An Iranian government spokeswoman acknowledged Friday that the country is facing economic pressure and shortages, insisting that officials do not deny the difficulties confronting regular Iranians. Fatemeh Mohajerani, speaking at the opening of a 64-bed hospital in the western Ilam Province, said U.S. sanctions had impacted the implementation of infrastructure projects across the country. “The…
Addis Abeba — The United States Congress has cleared a two-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through 31 December 2028, providing temporary continuity for eligible African exporters, while Ethiopia’s prospects of regaining access to the preferential trade program remain uncertain. The U.S. House of Representatives on 1 September approved the measure…
Videos from southern Iran show the aftermath of what Iranian officials claim was a deadly U.S. strike that hit a wedding party at a home. Iranian authorities said the strike killed at least four people and wounded dozens more. A spokesman for U.S. Central Command said the military was looking into the allegations and that…
Oil prices rose Wednesday after the U.S. and Iran traded military strikes, ending weeks of relative calm in the Middle East, as they contest control of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, gained about 1% to close at $95.63 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate advanced nearly 1% to settle at $91.01 per…
Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has released two photographs appearing to show him inside a United States detention centre, marking the first images of the former leader since his abduction in January. The photographs show Maduro dressed in a grey tracksuit, raising both hands in a peace sign. He also appears to have lost significant…
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and U.S. Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz stand behind U.S. President Donald Trump, as he delivers remarks on his administration’s healthcare policies, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington,…
A network of Christian evangelical organizations has spent nearly two decades and tens of millions of dollars fueling a storm of anti-LGBTI+ legislation across Africa. That same network now drafts and bankrolls a parallel wave of anti-LGBTI legislation including anti-trans bills sweeping through American statehouses. Meanwhile, new and expanding U.S. immigration laws increasingly restrict access…
1m ago Iran says it seized a cargo ship that polluted Strait of Hormuz Iranian authorities have seized a bulk carrier they accuse of dumping oil and sludge into the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported Monday. “Following the publication of images of the discharge of oil into the sea … expert and clean-up…
The head of the U.S. military’s Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper, has echoed President Trump’s insistence that the Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes are clear of sea mines, saying they are “open, and momentum is building.” He acknowledged, however, that vessels still seek direct U.S. military protection to use the vital waterway, which Iran has…
Mexican authorities said Thursday that they had rescued Bengal tigers, mandrills, hyenas and even a camel during raids on a fuel smuggling ring in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, on the U.S. border. The 135 animals found at a ranch also included lions, buffalo, sulcata tortoises, spider monkeys, jaguars, an American bison and a green…
