Author: Steven Sahiounie

The Kremlin is aware of US President Joe Biden’s plans to hold a solo press conference in Geneva after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Sputnik, adding that the Russian president would also talk to the media unaccompanied by his American counterpart. “This is most likely the American president’s general practice. As we know, the US president also held a separate press conference in England. They did not hold a joint press conference with [UK Prime Minister] Boris Johnson. We also learned that Mr Biden is planning to hold a separate press conference [after…

The US earlier expressed concerns regarding media reports about two Iranian warships in the Atlantic Ocean possibly trying to deliver weapons to Venezuela. The online publication Foreign Policy noted, however, that Washington’s options to legally stop them are severely limited. One of the two Iranian Navy warships sailing through the Atlantic Ocean might be carrying up to three million gallons of fuel for Venezuela, Maritime expert Sal Mercogliano has told the Daily Mail. Mercogliano came to this conclusion by studying satellite images, obtained by USNI News, of the Makran – a retrofitted military oil carrier that showed the vessel sailing low…

The Israeli prime minister’s record-setting 12-year time in the office, having made it through numerous scandals, attacks by Hamas, and the 2020 pandemic, could abruptly end on 13 June if a new broad coalition government succeeds in winning a vote of confidence in the Knesset. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be planning to make a final effort to stay in power by trying to thwart an attempt by the opposition to build a broad coalition. It appears that he has already begun the effort by harshly criticising the right-leaning parties Yamina and New Hope – Unity for Israel for teaming up…

By: Khaled Iskef, Syrian Journalist A number of leaders of the “Jabhat al-Nusra” organization were killed, during focused targeting by Syrian army units towards a headquarters of the organization in the southern countryside of Idlib, on Thursday morning. Sources reported that 8 militants were killed by two guided missiles fired by the Syrian army at the headquarters of “Al-Nusra” in the town of “Iblin” in Idlib countryside, and more than 6 others were wounded, in addition to the destruction of two vehicles belonging to the militants as well. The sources indicated that among the dead were the official spokesman for…

By: Khaled Iskef, Syrian Journalist The “AfrinLiberation Forces” group announced its responsibility for a series of operations it carried out in the “Afrin” area and other areas in the northern countryside of Aleppo, which resulted in the death of /12/ Turkish soldiers A statement issued bythe group said that it carried out operations during the first three days of this month, starting by targeting a point of the Turkish-backed factions in the “Marea” area in the countryside of Aleppo, through a drone, which led to deaths and injuries whose outcome is unknown. The statement added that the group’s gunmen launched an…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator A court case is making its way through the commercial division of the UK High Court in London, which alleges Qatar funneled money to the Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, Jibhat al-Nusra. Qatar National Bank and Doha Bank stand accused of facilitating the transactions. The UK and Qatar are close allies, and Doha Bank does business in London. Nine unnamed Syrians filed a claim for damages against two Qatari banks, multiple charities, businessmen, politicians, civil servants, and other defendants, alleging that the Gulf state’s monarch’s private office was central to a scheme of illicit…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Some western charities advertise for donations by pulling on the heartstrings of wealthy donors and selling them on the notion there are no more doctors or hospitals in Syria. They seek donors to send cash to build hospitals in secret locations employing doctors who refuse to state their name. Yet, Syria is full of University medical teaching hospitals, public hospitals, and private hospitals, including the French and Italian hospitals. Additionally, the Syrian system of neighborhood and village public clinics is being used for inoculations of the newest COVID-19 vaccines. SYRIAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator The relative settlement between the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA) of Khalifa Haftar and subsequent cessation of hostilities in Libya could have been seen as a positive sign for a long-term truce in the country. However, experts are now raising an alarm as a new terrorist hub is forming on Libya’s southern borders. In the western part of the country, many factions have been left without a livelihood. They are no longer being paid for the war so the militants are shifting to the south, where the largest…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator The middle east region is a hot-spot and headline news is full of the tensions involving Iran and the occupation of Palestine.  Steven Sahiounie of MidEastDiscourse interviewed Martin Love to better understand the back-story to the events unfolding in the region. Martin Love is a journalist and writer who began his long career writing about his travels through the Middle East. He worked at various newspapers and magazines. He is a graduate of Columbia University’s Graduate school of Journalism, and studied Arabic and Islamic studies at Yale University. He lived in the West Bank…

Charles Leach, journalist, and critic On May 14, thousands of Central Africans gathered at the Barthélemy Boganda Sports Complex, also known as 20,000 places stadium, to attend the main cultural event of 2021. The first Central African-Russian film, The Tourist,  follows the recent events which took place in the Republic: it tells the true story of the military support provided by Russian instructors on the ground alongside the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) since the attempt to destabilize the country by mercenaries of the Coalition of so-called Patriots for Change (CPC) headed by the former President François Bozizé. The Tourist…