Author: Steven Sahiounie

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…

Numbered Cemeteries in Israel: Holding the Remains of 665 Palestinians and Arabs Israeli authorities continue to detain the remains of 665 Palestinians and Arabs killed by its military in various operations, some dating back to 1967. This includes perpetrators of armed attacks against Israeli targets, as well as Yahya Sinwar, former head of Hamas’s political bureau, killed in Rafah months ago. These bodies are kept in secretive “numbered cemeteries,” where the remains of deceased prisoners and others, including women and children, are buried. The number of detained bodies exceeds 600, with estimates suggesting a dramatic increase following the Gaza war,…

Egypt Confirms Arab Support for Gaza Reconstruction Plan with Residents Staying Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aaty confirmed on Saturday that Egypt’s emerging plan for early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, while ensuring Palestinians remain on their land, has garnered Arab support. This statement came during a phone call with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, where both ministers discussed bilateral relations and the latest developments in the Middle East, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tamim Khalaf. In a press statement, Khalaf noted that the ministers expressed eagerness to hold a joint governmental committee meeting, co-chaired by both foreign ministers, to…

Pope’s Battle with Illness: Doctors Identify the Main Threat The Vatican continued its Holy Year celebrations on Saturday without Pope Francis, who remains in a fierce struggle against pneumonia and a complicated respiratory infection. Doctors describe the latter as still uncertain, keeping the 88-year-old pontiff hospitalized for at least another week. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni reported early Saturday that the Pope had a restful night. According to the Associated Press, medical experts pinpointed the primary threat to Francis as the potential onset of sepsis—a dangerous blood infection that can arise as a pneumonia complication. In their first detailed update on…

Release of Hisham Sayed, “The Forgotten Prisoner” from Gaza Strip After the announcement of the names of hostages scheduled for release at the end of the first phase of the Gaza agreement, Hisham Sayed’s name emerged among the six listed. Many were surprised to see an Arab name included. According to i24 News, Hisham Shaban Sayed was detained in April 2015 after independently crossing the border into the Gaza Strip through the orchards of Kibbutz Erez. Hisham Sayed, now 36 years old, is an Arab-Israeli citizen born in the Negev. His family reports that he suffers from schizophrenia. Initially, he…