Author: Steven Sahiounie

Dollar Heading for Worst Weekly Loss in Over a Year The dollar fell on Friday, setting the stage for its worst weekly loss in more than a year, following signals from U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting a less aggressive approach to imposing tariffs on China, adding to the ambiguity surrounding U.S. trade policies. The yen reduced its early gains against the dollar after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates and adjusted its inflation forecasts upward without providing much guidance on the timing or pace of future rate hikes. Investors moved to sell the dollar after Trump’s inauguration, as his…

Turkey and Syria Begin Negotiations to Revive Free Trade Agreement The Turkish Ministry of Trade announced on Friday that Ankara and Damascus have agreed to commence negotiations for the revival of the free trade agreement between Turkey and Syria, which was suspended in 2011, according to Anadolu Agency. The ministry’s statement noted that officials have held meetings with Syrian authorities to discuss steps needed to strengthen economic, trade, and customs relations. The statement highlighted that bilateral relations have seen significant progress recently, especially following the fall of the previous Syrian regime on December 8, 2024. A specialized technical delegation from…

Man in Florida Horrified by X-Ray Revealing Body Full of Tapeworm Eggs In a shocking medical discovery in Florida, USA, a man was horrified to find out through an X-ray that his body was riddled with tapeworm eggs. This case was highlighted by the British newspaper, the Daily Mail, where Dr. Sam Galy, an emergency care physician in Florida, shared the X-ray on social media, calling it “one of the craziest X-rays” he had ever seen. The patient, whose identity was not disclosed, contracted this condition after consuming raw or undercooked pork containing tapeworm larvae. According to Dr. Galy, these…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Battles are raging in the northeast region of Syria, between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) supported by a contingent of Turkish military. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has entered the fray on the side of Turkey, which had supported them in Idlib for years. Ahmad Sharaa is the current de facto leader of Syria, and the commander of HTS, formerly known as Jibhat al-Nusra, the Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria. Recently, the SDF hit a Turkish military base and killed three soldiers at Ras al-Ayn near Hasakah. …

Iraqi Parliament Passes General Amnesty Law Offering Retrials for Terrorism Convicts On Thursday, Iraqi lawmakers announced that the parliament has passed a general amnesty law that could potentially lead to the release of thousands of prisoners, including Iraqis convicted of launching attacks on American troops. A copy of the law viewed by Reuters states that those convicted of terrorism leading to death, injury, or accidental killing, as well as those involved in damaging government institutions, recruiting for terrorist organizations, or joining them, can request a retrial if they claim their confessions were coerced. Judicial sources and parliament members confirmed that…

UAE Billionaire Khalaf Al Habtoor Plans Major Investments in Lebanon Post-Government Formation On Thursday, an Arab businessman revealed his intention to invest in several massive projects in Lebanon to rejuvenate the country’s economy, but with one condition. Emirati billionaire Khalaf Al Habtoor stated that he plans to invest in Lebanon once a new government is formed. This announcement was made via a post on the platform “X”, where he said, “I’m pleased to announce my intent to invest in a large, ambitious project immediately following the formation of the new government. This project carries a vision to contribute to Lebanon’s…

FDA Approves Spravato for Treatment-Resistant Depression in Adults The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given its nod to the use of Spravato (esketamine) nasal spray for adults suffering from severe, treatment-resistant depression who have not responded to at least two oral antidepressants. This announcement was made in a press release by Johnson & Johnson, marking Spravato as the first FDA-approved standalone treatment for adults with this challenging condition. According to McGovern Medical School, the approval came after an expedited review by the FDA, based on results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial. The results showed significant…

Lebanese Security Arrests Israeli Spy The Lebanese General Directorate of State Security announced the arrest of an Israeli agent in Lebanon, confirming his confession to the acts he committed and the seizure of devices and tools proving his involvement. In a statement released on Thursday, it was clarified that “after a meticulous surveillance operation, the Nabatieh Regional Directorate of State Security – Bint Jbeil Office managed to apprehend the individual known as (C. S.) upon his return from the occupied territories, which he had entered clandestinely.” The accused confessed during the investigation to possessing an advanced device provided by the…

Trump Calls for Massive Saudi Investment and Oil Price Reduction In a bold statement at the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Donald Trump announced plans to invite Saudi Arabia to invest a staggering one trillion dollars in the United States, doubling the previously announced figure of $600 billion. Trump expressed his intentions clearly, stating, “It was announced today through the newspapers that Saudi Arabia will invest at least $600 billion in the United States, but I will ask the Crown Prince to increase that amount to $1 trillion.” Moreover, Trump emphasized his strategy to tackle global economic issues by…

Netanyahu Asked Trump to Keep 5 Military Points in Lebanon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly asked U.S. President Donald Trump to retain control over five military points in southern Lebanon, according to Israeli Channel 13. Netanyahu, through Israeli Minister Ron Dermer, made this request to the newly elected President Trump just four days before Israel’s scheduled complete withdrawal from Lebanon. The ceasefire agreement is set to transition into a permanent truce within these four days, during which the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are expected to fully evacuate their troops from southern Lebanon. The Israeli cabinet is scheduled to…