Asharq Al-Awsat English

Business

France Faces a Difficult Triple Challenge: Stagnant Economy, Debt and Angry Streets

With an economy barely growing, public finances drained by debt, and the streets returning to protest, France faces a highly complex equation. The government is under pressure to address demands over wages, purchasing power, and public services, while preparing an austerity budget expected to cut spending by billions of euros. At the same time, the country is approaching a presidential election, making any economic decision more politically sensitive.

Asharq Al-Awsat EnglishOctober 1, 2026

News

UN Rights Chief Urges Tennessee Not to Repeat Christa Pike Execution Attempt

UN rights chief Volker Turk on Thursday urged the US state of Tennessee not to make a new attempt to execute Christa Pike after she survived two lethal injection doses. Convicted murder Pike, 50, was being treated in hospital, her lawyers said, following Tennessee's second failed execution in months. "The case of Christa Pike lays bare multiple reasons why the death penalty should be abolished," the UN rights office said on X.

Asharq Al-Awsat EnglishOctober 1, 2026

News

What Does Activating the 7700, 7600 and 7500 Emergency Codes Mean in Aviation?

In aviation, flights operate according to carefully defined scenarios, but behind the apparent calm of the cockpit lies a coded digital language capable of changing the situation in the skies within seconds. The recent incident involving a Flydubai flight, during which the emergency codes 7700 and then 7500 were activated, has again drawn attention to the strict and largely unseen protocols used by air traffic control centers to manage complex emergencies.

Asharq Al-Awsat EnglishOctober 1, 2026

Culture

Royal Institute of Traditional Arts Launches Third Edition of Wrth Camp in Aseer

The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) has launched the third edition of Wrth Camp in Aseer Region, running from October 1 to 31, with the participation of 50 trainees from across the Kingdom. The camp offers three training tracks: traditional stone building, traditional hand embroidery, and metal art. Participants will learn the fundamentals and techniques of each craft, culminating in three collective artworks inspired by the region's architecture and heritage, and receive an accredited certificate from the institute upon completion.

Asharq Al-Awsat EnglishOctober 1, 2026

Business

Italian Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Will Work with Saudi Arabia to Enter Third Markets

Riyadh and Rome are moving their economic relations toward a more practical track, with plans for joint cooperation in third markets, alongside expanding channels of cooperation between Saudi and Italian companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.

Asharq Al-Awsat EnglishOctober 1, 2026

News

A Russian Drone Hits a Kyiv School as Moscow Presses Its Aerial Campaign against Ukraine

A Russian drone struck a school in Kyiv on Thursday, city officials said, as the Ukrainian capital endured another night and day of relentless aerial attacks. Children and staff at the school were in shelters when the drone hit, Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said, although the drone's warhead didn’t explode. There was no immediate report of casualties. The building’s brick frontage showed a large hole and black burn mark alongside smashed windows.

Asharq Al-Awsat EnglishOctober 1, 2026