German chancellor tells Trump US remains an ‘indispensable’ friend

German chancellor tells Trump US remains an ‘indispensable’ friend
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addresses young people who took part in the youth4peace project in the Chancellery in Berlin on May 8, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 09 May 2025
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German chancellor tells Trump US remains an ‘indispensable’ friend

German chancellor tells Trump US remains an ‘indispensable’ friend
  • Friedrich Merz discussed the Ukraine war and trade rows with the US president on Thursday, using their first phone call to attempt to heal frayed ties

BERLIN: Germany’s new Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed the Ukraine war and trade rows with US President Donald Trump on Thursday and said the United States remained Berlin’s “indispensable” partner, using their first phone call to attempt to heal frayed ties.
Since Trump returned to the White House, he has rattled Europe with head-pinning changes in security and trade policy, while his top administration officials have strongly supported Germany’s far-right AfD party.
Merz, despite being an avowed transatlanticist, has called for Europe to become more independent of its traditional NATO ally and said after his February election win that he had “no illusions” about the new tone from Washington.
But in their talk on Thursday, the conservative Merz “assured the American President that, 80 years after the end of the Second World War, the USA remains an indispensable friend and partner of Germany,” said a statement from Berlin.
“Both agreed to a close exchange and announced mutual visits to the USA and Germany,” it added without giving dates.
Merz’s spokesman Stefan Kornelius highlighted broad agreement to jointly resolve major crises, from the Ukraine war to the escalating US-EU trade row sparked by Trump’s blizzard of tariffs.
The new chancellor “shared the President’s call for a swift end to the killing in Ukraine” and said that “Russia must now agree to a ceasefire to create space for negotiations.”
The statement added that “Trump said he would strongly support Germany’s efforts, together with France, Great Britain, Poland and other European partners, to achieve lasting peace.”
The call came after Merz took power on Tuesday in a bumpy first day during which he was only elected in a second-round vote my MPs, having lost the first one in a surprise upset.
His inauguration ended half a year of political paralysis in Europe’s top economy since center-left ex-chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government collapsed last November 6, the day Trump was re-elected to the White House.

Trump’s inauguration came about a month before the German election on February 23 and heavily impacted the final stretch of the campaign.
The new US president reached out directly to Russia to end the Ukraine war and fueled doubts about the future strength of NATO, while threatening a trade war that would harm especially export power Germany.
Merz, straight after winning the election, urged the speedy formation of a new coalition government, warning that “the world isn’t waiting for us.”
He said his “absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA” in security matters.
During the campaign, the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) won strong backing from Trump ally Elon Musk, the technology billionaire, who called it the “best hope” for Germany.
Last week, after Germany’s domestic intelligence agency designated the AfD a “right-wing extremist” party, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the move “tyranny in disguise.”
Vice President JD Vance wrote on X that “the West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt — not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment.”
Merz on Tuesday condemned what he labelled the recent “absurd observations” from the United States and said he “would like to encourage the American government... to largely stay out of” German domestic politics.
A politician with longstanding US ties, Merz said he had always felt “from America that they can clearly distinguish between extremist parties and parties of the political center.”
Merz also noted on Tuesday that “I did not interfere in the American election campaign” that elected Trump.
The Berlin statement after the first Trump-Merz phone call made no mention of the row over the AfD.
 


ACWA Power advances $1.8bn capital increase plan to boost global expansion, says CFO


ACWA Power advances $1.8bn capital increase plan to boost global expansion, says CFO

Updated 47 sec ago
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ACWA Power advances $1.8bn capital increase plan to boost global expansion, says CFO


ACWA Power advances $1.8bn capital increase plan to boost global expansion, says CFO


RIYADH: Saudi utility giant ACWA Power is moving forward with its SR7 billion ($1.8 billion) capital increase as part of a broader strategy to expand its footprint in energy transformation, water desalination, and green hydrogen production, according to its chief financial officer.

In an interview with Al-Ekhbariya, Abdulhameed Al-Muhaidib described the capital raise as a critical step to reinforce the company’s leadership both domestically and internationally in sustainable infrastructure.

ACWA Power’s investment portfolio currently stands at around SR400 billion, encompassing over 78 gigawatts of production capacity and more than 9.5 million cubic meters per day in water desalination capacity. In line with long-term objectives, the company’s board approved a plan two years ago to triple assets under management to over SR937.5 billion by 2030.

The initiative also aligns with Saudi Arabia’s national goal of achieving a balanced energy mix by 2030, targeting an equal split between gas and renewable sources for electricity generation.

“The company decided to increase its capital through a rights issue rather than expanding into debt markets, with the aim of strengthening its financial position and enhancing credit flexibility. A large portion of the proceeds will be used to expand its project portfolio both inside and outside the Kingdom,” said Al-Muhaidib.

He noted that 60 percent of ACWA Power’s current investments are located in the Kingdom, with the remaining 40 percent spread across international markets. Between 75 percent and 85 percent of the new capital will be allocated to greenfield projects, while acquisitions will account for no more than 20 percent.

“ACWA Power’s infrastructure projects rely primarily on debt, with shareholders’ equity covering 20 percent to 25 percent of the financing structure. The company will continue this financing strategy while maintaining net debt at approximately SR20 billion, despite the significant growth expected through 2030,” he added.

Highlighting the company’s geographical expansion, Al-Muhaidib said ACWA Power added new projects worth SR34 billion in 2024 across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and China.

He also pointed out the firm’s active presence in China, with more than 90 employees based in its Shanghai office to support growth in that market.

ACWA Power successfully achieved nine financial closings in 2024, amounting to SR34.6 billion. The CFO said a dedicated internal team has been established to streamline project execution from inception to operation.

He confirmed that the Capital Market Authority has approved the capital increase, with the final offering price set to be announced during the company’s general assembly on June 30.

“Seventy-seven percent of shareholders have submitted their subscription pledges,” Al-Muhaidib noted, adding that the high participation rate underscores investor confidence in the company’s long-term strategy.

ACWA Power reported a net profit of SR1.75 billion in 2024, a 5.74 percent increase year on year, according to a Tadawul filing issued in February. The gain was attributed to higher revenues from operations and maintenance, increased electricity sales, and improved earnings from equity-accounted investees, capital recycling, and net finance income.


Two police officers killed, two wounded in ambush in Pakistan’s Balochistan province

Two police officers killed, two wounded in ambush in Pakistan’s Balochistan province
Updated 10 min 38 sec ago
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Two police officers killed, two wounded in ambush in Pakistan’s Balochistan province

Two police officers killed, two wounded in ambush in Pakistan’s Balochistan province
  • Attack, claimed by BRA separatists, took place late on Saturday in Sui, mountain town about 50km from Dera Bugti city
  • Police were ambushed after had rushed to the area in two vehicles to respond to reports of a grenade explosion

QUETTA: Two police officers were killed and two others injured when gunmen ambushed a police patrol in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, officials said on Sunday. 

The attack took place late on Saturday in Sui, a mountainous town about 50km from Dera Bugti city where police had rushed to respond to reports of a grenade explosion.

Jalab Khan, station house officer at Sui Police, said officers were traveling in two vehicles when they were ambushed.

“Nearly a dozen armed men were hiding behind a large rock and attacked our vehicles with heavy gunfire, hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenades,” Khan told Arab News.

“Two policemen were killed on the spot and two sustained bullet wounds,” he said, adding that the attackers fled under the cover of darkness.

The Baloch Republican Army (BRA), an ethnic Baloch separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. The BRA has been involved in multiple attacks on security forces and gas infrastructure in Dera Bugti, one of Pakistan’s key natural gas-producing districts.

The group emerged after the killing of veteran Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti during a military operation in 2006.

Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is a mineral-rich region that is home to Beijing’s investment in the Gwadar deep water port and other projects. It is Pakistan’s largest province by size but smallest by population and the most impoverished. It has long been the site of a separatist insurgency by groups like the BRA, who are fighting for independence.

Pakistan accuses neighboring India and Afghanistan of supporting Baloch separatist militants, a claim they deny. Islamabad also says neighboring Iran does not do enough against militants operating on their shared border. 

“The slain policemen were local residents of Dera Bugti and their bodies have been handed over to families for burial,” said Atta Tareen, the district police officer for Dera Bugti.

A first information police report hasd been registered and Balochistan’s Counter Terrorism Department was leading the investigation, Tareen added.


Jadal Library: A cultural oasis in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province

Ali Al-Herz (right) turned his home into a library of over 37,000 books. (Supplied)
Ali Al-Herz (right) turned his home into a library of over 37,000 books. (Supplied)
Updated 29 min 29 sec ago
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Jadal Library: A cultural oasis in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province

Ali Al-Herz (right) turned his home into a library of over 37,000 books. (Supplied)
  • Ali Al-Herz turned his home into a library of over 37,000 books, offering visitors space where memory, philosophy, culture come alive

DHAHRAN: In the quiet village of Umm Al-Hamam, located in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, a lifelong passion for books has been transformed into a cultural haven.

Ali Al-Herz, a bibliophile and literary archivist, has turned his home into Jadal Library, a treasure trove of over 37,000 books, more than 100,000 newspapers and magazines, and antiques, some dating back more than a century. 

Yet Jadal is not just a library; it is much more than that. It is a museum to explore, a philosophical space to reflect, and a stand against forgetting important cultural stories.

Al-Herz told Arab News: “Since I was born I have been surrounded by my mother’s books. I grew up immersed in this passion to the point where it completely took hold of me; I became a bookworm.”

The spark that ignited it all was when Al-Herz encountered the epic “Sirat Antar” at age 13. “From that epic and through it, I began to look into other worlds,” he said.  

This curiosity and fascination ultimately led Al-Herz to create one of Saudi Arabia's most unique initiatives.

The name “Jadal” means “debate” or “discussion” in Arabic, reflecting the library’s curious spirit. For Al-Herz, the goal is not just to preserve texts but also to preserve the idea of questioning and exploring ideas.

Al-Herz said: “I chose this name for the library because it is deeply rooted in ancient Greek philosophical history and in our own Arab-Islamic cultural tradition, particularly in our religious heritage.”

The philosophical atmosphere fills three main halls — named after Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle — which welcome visitors into a curated world of reading and reflection.  

Rare manuscripts, ancient texts, newspapers, and antiques have been carefully archived. Each piece is a whisper from the past speaking into the future. 

Al-Herz explained: “Even my recent focus on buying books has mostly shifted toward rare editions and old prints, to create a harmony between heritage and modernity.”

But Jadal is not stuck in nostalgia, as every two weeks Al-Herz holds a literary gathering. The event brings back a tradition that was once important in the intellectual life of Arabs.

It is an environment where writers, scholars, and thinkers gather over Arabic coffee to exchange ideas in a vibrant atmosphere.

And in a time when people seek instant information online, Al-Herz still uses traditional methods. “There is an ongoing struggle between two generations,” he observed. “Victory will ultimately go to this latter generation once my generation becomes extinct. Paper libraries will then be transformed into museums.”

Perhaps he is right; but for now, in the heart of Qatif’s countryside, Jadal Library lives on, and it is a place where ink, memory, debate, and heritage continue to shape the cultural soul of the Kingdom.


Saudi envoy leads maritime safety talks in London

Saudi envoy leads maritime safety talks in London
Updated 31 min 14 sec ago
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Saudi envoy leads maritime safety talks in London

Saudi envoy leads maritime safety talks in London
  • Kamal Al-Junaidi is the first Arab to preside over the committee

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization recently made history by chairing the 51st advisory committee meetings of the International Mobile Satellite Organization in London.

Kamal Al-Junaidi is the first Arab to preside over the committee, creating a milestone for both the Kingdom and the Arab world in maritime governance, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

His role also reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing presence in international maritime organizations and commitment to advancing maritime communication and safety systems.

Al-Junaidi managed the sessions and acted as a neutral facilitator, helping member states reach consensus on key issues, including oversight of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, implementation of Long Range Tracking and Safety standards and audit reviews for satellite communication providers.

He also led discussions on proposed maritime safety regulation amendments, monitored the organization’s strategic direction to ensure alignment with IMO standards and submitted the committee’s recommendations to the General Assembly.

The 51st session took place at the IMO headquarters in London, with representatives from 44 countries engaging in in-depth discussions on key maritime challenges.


Madinah records 82% satisfaction rate in quality of life, survey says

Madinah has recorded an 82 percent satisfaction rate in the quality of life, marking a 16 percent rise over the previous finding
Madinah has recorded an 82 percent satisfaction rate in the quality of life, marking a 16 percent rise over the previous finding
Updated 39 min 43 sec ago
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Madinah records 82% satisfaction rate in quality of life, survey says

Madinah has recorded an 82 percent satisfaction rate in the quality of life, marking a 16 percent rise over the previous finding
  • Rise of 16% over previous finding

RIYADH: As part of its push to enhance livability under Vision 2030, Madinah has recorded an 82 percent satisfaction rate in the quality of life, marking a 16 percent rise over the previous finding, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.

The new findings, released by the Madinah municipality, reflect significant public approval of recent improvements to parks, public services and infrastructure.

More than 75,220 citizens and residents participated in the survey, according to the SPA.

Driven by smart lighting, safe pedestrian pathways and improved public facades, satisfaction with the urban landscape rose to 78 percent — an 18 percent increase.

Road quality satisfaction jumped to 62 percent, up 27 percent, following enhancements in road design and lighting systems.

General cleanliness ranked among top-performing areas, with satisfaction reaching 81 percent.

Neighborhood cleanliness stood at 71 percent, while satisfaction with environmental sanitation rose to 61 percent, a 28 percent increase, fueled by improved pest control, rainwater drainage, and faster municipal response times.

The survey also showed 69 percent satisfaction with waste management, specifically the handling of construction and demolition debris.

Some 71 percent of residents expressed satisfaction with direct municipal services, and 64 percent with indirect services, supported by the region’s smart service portal and digital assistant.

Public amenities recorded a satisfaction rate of 68 percent after the municipality added more than 14 new parks and expanded green space per capita to 2.1 sq. meters.

Community engagement also featured in the survey, with 68 percent of residents satisfied with their role in shaping local decisions through open forums and channels of direct communication.

The municipality said the results underscored its commitment to transparency and resident-focused development, and will be used as a reference point for future initiatives aimed at raising the quality of life across the region.

The municipality has undertaken efforts to improve the city’s infrastructure and tourism appeal.

Madinah ranked 88th globally on Euromonitor International’s 2024 index of the world’s top 100 city destinations, and was seventh globally on the Tourism Performance Index.