Varieties: Discover Latest News Today

China Has Slashed Air Pollution, but the ‘War’ Isn’t Over 

Varieties This picture taken on February 11, 2026 shows pedestrians walking along an overpass as traffic snarls in Beijing. (AFP)

China Has Slashed Air Pollution, but the ‘War’ Isn’t Over 

Fifteen years ago, Beijing's Liangma riverbanks would have been smog-choked and deserted in winter, but these days they are dotted with families and exercising…

Varieties Investigators recovered 101 Australian reptiles from parcels destined for Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Romania. (AFP file)

Sydney Man Jailed for Mailing Reptiles in Popcorn Bags 

A Sydney man who tried to post native lizards, dragons and other reptiles out of Australia in bags of popcorn and biscuit tins has been sentenced to eight…

Varieties A member of the CRS Alpes Grenoble mountain rescue team operates as he searches for potential buried victims during an avalanche emergency response rescue mission in an off-piste area of the Ecrins massif, French Alps on January 29, 2026. (Photo by JEFF PACHOUD / AFP)

Two Snowboarders Dead after Austrian Avalanche

Two snowboarders have been confirmed dead after their bodies were recovered following an avalanche in western Austria over the weekend, police said Monday. …

Varieties Trees lie amid the floodwaters after heavy rain and wild winds in Puketotara, Waikato region, New Zealand, February 14, 2026, in this picture obtained from social media. Wayne Feisst/via REUTERS

Wild New Zealand Storm Disrupts Transport, Leaves Thousands Without Power

Heavy rain and strong winds disrupted flights, trains and ferries, forcing the closure of roads across large parts of New Zealand's North Island on Monday,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties A couple dances next to a street musician in Central Park on Valentine's day in New York, on February 14, 2026. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

New York Creatives Squeezed Out by High Cost of Living

After 20 years as a makeup artist for TV and cinema, Noel Jacoboni sees few other options than to leave New York City, where she has been "priced out" by the…

Asharq Al Awsat

Varieties Manly Beach in Australia. (Getty Images)

Teen Swims Four Hours to Save Family Lost at Sea off Australia

Rescuers praised a teenage boy's "superhuman" survival instincts after he swam four hours through choppy waters off Australia to find help for his family. The…

Varieties Healthcare workers in India face challenges administering antivenom - the life-saving antibodies that neutralize toxins in venom. (Getty Images)

Snakebites Kill 50,000 People Every Year in India

Devendra, who was a farmer in India, still remembers the moment a snake sank its fangs into his leg while he was picking mulberry leaves. “I went to the…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Varieties Saudi Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary launches the fifth edition of the Saudi Media Forum 2026 in Riyadh. (SPA)

Media Minister Opens Fifth Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh

Under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary launched on Monday the…

Varieties The program opens on Thursday, February 12 - SPA

Diriyah Art Futures Announces February Program Alongside ‘of the Earth’ Exhibition

Diriyah Art Futures (DAF), the MENA region’s first center dedicated to new media arts, announced the launch of its February public program at its headquarters…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties A general view of the Space Summit at Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore February 2, 2026. REUTERS

Singapore to Launch Space Agency in Response to Global Investment Surge

Singapore will launch its own space agency on April 1 as it bids to "fully harness the value and opportunities of the growing global space economy", the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties Japan's drilling-equipped research vessel Chikyu before its departure from Shimizu port to conduct a test recovery of rare-earth–rich mud near Minamitori Island, marking the world's first attempt to continuously lift rare-earth seabed sludge from a depth of about 6 km onto a ship, in Shimizu, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan - Reuters

Japan Retrieves Rare Earth-rich Mud from Seabed to Lower Reliance on China

Japan said Monday it has successfully drilled and retrieved deep-sea sediment containing rare earth minerals from the seabed near a remote island, as the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties Chronic stress is bad for your health, physically and mentally. (Stanford University)

Tips for Lowering Cortisol Levels and Reducing Stress

Like almost all our hormones, cortisol, known as the “stress hormone,” rises and falls naturally depending on a number of factors. But if you're living in a…

Asharq Al Awsat (Cairo)
Varieties People gather at Sydney Opera House during Australia Day 2026 celebrations, in Sydney, Australia, 26 January 2026. (EPA)

Passengers Flee Snake at Australian Train Station

Commuters jumped in fright as a snake slithered across a city train platform in Australia, proving nowhere is safe from the nation's creepy-crawlies. Footage…

Varieties Sleep apnea affects more than one billion people worldwide. (AFP illustrative photo)

Saudi Scientific Study Develops AI-Powered Detection of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

A Saudi scientific study has developed an intelligent model for detecting obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition affecting more than one billion people…

Varieties Local officials in the historic Sudanese city of Suakin hope the once-booming transit port turned tourist draw can be revived. Mutawakil ISSA / AFP

In Sudan's Old Port of Suakin, Dreams of a Tourism Revival

The mayor of Suakin dreams of a rebirth for his town, an ancient Red Sea port spared by the wars that have marked Sudan's history but reduced to ruins by the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties A gold ring is placed in a Smart Gold Store Machine where a customer has brought it to sell in Shanghai on January 29, 2026. (AFP)

Chinese Cash in Jewellery at Automated Gold Recyclers as Prices Soar

Dozens of people crowded around an automated gold recycling machine at a Shanghai mall, hoping to melt down family heirlooms for cash as prices of the precious…

Varieties Students walk across the historic Horseshoe as snow falls at the University of South Carolina on January 31, 2026 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Getty Images/AFP)

Snowstorm Disrupts Travel in Southern US as Blast of Icy Weather Widens

Travel misery was set to continue Sunday as a powerful snowstorm blasted southern US states, bringing subzero temperatures to regions not accustomed to the…

Varieties Under Royal Patronage, Saudi Media Forum 2026 Launches Monday in Riyadh

Under Royal Patronage, Saudi Media Forum 2026 Launches Monday in Riyadh

Under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the fifth edition of the Saudi Media Forum (SMF) 2026 will launch…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties © FETHI BELAID / AFP

Tunisia's Famed Blue-and-white Village Threatened after Record Rains

Perched on a hill overlooking Carthage, Tunisia's famed blue-and-white village of Sidi Bou Said now faces the threat of landslides, after record rainfall tore…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties The experience combines sunrise balloon flights with fine dining and stargazing under AlUla’s clear skies. SPA

Saudi Arabia: AlUla Hot Air Balloons, Safari Span 200,000 Years of History

AlUla’s season has launched a new slate of aerial experiences, offering visitors a rare opportunity to explore nearly 200,000 years of human history from the…

Asharq Al Awsat (AlUla)
Varieties Prof Uri Alon said he hoped the study would inspire further investigation into the genes that affect lifespan (Shutterstock)

Scientists May Have Unlocked Key Secret to Long Life

Scientists think they may have unlocked a key secret to long life – quite simply, genetics, according to The Guardian. Writing in the journal Science, the…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Varieties Sack of fresh raw potatoes (Shutterstock)

Berlin Drowning in Potatoes… for Free

A vast stockpile of potatoes is being given away for free by a farm in the German state of Saxony, after a bumper national harvest. Thousands of tasty tubers…

Asharq Al Awsat (Berlin)
Varieties Jeff Bezos arrives to attend Dior Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026 show in Paris, France, January 26, 2026. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor

Bezos's Blue Origin to 'Pause' Space Tourism to Focus on Moon Efforts

Jeff Bezos's space company Blue Origin said Friday it would temporarily pause flights of its space tourism rocket to focus more resources on its lunar…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties The ermine and stoat mascots of the 2026 Olympic Games are everywhere, but their real-life counterparts risk dwindling in the wild. Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP

Cuddly Olympics Mascot Facing Life or Death Struggle in the Wild

Tina and Milo, the ermine and stoat mascots of the upcoming 2026 Olympic Games in Italy, are already everywhere -– smiling on stuffed animals, posters, mugs…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties The event features over 700 participants, including professional, elite, and international falcon owners, as well as local amateurs - SPA

Turaif Hosts Falcon Festival with Over 700 Participants

The tenth edition of Northern Borders Falcon Festival commenced today in Turaif Governorate, in collaboration with the Saudi Falcons Club. The event…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties As the price of gold soars, Accra plans to revise its mining code to increase state revenue from the sector. Chris Stein / AFP/File

Ghana Moves to Rewrite Mining Laws for Bigger Share of Gold Revenues

Ghana is preparing to overhaul its mining laws to increase its share of the revenues generated by the surge in the precious metal's price, sparking concern…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties People replastered the Great Mosque of Djenne, one of Mali's major tourist draws, in June 2025. OUSMANE MAKAVELI / AFP/File

Mali's Troubled Tourism Sector Crosses Fingers for Comeback

Oumar Cisse used to lead tours of Djenne, an ancient, fabled city in central Mali known for its towering mud-brick mosque, but he now ekes out a living driving…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties Chief Executive Officer of VAST Space Max Haot speaks at the Space Debris Conference 2026 in Riyadh. (SPA)

VAST CEO Announces Plan to Launch First Commercial Space Station in 2027

Chief Executive Officer of VAST Space Max Haot announced on Tuesday the company’s plan to launch the first commercial space station for astronauts, Haven-1, in…

Varieties A person looks out of a window in an apartment building in Kansas City, Mo., May 3, 2020. (AP)

Being a Night Owl May Not Be Great for Your Heart, but You Can Do Something About It

Being a night owl can be bad for your heart. That may sound surprising but a large study found people who are more active late at night — when most of the…