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Food Industry Pushes Back on WHO Guidance for Products with Added Color, Sweeteners

Varieties Around 11 million deaths a year are linked to unhealthy diets, according to the agency, based on data from a global study. (Getty Images)

Food Industry Pushes Back on WHO Guidance for Products with Added Color, Sweeteners

Governments should consider regulating foods that include added colors, flavors or sweeteners designed to make the product more appealing to consumers,…

Varieties Dozens of Pakistani farmers are suing German firms RWE and Heidelberg Materials in a rare bid to make big polluters pay damages for climate impacts. Aamir QURESHI / AFP

Pakistan Farmers in Long Fight to Make German Firms Pay for Flood Damage

In a Pakistani village nestled in rice fields, Abdul Hafeez Khoso remembers the vast industrial zones he saw in Germany when he visited to file a pioneering…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties A tourist holds an umbrella to shelter from the sun while walking on a hot day in Tokyo on July 15, 2026. (AFP)

This Year Set to Be One of Four Hottest on Record, UN Report Says

This year is ‌on track to be one of the four hottest on record, driven by a powerful El Niño and perpetuating a warming streak of more than a decade, a UN…

Varieties A white-tailed eagle over the Isle of Mull in Scotland. (Natural Resources Wales)

Reintroduction of White-Tailed Eagles Puts Seabird Colonies at Risk of Wipeout

White-tailed eagles reintroduced into England and Wales imperil endangered seabird populations and risk wiping out some colonies, The Guardian reported quoting…

Varieties Residents extend a supply hose to fill a barrel with clean water from a tanker truck in Kavling Bakau Serip, amid local water shortages linked to data center developments in Batam. ANDARU / AFP

Can't Cook or Shower: Indonesians Take Aim at Data Centers

Cooking and bathing became difficult when taps ran dry in Batam, an Indonesian island where residents are protesting as data centers spring up to power the…

Asharq Al Awsat

Varieties Diplomats and media industry experts highlighted the key dimensions of “soft power.” (SPA)

Saudi Media Forum Discusses State of Arab Media, Global Ambitions

Diplomats and media industry experts shed light on “soft power” and how it can be leveraged to build national reputations and shape public awareness of…

Omar al-Badwi (Riyadh)
Varieties Women walk past a mural depicting children as future scientists in Tehran on February 3, 2026. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)

Iran Formally Allows Women to Ride Motorcycles

Women in Iran can now formally obtain a license to ride a motorcycle, local media reported Wednesday, ending years of legal ambiguity surrounding two-wheelers…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties A police car patrols an empty shopping area amid rain as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Ronda, Spain, February 4, 2026. (Reuters)

Storm Leo Pounds Iberian Peninsula with Torrential Rains

Spanish and Portuguese authorities braced on ​Wednesday for the impact of Storm Leo, suspending classes in some areas and warning against travel, just one week…

Varieties  People clear snow near a building in Aomori, northern Japan, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)

Northern Japan Hit by Deadly Snowfall, as Warnings Issued on More Heavy Snow

Heavy snow battering northern Japan in the last two weeks has been blamed in 35 deaths nationwide so far, including people suffering sudden heart attacks or…

Varieties A Doberman named Penny sits next to the awards after winning the "Best in Show" competition at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York City, US, February 3, 2026. (Reuters)

Penny the Doberman Pinscher Wins the 150th Westminster Dog Show

The dog was Penny. The win was priceless. A Doberman pinscher named Penny won best in show Tuesday night at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, netting US…

Varieties Implemented under the “AlUla Manara” umbrella, the initiative supports RCU's objectives to protect the night sky. SPA

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla, Astrophotographers Launch Initiative to Strengthen Global Astrotourism Profile

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Governorate launched a new initiative in collaboration with leading astrophotographers to highlight its position as a global destination…

Asharq Al Awsat (AlUla)
Varieties Visitors walk past a sculpture of a pink ribbon installed to promote the "Pink Ribbon" breast cancer awareness campaign in this illustration, October 5, 2011. (Reuters)

Four Out of Every 10 Cancer Cases Are Preventable, Says WHO

Nearly four out of every 10 cancer cases could be prevented if people avoided a range of risk factors including smoking, drinking, air pollution and certain…

Varieties FILE PHOTO: Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Kick, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Reddit, Threads and X applications are displayed on a mobile phone ahead of new law banning social media for users under 16 in Australia, in this picture illustration taken on December 9, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams/Illustration/File Photo

Spain to Ban Social Media Access for Children Under 16

Spain will ban access to social media for minors under 16 and platforms will be required to implement ‌age verification ‌systems, Prime &zwnj…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties Officials are seen at the fifth Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)

Saudi Media Ministry and SDAIA Launch Key Initiatives at Saudi Media Forum

The Saudi Ministry of Media, in partnership with the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), launched on Monday two key initiatives at the fifth Saudi Media Forum…

Varieties A car is smashed due to storm Kristin, in Leiria, Portugal, February 2, 2026. (Reuters)

Spain, Portugal on Alert as Storm Arrives

The Iberian Peninsula on Tuesday braced for a violent storm, with southern Spain shutting schools and Portugal placed on fresh alert after severe weather…

Varieties From next year, cars sold in China will need to have door handles with mechanical releases following safety concerns with aerodynamic doors. Hector RETAMAL / AFP/File

China to Ban Hidden Car Door Handles, Setting New Safety Standards

China will ban hidden door handles on cars from next year over safety concerns, phasing out the minimalist design popularized by Tesla. The new rules could…

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