Author: Steven Sahiounie

Germany’s Next Chancellor Merz: Anti-Migration and Loyal to Ukraine It’s nearly certain that former banker Friedrich Merz will become Germany’s next chancellor after his conservative alliance secured a majority in Sunday’s pivotal legislative elections. Who Is Friedrich Merz? Merz studied law and initially worked as a lawyer before setting his sights on politics with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Elected to the European Parliament in 1989, he later transitioned to domestic politics, joining the German Bundestag in 1994. Rising through the CDU ranks, Merz was eventually sidelined after a power struggle with Angela Merkel. Strict Migration Stance On migration, Merz…

After Defeat, Guardiola Praises Salah and Marmoush Performances Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about the performances of Egyptian stars Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush following his team’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. Guardiola Reflects on the Match Despite the loss, Guardiola praised his team’s effort. He noted that Salah, who scored and assisted, “had to take on more defensive duties than in Liverpool’s previous matches.” Speaking to Sky Sports, the Spanish manager said, “We played a good game. It was even at the start, but we couldn’t score. Maybe we lacked focus and effectiveness…

Sharaa Receives Invitation to Emergency Arab Summit in Egypt On Sunday, the Syrian Presidency announced that transitional Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa received an invitation from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to attend an emergency Arab Summit in Egypt, scheduled for March 4, 2025. Official Invitation Details In a statement, the Syrian Presidency said: “President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Mr. Ahmed Sharaa, received an official invitation from the President of the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt, Mr. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, to participate in the emergency meeting of the League of Arab States Council, set to take place on March 4,…

Washington Backs Israel’s Delay in Releasing 600 Palestinian Prisoners A White House statement on Sunday confirmed U.S. support for Israel’s decision to postpone the release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners. Ceasefire Deal Faces Tension On Saturday, Hamas released six Israeli hostages as planned, part of the seventh round of exchanges under a truce agreement. In return, Israel was expected to free over 600 Palestinian prisoners. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced late Saturday that the release would be delayed until the hostages’ release occurs “without degrading ceremonies.” A senior Hamas official, Bassem Naim, told Reuters on Sunday night, “There…

Israel Expands West Bank Operations, Tanks Enter Jenin Israel continues its weeks-long military operations across cities, towns, and refugee camps in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian sources. Expanded Military Push in Jenin On Sunday, the Israeli army broadened its operations in Jenin, extending to the towns of Qabatiya, Yamoun, and Silat al-Harithiya. The military conducted widespread bulldozing, deploying tanks and additional reinforcements into the city. Meanwhile, in Tulkarm, Israel’s operation stretched into its 28th consecutive day with further troop deployments. In Nablus, Israeli forces stormed the western area via the Deir Sharaf checkpoint, vandalizing shops and raiding surrounding…

Zelenskiy: Ukraine and Washington Work on “Fairer Minerals Deal” On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that a controversial proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration—offering the United States $500 billion in revenue from Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as compensation for wartime aid—has been withdrawn. He noted that efforts are underway with Washington to craft a “fairer” agreement. Rejection of the Initial Proposal Zelenskiy had previously rejected a U.S. draft deal involving the exploitation of Ukraine’s precious minerals, such as lithium, critical for aerospace, defense, and nuclear energy industries. The proposal lacked security guarantees and tied aid to the $500…

Israel and EU Discuss Gaza’s Future in Brussels Meeting On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar will meet senior European officials in Brussels, marking a revival of dialogue with the European Union (EU). This comes as the EU considers its role in rebuilding Gaza following last month’s ceasefire agreement. First Partnership Council Since 2022 Saar will lead Israel’s delegation at the EU-Israel Partnership Council meeting alongside the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. This is the first such meeting since 2022, signaling a renewed effort to strengthen ties. Discussions will center on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israeli-Palestinian relations, and…

Trump Lays Off More US Government Employees The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump announced that it has placed nearly all employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) worldwide, except for a small number, on paid administrative leave. Additionally, it plans to eliminate approximately 2,000 of these jobs in the United States, according to a notice sent to agency employees and reviewed by Reuters. Starting directly at midnight on Sunday, Eastern U.S. time, all USAID employees hired directly by the agency—except those deemed essential for critical functions—will be placed on leave. At the same time, the agency has…

Discovery of a New Potentially Habitable Planet Humans Could Migrate To Astronomers have discovered a new planet that could potentially support human life and might one day serve as a destination for human migration, despite being located entirely outside our solar system. According to details published by Science Alert, a website specializing in science and technology, and reviewed by Al Arabiya Net, this exoplanet may contain some of the essential components needed to sustain life. Surprisingly, it’s situated closer to us than previously thought. Scientists have confirmed the existence of what could be a habitable world orbiting a star just…

Rare Astronomical Event Not Seen Again Until 2040: Seven Planets Align! On February 28, 2025, the night sky will showcase a breathtaking and rare alignment of seven planets—an astronomical spectacle that won’t occur again until 2040. This extraordinary event will feature Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn lining up after sunset, offering a unique opportunity to observe them together. Astronomers confirm that most of these planets will shine brighter than nearby stars, making them visible to the naked eye. However, Uranus and Neptune, due to their distance from Earth, will require binoculars or a telescope for clear viewing.…