Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator In November 2022, Saudi Arabia formally changed its stance on Syria. Saudi Arabia is the political powerhouse of the Middle East, and often shares positions on foreign policy and international issues with the UAE, which has previously re-opened their embassy in Damascus. “The kingdom is keen to maintain […]
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces a tough re-election vote in six months. His rival, the Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu, is very popular and far ahead in the polls. Erdogan went back in time to find an obscure statement made by Imamoglu in 2019 which Erdogan used […]
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Jana Majdi Zakarneh, a 16-year-old girl, was killed by Israeli forces as she was standing on the roof of her home in Jenin, in the Occupied West Bank of Palestine. She was shot in the head, and others were wounded in the 10 pm raid on Sunday. More […]
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Damascus is now bitterly cold and is soon to be blanketed with snow. About 12 million Syrians are facing a deadly winter without heating fuel, gasoline for transportation, and dark houses each evening without electricity. Aleppo, Homs, and Hama are also extremely cold all winter. Imagine being ill and […]
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Football diplomacy brought Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan together in Doha for the opening of the World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Years of tension between the two were broken with a friendly handshake. The big differences between the two large countries centered on Erdogan’s […]
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Israeli citizens and journalists are allowed in Qatar in a FIFA agreement during the 2022 World Cup now underway in Doha. Being allowed to enter a country to watch football, or to cover an event as a journalist or media crew, is far different than being welcome. Israeli journalists […]
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator The Kurds in northeastern Syria have established their semi-autonomous administration which they call “Rojava”. They are now under threat of an increased invasion and occupation by Turkish ground troops, which could end in ethnic cleansing and mass casualties. Turkish President Erdogan has demanded for years that the US must […]
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator “It’s the end of the road for those who believe they can stall Turkey by pun games, by changing names of terrorist organizations, by sharing pictures showing their soldiers next to terrorists,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. Erdogan was directly referring to the US and their support of […]
After firing a series of strikes against Kurdish armed groups in both Syria and Iraq, Turkish President, Recep Tayip Erdogan, has threatened a ground invasion into north-eastern Syria. The strikes have been painted as a response to a terrorist attack in central Istanbul, but what else factors into this decision? On Sunday, the Turkish military Read More...
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator On November 13, a blast ripped through Istiklal street, a busy pedestrian area in the Beyoglu neighborhood of Istanbul. The explosion killed six people and wounded 81 at about 4:30 pm local time. Among the dead were Arzu Ozsoy and her 15-year-old daughter Yagmur Ucar, a nine-year-old girl and […]
