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Israel Says Will Ban French Hard-Left Leader Melenchon from Entry

World  Leftist party La France Insoumise (LFI) candidate in France's 2027 presidential election Jean-Luc Melenchon gestures as he delivers a speech during a campaign rally in La Souterraine on November 11, 2026. (AFP)

Israel Says Will Ban French Hard-Left Leader Melenchon from Entry

Israel said on Thursday it would ban French hard-left presidential contender Jean-Luc Melenchon from visiting after he vowed that if he were elected, French…

World US special envoys Steve Witkoff, right, Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, left, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speak to the media at the airport in Dublin, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026.(AP)

Kushner Says US Working Toward ‘Largest Prisoner Exchange’ of Russia’s War in Ukraine

US President Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner said on Thursday Russia and Ukraine agreed to expand the next round of talks to include European…

World  US Vice President JD Vance speaks at the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball in New Bern, North Carolina, US, November 12, 2026. (Reuters)

Trump Bluntly Tells JD Vance to Shift Focus from Iran to Targeting ‘Corruption and Crime’ at Home

President Donald Trump on Thursday directed Vice President JD Vance to shift his focus away from the Iran war and instead devote himself to fighting what the…

World Rescuers and security officers examine the wreckage of an ambulance helicopter after it collided with a hospital building and crashed into the ground, in Mugla, Türkiye, December 22, 2024. REUTERS/Kenan Gurbuz Purchase

Military Helicopter Crashes in Southern Türkiye, Killing 4

A military helicopter crashed in southern Türkiye on Thursday, killing four personnel, the Turkish Defense Ministry said. The aircraft crashed for unknown…

Asharq Al Awsat
World US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance look on during a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, US, November 11, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

Trump Says US Does Not Need Iran Deal

President Donald Trump said on Thursday the US does not need a deal with Iran and directed Vice President JD Vance, who has played a role in efforts to resolve…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)

World Flowers are hung on the fence of a school where a shooting took place, in the southeastern province of Kahramanmaras, Türkiye, April 16, 2026. (Reuters)

Türkiye Dismisses Deputy Education Minister After School Shootings

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed Türkiye’s deputy education minister after two school shootings that left nine people dead, according to the…

World  French President Emmanuel Macron attends a Greece–France Economic Forum at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens, Greece, April 25, 2026. (Reuters)

Macron Reaffirms Efforts to Reopen Strait of Hormuz, as TotalEnergies Warns of Energy Shortages

French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated ‌on Saturday that he was focused on efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a day after the head of…

World Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks to the reporters at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Türkiye, April 19, 2026. (Reuters)

Türkiye May Consider Role in Hormuz Demining After Iran-US Deal, Minister Says

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that Türkiye could consider taking part in demining operations in the Strait of Hormuz following a possible peace…

World A passenger walks through the terminal hall after flights resumed at Imam Khomeini International Airport, amid a ceasefire between US and Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 25, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

Iran Resumes Commercial Flights from Tehran’s International Airport

US envoys are expected to travel to Pakistan on Saturday in a new bid to salvage ceasefire talks with Tehran, even as Iran ruled out direct negotiations with…

World A view of an oil refinery in China's Shandong province. (Reuters)

US Imposes Sanctions on Chinese ‘Teapot’ Refinery for Buying Iranian Oil

The Trump administration said on Friday it had imposed sanctions on an independent "teapot" refinery in China for buying billions of dollars' worth of Iranian…

World  Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez arrives to attend a summit of the European Union and regional partners' leaders in Nicosia (Lefkosia), Cyprus, April 24, 2026. (Reuters)

Spain Is ‘Reliable’ NATO Member, PM Says After Reported US Ouster Threat

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday stressed Spain was a "reliable member" of NATO, after a report the United States was considering trying to suspend it…

World This handout photo from the US Navy shows the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) sailing in the Pacific Ocean.. (AFP)

US Military Says It Struck Vessel in Eastern Pacific, Killing Two

The US military said on Friday it struck a vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing two people, in the latest such attack, condemned by rights groups as …

World The general view of the remains of the over-the-horizon radar system "Duga" not far from city of Chernobyl, Ukraine, 22 November 2018. (EPA)

Crunch Nuclear Proliferation Meeting at UN Amid Raging Global Wars

Signatories of the landmark nuclear non-proliferation treaty will meet at the UN from Monday as hopes fade they can reach agreement and tensions soar between…

World A brick wall surrounds a tent camp housing people with alleged ties to ISIS militants at Roj Camp in eastern Syria, Friday, April 24, 2026. (AP)

Australia Refuses Repatriation Help for Citizens in Syria Camp

Australia refused to help repatriate citizens related to suspected ISIS extremists on Saturday, following a report that some Australian families are trying to…

World Romanian army servicemen explain the capabilities of "Vector" surveillance drone during exercise EASTERN PHOENIX 26, a training activity designed to test counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) procedures, at Capu Midia firing range, April 24, 2026. (AFP)

Romania Says Drone Fragments Damage Property During Overnight Russian Attack on Ukraine

Romania recovered drone fragments in the southeastern city of Galati after an overnight Russian attack on neighboring Ukraine, with an electricity pole and a…

World  A member of Iran's police special forces stands guard in Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 24, 2026. (AP)

Iran Executes Man Over ‘Mission’ for Israel’s Spy Agency

Iran on Saturday executed a man for carrying out a "mission" on behalf of Israel's spy agency during mass protests in January, the judiciary reported. It is…

World Smoke rises in the city after a Russian drone and missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Dnipro, Ukraine April 25, 2026. (Reuters)

Russian Strikes Kill Six Across Ukraine

Russian strikes across Ukraine killed at least six people, officials said Saturday, most of them in an attack on a residential building in the eastern city of…

World Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a ceremony commemorating Israel’s Remembrance Day for fallen soldiers, or Yom HaZikaron, at the Military Cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem April 21, 2026. (Reuters)

Netanyahu Says He Was Successfully Treated for Prostate Cancer

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ‌Netanyahu said on Friday that he had received successful treatment for early-stage prostate cancer. In a statement on…

Asharq Al Awsat (Tel Aviv)
World Pakistani security officials stand guard at a checkpoint amid a high-level security lockdown ahead of anticipated US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, 25 April 2026. (EPA)

Trump Cancels Envoys’ Trip to Islamabad, Hopes Fade for Breakthrough in Iran War

President Donald Trump cancelled a trip to Islamabad by two US envoys to meet Iran war mediator Pakistan on Saturday after Iran's foreign minister flew out of…

World  Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks during a press conference after taking part in an informal meeting of the European Council in Nicosia on April 24, 2026. (AFP)

Merz Floats Sanctions Relief for Iran Peace Deal, Other EU Leaders Cautious

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested on Friday that the European Union could ease sanctions on Tehran as part of a comprehensive deal that would end the…

World Coffins sit on a trailer beneath portraits of Hezbollah fighters killed before a 10-day ceasefire was agreed between the Iran-backed militant group and Israel during a mass funeral procession in the southern village of Kfar Sir on April 21, 2026. (AFP)

German Court Jails Hezbollah Supporter Over Videos Showing Weapons

A German court on Friday sentenced a supporter of Lebanon's Hezbollah party to more than three years in jail Friday over for "illegal access to weapons" and…

World  Milad telecommunication tower is seen at left in a general view of a part of Tehran, Iran, Thursday, April 23, 2026. (AP)

Key Go-Between Switzerland to Reopen Embassy in Iran

Switzerland said Friday it had begun sending staff back to Tehran and would gradually reopen its embassy, enabling it to continue as a facilitator for…

World Pakistani soldiers stand guard on a street leading to the Red Zone area after tightened security measures ahead of the expected US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad on April 24, 2026. (AFP)

Trump Dispatches Witkoff and Kushner to Pakistan for New Talks with Iran’s Foreign Minister

President Donald Trump is sending his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan, the White House said Friday, just hours after Iran’s top diplomat…

Asharq Al Awsat
World FILE PHOTO: A NATO flag flutters at the Tapa military base, Estonia April 30, 2023. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins/File Photo

NATO 'Must Remain United', Says Italy PM Meloni

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday urged NATO allies to stick together, after a report that the United States was mulling action against Spain…

Asharq Al Awsat
World US CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper meets Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lt-Gen. Eyal Zamir during his visit to Israel (Israeli Army)

Behind The Scenes: US-Israeli Military Decisions Shaping Iran's War

Although US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have made the ultimate war and ceasefire decisions regarding Iran, The…

Asharq Al Awsat (Tel Aviv)
World FILE PHOTO: A container ship enters the Singapore Strait for the Strait of Malacca, as tourists stand at mainland Asia's southern most point in Johor, Malaysia November 12, 2016. Picture taken November 12, 2016.  REUTERS/Henning Gloystein/File Photo

Hormuz Crisis Throws Spotlight on World's Largest 'Chokepoint' - the Malacca Strait

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced policymakers in Asia to face questions over the security of other maritime chokepoints, including the Strait of…

World US Air Force personnel perform maintenance on bomber at UK's RAF Fairford (EPA)

A 60-Day Deadline Could Pressure Trump on Ending the Iran War

Washington - Robert Jimison Over nearly eight weeks of war in Iran, Republicans in Congress have turned back repeated efforts by Democrats to halt the…

World A member of the Iranian security forces stands guard in front of a billboard showing Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and Iranian military commanders during a rally to mark International Quds Day in Tehran, Iran, 13 March 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei 'Gravely Wounded' but 'Mentally Sharp'

Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei was seriously wounded in the US-Israeli airstrike that killed his father and predecessor Ali Khamenei but is…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
World Britain's Defense Secretary John Healey (R) and Chief of Joint Operations (CJO) Lieutenant General Nick Perry attend a 'Strait of Hormuz Military Planning Conference' at the Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood, north-west London on April 23, 2026. (Photo by Alastair Grant / POOL / AFP)

France, UK Eye 'Real Progress' in Hormuz Plan

Britain and France Thursday voiced hope that military plans to secure the Strait of Hormuz were coming together and would succeed in restoring trade flows…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)