Breaking World News

France Criticizes ‘Demagogic’ Move by Israel to Ban Hard-Left Leader Melenchon

World  09 November 2026, France, Paris: France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, speaks during a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Paris. (dpa)

France Criticizes ‘Demagogic’ Move by Israel to Ban Hard-Left Leader Melenchon

France has ‌criticized as "demagogic" a decision by Israel to ban French hard-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchonand another leading figure in…

World Congolese workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) walk outside the Ebola Treatment Center at the Bunia General Referral Hospital following a resurgence of Ebola involving the Bundibugyo strain, in Bunia, Ituri province, the Democratic Republic of Congo, November 2, 2026. (Reuters)

UN Hails Progress in Ebola Response, Cites Insecurity as Biggest Challenge

UN health officials on Friday hailed progress in the Ebola response six months after the outbreak first prompted global concerns, but cautioned that the…

World Workers install signage for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) China 2026 summit on the wall of a building in Shenzhen, China's Guangdong province on November 12, 2026. (AFP)

Five Facts About APEC with Trump, Putin and Xi Set to Attend

Attention will focus next week ‌on a summit of US, Chinese and Russian leaders set for the 21-member gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation …

World Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a ceremony for the exchange of signed documents at the Akasaka State Guest House in Tokyo, Japan, 09 November 2026. (EPA)

Takaichi to Attend APEC in First China Trip as PM

Japan said Friday that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi would visit China next week for the first time since she took office last year, attending an Asia-Pacific…

World  A police officer inspects the site of a residential house damaged by a Russian military strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine November 13, 2026. (Reuters)

Europe Pushes for Seat at Ukraine Peace Talks ‌but Lacks Unified Voice

European nations are seeking an envoy to represent them in talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, concerned that a US-backed process will leave them sidelined…


World Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf (Iranian Parliament)

Iran Says It Now Considers EU Militaries to Be Terrorist Groups

The speaker of Iran's parliament said Sunday that his country now considers all European Union militaries to be terrorist groups, lashing out after the bloc…

Asharq Al Awsat
World More than five million Afghans have returned since September 2023, as neighboring Iran and Pakistan stepped up deportations. Wakil KOHSAR / AFP

Afghan Returnees in Bamiyan Struggle despite New Homes

Sitting in his modest home beneath snow-dusted hills in Afghanistan's Bamiyan province, Nimatullah Rahesh expressed relief to have found somewhere to "live…

Asharq Al Awsat
World This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows the rubble of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant at Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment site on Dec. 3, 2025. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

Satellite Photos Show Activity at Iran Nuclear Sites as Tensions Rise over Protest Crackdown

As tensions soar over Iran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests, satellite images show activity at two Iranian nuclear sites bombed last year by Israel…

Asharq Al Awsat
World Britain and Japan agreed to strengthen defense and economic ties during talks between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Japanese premier Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo © Kin Cheung / POOL/AFP

Britain, Japan Agree to Deepen Defense and Security Cooperation

Britain and Japan agreed to strengthen defense and economic ties, visiting Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Saturday, after his bid to forge closer links…

Asharq Al Awsat
World Smoke rises from a fire caused by an explosion in Tehran (File photo - Reuters)

Explosion at Iran's Southern Port of Bandar Abbas Kills One, Hurts 14

At least one person was killed and 14 injured in ​an explosion in the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on Saturday, a local official told Iranian news…

Asharq Al Awsat
World An Iranian walks past a huge anti-US mural painted on the side of a building in the Iranian capital Tehran on January 31, 2026. (Photo by Atta KENARE / AFP)

Iran Army Chief Warns US and Israel, Says Forces on High Alert

Iranian army chief Amir Hatami on Saturday warned the United States and Israel against an attack, saying his country's forces were on high alert. He also…

Asharq Al Awsat
World Security personnel inspect the blast site after an attack by Baloch separatists in Quetta on January 31, 2026. (Photo by Adnan AHMED / AFP)

10 Security Officials, 37 Militants Killed in SW Pakistan Attacks

At least 10 security officials and 37 militants were killed as ethnic Baloch separatists launched "coordinated" attacks across Pakistan's Balochistan province…

Asharq Al Awsat
World FILE - Miners work at the D4 Gakombe coltan mining quarry in Rubaya, Congo, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)

Mine Collapses in Eastern Congo, Leaving at Least 200 Dead

A landslide earlier this week collapsed several mines at a major coltan mining site in eastern Congo, leaving at least 200 people dead, rebel authorities said…

Asharq Al Awsat
World HANDOUT - 31 December 2025, Iran, Tehran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian chairs a cabinet meeting in Tehran. Photo: -/Iranian Presidency/dpa

Iran President Says Trump, Netanyahu, Europe Stirred Tensions in Recent Protests

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that US ⁠President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ⁠Netanyahu and Europe had stirred…

Asharq Al Awsat
World This handout image from the US Navy shows Capt. Daniel Keeler, the commanding officer of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, as he prepares to fly an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter in the Indian Ocean on Jan. 23, 2026. (Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Daniel Kimmelman/US Navy via AP)

CENTCOM to Iran: We Will Not Tolerate Unsafe IRGC Actions

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has warned Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) not to make any “unsafe” behavior near American forces in the Strait of Hormuz. …

Asharq Al Awsat
World US President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House, Washington, DC, USA, 30 January 2026. (EPA)

Trump Says Iran Wants Deal, US ‘Armada’ Larger Than in Venezuela Raid

President Donald Trump said Thursday he believed Tehran wanted to make a deal to avoid military action, adding that the US "armada" near Iran was bigger than…

World A bus burned during protests on a street in Tehran, Iran, January 16, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

‘He Probably Would’ve Survived’: Iran Targeting Hospitals in Crackdown

Hospitals are no longer places of safety as Iran's crackdown on anti-government protests impacts all aspects of life, rights groups say, with authorities…

World  United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference outlining his priorities for 2026 at UN headquarters in New York City, US, January 29, 2026. (Reuters)

Guterres Warns of UN’s ‘Imminent Financial Collapse’

The UN chief has told member states that the organization is at risk of "imminent financial collapse", citing unpaid fees and a budget rule that forces the…

World People light a fire during a protest over the death of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by the Islamic republic's "morality police", in Tehran, Iran September 21, 2022. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS

New US Sanctions Against Iran Target Interior Minister Over Crackdown on Protesters

The Trump administration imposed sanctions Friday against Iran 's interior minister, accusing Eskandar Momeni of repressing nationwide protests that have…

Asharq Al Awsat
World 30 January 2026, Türkiye, Istanbul: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan shakes hands with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul. (Turkish Presidency/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa)

Iran Ready for Talks with US, but No Plans Yet, Foreign Minister Says

Iran is ready for dialogue to resolve tensions with the United States but that there are no concrete plans for talks with Washington, Foreign Minister Abbas…

Asharq Al Awsat
World Britain's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks during a press conference on migration at 10 Downing Street, London, Britain, November 28, 2024. Stefan Rousseau/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

Starmer Says UK Working with Allies to Block Iran's Nuclear Ambitions

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday the UK was working with allies to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, when asked whether he…

Asharq Al Awsat
World Türkiye is weighing contingency plans along its border if the United States attacks Iran. Ozan KOSE / AFP/File

Iran's Top Diplomat in Istanbul for Talks as US Tension Simmers

Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi landed in Istanbul on Friday for talks where Türkiye was to offer help to mediate tensions with the United States, which has…

Asharq Al Awsat
World President Donald Trump arrives for the premiere of first lady Melania Trump's movie "Melania" at The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Trump Says 'Hopefully' No Need for Military Action against Iran

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he hoped to avoid military action against Iran, which has threatened to strike American bases and aircraft carriers…

Asharq Al Awsat
World US President Donald Trump looks on after signing the "Great American Recovery Initiative" aimed at combating addiction and substance abuse in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 29, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

Trump Threatens Tariffs on Nations Selling Oil to Cuba

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday threatening to impose additional tariffs on countries that sell oil to Cuba, further increasing…

Asharq Al Awsat
World  Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in August 2025 (AFP) 

Russia: There Is Still Room for Negotiations between US and Iran

Russia said on Thursday that there was still room for negotiation between Iran and the United States and warned that any use of force against Tehran would have…

Asharq Al Awsat (Moscow)
World Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shakes hands with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan during his visit to Tehran in November 2025 (Turkish Foreign Ministry)

Türkiye Steps Up Mediation Efforts Between Iran, US

Türkiye is intensifying efforts to mediate between Iran and the US, seeking to avert a new crisis on its eastern border that could also threaten regional…

Saeed Abdulrazek (Ankara)
World Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum attends a press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico January 27, 2026. REUTERS/Henry Romero

Trump Says Call with Mexican President 'Very Productive'

US President Donald Trump said he had a "very productive" call with his Mexican counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday, after tensions over drugs,…

Asharq Al Awsat
World European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas speaks with the media as she arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

EU Sanctions 15 Iranian Officials, Including Top Revolutionary Guard Leaders, Over Brutal Crackdown

The European Union on Thursday announced sanctions on 15 Iranian officials, including top commanders and officials of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard,…

Asharq Al Awsat
World In this image made from video provided by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, Russian Chief of General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov, third right, arrives to inspect the troops involved in the fighting in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

Russian Drone Attack Kills 3 in Southern Ukraine as Further US-led Peace Talks Approach

A Russian drone attack killed three people in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region overnight, authorities said Thursday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr…

Asharq Al Awsat