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Portugal Closes All Schools and Non-Essential Services Ahead of a Major Atlantic Storm

Varieties Heavy machinery clears the debris from a landslide along the Marocos road in Machico municipality, on the Portuguese island of Madeira, due to severe weather caused by the passage of Storm Charles, 11 November 2026. (EPA)

Portugal Closes All Schools and Non-Essential Services Ahead of a Major Atlantic Storm

Portugal closed all schools and shuttered non-essential public services on Wednesday as a major Atlantic storm headed for the country's mainland. Streets…

Varieties The S.S. United States crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times. (Getty Images)

Once the World's Fastest, Ocean Liner Will Become Largest Artificial Reef

An ocean liner that is longer than the Titanic and was once the fastest on the seas is headed to a final home on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico as the world's…

Varieties Celine Dion. (AFP)

Medical Breakthrough for People with Same Disorder as Celine Dion

People suffering from stiff person syndrome (SPS), which affects Celine Dion, the singer, could soon benefit from a new medicine which improves symptoms. …

Varieties View of a flooded area after storm Leo passed by Alcacer do Sal, Portugal, February 5, 2026. (Reuters)

Portugal Storm Alert Closes Schools

Portugal will shut schools and non-essential public services on Wednesday, with the government urging people to shelter from winds potentially reaching 140…

Varieties British author John Harrison poses after winning the 2026 Booker Prize for his novel "The End of Everything" at the awards ceremony in London, Britain, 09 November 2026. (EPA)

British Writer John Harrison Wins 2026 Booker Prize for ‘The End of Everything’

British author ‌John Harrison has won the 2026 Booker Prize for his novel, "The End of Everything," a dystopian satire that the prize says probes the…


Varieties An aerial view shows damaged buildings after heavy rains at Xin'anzhuang village, in Miyun district, on the outskirts of Beijing on July 28, 2025. (AFP)

Four Killed, Eight Missing as Heavy Rain Soaks Northern China 

Heavy rain intensified around Beijing and nearby provinces on Monday, with four people killed in a landslide in northern Hebei and eight people missing, as…

Varieties Residents and firefighters attempt to extinguish a wildfire as smoke and flames rise from a forested area in the Gursu district of Bursa early on July 27, 2025. (AFP)

2 Volunteers Die Fighting Türkiye Wildfires, Raising Deaths to 17 Since Late June 

The death toll from wildfires outside the city of Bursa in northwest Türkiye rose to four late Sunday after two volunteer firefighters died. The pair died in…

Varieties Firefighters have been working to extinguish a wildfire in the western Turkish province of Izmir. HANDOUT / DHA (Demiroren News Agency)/AFP

Wildfires Threaten Türkiye’s Fourth-largest City as Locals are Evacuated

Wildfires that have engulfed Türkiye for weeks threatened the country’s fourth-largest city early Sunday, causing hundreds of people to flee their homes. …

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties West Coast and shopping festival attract visitors during Jeddah Season. (SPA)

West Coast and Shopping Festival Attract Visitors during Jeddah Season

This summer, Jeddah Season 2025 is offering unique tourism activities that combine the sea atmosphere with the liveliness of shopping. This year's Jeddah…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop as a wildfire burns in the village of Drosopigi, near Athens, Greece, July 26, 2025. (Reuters)

Greece Battles Wildfires Across Country, Evacuates Villages

Firefighters were battling wildfires near Athens and across Greece on Saturday as the Mediterranean country sweltered under the third heatwave of the summer,…

Varieties Their involvement was part of a ministry initiative aimed at promoting the responsible economic use of mangrove resources and showcasing locally produced mangrove honey - SPA

Saudi Environment Ministry Celebrates International Mangrove Day at Ras Tanura Park

The Qatif Governorate office of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture marked the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem,…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties The launch aims to underscore the vital role mangroves play in protecting coastlines and enhancing biodiversity - SPA

NCVC Marks International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem

The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) has launched the visual identity for the International Day for the…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties Known for its high quality and variety, watermelon continues to gain strong consumer demand across Saudi Arabia.  - SPA File Photo

Watermelon Takes Center Stage as Saudi Arabia Enters Peak Summer Fruit Season

Agricultural areas across Saudi Arabia are experiencing a vibrant summer harvest this July, with watermelon leading the seasonal fruits in local markets as…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties  Pedestrians are reflected in rainwater as they cross the street after the downpour subside in Beijing, China, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP)

Beijing Warns of Geological Disasters as Storms Lash Baoding Again

Beijing issued on Saturday a warning for geological disasters including landslides and mudslides after intense rainfall the day before, with storms circulating…

Varieties People stand next to smoke rising from the wildfire in the Aksu district of Antalya, a Mediterranean city in southern Türkiye, July 25, 2025. (Reuters)

Fires Engulf Türkiye’s Mediterranean Coast as Government Declares 2 Disaster Zones

New wildfires broke out on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast Friday, as the government declared two western provinces in the country to be disaster zones. Images…

Varieties Enayati says regional ties run deep through shared history (Photo: Turki Al-Oqaili)

Iran Envoy: Jareesh is Part of Our Culture, I Prefer It to Mandi

With a warm smile and a calm tone, Dr. Alireza Enayati, Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, reflects on nearly two years in Riyadh, describing a personal…

Abdulhadi Habtor
Varieties Indonesia has more tropical peatland than any country, but it is also quickly losing this poorly understood ecosystem. STR / AFP

'Lungs of the Earth': the Indonesians Fighting for Peatland

Indonesian environmentalist Pralensa steered his boat through a shallow canal in the marshy peatlands near his village, an environment he fears may soon…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties The Saudi Post (SPL) issues two commemorative stamps for the Riyadh Metro. (SPA)

Saudi Post Issues Commemorative Stamp for Riyadh Metro 

The Saudi Post (SPL), in cooperation with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, issued on Thursday two commemorative stamps with a denomination of SAR3 for the…

Varieties Project sites were selected based on environmental priorities, including ecological sensitivity, need for restoration, and technical feasibility. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s NCVC Announces Success of 3 Major Mangrove Cultivation Projects 

Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) announced the successful completion of three major…

Varieties The Arch Rock will host the event as part of a series of year-round activities designed to deepen community awareness of astronomy. (SPA)

AlUla to Host Milky Way Stargazing Event at Arch Rock Next Week 

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Manara team is organizing a stargazing event that examines AlUla wonders on Monday evening, observing the Milky Way during one of the best…

Varieties Tourists leave the Acropolis Hill monument site during a heatwave in Athens on July 23, 2025. (AFP)

Outdoor Work in Southern Europe’s Tourist Hot Spots Is Becoming Hellish 

Cruel heat is baking southern Europe as the continent slips deeper into summer. In homes and offices, air conditioning is sweet relief. But under the…

Varieties In this photo provided by Helen North, Leo the laundry-stealing cat poses on July 24, 2024, at its home in Auckland, New Zealand. (Helen North via AP)

A Cat named Leonardo da Pinchy Doesn’t Want your Affection. He Wants to Steal Your Underwear

Most cat owners dread their pets bringing home mice or birds. But for the owners of one felonious feline in Auckland, New Zealand, there’s a worse shame —…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties Step up: Walking even just a little more every day could have big health benefits. Tolga Akmen / AFP/File

Research: Walking 7,000 Steps a Day a Huge Boost to Health

People who walk 7,000 steps a day have a dramatically lower risk of a broad range of serious health problems, the largest review of the evidence yet said…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties Luxury cars cars bearing fake diplomatic number plates are parked outside a rented residential building in which a bogus embassy was running in Ghaziabad, outskirts of New Delhi, India, Monday, July 21, 2025. (Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force via AP)

Man Posed as an Ambassador and Ran a Fake Embassy, Indian Police Say 

Indian police have arrested a man accused of running a bogus embassy from a rented residential building near the capital, New Delhi, and recovered cars with…

Varieties Tens of thousands were evacuated across Manila earlier this week by floodwaters. Ted ALJIBE / AFP

Philippines Shuts Schools, Scraps Flights as Typhoon Co-May Nears

The Philippines shut down schools and cancelled flights Thursday as torrential rains driven by a typhoon and a separate tropical storm pounded the country's…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties A bird perches on the trunk of a dead palm tress, near Peaje Mendoza, in Florida, Uruguay, Wednesday, July 9, 2025, as thousands of palm trees in the South American country have been devoured by the red palm weevil since its unexplained arrival from Southeast Asia in 2022. (AP)

Uruguay Confronts a Powerful New Threat to Its Palm Trees: A Tiny Red Bug 

Palm trees in Uruguay are more than just plants, they are icons, much like olive groves for Greeks or cherry blossoms for the Japanese. The treasured trees…

Varieties Saudi Reef Launches Project to Boost Coffee Tree Productivity by 30%

Saudi Reef Launches Project to Boost Coffee Tree Productivity by 30%

The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program (Saudi Reef), in collaboration with the National Research and Development Center for Sustainable…

Asharq Al Awsat
Varieties The Summer Fruits Season is one of AlUla’s most prominent agricultural production periods, with over 4,900 tons produced annually from around 216,000 fruit-bearing trees. (SPA)

AlUla Launches Summer Fruits Season as Part of 'Khayrat AlUla' Initiative 

The Summer Fruits Season started in AlUla on Tuesday as part of the “Khayrat AlUla” initiative implemented by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). The…

Varieties A woman covers herself from the sun as she browses a smartphone on a street during a hot day in Beijing, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (AP)

Record Heat in China Strains Power Grid, Stirs Health Fears 

China warned on Wednesday against the risk of power supply disruptions as people struggled to keep cool in record heat baking large swathes of the country,…