Author: Steven Sahiounie

Barcelona’s Latest Stumble in La Liga: No Wins in Last 4 Matches Barcelona faced another setback in their La Liga campaign as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Getafe on Saturday, marking their fourth consecutive game without a victory in the Spanish league. The match saw Barcelona take the lead early with a close-range goal by Jules Koundé in the 9th minute, capitalizing on an exquisite through ball from Pedri. However, Getafe equalized through Mauro Arambarri, who scored from a rebound in the 34th minute, preventing Barcelona from clinching all three points. Currently, Barcelona sits in third place…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will go into effect on January 19, after 15 months of war, and the deaths of more than 46,700 Palestinians, mainly women and children. Some are voicing concern that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is likely to break the ceasefire after the first phase for his political benefit. Israel has a long history of breaking agreements when it doesn’t suit them, and manufacturing a narrative about how they were the victim. However, this time it is different because on January 20, Donald Trump will be sworn into the…

US Support for Lebanon’s Military and Internal Security In a significant move to support Lebanon’s stability, the United States announced on Saturday an allocation of $117 million for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Internal Security Forces(ISF). This decision came at the conclusion of an international donors’ meeting held online last Thursday. According to a statement from the U.S. Department of State, these funds are intended to assist Lebanon’s military and internal security forces in “ensuring Lebanon’s sovereignty across the entire country.” The meeting was organized by the U.S. State Department “with partners and allies to discuss the critical security…

Israel to Release Over 1,890 Palestinians in First Phase of Gaza CeasefireEgypt, acting as a mediator in the truce between Israel and Hamas, announced on Saturday that Israel will release more than 1,890 Palestinian detainees in exchange for the liberation of 33 Israeli hostages in the initial phase of the Gaza ceasefire. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry stated that these releases will occur during the first 42-day phase of the ceasefire, which is scheduled to commence on Sunday at 8:30 AM local time. The ministry emphasized the mediators’ commitment to ensuring the implementation of the agreement in its three phases within…

Chinese Centenarian Reveals Secret to Long Life In January 2025, Chinese centenarian Xiu Caishi celebrated her 124th birthday, revealing that the secret to her long life lies in early sleep, eating three meals a day, and maintaining an optimistic outlook. Born in 1901 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Xiu now resides in the city of Nanchong in Sichuan Province, southwest China. On January 1, 2025, she turned 124 years old. According to a report by the South China Morning Post, her birthdate is officially recorded in one of China’s civil offices, although her age has not been internationally verified by…

Trump’s Treasury Secretary Nominee Supports Tougher Sanctions Against Russia In a recent development, Scott Besent, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump for the position of U.S. Treasury Secretary, has expressed his support for intensifying sanctions against Russia. This statement came during his confirmation hearings before the Senate Finance Committee, where he outlined his stance on international policy regarding Russia. Besent emphasized: “If any Russian officials are watching these hearings, they should understand that, upon my confirmation, should President Trump request it as part of his strategy to end the war in Ukraine, I would fully endorse tightening sanctions, especially against senior…

France Refuses to Repatriate Citizens Held in Northeastern Syria France has announced it will not repatriate its citizens detained in northeastern Syria on charges of affiliation with the terrorist group ISIS for trial in France. This declaration came during the French Foreign Ministry’s weekly press conference on Thursday, where Anadolu Agency’s correspondent posed a question to spokesperson Christophe Lemoine regarding the fate of detained French nationals. The correspondent inquired whether France was considering bringing back its citizens who joined ISIS and are currently held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), where the PKK/YPG terrorist organization holds significant influence. Responding to…

Three Potential Futures for Egyptian Star Mohamed Salah With Mohamed Salah’s current contract with Liverpool set to expire at the end of this season, and no agreement yet reached on renewal, the French newspaper “L’Equipe” has outlined three potential scenarios for the Egyptian star’s future. Recent reports suggest that the Saudi club, Al-Hilal, Is fiercely pursuing Salah, aiming to secure his services in the upcoming summer transfer window. According to “L’Equipe,” in a report published on Thursday, Al-Hilal officials have been in intense communication with those close to Salah over the last few days to persuade him to join their…

Israel and the US are the Main Beneficiaries of the Situation in Syria Ismail Hakki Pekin, the former head of the intelligence directorate in Turkey’s General Staff of Armed Forces, has commented on the balance of power in Syria, Israeli maneuvers in the region, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ attack on the TurkStream gas pipeline. General Pekin stated: “The two main beneficiaries of what is happening now in Syria are Israel and the United States; in my opinion, Turkey does not benefit from anything from this situation.” He further elaborated, “Regarding the attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the…

Historic Meeting Between Kurdish Leader Masoud Barzani and SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi Hoshyar Zebari, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s Political Bureau, announced on Thursday that the meeting held today between Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani and General Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), is a significant achievement towards enhancing Kurdish unity. On Wednesday, the American news site “The Monitor” revealed that a meeting, described as “very soon,” would take place between Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani and SDF commander General Mazloum Abdi. Just days before, General Mazloum Abdi welcomed Dr. Hamid Darbandi, a representative of Kurdish leader…