The United States has extended its sanctions waiver on Russian seaborne oil by 30 days, allowing continued imports to key global partners like India. This temporary extension reverses previous plans to let the waiver lapse, aiming to provide flexibility for nations managing critical energy needs. Treasury officials stated the extension ensures that stranded Russian crude and petroleum products can reach markets without violating US sanctions on major Russian oil firms. This marks th

Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing this week, shortly after a visit from US President Donald Trump. The summit emphasizes China’s role as a central global power, balancing relations with both Washington and Moscow while advancing its strategic interests. Amid energy crises, trade disputes, and geopolitical conflicts, China aims to project stability and strengthen its influence on the global stage. Strengthening China-Russia S

Iran has presented a comprehensive peace plan to the United States, aiming to end hostilities in Lebanon and across the region. The proposal calls for the withdrawal of US forces near Iranian borders, reparations for conflict damages, lifting of economic sanctions, release of frozen funds, and the removal of the US naval blockade from Iranian ports. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi highlighted that Tehran’s plan is designed to foster lasting peace in West Asia through diplomacy and

Senior IPS officer Damayanti Sen, who gained national attention during the 2012 Park Street rape investigation, has been appointed to a key position in the BJP-led Bengal government’s commission probing crimes against women and institutional corruption under the previous regime. IPS Officer Once Sidelined in Park Street Case Gets Powerful New Role Senior IPS officer Damayanti Sen, remembered f

Bengal Police Crackdown After Park Circus Namaz Protest Violence Tension continued to grip Kolkata’s Park Circus area after violent protests over restrictions on roadside namaz and anti-encroachment drives left several police personnel injured and triggered a large-scale police crackdown. The unrest, which erupted on Sunday evening at the busy Park Circus Seven Point Crossing, has now become one of the biggest law-and-or

A woman lawyer has alleged that she was sexually assaulted inside a moving car in Pune after an evening outing near Koregaon Park. The incident reportedly took place on Sunday night when she had travelled to Pune for work. Police have taken action in the case and detained three men, while efforts are underway to trace another accused. Victim’s Background According to police, the

Columbus City Council changed part of a soccer facility land deal by removing 10 acres on Greenlawn Avenue from the agreement tied to the city’s push for a women’s professional soccer team. The change came after questions from residents and city leaders about how the land would be used, especially because the Greenlawn Avenue parcel had been connected to earlier expectations for a therapeutic center. The revised deal separates that parcel from the broader soccer facility plan.

The DRC Ebola outbreak has drawn international concern after an American doctor working with patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo tested positive for the rare Bundibugyo strain. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the American tested positive on Sunday, May 17, 2026, after being exposed while caring for patients in the DRC. The CDC said the patient is being moved to Germany for treatment, along with high-risk contacts link

California Fires Spread Amid Dry Windy Conditions Two California wildfires continued to burn Monday as dry weather and strong winds helped flames move quickly across parts of Southern California, on May 18,2026. The Sandy Fire in Ventura County and the Santa Rosa Island Fire in Santa Barbara County together scorched thousands of acres, prompting evacuations, emergency response efforts, and closures in affected areas. Fire of

The Islamic Center of San Diego shooting left three people dead outside the mosque in Clairemont on Monday, May 18, 2026, as police investigated two teenage suspects who were later found dead nearby. San Diego police said officers responded to a reported active shooter at about 11:43 a.m. PDT at the Islamic Center of San Diego, located in the 7000 block of Eckstrom Avenue. Authorities said three adult men were killed outside the mos

Trump Calls For Federal Probe Into Maryland Ballot Error President Donald Trump said he is seeking a federal investigation into a Maryland mail-in ballot mix-up after some voters received ballots for the wrong party ahead of the state’s June 23 primary election. The Maryland State Board of Elections said the problem was caused by a vendor error and confirmed that all affected ballots are being replaced. More than 500,000 Maryland voters had requested mail ballots for the primary.

San Diego Mosque Shooting Under Hate Crime Review Authorities investigating the San Diego mosque shooting said two suspected gunmen found dead on May 18,2026 in a nearby vehicle were teenagers, as police and federal investigators continue working to determine what led to the attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Mark Remily, the FBI special agent in charge in San Diego, confirmed Monday that the suspects were juven

Trump Addresses Ebola Outbreak In DRC US President Donald Trump said onMay 18,2026 that he is concerned about the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but believes the virus has not spread to the United States. Speaking at the White House after an American working in the DRC was infected, Trump said the situation appears to be confined to Africa for now, while acknowledging that the outbreak remains a serious

Trump Delays Iran Attack As Gulf Leaders Push Nuclear Deal US President Donald Trump said he is postponing a planned military attack on Iran that had been scheduled for May 19,2026, citing requests from Gulf leaders and renewed negotiations with Tehran. Trump announced the decision May 18,2026 on Truth Social shortly after Iran confirmed it had responded to a new US proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. He said the

Cuba Warns Against Military Action As US Pressure Grows Cuba’s leadership warned that any military action by the United States would bring severe consequences, as tensions between Havana and Washington escalated following new US sanctions targeting Cuba’s intelligence apparatus and senior officials. President Miguel Diaz-Canel said the country does not pose a threat to the United States or any other nation, but insisted

The Elon Musk OpenAI lawsuit ruling delivered a major courtroom victory for OpenAI after a California jury rejected Musk’s claims in a closely watched artificial intelligence case. A U.S. jury in Oakland, California, ruled against Musk on Monday, May 18, 2026, in his lawsuit against OpenAI, according to Reuters. The case focused on Musk’s claim that OpenAI had moved away from its original mission of developing artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity.

New Jersey ranks third in the United States for lottery jackpot wins since 2005, according to an analysis of Powerball and Mega Millions jackpot data from the past 20 years. The Garden State recorded 33 jackpot-winning tickets during the period, placing it behind only California and New York in the ranking of states with the most major lottery jackpot winners. New Jersey Powerball and Mega Millions Winners The

A Mersin shooting near Tarsus left five people dead and eight others wounded on Monday, May 18, 2026, as Turkish security forces searched for a suspect accused of opening fire at multiple locations in southern Turkey. The attacks were reported in Mersin province, including the Tarsus district, about 40 kilometres northeast of the city of Mersin. Local reports identified the suspect as Metin Ö., 37, though authorities had not immediately released a full public statement confirming t

The USCIS invalid signature rule 2026 could make small filing mistakes more costly for immigration applicants, employers and petitioners. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security published an interim final rule on Monday, May 11, 2026, clarifying how U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services may handle immigration benefit requests with missing, incomplete or invalid signatures. The rule is set to take effect on Friday, July 10, 2026

The Trump IRS lawsuit settlement is drawing new scrutiny after the Justice Department announced a $1.776 billion DOJ Anti-Weaponization Fund on Monday, May 18, 2026, as part of an agreement resolving President Donald Trump’s lawsuit over leaked tax return information. The settlement ends Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, which was filed after his confidential tax records were leaked. Under the agreement, Trump and other plaintiffs are expected to receive a formal apology but no monetary damages. What the DOJ Anti-Weaponization Fund Means The DOJ Anti-Weaponization Fund is designed to review claims from people who say they were unfairly targeted by politically motivated government investigations or prosecutions. The fund could provide compensation or formal apologies to approved claimants. The proposal has quickly become a major political and legal issue because the money would come through a federal judgment fund, raising questions over taxpayer money, congressional approval and Justice Department oversight. Why the Trump IRS Lawsuit Settlement Faces a Congress Challenge Democrats argue that the Trump IRS lawsuit settlement could allow taxpayer money to benefit political allies of the president. Representative Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, has criticized the plan and argued that Congress did not authorize the fund. The expected Congress challenge to the Trump settlement fund may focus on whether the executive branch can create such a large compensation program through a lawsuit settlement without direct approval from lawmakers. Trump Tax Return Leak Remains at the Center The original case came from the Trump tax return leak, after confidential IRS information was disclosed and later reported by media outlets. A former IRS contractor, Charles Littlejohn, was prosecuted and sentenced to five years in prison for leaking tax records. The legal fight is now moving beyond the tax leak itself. The larger dispute is over whether the Justice Department can use settlement power to create a politically sensitive compensation fund involving claims of government “weaponization.” For US readers, the case matters because it could shape future limits on executive authority, federal settlements and how taxpayer-funded legal claims are handled when a sitting president is personally connected to the dispute.