BERLIN: Four candidates are bidding to be Germany’s next leader in Sunday’s election. The would-be chancellors are the incumbent, the opposition leader, the current vice chancellor and — for the first time — a leader of a far-right party.
Olaf Scholz
The 66-year-old has been Germany’s chancellor since December 2021. The center-left Social Democrat has a wealth of government experience, having previously served as Hamburg’s mayor and as German labor and finance minister. As chancellor, he quickly found himself dealing with unexpected crises. He launched an effort to modernize Germany’s military after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and made Germany Ukraine’s second-biggest weapons supplier. His government prevented an energy crunch and tried to counter high inflation. But his three-party coalition became notorious for infighting and collapsed in November as it argued over how to revitalize the economy — Europe’s biggest, which has shrunk for the past two years.
Friedrich Merz
Germany’s 69-year-old opposition leader has been the front-runner in the election campaign, with his center-right Union bloc leading polls. He became the leader of his Christian Democratic Union party after longtime Chancellor Angela Merkel — a former rival — stepped down in 2021. Merz has taken his party in a more conservative direction. In the election campaign, he has made curbing irregular migration a central issue. Merz lacks experience in government. He joined the European Parliament in 1989 before becoming a lawmaker in Germany five years later. He took a break from active politics for several years after 2009, practicing as a lawyer and heading the supervisory board of investment manager BlackRock’s German branch.
Robert Habeck
The 55-year-old is the candidate of the environmentalist Greens. He’s also Germany’s current vice chancellor and the economy and climate minister, with responsibility for energy issues. As co-leader of the Greens from 2018 to 2022, he presided over a rise in the party’s popularity, but in 2021 he stepped aside to let Annalena Baerbock — now Germany’s foreign minister — make her first run for the chancellor’s job. Habeck’s record as a minister has drawn mixed reviews, particularly a plan his ministry drew up to replace fossil-fuel heating systems with greener alternatives that deepened divisions in the government.
Alice Weidel
The 46-year-old is making the first bid of the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany, or AfD, for the country’s top job. An economist by training, Weidel joined the party shortly after it was founded in 2013. She has been co-leader of her party’s parliamentary group since the party first won seats in the national legislature in 2017. She has been a co-leader of the party itself since 2022, along with Tino Chrupalla. In December, she was nominated as the candidate for chancellor — though other parties say they won’t work with the AfD, so she has no realistic path to the top job at present.
4 candidates want to be Germany’s next chancellor. Who are they?
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4 candidates want to be Germany’s next chancellor. Who are they?
- The country has the largest population - 84 million - and the biggest economy in Europe with a GDP of $4.5trn
- Ahead of the German election, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is in second place in opinion polls
Iran, US to hold 4th round of talks as enrichment concerns grow
MUSCAT: Iran and the United States are set to attend a fourth round of talks over Tehran’s nuclear program on Sunday, as US officials have voiced increasing opposition to Iranian enrichment.
The negotiations, mediated by Oman and held in its capital Muscat, follow earlier rounds that began nearly a month ago, marking the highest-level contact between the two foes since Washington withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal in 2018, during President Donald Trump’s first term.
Both sides have reported progress after previous talks, but there have been some delays and disagreements over Iran’s right to enrich uranium, which Tehran says is “non-negotiable” but a US envoy has called a “red line.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said ahead of Sunday’s meeting that “the negotiations are progressing and, naturally, the further we go, the more consultations and considerations we need” and the more time is required “to review the issues raised.”
The fourth round was initially set to take place on May 3 but has been rescheduled. Mediator Oman cited “logistical reasons” for the delay, which was announced after the United States had imposed new sanctions on Iran.
Western countries, including the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire atomic weapons, a claim Tehran has consistently denied, insisting that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Iran currently enriches uranium to 60-percent purity — far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal with the United States and other world powers, but below the 90 percent needed for weapons-grade material.
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who has led Washington’s delegation to the Omani-mediated talks, said in a Friday interview that Iran’s “enrichment facilities have to be dismantled.”
“That’s our red line. No enrichment,” he told US right-wing outlet Breitbart News, after initially suggesting flexibility on Tehran maintaining low-level enrichment of uranium for civilian purposes.
Witkoff said that if the talks “are not productive... they won’t continue and we’ll have to take a different route.”
Trump has said he wanted “total verification” that Iran’s contested nuclear work is shut down, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has insisted that Tehran give up all uranium enrichment.
Araghchi, Tehran’s chief negotiator in previous rounds, has repeatedly defended Iran’s right to enrich uranium.
NUCLEAR DEAL
Iran adhered to the 2015 agreement for a year after Washington’s withdrawal before beginning to roll back its compliance.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has revived his “maximum pressure” approach against Tehran, while backing nuclear diplomacy but warning of potential military action if it fails.
The talks are taking place amid renewed scrutiny of key aspects of Tehran’s nuclear program, particularly its stockpile of enriched uranium and the pace of its enrichment activities.
European governments are weighing whether to trigger the “snapback” mechanism under the 2015 deal, which would reinstate UN sanctions in response to Iranian non-compliance — an option that expires in October.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who opposes the Iran-US talks, has called for Tehran’s nuclear facilities to be dismantled and for its ballistic missile program to be stopped as part of any credible deal.
Tehran has insisted that the talks be solely focused on the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions, ruling out negotiations on military capabilities.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that Iran’s delegation “consists of the experts and specialists needed at this stage of the talks, serving the highest interests of our country.”
Sunday’s meeting comes days ahead of a regional tour by Trump, which will take him to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Aramco profit rises to $26bn in Q1 amid strategic growth push
RIYADH: Energy giant Saudi Aramco reported a stronger-than-expected first-quarter net profit of SR97.54 billion ($26 billion), highlighting resilience amid weaker oil prices and reinforcing its focus on efficiency and diversified strategic growth.
The net income marked a 16.42 percent increase in the first three months of 2025 from $22.34 billion in the previous quarter, although it was down from $27.27 billion a year earlier. The company’s overall revenue in the first quarter stood at SR405.65 billion, marking a 3.23 percent quarter-on-quarter increase.
The oil giant cited disciplined capital spending, robust operations, and continued downstream expansion as key drivers of its performance.
In a statement, Amin H. Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco, said: “Global trade dynamics affected energy markets in the first quarter of 2025, with economic uncertainty impacting oil prices.”
He added: “In this context, Aramco’s robust financial performance once again demonstrated the company’s unique scale, its reliability and flexibility, the value of its low-cost operations, and its emphasis on efficiency and advanced technology.”
The company’s operating cash flow reached $31.7 billion, down from $33.6 billion in the first quarter of 2024, while free cash flow stood at $19.2 billion.
Aramco’s capital expenditures rose to $12.5 billion as the company continued to invest in long-term strategic projects, including lower-carbon initiatives.
Nasser said Aramco will continue working to meet global energy demand by advancing growth across its upstream, downstream and new energy segments, while also focusing on reducing emissions.
“Our ambition is reflected in milestones already announced in 2025, including progress toward our gas production growth target, our global retail expansion, the advancement of our petrochemicals strategy, headway in blue hydrogen business development, and further innovation in carbon capture,” he added.
Aramco’s board declared a base dividend of $21.1 billion for the first quarter, up 4.2 percent from the same period a year earlier. It also announced a performance-linked dividend of $219 million, to be paid in the second quarter.
“In volatile times, Aramco’s resilience underpins both our financial performance and our sustainable and progressive base dividend,” added Nasser.
Aramco also highlighted progress on several fronts in line with its long-term diversification strategy. The company finalized the acquisition of a 50 percent stake in Blue Hydrogen Industrial Gases Co. and signed definitive agreements to acquire a 25 percent interest in Unioil Petroleum Philippines, strengthening its position in blue hydrogen and downstream retail, respectively.
In addition, Aramco launched a pilot facility for direct air capture of CO2, a move aimed at scaling up its carbon capture technology and supporting the Kingdom’s emissions-reduction goals.
UAE exempts Sudanese nationals from residency, visa fines
- The authority clarified that this decision takes effect on May 19, 2025
DUBAI: The UAE announced on Saturday that Sudanese nationals would be exempt from paying outstanding residency or visa fines.
A statement released by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security said: “The decision aligns with the UAE’s long-standing commitment to supporting brotherly nations and offering humanitarian aid during crises.”
The move underlines the country’s role in promoting humanity and peace, it added.
The decision will come into effect on May 19 and remain valid until the end of 2025.
Sudanese nationals with outstanding fines can regularize their status and submit renewal applications via the ICP’s official digital platforms. Any fines incurred will be waived.
Putin’s proposed Ukraine talks ‘not enough’: Macron
PRZEMYSL: President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, after Kyiv and its European allies called for a 30-day ceasefire, is “not enough,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday.
“An unconditional ceasefire is not preceded by negotiations, by definition,” Macron told reporters as he stepped off a train in the Polish city of Przemysl on his return from a trip to Ukraine, adding that Putin was “looking for a way out, but he still wants to buy time.”
Western allies have repeatedly accused Putin of delaying tactics with regards to any potential bid to end the conflict in Ukraine, which has dragged on since February 2022.
Asked if this was another such example, Macron replied: “Yes, it is.”
Macron visited Kyiv on Saturday with the leaders of Germany, Britain and Poland, with the four of them and President Volodymyr Zelensky calling for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire starting on Monday.
Macron warned that Russia would face “massive sanctions” if it did not comply.
The United States and other countries back the proposal, the leaders said.
Speaking at the Kremlin in the early hours of Sunday, Putin proposed direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul in the coming days but did not address the 30-day ceasefire proposal.
“It’s a way of not answering... of showing that he is committed while also trying to maintain ambiguity in the eyes of the Americans,” Macron said.
“We need to stand firm with the Americans and say that the ceasefire is unconditional and then we can discuss the rest,” he added.
Macron also said that Putin’s proposal was “unacceptable for the Ukrainians because they cannot accept parallel discussions while they continue to be bombed.”
He also cast doubt on whether Zelensky would agree to talks in Istanbul given the “complicated” Russian-Ukrainian negotiations held there shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Israeli strikes on Gaza kill 10 people, mostly women and children
- Two of the strikes hit tents in the southern city of Khan Younis, each killing two children and their parents
- Israel has sealed Gaza off from all imports, including food, medicine and emergency shelter, for over 10 weeks
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip: Israeli strikes overnight and into Sunday killed 10 people in the Gaza Strip, mostly women and children, according to local health officials.
Two of the strikes hit tents in the southern city of Khan Younis, each killing two children and their parents. Other strikes killed a child and a man riding a bicycle, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies from all the strikes.
Israel has sealed Gaza off from all imports, including food, medicine and emergency shelter, for over 10 weeks in what it says is a pressure tactic aimed at forcing Hamas to release hostages. Israel resumed its offensive in March, shattering a ceasefire that had facilitated the release of more than 30 hostages.
Aid groups say food supplies are running low and hunger is widespread.
The Israeli military says it only targets militants and tries to avoid harming civilians. It blames Hamas for civilian deaths in the 19-month-old war because the militants are embedded in densely populated areas. There was no immediate Israeli comment on the latest strikes.
US President Donald Trump, whose administration has voiced full support for Israel’s actions, is set to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this week in a regional tour that will not include Israel.
The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostage. Fifty-nine hostages are still inside Gaza, around a third of them believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Israel’s offensive has killed over 52,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants or civilians. The offensive has destroyed vast areas of the territory and displaced some 90 percent of its population of around 2 million.
