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Saudi Arabia to host Arab summit on Trump's Gaza plan

Saudi Arabia will host the leaders of four Arab countries at a summit on February 20 to discuss President Donald Trump's proposal for a US takeover of Gaza, a source with knowledge of the preparations said on Friday.The leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will attend the summit, to take place ahead of an Arab League meeting in Cairo one week later on the same issue, the source said.Speaking on condition of anonymity, another source said Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas would also attend.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Saudi Arabia to host Arab summit on Trump's Gaza plan

Leverkusen's Boniface 'happy' despite failed Saudi move

Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface is "happy" and "focused" even though a potential big-money January move to Saudi Arabia fell through last month, the German club's sporting director Simon Rolfes said Friday.Boniface was left out of training and one matchday squad in January while Leverkusen were set to receive up to 70 million euros ($73.50 million) from Saudi side Al-Nassr, according to German media. Instead, the Saudi club signed Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran for a reported fee of 77 million euros.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Leverkusen's Boniface 'happy' despite failed Saudi move

Bus carrying freed Palestinian prisoners arrives in Ramallah

A bus carrying a group of Palestinian prisoners released Saturday by Israel under the Gaza ceasefire deal arrived to a cheering crowd in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, according to an AFP journalist.Wearing traditional keffiyeh scarves, the freed prisoners were hoisted onto the crowd's shoulders. They hugged relatives before heading to a quick health checkup, the journalist reported.Many in the crowd waved yellow flags of the Fatah movement which dominates the Palestinian Authority, while one prisoner kissed a baby as soon as he stepped off the bus.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Bus carrying freed Palestinian prisoners arrives in Ramallah

'Welcome back': Israelis cheer, cry as hostages freed from Gaza

Holding up signs reading "sorry and welcome back" and "complete the ceasefire", hundreds of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv's "Hostages Square" on Saturday to watch Hamas release three Israeli hostages from Gaza.In smaller groups, friends and relatives of the released men -- Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, Israeli-Russian Sasha Trupanov, 29, and Israeli-Argentine Yair Horn, 46 -- shed tears of joy at the sight of their loved ones, who were made to address a crowd in Gaza from a stage alongside rifle-wielding militants.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: 'Welcome back': Israelis cheer, cry as hostages freed from Gaza

British couple detained in Iran named

The UK government on Saturday named two Britons detained in Iran as Craig and Lindsay Foreman, with their family saying they are determined to ensure the pair's "safe return".The two are currently being held in Kerman, a city and province in southeast Iran, the family said in a statement issued by the British foreign ministry."This unexpected turn of events has caused significant concern for our entire family, and we are deeply focused on ensuring their safety and well-being during this trying time," they said.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: British couple detained in Iran named