Author: Steven Sahiounie

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the United States $500 billion in revenue from Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as compensation for wartime aid—has been withdrawn.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.…

New Bat Coronavirus Discovered in China with Potential to Infect Humans Chinese virologists have announced the discovery of a new bat coronavirus that could potentially infect humans in a manner similar to COVID-19. According to the South China Morning Post, this newly identified virus is a distinct strain of the HKU5 coronavirus, originally found in a Japanese bat in Hong Kong. The research team, led by renowned Chinese virologist Shi Zhengli, conducted an in-depth study of this virus at a laboratory in Guangzhou. The team collaborated with experts from the Guangzhou branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well…

Official Statement Regarding the Syrian Foreign Minister’s Visit to Iraq The Syrian Foreign Ministry announced that the date for Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani’s visit to Iraq, representing the transitional government, will be determined later. The ministry’s media office stated, “Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani has received an official invitation to visit the brotherly Republic of Iraq. The visit aims to discuss several mutual issues and open a new chapter in bilateral relations between the two countries. The timing of the visit will be set later, following the completion of the agenda and necessary technical consultations to determine a suitable date.” For…