Shutterstock)

Microsoft Saudi Head Affirms Kingdom Entering AI Execution Phase

Riyadh’s hosting of the Microsoft AI Tour this week delivered a headline with concrete weight: customers will be able to run cloud workloads from a local Azure…

Nassim Ramadan (Riyadh)
Interviews Guido Crosetto said Rome and Riyadh are working to support the success of the ongoing negotiations between Washington and Tehran (Italian Ministry of Defense).

Italian Defense Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Relations with Saudi Arabia at an Unprecedented Strategic Strength

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said relations between Rome and Riyadh have reached an unprecedented level of strategic strength, noting that the two…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Interviews Sheikh Amr bin Habrish, First Deputy Governor of Hadhramaut (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Bin Habrish to Asharq Al-Awsat: Hadhramaut on Threshold of New Era

After nearly 500 days spent in the mountains and highlands, Sheikh Amr bin Habrish, First Deputy Governor of Hadhramaut and commander of the Hadhramaut…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Yemen)
Interviews President of Madagascar Michael Randrianirina (Presidency)

President of Madagascar to Asharq Al-Awsat: Three-Pillar Economic Plan to Revive the Country

President of Madagascar Michael Randrianirina said his country views Saudi Arabia as its “main partner” in the phase of “refoundation” and in building a new…

Fatehelrahman Yousif (Riyadh)
Interviews Naim Yazbeck, President of Microsoft for the Middle East and Africa (Microsoft) 

Microsoft President: Saudi Arabia is Moving from Exporting Oil to Exporting Artificial Intelligence

As Saudi Arabia accelerates its national transformation under Vision 2030, the region’s technology landscape is undergoing a decisive shift. For the first time…

Nassim Ramadan (London)

Interviews Saudi Military Industries Eye Localization, Tech Transfer Partnerships

Saudi Military Industries Eye Localization, Tech Transfer Partnerships

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), responsible for localizing, organizing, and empowering the military industries sector in the…

Badr Al-Qahtani (London)
Interviews Hood to Asharq Al-Awsat: Biden Administration Did Not Ignore the Arab Region

Hood to Asharq Al-Awsat: Biden Administration Did Not Ignore the Arab Region

Many observers of the US foreign policies have always doubted the desire of the Biden administration to engage directly and effectively in the Middle East, or…

Muath Alamri (Washington)
Interviews Leading Taliban Member to Asharq Al-Awsat: Our Govt Is Ready, to Be Announced in Days

Leading Taliban Member to Asharq Al-Awsat: Our Govt Is Ready, to Be Announced in Days

Member of the Taliban’s politburo Suhail Shaheen revealed that internal consultations and talks have been completed and a new Afghan government will be…

Huda al-Husseini (London)
Interviews Attias Says FII Institute in the Process of Launching Indicators to Help Government Policymakers, Private Sector

Attias Says FII Institute in the Process of Launching Indicators to Help Government Policymakers, Private Sector

Richard Attias, CEO of the Future Investment Initiative Institute, said that the Institute seeks to create a journey of realistic solutions to help humanity…

Mosaed al-Zayani (Riyadh)
Interviews Taliban Spokesman to Asharq Al-Awsat: Sharia Rule Not up for Debate

Taliban Spokesman to Asharq Al-Awsat: Sharia Rule Not up for Debate

For several years, the Taliban’s official spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, had avoided appearing in the media, while still racking up hundreds of thousands of…

Mohammed Helal (London)
Interviews Taliban Spokesman to Asharq Al-Awsat: Our Rule Will be Islamic, We Have Learned from the Past

Taliban Spokesman to Asharq Al-Awsat: Our Rule Will be Islamic, We Have Learned from the Past

Dr. Mohammad Naim, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s political office, stressed that his movement has sent out assurances within Afghanistan, the neighboring…

Mohammed Helal (London)
Interviews Afghanistan’s Yunus Qanuni Says Is in Constant Contact with Ahmad Massoud

Afghanistan’s Yunus Qanuni Says Is in Constant Contact with Ahmad Massoud

Yunus Qanuni, former speaker of Afghanistan’s parliament, is in constant contact with Ahmad Massoud, he told Independent Persian in an interview. “Ahmad…

Camelia Entekhabifard (Camelia)
Interviews Japanese FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: Strategic Partnership with Saudi Arabia, Concerns Over Syrian Stalemate

Japanese FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: Strategic Partnership with Saudi Arabia, Concerns Over Syrian Stalemate

In an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said that Saudi Arabia “is not only the cornerstone of stability…

Ibrahim Hamidi (London)
Interviews Afghans See Khalilzad as Responsible for Current War, Says Female Leader, Former MP

Afghans See Khalilzad as Responsible for Current War, Says Female Leader, Former MP

Shukria Barakzai is a former Kabul MP, who also served as Afghanistan’s ambassador to Norway. Among the progressive Afghan women, she has also had the…

Camelia Entekhabifard (Camelia)
Interviews Yemen Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: 3rd of Grants Go to Administrative Expenses of Organizations

Yemen Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: 3rd of Grants Go to Administrative Expenses of Organizations

The legitimate government and donors are evaluating alternatives for organizations that refuse to disclose bank statements for their activities in Yemen,…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Interviews Nobel Laureate: No Positive Change in Iran So Long as Constitution Hasn’t Changed

Nobel Laureate: No Positive Change in Iran So Long as Constitution Hasn’t Changed

Shirin Ebadi, Iranian lawyer and winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize, has criticized Enrique Mora, a deputy to European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell for…

Camelia Entekhabifard (Camelia)
Interviews Relatives of Beirut Blast Victims to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Won’t Be Silenced

Relatives of Beirut Blast Victims to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Won’t Be Silenced

A year after the cataclysmic blast at Beirut Port, the relatives of the victims are still awaiting answers and demanding justice, all of which remain elusive…

Fatıma Abdullah (Beirut)
Interviews Syrian Maso Brothers: From ‘Death Boats’ to Emotional Embrace at Tokyo Olympics

Syrian Maso Brothers: From ‘Death Boats’ to Emotional Embrace at Tokyo Olympics

A photo of two Syrian brothers, competing for different teams at the Olympics, hugging each other in Tokyo went viral on social media earlier this week. …

Ibrahim Hamidi (London)
Interviews Head of Lebanon Banks Association to Asharq Al-Awsat: Non-State Logic Accelerates the Collapse

Head of Lebanon Banks Association to Asharq Al-Awsat: Non-State Logic Accelerates the Collapse

As the political stalemate in Lebanon exacerbates the financial, economic and monetary crisis, banking and monetary files pose a major challenge to the…

Thaer Abbas (Beirut)
Interviews Greek Foreign Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Are Not Accrediting Our Chargé d'Affaires to the Assad Regime

Greek Foreign Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Are Not Accrediting Our Chargé d'Affaires to the Assad Regime

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias told Asharq Al-Awsat in an interview published Saturday that his country does not want Syria to be a “failed state,” and…

Ibrahim Hamidi (London)
Interviews Oman FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Are Coordinating with Riyadh over Regional Issues

Oman FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Are Coordinating with Riyadh over Regional Issues

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi revealed that the upcoming summit between Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Sultan Haitham bin Tariq will witness…

Merza al-Khuwaldi (Muscat)
Interviews Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan to Asharq Al-Awsat: Electronic Games Revenues in Saudi Arabia Top $576Mln

Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan to Asharq Al-Awsat: Electronic Games Revenues in Saudi Arabia Top $576Mln

President of the Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronic Sports (SAFEIS) Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz revealed that revenues from the…

Abdulaziz al-Ghiamah (Riyadh)
Interviews Kurdistan Deputy Prime Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Targeting Erbil Airport is a Violation of Iraq's Sovereignty

Kurdistan Deputy Prime Minister to Asharq Al-Awsat: Targeting Erbil Airport is a Violation of Iraq's Sovereignty

The Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, Qubad Talabani, described targeting Erbil International Airport and diplomatic missions as a "terrorist…

Asharq Al Awsat (Erbil)
Interviews Simonnet to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Understand Gulf States’ Concerns Regarding Iran Activities

Simonnet to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Understand Gulf States’ Concerns Regarding Iran Activities

The EU’s envoy to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday conveyed the bloc’s understanding of the concern Gulf States have towards Iranian activity in the region,…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Interviews Yemen FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: Yemen Is on the Brink

Yemen FM to Asharq Al-Awsat: Yemen Is on the Brink

Yemen’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak admitted that Yemen is on the brink of collapse, however, he expressed his belief that the legitimacy succeeded…

Abdulhadi Habtor (Riyadh)
Interviews FAO Assistant Director-General to Asharq Al-Awsat: 75Mln Arabs at Risk of Starvation by Decade’s End

FAO Assistant Director-General to Asharq Al-Awsat: 75Mln Arabs at Risk of Starvation by Decade’s End

A United Nations report shed light on the progress made by countries in the region in achieving the second sustainable development goal pertaining to…

Lamia Nabil (Cairo)
Interviews Persian Independent’s Exclusive Interview with Ahmadinejad: With Less Than 40% Turnout the Election is Turned Into a Referendum Against Iran

Persian Independent’s Exclusive Interview with Ahmadinejad: With Less Than 40% Turnout the Election is Turned Into a Referendum Against Iran

In an exclusive interview with Independent Persian, former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad whose candidacy was rejected by Iran’s Guardian Council, said that the…

Camelia Entekhabifard
Interviews Election Turnout Tantamount to Referendum, Says Outspoken Iranian Dissident

Election Turnout Tantamount to Referendum, Says Outspoken Iranian Dissident

Fa'ezeh Hashemi, a well-known Iranian political activist, said that the country's presidential election on Friday was tantamount to a referendum since more…

Asharq Al Awsat
Interviews Ending Cross-Border Aid Is a 'Death Sentence' for the Syrian People, Woodward Tells Asharq Al-Awsat

Ending Cross-Border Aid Is a 'Death Sentence' for the Syrian People, Woodward Tells Asharq Al-Awsat

What is happening in Syria is “one of the most tragic crises” in the world, the UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations Barbara Woodward told Asharq…

Ali Barada (New York )