Author: Steven Sahiounie

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…

European Stock Index Closes at Highest Level in Nearly 4 Months The European Stoxx 600 index closed higher on Wednesday, bolstered by gains in the technology and industrial sectors, seemingly shrugging off concerns over potential tariffs sparked by comments from U.S. President Donald Trump. According to Reuters, the Stoxx 600 rose by 0.4%, reaching its highest level since September 2024. The index hit a new intraday record during the session. Tech stocks led the gains, increasing by 1.3%, buoyed by their counterparts’ performance on Wall Street. Notably, Adidas saw a 6% jump after the German sportswear brand announced preliminary Q4…

Champions League Roundup: Real Madrid’s Five-Star Show and Bayern Munich’s Stumble In a commanding display in the UEFA Champions League, Spanish giants Real Madrid trounced Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg 5-1 at home during the seventh matchday of the group stage. This victory has boosted Real Madrid’s point tally to 12, placing them in the 16th position and securing their progression towards the knockout rounds. Rodrygo opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 23rd minute, followed by another from him in the 34th. Kylian Mbappé added the third in the 48th minute, with Vinícius Júnior sealing the deal with…

Saudi Crown Prince Calls Trump Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who also serves as the Prime Minister, engaged in a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday evening, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). During the call, the Crown Prince relayed the congratulations of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, to President Trump on his inauguration and the beginning of his term as President of the United States. Both leaders expressed their hopes for progress and prosperity for the American people. The discussion covered avenues for cooperation between Saudi…