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Buraidah Prepares to Launch 75-Day Dates Carnival

Varieties The carnival is the Kingdom's largest agricultural and commercial gathering of its kind - SPA

Buraidah Prepares to Launch 75-Day Dates Carnival

Buraidah is preparing to launch the Buraidah Dates Carnival on August 1. The event will run for 75 days through October 14. Considered the largest economic…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties Trent Park, a country home in North London, became part of an audacious strategy for extracting information from German officers during World War II (Sophie Stafford for The New York Times)

Trent Park… A House Full of Spies

London - Roslyn Sulcas The German generals were chatting freely, exchanging tidbits about the V-2 rocket, the world’s first long-range ballistic missile…

Varieties FILE - Humpback whales surface together in Bahia Solano, Colombia, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia, File)

Whale 'Supergroups' Show Numbers are Rebounding from Hunting. But Iran War Holds Dangers for them

A South African couple found themselves in a rare situation when they witnessed a humpback whale “supergroup” consisting of nearly 300 of the giant marine…

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Varieties  A child cools off in a public water playground at a park in Edogawa district of Tokyo on July 23, 2026. (AFP)

Japan Records Fifth ‘Cruelly Hot Day’

Japan recorded its fifth consecutive "cruelly hot day" on Saturday, a new meteorological term devised this year to warn people of intense heat above 40C, as…

Varieties A teacher walks down stairs near a blackboard artwork displayed on the hallway at Kumagaya Girls High School in Kumagaya, northwest of Tokyo, Tuesday, July 21, 2026, after its art club members won the first prize in a national blackboard art contest in 2023. (AP)

Young Japanese Artists Turn School Blackboards into a Hit Medium for Creativity

The humble blackboard is serving as the canvas, and colorful chalk the paint, for young Japanese artists. “Kokuban Art Koshien " is an annual national chalk…


Varieties FILE PHOTO: Cape Verde's Vozinha celebrates after the match in Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US, June 15, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Brett Davis/File Photo

Sea Snail Named Aldisa Vozinha in Honor of Cape Verde Keeper

Spanish biologist and soccer fan Jesus Ortea has named a newly discovered species of sea snail in honor of Vozinha, the Cape Verde goalkeeper who stunned fans…

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Varieties FILE PHOTO: A Ryanair plane on the tarmac of Makedonia airport in Thessaloniki, Greece, May 7, 2026. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis/File Photo

Man Nearly Sucked Out of 'Detached' Window on Ryanair Flight

A man was nearly sucked out the window of a Ryanair flight when it "detached" mid-air en route to Germany, with other passengers pulling him back inside,…

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Varieties FILE PHOTO: An ibis bird perches next to the Reserve Bank of Australia headquarters in central Sydney, Australia February 6, 2018. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz/File Photo

H5 Bird Flu Detected in Australian Seabird for 1st Time

Scientists have detected the highly contagious H5 bird flu in an Australian seabird for the first time, the government said Friday. Australia was for years…

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Varieties US military officials are enveloped in a dust cloud created by the rotor wash of a landing MV-22 Osprey aircraft during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) military exercises at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows (MCTAB) in Waimanalo, Hawaii, US, July 9, 2026. REUTERS/Marco Garcia

UN: Intense Sand and Dust Storms Struck China, US in 2025

China and the southern United States were hit last year by some of the worst sand and dust storms in decades, the United Nations said Friday. The UN's…

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Varieties Every carving carries centuries of interpretation (Reuters)

Symbols at Old English Buildings Not ‘Witches Marks’

Over the years, English Heritage and Historic England have claimed to have identified large numbers of “witches’ marks” or “ritual protection symbols” on the…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Varieties Modern humans and Neanderthals may have lived as friends (Instagram) 

Ancient Cave Discovery Reshapes Scientists' Understanding of Neanderthals and Modern Humans

Groundbreaking archaeological research from southern Türkiye suggests a surprising new narrative: modern humans and Neanderthals may have lived as friends,…

Asharq Al Awsat (Istanbul)
Varieties Police use water cannon to spray people with water as the arrive at the Olympic stadium for a concert of US singer Bruno Mars on June 28, 2026, in Berlin, as the German capital is expected to reach temperatures around 40 degrees Celsius during a heatwave in Europe. (AFP)

Heatwave Linked to More Than 5,000 Deaths in Germany, Institute Says

Germany has recorded an estimated 5,120 heat-related deaths so far this year, most of them in late June when weekly average temperatures far exceeded 20…

Varieties A drone view shows rescue workers conducting relief operations in flood-affected Maling town, after the Liulan reservoir dam breach, following heavy rainfall brought by typhoon Maysak, in Hengzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, July 8, 2026. China Daily via REUTERS

Alpacas, Mini Pigs on the Loose after Floods Hit China Zoo

At least 100 animals, including alpacas, miniature pigs and zebras, escaped a zoo in southern China's Guangxi region after floods damaged their enclosures. …

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Varieties Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Kick, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Reddit, Threads and X applications are displayed on a mobile phone in this picture illustration taken on December 9, 2025. (Reuters)

EU Moves Closer to Kicking Kids off Social Media

Restrictions on children's use of social media in the European Union could come as early as this summer, as a long-awaited expert report next week is expected…

Varieties An aerial view shows the southern Athenian suburb of Glyfada on July 2, 2026. (Photo by Aris MESSINIS / AFP)

Teeth Bared in Greece's Bear-human Showdown

Living in a mountain village in northern Greece, retired furrier Dimitris Despas is no stranger to brown bear encounters -- the latest one in his garden just…

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Varieties People cross an intersection near Okubo metro station, one stop north of Shinjuku metro, in Tokyo on June 12, 2026, in the Okubo亡hin area, a neighbourhood known for its large immigrant communities, including Korean, Southeast Asian and South Asian residents. (Photo by Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)

Woman Arrested in Japan for Sewing Shut Housemate's Lips

Japanese police arrested a woman near Tokyo for allegedly sewing shut the lips of her housemate, officials said Thursday. The 42-year-old female victim…

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Varieties "Peanut Butter Plasterers" are spreading a floor of peanut butter, without chunks, in the Depot of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, 03 July 2026, as a tribute to the late artist and TV producer Wim T. Schippers. (EPA)

Peanut Butter Floor Returns to Dutch Museum as Tribute to Late Artist

More than 800 pounds of peanut butter — enough for around 15,000 peanut butter sandwiches — have been spread across the floor of a museum in the Netherlands in…

Varieties Firefighters work on a burnt area as a wildfire rages in the southern France department of Pyrenees-Orientales in the town of Ille-sur-Tet, near Perpignan on July 6, 2026. (AFP)

French Firefighter Dies in Wildfire in Savoie Region, Minister Says

A 22-year-old ‌fireman died while fighting a wildfire in the Savoie region in the French Alps, the French interior minister said on Wednesday. Wildfires…

Varieties FILE PHOTO: SpaceX's Starship rocket prototypes are seen at the SpaceX Starbase in Brownsville, Texas, US, August 19, 2023. REUTERS/Veronica G. Cardenas./File Photo

With SpaceX Starship, Japan's ispace Provides Ride-share to the Moon

Japanese moon transport company ispace said on Wednesday it would start a new, lower-cost lunar cargo business using the Starship heavy rocket and moon lander…

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Varieties  A man holds eclipse-viewing glasses that are certified to the ISO 12312-2:2015 international safety standard, which specifies requirements for the direct observation of the sun, in a store in Burgos on July 2, 2026. (AFP)

‘Unique Event’: Solar Eclipse Fever Fills Empty Spain

As a child, Enrique Bordallo would gaze in awe at the starry night sky in rural Spain. Next month's solar eclipse has now made his passion a popular obsession…

Varieties NASA is planning an experiment to light a fire on the moon. That may sound weird, but researchers say it could improve mission safety for years to come (NASA)

For First Time, NASA to Light Fire on Moon

NASA wants to set fire to the moon. If conducted, the experiment would be the first time humanity has set fire to another planet, according to The Independent…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Varieties Pregnant mangrove land crabs during the annual breeding season at Taijiang National Park in Tainan, Taiwan, July 3 2026. (Reuters)

Taiwan’s Migrating Crab Population Rebounds Thanks to Safer Road Crossings

Road closures and bamboo bridges have helped protect Taiwan's largest terrestrial crab species during breeding season when they return to the sea to lay eggs. …

Varieties The successful crossing of the Alps allowed Hannibal to bypass Roman defenses and pull off a string of stunning victories on the Italian peninsula during the Second Punic War. (AFP)

Study Points to Likely Route for Hannibal’s Legendary Alpine Crossing

Just how Hannibal managed to lead war elephants and a full army over the Alps to attack the Romans remains a mystery, but a new modern biology study points to…

Varieties The red phalarope is a migratory seabird that spends most of its life cycle on the open ocean and breeds in Arctic regions. - SPA

King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Records First Sighting of Red Phalarope

The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority announced that a specialized research team has documented the first confirmed sighting of a red…

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Varieties A "Pikachu" balloon is displayed at the Noto Airport in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture on July 7, 2026. (JIJI / AFP)

‘Pokemon Airport’ Opens to Help Japanese Quake-Hit Region

An airport in a remote Japanese region hit by a deadly earthquake in 2024 was given a new look on Tuesday, temporarily nicknamed after the Pokemon universe,…

Varieties A worker drinks water from a plastic bottle at a construction site in Bordeaux, southwestern France on June 22, 2026, as France experiences a ferocious heatwave. (AFP)

Europe May Face ‘More Deadly Weeks’ as New Heatwave Builds, WHO Warns

The World Health ‌Organization warned on Tuesday that Europe could face “more deadly weeks” ahead, with another intense heatwave forming over the Atlantic…

Varieties FILE PHOTO: Britain's Prince Harry departs after attending court for his appeal against the rejection of his legal challenge to the British government's decision to take away his police protection when he is in Britain, outside the High Court in London, Britain, April 8, 2025. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File Photo

Prince Harry to Discover Outcome of UK Tabloids Case

Prince Harry was in Britain on Tuesday as a court was set to rule in his case against the Daily Mail's publisher for alleged unlawful information gathering. …

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Varieties The exhibition features authentic rock specimens engraved with examples of ancient scripts (Academy). 

A Journey Through 28 Letters: Riyadh Exhibition Traces Story of Arabic from Ancient Inscriptions to Modern Technology

A historical and intellectual journey awaits visitors to “Arabic Language: Twenty-Eight Letters of Light,” an exhibition in Riyadh that tells the story of one…

Omar Badawi
Varieties A breast radiologist reviews ultrasound images and examination results. (Shutterstock)

When 'That Disease' Became Mine

No one prepares you for that moment. For that phone call. For the instant you feel the life you have built, with care, patience, and love, beginning to…

Rana Abtar (Washington )