The United States government entered a partial shutdown early Saturday after Congress failed to approve a full federal budget for fiscal year 2026 before the midnight deadline. While the lapse in funding has triggered formal shutdown procedures across several federal departments, congressional leaders from both parties indicated the disruption is likely to be brief, with a Senate-backed agreement expected to move through the House early next week. As a result of the missed deadline, an estim

With renewed calls for peace, reconstruction, and an end to prolonged conflict, Dr. Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine, is on her first official visit to India. Speaking to journalists in New Delhi on Thursday, she stressed the urgency of achieving Palestinian statehood, arguing that lasting peace in West Asia cannot be realised without ending occupation and restoring sovereignty to the Palestinian people. Dr. Shahin highl

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is scheduled to travel to Turkey on Friday for high-level talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, as the two neighboring countries seek to strengthen cooperation across security, economic and regional issues. The visit comes amid heightened regional tensions and renewed diplomatic efforts to manage sensitive developments affecting the Middle East. According to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources cited in media reports, Fidan is expected

Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are set to resume trilateral negotiations aimed at ending the prolonged war in Ukraine, with the next round of talks scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on February 1. The development comes after the first round of discussions held last weekend failed to deliver a breakthrough, highlighting the deep divisions and complexity surrounding the conflict. Despite the absence of immediate results, the decision to continue talks reflects a shared understanding amo

Tensions across West Asia intensified after allied militant groups aligned with Iran issued sharp warnings to the United States following the deployment of American warships to the region. Lebanon-based Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthi movement, and Iraqi militias signaled that any military action against Iran would trigger a wider regional confrontation, underscoring the growing volatility as Washington weighs its next steps amid unrest inside Iran. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem cautione

U.S. natural gas prices surged sharply on Monday, climbing above the $6 mark for the first time since late 2022, as a powerful winter storm swept across large portions of the country, straining energy systems and disrupting daily life for millions of Americans. The rally reflected mounting concerns over heating demand, power generation reliability, and supply disruptions amid one of the most severe cold snaps of the season. Natural gas futures for February delivery rose more than 18

In the history of the post-Second World War era, Tibet stands as one of the most profound and painful examples of what can happen when a civilisation places its faith entirely in peace. For centuries, Tibet sought to build its identity not through conquest or military power, but through spiritual authority, discipline, and restraint. It believed that moral strength and inner balance could serve as a shield against external threats. That belief, however, proved tragically misplaced in a world whe

At least seven people were killed and several others injured after a powerful explosion struck Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw district on Monday, an area widely regarded as one of the Afghan capital’s most secure neighborhoods. The blast hit a hotel on Gulfaroshi Street, close to a restaurant popular with foreign visitors, triggering panic in a locality known for hosting diplomats, business travelers, and international residents. Emergency teams rushed to the scene as smoke and debris filled the street

US President Donald Trump intensified his rhetoric toward Iran on Saturday, calling for a change in leadership in Tehran just a day after publicly praising Iranian authorities for halting what he said were more than 800 scheduled executions. The remarks underscored the volatile and often contradictory tone of Washington’s messaging toward Iran amid recent unrest and deadly crackdowns across the country. Speaking in an interview, Trump described Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamene

A newly released video has revealed the details of a covert maritime operation that enabled Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado to leave the country last month, defying a decade-long travel ban and nearly a year spent in hiding. The operation allowed Machado to travel to Norway, where she was scheduled to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, marking a significant moment in her long-running confrontation with Venezuela’s political establishment. According to footage shared

Iran has once again imposed sweeping restrictions on internet access, escalating its long-standing campaign of digital control by reportedly disrupting even satellite-based connectivity such as Starlink. The latest shutdown marks a significant development, as Starlink has long been considered resistant to conventional censorship and network blocking methods used by state authorities. Digital rights researchers monitoring the situation say the government has deployed military-grade G

San Francisco state and city leaders announced a proposed legislative change Monday aimed at expanding the use of court-ordered assisted outpatient treatment as part of an effort to confront the city’s ongoing mental health crisis. The announcement was made during a morning press conference outside San Francisco City Hall, where officials described the proposal as a significant shift in how treatment for severe mental illness is handled in California. Mayor Daniel Lurie joined mem

In a significant indication of easing tensions between Washington and Caracas, US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he has cancelled a planned second wave of military attacks on Venezuela, citing the release of political prisoners and increased cooperation on rebuilding the country’s oil and gas sector. The decision follows recent developments that the US president described as constructive gestures by Venezuelan authorities aimed at de-escalation. Trump said the mov

Iran remained largely cut off from the global internet on Friday as authorities enforced a nationwide digital blackout while protests continued to spread across the country, intensifying an already volatile political and economic crisis. Internet monitoring data showed that connectivity across Iran had dropped to almost zero for more than 12 hours, severely limiting access to online communication platforms as demonstrators gathered in cities nationwide. According to internet trackin

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is set to use his final State of the State address on Thursday to portray the state as a governing model for the nation, drawing a sharp contrast with what he describes as instability and dysfunction at the federal level under President Donald Trump. The Democratic governor plans to argue that California’s policy direction and values stand in opposition to those coming from Washington, positioning the state as both a counterweight and an alternative to the curre

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that Washington holds significant leverage over Venezuela’s interim authorities and is preparing to execute a plan that would place control of the country’s oil exports firmly in US hands. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Rubio said the administration is finalising an arrangement to take possession of oil currently immobilised in Venezuela and sell it on global markets at full market prices. According to Rubio,

A resurfaced claim from 2019 by former White House national security adviser Fiona Hill has drawn renewed global attention after a high-profile U.S. operation in Venezuela. Hill told a U.S. congressional hearing in 2019 that senior Russian officials informally signaled they would consider reducing Moscow’s support for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro if Washington granted Russia greater latitude regarding Ukraine. The suggestion, described by Hill as a “very strange swap arrangement,?

The Saudi-led coalition announced on Wednesday, Jan 7, that it had conducted what it described as limited pre-emptive military strikes in Yemen, citing concerns that escalating actions by UAE-backed secessionist forces could further destabilize the fragile security situation. Coalition officials said the strikes were aimed at preventing a wider confrontation and preserving the possibility of political dialogue amid renewed tensions in the country’s south. According to the coalitio