Chinese shipment of rare earth to the US has fallen to 512 tonnes in August, 20 per cent lower than the previous month in July and 13 per cent lower than the same month in the previous year. Rare earths are among one of the many things that have been a point of friction between China and the US, ahead of the scheduled summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. &nbsp;China is the world's largest producer of rare earths and their magnets. These are among the dozens of Chinese-controlled critical minerals that are necessary in advanced and high-tech hardware production used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and military hardware. China has previously used the access to rare earths as a bargaining chip against US tariffs. The average monthly export volume so far this year stands at approximately 504 tons, well below the 621-ton monthly average recorded in 2024 before controls took effect.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jamui-students-harassed-rahul-gandhi-pocso-action-bihar-1789986942835">Class X girl groped, boy dragged from bike in Jamui; Rahul Gandhi seeks POCSO</a>US believes that China has not completely lived up to its commitment to uninterrupted supply, a key part of the one-year fragile trade truce agreed between the two leaders in Busan last November. People familiar with Beijing's strategy have indicated that China hopes to offer more export licenses as a bargaining chip during the summit, though they did not specify what concessions the government would seek from Washington in return.“Beijing appears willing to test the limits of the truce. It has deliberately kept licence approvals slow and selective,” said analysts from Capital Economics, pointing out the falling volume of Chinese shipments of rare earth metals to the US.&nbsp;Ahead of the summit, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met in New York on Sunday. The two spent a full-day session at JPMorgan Chase's headquarters, with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also participating. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the two sides had agreed to set up a dialogue mechanism for AI and also discussed an extension of the trade truce.&nbsp;

China’s rare earth shipments to the US fell 20% in August, adding to trade tensions ahead of the scheduled Trump-Xi summit.

Chinese shipment of rare earth to the US has fallen to 512 tonnes in August, 20 per cent lower than the previous month in July and 13 per cent lower than the same month in the previous year. Rare earths are among one of the many things that have been a point of friction between China and the US, ahead of the scheduled summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. China is the world's largest producer of rare earths and their magnets. These are among the dozens of Chinese-controlled critical minerals that are necessary in advanced and high-tech hardware production used in electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and military hardware. China has previously used the access to rare earths as a bargaining chip against US tariffs. The average monthly export volume so far this year stands at approximately 504 tons, well below the 621-ton monthly average recorded in 2024 before controls took effect. Also Read: Class X girl groped, boy dragged from bike in Jamui; Rahul Gandhi seeks POCSO US believes that China has not completely lived up to its commitment to uninterrupted supply, a key part of the one-year fragile trade truce agreed between the two leaders in Busan last November. People familiar with Beijing's strategy have indicated that China hopes to offer more export licenses as a bargaining chip during the summit, though they did not specify what concessions the government would seek from Washington in return. “Beijing appears willing to test the limits of the truce. It has deliberately kept licence approvals slow and selective,” said analysts from Capital Economics, pointing out the falling volume of Chinese shipments of rare earth metals to the US. Ahead of the summit, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met in New York on Sunday. The two spent a full-day session at JPMorgan Chase's headquarters, with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer also participating. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the two sides had agreed to set up a dialogue mechanism for AI and also discussed an extension of the trade truce.

China’s rare earth shipments to the US fell 20% in August, adding to trade tensions ahead of the scheduled Trump-Xi summit.

China’s rare earth shipments to US fall 20% ahead of Trump-Xi summit

Iran’s central military command said in a statement on Sunday that it has received information that the United States, with the backing of some regional countries, is preparing to resume military actions against Iran, reported Iranian state media.The military added that any US attack will trigger sustained strikes on American bases and interests in the region, the report adds, warning that regional countries supporting US aggression against Iran will be considered parties to the conflict.&nbsp;Iran’s military headquarters has warned Middle East nations they’ll be “considered complicit” if the United States resumes major strikes on the country from American bases.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces: According to intelligence received, the US has once again decided—with the green light from certain regional countries—to resume actions against Iran during a joint meeting in a European nation.&mdash; IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) (@iribnews_irib) <a href="https://x.com/iribnews_irib/status/2101621412142203140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“We warn that if the countries of the region – by continuing their dual policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran – align with the Great Satan’s aggression against a powerful and sovereign Iran they will all be considered complicit in this evil and can no longer expect restraint or decency from Iran’s powerful armed forces,” the Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters said in a statement.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-man-shot-dead-in-west-bank-terror-attack-idf-captures-shooter-from-hospital-1789906433258">Israeli man shot dead in West Bank terror attack; IDF captures shooter from hospital</a><h2>US embassies across Middle East issue security alerts for Americans</h2>&nbsp;Meanwhile, US embassies across the Middle East issued security alerts for American citizens in the region early Sunday morning local time.“Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,” the State Department said in its alerts.&nbsp;The alerts did not mention any specific threat but called for Americans to “exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions.”&nbsp;The alerts cited the recent fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen-based Iranian-backed Houthi militants and said that the “military conflict” between the two sides “has the potential to escalate rapidly.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-pm-albanese-pushes-big-tech-to-support-tougher-online-safety-ai-rules-1789910042189">Australia PM Albanese pushes big tech to support tougher online safety, AI rules</a>&nbsp;The alerts were posted by U.S. embassies in Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.&nbsp;Fighting has intensified between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in recent weeks. The Houthis have taken control of vast swaths of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline, along with several islands in the critical Bab al-Mandab Strait, putting further pressure on an already stressed global oil supply.&nbsp;Saudi Arabia’s crucial East-West oil pipeline was also damaged by drone strikes earlier this month. The attack was reportedly carried out by Iran-backed militias operating in Iraq, though no group came forth to take credit for the attacks.

Iran’s military headquarters said any US attack will trigger sustained strikes on American bases and interests in the region and warned Middle East nations that they will be considered complicit in case major strikes resume on the country from American bases.

Iran’s central military command said in a statement on Sunday that it has received information that the United States, with the backing of some regional countries, is preparing to resume military actions against Iran, reported Iranian state media. The military added that any US attack will trigger sustained strikes on American bases and interests in the region, the report adds, warning that regional countries supporting US aggression against Iran will be considered parties to the conflict. Iran’s military headquarters has warned Middle East nations they’ll be “considered complicit” if the United States resumes major strikes on the country from American bases.

Iran’s military headquarters said any US attack will trigger sustained strikes on American bases and interests in the region and warned Middle East nations that they will be considered complicit in case major strikes resume on the country from American bases.

Iran’s military command claims US ‘planning’ to resume strikes; American embassies issue ‘security alerts’

Two senior officials in the Trump administration have accused China's state-owned shipping giant COSCO of using concealed equipment on its ships to spy on the military communications of nations along the coastline, including the US. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity and did not disclose any details about the military hardware used but said they were "sophisticated signals intelligence collection" platforms, not routine communications hardware.The officials alleged that COSCO had a decade-long intelligence-collection partnership with Beijing which allows China to collect communication signals from vessels ​and aircraft operating across Europe, North America and Asia. They claimed that it also allows China to monitor key shipping lanes and maritime routes crucial for trade and military navigation.The Chinese embassy in the US denied these allegations, saying that they were an attempt to vilify China. It claimed that China would never ​ask any company or individual to "collect or provide data, information or intelligence located abroad against local laws.""We oppose vilifying China by peddling the so-called 'intelligence collection' narrative, ‌which is ⁠totally baseless," said Liu Chang, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Washington.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nepal-floods-death-toll-1010-4000-missing-rescue-operations-1788268908795">Nepal floods: 1,010 dead, 4,000 missing; Kathmandu seeks climate compensation</a>Washington has not provided any proof backing these allegations. A 2025 study published by the US Naval War College also claimed that China is using fishing and commercial shipping fleets for intelligence and surveillance gathering. Pentagon has previously listed COSCO as associated with the Chinese Military, though it did not sanction it. China's National Intelligence Law explicitly mandates that all domestic organisations and citizens must cooperate with state intelligence operations. COSCO remains one of the top global shipping companies, with roughly 10.6 per cent of the global market share. &nbsp;It also remains one of the largest shipping companies calling at US ports and maintains several terminal service joint ventures for container ships ​at US ports.&nbsp;The Trump administration last year planned to implement billions of dollars in port fees on ​Chinese shipping companies, ⁠including COSCO, in an effort to revitalise the atrophied US shipbuilding and maritime industries. But later decided against it following an October meeting with Xi, when they agreed to a one-year trade truce, which is likely to be over by October 2026. Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit Washington in September 2026.&nbsp;

Two Trump administration officials have accused Chinese shipping giant COSCO of using concealed equipment to collect military communications, allegations Beijing denies.

Two senior officials in the Trump administration have accused China's state-owned shipping giant COSCO of using concealed equipment on its ships to spy on the military communications of nations along the coastline, including the US. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity and did not disclose any details about the military hardware used but said they were "sophisticated signals intelligence collection" platforms, not routine communications hardware. The officials alleged that COSCO had a decade-long intelligence-collection partnership with Beijing which allows China to collect communication signals from vessels and aircraft operating across Europe, North America and Asia. They claimed that it also allows China to monitor key shipping lanes and maritime routes crucial for trade and military navigation. The Chinese embassy in the US denied these allegations, saying that they were an attempt to vilify China. It claimed that China would never ask any company or individual to "collect or provide data, information or intelligence located abroad against local laws." "We oppose vilifying China by peddling the so-called 'intelligence collection' narrative, ‌which is ⁠totally baseless," said Liu Chang, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Washington. Also Read: Nepal floods: 1,010 dead, 4,000 missing; Kathmandu seeks climate compensation Washington has not provided any proof backing these allegations. A 2025 study published by the US Naval War College also claimed that China is using fishing and commercial shipping fleets for intelligence and surveillance gathering. Pentagon has previously listed COSCO as associated with the Chinese Military, though it did not sanction it. China's National Intelligence Law explicitly mandates that all domestic organisations and citizens must cooperate with state intelligence operations. COSCO remains one of the top global shipping companies, with roughly 10.6 per cent of the global market share. It also remains one of the largest shipping companies calling at US ports and maintains several terminal service joint ventures for container ships at US ports. The Trump administration last year planned to implement billions of dollars in port fees on Chinese shipping companies, ⁠including COSCO, in an effort to revitalise the atrophied US shipbuilding and maritime industries. But later decided against it following an October meeting with Xi, when they agreed to a one-year trade truce, which is likely to be over by October 2026. Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to visit Washington in September 2026.

Two Trump administration officials have accused Chinese shipping giant COSCO of using concealed equipment to collect military communications, allegations Beijing denies.

US accuses COSCO of using concealed equipment to gather military signals

Young adults between 18 and 21, who are generally too young to legally gamble at most US casinos and sportsbooks, have traded an estimated $5.4 billion on Kalshi this year, according to a new CNN analysis. The surge highlights growing concerns about prediction markets, which have rapidly expanded in popularity and allow users to trade contracts tied to events ranging from sports and elections to culture and weather.&nbsp;Unlike traditional casinos and sportsbooks, which are largely regulated by individual states and typically require customers to be at least 21, prediction markets operate under federal financial-market rules. That means users can generally participate once they turn 18. The difference has prompted lawmakers, consumer advocates and addiction specialists to question whether prediction markets have created a loophole that exposes younger adults to financial risks and potentially harmful trading behavior.<h2>Sports and parlays dominate trading</h2>Sports and parlays, all-or-nothing combinations of bets that have become particularly popular among sports bettors, account for roughly 80% of Kalshi's overall trading volume. CNN's analysis estimates that users between 18 and 21 have traded approximately $3.9 billion across those categories this year alone. That figure could increase substantially as major sporting events continue to attract users.&nbsp;“Normally you’d have a big summer lull, but the World Cup changed that completely,” said Jonathan Michaels, who runs a gaming industry consulting firm. “Prediction markets will also see record numbers this fall with the football season, and that’ll certainly trickle down into college-age students.” Kalshi has recorded more than $173 billion in total trading volume so far this year, based on publicly available figures from Paradigm, a major investor in the prediction-market company.&nbsp;According to a Kalshi spokesperson, users aged 18 to 21 currently account for 3.14% of the company's overall trading volume.CNN has a partnership with Kalshi and uses its data to report on major events. CNN editorial employees are prohibited from trading on prediction markets. Kalshi declined to provide CNN with detailed figures on the amount traded or spent specifically by users aged 18 to 21.&nbsp;The company has previously highlighted several safeguards aimed at younger and potentially vulnerable users. These measures include deposit limits and warnings for accounts showing patterns associated with risky behaviour. Kalshi has also contributed $2 million to the National Council for Problem Gambling to support efforts aimed at addressing unhealthy trading and addiction.<h2>Prediction markets dominate the US</h2>Financial analysts estimated earlier this year that Kalshi controlled approximately 90% of the US prediction-market volume, making it by far the largest player in the sector. Polymarket, considered the second-largest US prediction market, declined to comment and has not publicly released trading or spending figures for users aged 18 to 21. The rapid growth of these platforms has also intensified a broader legal battle over whether sports-related prediction contracts should be treated as financial products or gambling.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-president-nitin-nabin-reprimands-three-delhi-mps-over-condoling-sajjan-kumar-s-death-1788008745797">BJP President Nitin Nabin reprimands three Delhi MPs over condoling Sajjan Kumar's death</a><h2>Legal battle over prediction markets continues</h2>Prediction platforms currently operate as federally regulated financial exchanges and, under their current regulatory framework, are generally outside state gaming laws and taxes. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversees these markets at the federal level. That regulatory structure is facing a major legal challenge, however. The effort has received support from 44 state attorneys general, dozens of Indian tribes and the casino industry.&nbsp;The American Gaming Association, which represents the casino industry, has long argued that sports contracts offered by prediction markets effectively function as unlicensed sportsbooks. The organization has pointed to Kalshi's trading figures among younger users as evidence of the concerns surrounding sports prediction contracts. “Most parents and grandparents don’t realize that the ‘prediction markets’ are offering a backdoor into sports-betting in jurisdictions where the legal betting age is 21,” AGA president Bill Miller told CNN. “This means their freshman son or daughter is prohibited from entering legal sportsbooks, but now they can just pull out their phone and use Kalshi to bet on football.”&nbsp;Supporters of prediction markets counter that the platforms are financial exchanges rather than traditional gambling operators. They also note that Americans can legally open brokerage accounts at 18 and trade stocks and other financial products that can involve significant financial risk.<h2>Calls grow for a 21+ trading age</h2>The debate has prompted some prediction-market operators to voluntarily impose a minimum age of 21, despite federal rules generally allowing participation from users aged 18 and older. Fanatics, the sports merchandising giant, launched a prediction platform last year with a 21+ requirement.&nbsp;A company spokesman previously told CNN, “We believe 21+ is the right age for any type of real-money activities.” Major sports organizations have also urged regulators to reconsider the current age requirement. The NCAA, NFL, NBA, PGA Tour and other sports leagues have called on the CFTC to increase the minimum age for prediction-market trading to 21. The agency rejected those calls and is moving toward federal regulations that would maintain the current 18+ eligibility standard.

Young adults aged 18-21 have traded an estimated $5.4 billion on Kalshi this year, raising concerns over sports betting, addiction and regulation

Young adults between 18 and 21, who are generally too young to legally gamble at most US casinos and sportsbooks, have traded an estimated $5.4 billion on Kalshi this year, according to a new CNN analysis. The surge highlights growing concerns about prediction markets, which have rapidly expanded in popularity and allow users to trade contracts tied to events ranging from sports and elections to culture and weather. Unlike traditional casinos and sportsbooks, which are largely regulated by individual states and typically require customers to be at least 21, prediction markets operate under federal financial-market rules. That means users can generally participate once they turn 18. The difference has prompted lawmakers, consumer advocates and addiction specialists to question whether prediction markets have created a loophole that exposes younger adults to financial risks and potentially harmful trading behavior. Sports and parlays dominate trading Sports and parlays, all-or-nothing combinations of bets that have become particularly popular among sports bettors, account for roughly 80% of Kalshi's overall trading volume. CNN's analysis estimates that users between 18 and 21 have traded approximately $3.9 billion across those categories this year alone. That figure could increase substantially as major sporting events continue to attract users. “Normally you’d have a big summer lull, but the World Cup changed that completely,” said Jonathan Michaels, who runs a gaming industry consulting firm. “Prediction markets will also see record numbers this fall with the football season, and that’ll certainly trickle down into college-age students.” Kalshi has recorded more than $173 billion in total trading volume so far this year, based on publicly available figures from Paradigm, a major investor in the prediction-market company. According to a Kalshi spokesperson, users aged 18 to 21 currently account for 3.14% of the company's overall trading volume. CNN has a partnership with Kalshi and uses its data to report on major events. CNN editorial employees are prohibited from trading on prediction markets. Kalshi declined to provide CNN with detailed figures on the amount traded or spent specifically by users aged 18 to 21. The company has previously highlighted several safeguards aimed at younger and potentially vulnerable users. These measures include deposit limits and warnings for accounts showing patterns associated with risky behaviour. Kalshi has also contributed $2 million to the National Council for Problem Gambling to support efforts aimed at addressing unhealthy trading and addiction. Prediction markets dominate the US Financial analysts estimated earlier this year that Kalshi controlled approximately 90% of the US prediction-market volume, making it by far the largest player in the sector. Polymarket, considered the second-largest US prediction market, declined to comment and has not publicly released trading or spending figures for users aged 18 to 21. The rapid growth of these platforms has also intensified a broader legal battle over whether sports-related prediction contracts should be treated as financial products or gambling. Also Read: BJP President Nitin Nabin reprimands three Delhi MPs over condoling Sajjan Kumar's death Legal battle over prediction markets continues Prediction platforms currently operate as federally regulated financial exchanges and, under their current regulatory framework, are generally outside state gaming laws and taxes. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversees these markets at the federal level. That regulatory structure is facing a major legal challenge, however. The effort has received support from 44 state attorneys general, dozens of Indian tribes and the casino industry. The American Gaming Association, which represents the casino industry, has long argued that sports contracts offered by prediction markets effectively function as unlicensed sportsbooks. The organization has pointed to Kalshi's trading figures among younger users as evidence of the concerns surrounding sports prediction contracts. “Most parents and grandparents don’t realize that the ‘prediction markets’ are offering a backdoor into sports-betting in jurisdictions where the legal betting age is 21,” AGA president Bill Miller told CNN. “This means their freshman son or daughter is prohibited from entering legal sportsbooks, but now they can just pull out their phone and use Kalshi to bet on football.” Supporters of prediction markets counter that the platforms are financial exchanges rather than traditional gambling operators. They also note that Americans can legally open brokerage accounts at 18 and trade stocks and other financial products that can involve significant financial risk. Calls grow for a 21+ trading age The debate has prompted some prediction-market operators to voluntarily impose a minimum age of 21, despite federal rules generally allowing participation from users aged 18 and older. Fanatics, the sports merchandising giant, launched a prediction platform last year with a 21+ requirement. A company spokesman previously told CNN, “We believe 21+ is the right age for any type of real-money activities.” Major sports organizations have also urged regulators to reconsider the current age requirement. The NCAA, NFL, NBA, PGA Tour and other sports leagues have called on the CFTC to increase the minimum age for prediction-market trading to 21. The agency rejected those calls and is moving toward federal regulations that would maintain the current 18+ eligibility standard.

Young adults aged 18-21 have traded billions on Kalshi this year, intensifying concerns over sports betting, addiction and prediction-market rules

Young adults under 21 trade billions on Kalshi amid explosive prediction market growth

China on Thursday has denied allegations of a state-sponsored cyberattack against its US government agencies. Beijing has warned that it will not tolerate “vilification” in the guise of cybersecurity issues. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian, in a press conference, called them “disinformation based on political motivations” and lacks any evidence."Washington is widely recognised as the largest surveillance and hacking empire in the world. We ask that the United States abandon this political manipulation and stop acting hypocritically to begin addressing security risks through equal dialogue with China," said Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian.The statement come hours after US authorities have ordered the shutdown of several websites of such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Reserve (Fed), the Senate, and various agencies of the United States Government were targeted by "two hacking platforms" which the US claimed must have been created by a group backed by the Chinese government with the aim of carrying out cyberattacks.In a social media post, the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson mentioned, “The U.S. is yet to respond to the previously disclosed NSA cyberattack on China’s National Time Service Centre. Time to quit double standards and the disinformation campaign, and start acting responsibly to join the effort to tackle cybersecurity risks.”Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/man-arrested-us-capitol-guillotine-pickup-truck-1787767233332">Man arrested near US Capitol with guillotine in pickup truck: What happened?</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">China firmly rejects the U.S. accusation of “China’s state-sponsored hacking” against U.S. government agencies. We will not accept any vilification in the name of so-called cybersecurity issues. The U.S. is yet to respond to previously disclosed NSA cyberattack on China’s… <a href="https://t.co/ZgT1rUYhaH">pic.twitter.com/ZgT1rUYhaH</a>&mdash; CHINA MFA Spokesperson 中国外交部发言人 (@MFA_China) <a href="https://x.com/MFA_China/status/2092910939343650844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In October 2025, China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) accused the US National Security Agency of carrying out multi-year cyberespionage campaign against China's National Time Service Center. US government or the US embassy in China did not respond to these accusation.The FBI Director Kash Patel said that this "is just the most recent technical operation against China-sponsored hacking and responds to the Cyber Strategy of the United States driven by President Donald Trump. Thus, he stated that the FBI is intensifying its efforts to influence the behavior of the "adversary" and "defend national security in cyberspace.

China rejects US allegations of state-sponsored cyberattacks, calling them politically motivated disinformation and accusing Washington of double standards.

China on Thursday has denied allegations of a state-sponsored cyberattack against its US government agencies. Beijing has warned that it will not tolerate “vilification” in the guise of cybersecurity issues. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian, in a press conference, called them “disinformation based on political motivations” and lacks any evidence. "Washington is widely recognised as the largest surveillance and hacking empire in the world. We ask that the United States abandon this political manipulation and stop acting hypocritically to begin addressing security risks through equal dialogue with China," said Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian. The statement come hours after US authorities have ordered the shutdown of several websites of such as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Reserve (Fed), the Senate, and various agencies of the United States Government were targeted by "two hacking platforms" which the US claimed must have been created by a group backed by the Chinese government with the aim of carrying out cyberattacks. In a social media post, the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson mentioned, “The U.S. is yet to respond to the previously disclosed NSA cyberattack on China’s National Time Service Centre. Time to quit double standards and the disinformation campaign, and start acting responsibly to join the effort to tackle cybersecurity risks.” Also Read: Man arrested near US Capitol with guillotine in pickup truck: What happened?

China rejects US allegations of state-sponsored cyberattacks, calling them politically motivated disinformation and accusing Washington of double standards.

China denies US allegations of state-sponsored cyberattacks, accuses Washington of ‘vilification’

US has announced that it will pay $850 million of roughly $5 billion in outstanding UN dues. The largest payment of the Trump administration to the global body, since it criticised the UN for not living up to its potential and slashed funding to many of its agencies. The US State Department has laid out plans to send $725 million to the regular UN budget, and $125 million toward UN peacekeeping operations in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo.The allocation of funds comes ahead of an expected speech by US President Donald Trump to the UN General Assembly in New York next month.It was mentioned in the August 4 State Department notification letter to Congress. US official said any payment will be contingent on the continued reform of the organisation.&nbsp;“Over the past six months, the United States has achieved historic reforms across the UN- reforms long considered impossible - including the first real budget cut in UN history, resulting in nearly ​one billion in cuts,” said a US State Official to Reuters.Earlier this year, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the organisation faced &nbsp;"imminent financial collapse" due to unpaid contributions from the member states.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-pollution-ncr-pm25-outside-sources-cstep-study-1787248088811">Delhi pollution not a city-only problem: 72% of NCR PM2.5 linked to sources beyond local emissions, study finds</a>According to a Reuters report, the UN had been counting on collecting 90 per cent of its dues from 193 member states. According to Reuters, a UN report shows that roughly 129 nations have paid in full as of August 18, 2026.&nbsp;The $725 million would be less than 20 per cent of the more than $4 billion that the UN said in ​May that the United States owed. It owes more than $2.04 billion toward the regular budget, $2.2 billion for current and past peacekeeping missions and $44 million for UN tribunals."If the US does not make further payments, it will likely lose its voting rights ‌in January," said Eugene Chen, a former UN official. Under Article 19 of the UN Charter, a member state loses its voting rights in the General Assembly if its arrears exceed two years in annual fees. He said that this recent transfer would allow the UN to pay salaries and stay afloat for a period. US contributes around 22 per cent of the UN regular budget; China is second, at roughly 20 per cent. Both the US and China have not paid their dues in full.&nbsp;

The US plans to pay $850 million toward its roughly $5 billion in outstanding UN dues, including $725 million for the regular budget and $125 million for peacekeeping

US has announced that it will pay $850 million of roughly $5 billion in outstanding UN dues. The largest payment of the Trump administration to the global body, since it criticised the UN for not living up to its potential and slashed funding to many of its agencies. The US State Department has laid out plans to send $725 million to the regular UN budget, and $125 million toward UN peacekeeping operations in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The allocation of funds comes ahead of an expected speech by US President Donald Trump to the UN General Assembly in New York next month. It was mentioned in the August 4 State Department notification letter to Congress. US official said any payment will be contingent on the continued reform of the organisation. “Over the past six months, the United States has achieved historic reforms across the UN- reforms long considered impossible - including the first real budget cut in UN history, resulting in nearly one billion in cuts,” said a US State Official to Reuters. Earlier this year, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the organisation faced "imminent financial collapse" due to unpaid contributions from the member states. Also Read: Delhi pollution not a city-only problem: 72% of NCR PM2.5 linked to sources beyond local emissions, study finds According to a Reuters report, the UN had been counting on collecting 90 per cent of its dues from 193 member states. According to Reuters, a UN report shows that roughly 129 nations have paid in full as of August 18, 2026. The $725 million would be less than 20 per cent of the more than $4 billion that the UN said in May that the United States owed. It owes more than $2.04 billion toward the regular budget, $2.2 billion for current and past peacekeeping missions and $44 million for UN tribunals. "If the US does not make further payments, it will likely lose its voting rights ‌in January," said Eugene Chen, a former UN official. Under Article 19 of the UN Charter, a member state loses its voting rights in the General Assembly if its arrears exceed two years in annual fees. He said that this recent transfer would allow the UN to pay salaries and stay afloat for a period. US contributes around 22 per cent of the UN regular budget; China is second, at roughly 20 per cent. Both the US and China have not paid their dues in full.

The US plans to pay $850 million toward its roughly $5 billion in outstanding UN dues, including $725 million for the regular budget and $125 million for peacekeeping

US to make $850mn payment out of its $4bn+ outstanding UN dues

Pakistan has formally requested a $10 bn bilateral exchange stabilisation support facility from the US Treasury to strengthen its Foreign Exchange reserves, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said in an interview with the Business Recorder newspaper published on Thursday. The proposal seeks a structural backstop via the US Treasury's exchange stabilisation fund instead of a conventional commercial credit line."This is not about a credit line or a loan or whatever. This is a signal about our currency stability, a signal about our foreign exchange stability, and that in turn also allows us to go to the market,” said Aurangzeb.The Finance Minister said that Pakistan's focus is on returning to market-based financing instead of short-term bilateral rollover. “Some will succeed, while with others there might be issues,” he added.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/melania-trump-unhappy-donald-trump-natalie-harp-speculation-1787169749724">Melania Trump upset over Donald Trump and Natalie Harp affair speculation</a>Reuters reported on the letter to the US Treasury, citing anonymous sources in late July, following Pakistan's role as a mediator in the US-Iran negotiations. In the letter, Islamabad asked for the creation of a Bilateral Exchange Stabilisation Support Facility between the US and the Pakistani government worth $10 billion with a maturity of up to five years. This will allow Pakistan to perform a currency swap with the US in case of a liquidity crisis, to stabilise the rupee and reduce its reliance on multilateral financing. It will boost Pakistan's credit rating and lower the future borrowing costs. The US Treasury is yet to confirm it; the formal bid has been submitted. Pakistan expects a response by September 2026.“We want to move at least towards a B+ rating,” &nbsp;said Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.Pakistan remains under a roughly $7 billion IMF programme that requires tax reforms, fiscal consolidation and monetary policy measures as part of its economic stabilisation efforts.

Pakistan has formally sought a $10 billion US Treasury exchange stabilisation facility to strengthen forex reserves and support rupee stability.

Pakistan has formally requested a $10 bn bilateral exchange stabilisation support facility from the US Treasury to strengthen its Foreign Exchange reserves, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said in an interview with the Business Recorder newspaper published on Thursday. The proposal seeks a structural backstop via the US Treasury's exchange stabilisation fund instead of a conventional commercial credit line. "This is not about a credit line or a loan or whatever. This is a signal about our currency stability, a signal about our foreign exchange stability, and that in turn also allows us to go to the market,” said Aurangzeb. The Finance Minister said that Pakistan's focus is on returning to market-based financing instead of short-term bilateral rollover. “Some will succeed, while with others there might be issues,” he added. Also Read: Melania Trump upset over Donald Trump and Natalie Harp affair speculation Reuters reported on the letter to the US Treasury, citing anonymous sources in late July, following Pakistan's role as a mediator in the US-Iran negotiations. In the letter, Islamabad asked for the creation of a Bilateral Exchange Stabilisation Support Facility between the US and the Pakistani government worth $10 billion with a maturity of up to five years. This will allow Pakistan to perform a currency swap with the US in case of a liquidity crisis, to stabilise the rupee and reduce its reliance on multilateral financing. It will boost Pakistan's credit rating and lower the future borrowing costs. The US Treasury is yet to confirm it; the formal bid has been submitted. Pakistan expects a response by September 2026. “We want to move at least towards a B+ rating,” said Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. Pakistan remains under a roughly $7 billion IMF programme that requires tax reforms, fiscal consolidation and monetary policy measures as part of its economic stabilisation efforts.

Pakistan has formally sought a $10 billion US Treasury exchange stabilisation facility to strengthen forex reserves and support rupee stability.

Pakistan seeks $10 billion US Treasury facility to bolster forex reserves

American export controls stopped Chinese companies buying the most advanced Nvidia chips. They did not stop Chinese companies using them, and Washington has now begun examining exactly how.&nbsp;The Review&nbsp;The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security is reviewing how Chinese artificial intelligence firms acquire and access Nvidia chips overseas — specifically by renting computing capacity located in other countries, according to reporting by Bloomberg.&nbsp;The trigger, by that account, was a run of technical results from Chinese laboratories that made plain their access to cutting-edge hardware despite Washington's restrictions.&nbsp;The Loophole Being Examined&nbsp;Export controls are written around the physical movement of goods. A chip sold to an entity in a restricted country is a transaction that can be blocked, traced and penalised.&nbsp;Renting compute is a different transaction entirely. If a Chinese company accesses a data centre in a third country through a cloud arrangement, the chips never move, never enter China, and never change ownership. What crosses the border is network traffic. Whether that constitutes an export at all is precisely the question the review has to resolve.&nbsp;This is not the first attempt to close the gap. In May, the Commerce Department moved against a related loophole — the export of advanced processors, including Nvidia's Rubin and Blackwell chips and AMD's MI350x, to Chinese-owned entities located outside China. That action addressed ownership. The current review addresses use.&nbsp;What Prompted It&nbsp;The results that drew attention have been substantial and public.&nbsp;Moonshot AI released Kimi K3's full weights on July 27 — a 2.8-trillion-parameter model, the largest ever published as an open download. Alibaba's Qwen3.8-Max, at 2.4 trillion parameters, reportedly ran autonomously on a software project for more than 16 consecutive days. DeepSeek's V4 Flash reaches within two percentage points of Claude Opus 4.7 on SWE-bench Verified at roughly one per cent of the cost. ByteDance is reported to be pre-training a model of up to 10 trillion parameters, requiring around 30,000 GPUs.&nbsp;In mid-July, six of the top ten models on independent leaderboards were Chinese, including all of the top five.&nbsp;Models at that scale require enormous quantities of advanced compute. The gap between what export controls were meant to prevent and what Chinese laboratories have demonstrably achieved is what the review exists to explain.&nbsp;The Nvidia Position&nbsp;Nvidia sits uncomfortably in the middle. Chief executive Jensen Huang met Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in late July, amid administration scrutiny of potential violations involving Nvidia chip exports to China.&nbsp;The company's commercial interest is straightforward: China is among the largest markets for AI compute in the world, and every restriction narrows it. Nvidia has consistently argued that export controls which exclude American hardware from a market do not eliminate demand — they redirect it toward domestic Chinese alternatives, accelerating exactly the self-sufficiency the controls are meant to delay.&nbsp;There is evidence in both directions. Chinese memory manufacturers CXMT and YMTC are expanding aggressively, and Acer, Asus and HP have begun using CXMT's DRAM in notebooks as the AI boom consumes Western supply. At the same time, the White House accused Moonshot AI in July of accessing banned Nvidia GB300 servers in Thailand — an allegation that, if accurate, suggests demand for American hardware has not redirected at all, merely relocated.&nbsp;What Follows&nbsp;Restricting remote access is considerably harder than restricting shipments. It would mean regulating who may log into a data centre in a third country, requiring cloud providers worldwide to verify the nationality and ownership of their customers, and enforcing that against jurisdictions with no obligation to cooperate.&nbsp;The alternative is accepting that in a world where compute is a service rather than a product, controls written for physical goods will keep leaking.&nbsp;The review has not produced a rule, and BIS reviews do not always produce rules. But the fact that Washington is now mapping how China rents what it cannot buy indicates the export-control fight has moved to different ground — and to a place where the existing tools were not designed to operate.

The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security is reviewing how Chinese AI firms access Nvidia chips by renting computing power located abroad, Bloomberg reports — triggered by Chinese technical breakthroughs that demonstrated access despite export restrictions.

American export controls stopped Chinese companies buying the most advanced Nvidia chips. They did not stop Chinese companies using them, and Washington has now begun examining exactly how. The Review The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security is reviewing how Chinese artificial intelligence firms acquire and access Nvidia chips overseas — specifically by renting computing capacity located in other countries, according to reporting by Bloomberg. The trigger, by that account, was a run of technical results from Chinese laboratories that made plain their access to cutting-edge hardware despite Washington's restrictions. The Loophole Being Examined Export controls are written around the physical movement of goods. A chip sold to an entity in a restricted country is a transaction that can be blocked, traced and penalised. Renting compute is a different transaction entirely. If a Chinese company accesses a data centre in a third country through a cloud arrangement, the chips never move, never enter China, and never change ownership. What crosses the border is network traffic. Whether that constitutes an export at all is precisely the question the review has to resolve. This is not the first attempt to close the gap. In May, the Commerce Department moved against a related loophole — the export of advanced processors, including Nvidia's Rubin and Blackwell chips and AMD's MI350x, to Chinese-owned entities located outside China. That action addressed ownership. The current review addresses use. What Prompted It The results that drew attention have been substantial and public. Moonshot AI released Kimi K3's full weights on July 27 — a 2.8-trillion-parameter model, the largest ever published as an open download. Alibaba's Qwen3.8-Max, at 2.4 trillion parameters, reportedly ran autonomously on a software project for more than 16 consecutive days. DeepSeek's V4 Flash reaches within two percentage points of Claude Opus 4.7 on SWE-bench Verified at roughly one per cent of the cost. ByteDance is reported to be pre-training a model of up to 10 trillion parameters, requiring around 30,000 GPUs. In mid-July, six of the top ten models on independent leaderboards were Chinese, including all of the top five. Models at that scale require enormous quantities of advanced compute. The gap between what export controls were meant to prevent and what Chinese laboratories have demonstrably achieved is what the review exists to explain. The Nvidia Position Nvidia sits uncomfortably in the middle. Chief executive Jensen Huang met Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in late July, amid administration scrutiny of potential violations involving Nvidia chip exports to China. The company's commercial interest is straightforward: China is among the largest markets for AI compute in the world, and every restriction narrows it. Nvidia has consistently argued that export controls which exclude American hardware from a market do not eliminate demand — they redirect it toward domestic Chinese alternatives, accelerating exactly the self-sufficiency the controls are meant to delay. There is evidence in both directions. Chinese memory manufacturers CXMT and YMTC are expanding aggressively, and Acer, Asus and HP have begun using CXMT's DRAM in notebooks as the AI boom consumes Western supply. At the same time, the White House accused Moonshot AI in July of accessing banned Nvidia GB300 servers in Thailand — an allegation that, if accurate, suggests demand for American hardware has not redirected at all, merely relocated. What Follows Restricting remote access is considerably harder than restricting shipments. It would mean regulating who may log into a data centre in a third country, requiring cloud providers worldwide to verify the nationality and ownership of their customers, and enforcing that against jurisdictions with no obligation to cooperate. The alternative is accepting that in a world where compute is a service rather than a product, controls written for physical goods will keep leaking. The review has not produced a rule, and BIS reviews do not always produce rules. But the fact that Washington is now mapping how China rents what it cannot buy indicates the export-control fight has moved to different ground — and to a place where the existing tools were not designed to operate.

The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security is reviewing how Chinese AI companies obtain access to Nvidia chips by renting computing power located outside China, according to Bloomberg. The review follows a run of Chinese technical breakthroughs that demonstrated access to advanced hardware despite export restrictions.

Washington is now mapping how China rents the Nvidia chips it cannot buy

Superbugs are a big health hazard resulting in 4.95 million deaths on average per year. Now, a superbug named Candida Auris has spread to 23 U.S. states. It has come under lens as it can hide in a person's hair follicles for months without any symptoms.

Superbug That Can Hide in Your Hair Spreads to 23 U.S. States | GRAVITAS 

A US federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration's policy freezing green card applications from 75 countries was unlawful, dealing a significant setback to President Donald Trump's immigration agenda.

The ruling, issued by US District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C., found that the State Department's "public charge" policy exceeded the authority granted under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Introduced earlier this year by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the policy had largely halted immigrant visa processing for applicants from countries including Nigeria, Colombia, Russia, and Egypt.

The policy mainly affected family-sponsored immigrant visa applicants and some employment-based green card applicants. While the administration argued that the measure was intended to prevent immigrants from relying on public assistance, critics said it effectively blocked applications without proper individual review.

US Judge Blocks Trump Green Card Freeze | Major Setback for Trump's Immigration Policy

The medical plane that crashed in New Mexico in May this year, killing all four on board, likely happened because of an electronic warfare exercise being conducted at the nearby White Sands Missile Range. According to a report by Wired that analysed an Associated Press finding in June, the GPS on the small twin-engine medevac aircraft failed because the military was jamming that signal throughout that area at the time.&nbsp;&nbsp;GPS jamming meant that the pilots had no way to know about the mountainous formation between their plane and the landing strip, which resulted in the crash. Besides killing the two pilots and two medical workers, it ignited a wildfire that wreaked devastation for weeks.<h2>Military had warned of GPS disruptions</h2>Low visibility, an overworked air-traffic control and the GPS jamming led to at least three other planes reporting navigation disruptions. The AP report had stated that the military had warned the pilots to expect the disruptions. However, the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report only talked about the GPS problems on board the flight, but the cause of the crash has not been officially identified as yet.&nbsp;"The loss of GPS should not result in the loss of an airplane so there’s got to be more to it than that," retired airline pilot John Cox, and CEO of Safety Operating Systems, told AP at the time. Airline pilot and aviation crash analyst Juan Browne told Wired, “When those lights go out, man, you know you are in big trouble.”<h2>GPS jamming in the United States</h2>This is the first known incident where military GPS caused a civilian plane to go down in US airspace. Wired reported that even though the pilots had already been warned about it, there was a lack of safeguards or air traffic control personnel to prevent a disaster. Notably, cases of GPS jamming have skyrocketed in recent years, going from four in 2020 to 50 in 2024, and 40 across 2025, according to data from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.&nbsp;Experts said that the pilots could have landed safely if they had relied on ground-based navigation systems or flown visually. The Army’s White Sands Missile Range is about 65 kilometres from Ruidoso, where the plane was trying to land at night.&nbsp;

The military's GPS jamming exercise likely caused the medical plane to crash in New Mexico in May this year. An initial report by the NTSB had flagged a GPS disruption on the plane. A report claims that this was linked to the jamming exercise at a missile range 65 kilometres away.

The medical plane that crashed in New Mexico in May this year, killing all four on board, likely happened because of an electronic warfare exercise being conducted at the nearby White Sands Missile Range. According to a report by Wired that analysed an Associated Press finding in June, the GPS on the small twin-engine medevac aircraft failed because the military was jamming that signal throughout that area at the time. GPS jamming meant that the pilots had no way to know about the mountainous formation between their plane and the landing strip, which resulted in the crash. Besides killing the two pilots and two medical workers, it ignited a wildfire that wreaked devastation for weeks. Military had warned of GPS disruptions Low visibility, an overworked air-traffic control and the GPS jamming led to at least three other planes reporting navigation disruptions. The AP report had stated that the military had warned the pilots to expect the disruptions. However, the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report only talked about the GPS problems on board the flight, but the cause of the crash has not been officially identified as yet. "The loss of GPS should not result in the loss of an airplane so there’s got to be more to it than that," retired airline pilot John Cox, and CEO of Safety Operating Systems, told AP at the time. Airline pilot and aviation crash analyst Juan Browne told Wired, “When those lights go out, man, you know you are in big trouble.” GPS jamming in the United States This is the first known incident where military GPS caused a civilian plane to go down in US airspace. Wired reported that even though the pilots had already been warned about it, there was a lack of safeguards or air traffic control personnel to prevent a disaster. Notably, cases of GPS jamming have skyrocketed in recent years, going from four in 2020 to 50 in 2024, and 40 across 2025, according to data from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Experts said that the pilots could have landed safely if they had relied on ground-based navigation systems or flown visually. The Army’s White Sands Missile Range is about 65 kilometres from Ruidoso, where the plane was trying to land at night.

The military's GPS jamming exercise likely caused the medical plane to crash in New Mexico in May this year. An initial report by the NTSB had flagged a GPS disruption on the plane. A report claims that this was linked to the jamming exercise at a missile range 65 kilometres away.

Did military GPS jamming cause a plane to crash in New Mexico? Here's what a report says

The United States has signed a civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, a move being presented as an energy partnership but one that is raising serious strategic questions across West Asia. While Washington says the deal supports Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear ambitions, critics warn it could reshape the regional balance of power.

The agreement has sparked concerns in Israel over nuclear proliferation, while questions remain about uranium enrichment restrictions, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) oversight, and whether the deal is linked to Saudi Arabia normalizing ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords.

US-Saudi Nuclear Deal Sparks Fears of Middle East Nuclear Arms Race | Israel, Iran on Edge

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a highly unusual closed-door meeting at the White House, sparking intense speculation over the future of the Iran conflict.

Unlike previous meetings, there were no public remarks or joint press interactions before the talks. The White House released photographs only after the 90-minute meeting, raising questions about what was discussed behind closed doors.

Trump-Netanyahu Meeting: What's Really Changing on Iran?

Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared before a Republican-led Senate committee hearing and repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment, declining to answer dozens of questions about his role in the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci, who served as one of the leading figures during America's coronavirus response, was subpoenaed to testify under oath by Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. During the hearing, Fauci refused to answer more than 100 questions, reigniting long-running political debates over COVID-19 origins, pandemic policies, and government decision-making.

Anthony Fauci Pleads the Fifth Over 100 Times During Senate Hearing on COVID Response

Tensions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have reached a boiling point as Indian officials and international observers raise alarms over the violent suppression of civil protests in Rawalakot. Following a ban on the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC)—a group advocating for basic rights, affordable electricity, and economic relief—thousands of protesters gathered to demand justice, only to be met with severe force by Pakistani paramilitary troops.


India Raises Pakistan's Crackdown and Rawalakot Killings

Tensions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have reached a boiling point as Indian officials and international observers raise alarms over the violent suppression of civil protests in Rawalakot. Following a ban on the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC)—a group advocating for basic rights, affordable electricity, and economic relief—thousands of protesters gathered to demand justice, only to be met with severe force by Pakistani paramilitary troops.

Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama has shared a message for Gen Z, stressing the importance of character building, resilience and long-term growth. Speaking about modern culture, she warned against the pursuit of instant gratification and emphasized the value of patience, discipline and perseverance.

Her remarks have sparked discussions about success, social media culture and the challenges facing younger generations in a fast-paced digital world.

Michelle Obama’s Message To Gen Z: Don't Chase Instant Gratification 

Google-backed researchers are seeking approval to release up to 32 million sterile mosquitoes as part of an ambitious effort to combat disease-carrying mosquito populations. The project aims to curb the spread of illnesses such as dengue by reducing the number of mosquitoes capable of reproducing.

But how does the technology work, and could releasing millions of insects create unintended consequences for the environment? As regulators review the proposal, the debate over science, public health and human intervention in nature is intensifying.

Google Plans to Release 32 Million Mosquito Army | Tiny Killers, Giant Experiment

Fresh geopolitical tensions are emerging after reports that the United States is planning to deploy nuclear-capable bombers closer to Russia's borders. The proposed move is expected to draw a strong response from Moscow and could further strain relations between the world's two largest nuclear powers.

U.S. Plans Nuclear Bomber Deployment Near Russia, Raising Fresh Tensions

#Gravitas An American journalist stands accused of secretly working for China’s intelligence network for years while allegedly trying to obtain classified U.S. government information. The case has sparked major concerns over espionage, national security and foreign influence operations inside the United States.

U.S. Journalist Accused Of Being A Chinese Spy 

Russia has warned of possible retaliation over the deployment of U.S. troops in Poland, escalating tensions between Moscow and NATO. The warning comes amid growing military activity in Eastern Europe and rising concerns over regional security and geopolitical confrontation.

Russia Threatens Retaliation Over U.S. Troop Deployment In Poland 

The Trump administration has barred US officials responsible for research on infectious disease threats from speaking to the World Health Organisation (WHO) unless granted permission by senior staff. A CNN report states that individuals at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases can no longer speak directly with the UN World Health Organisation. This means they will be left out of discussions on virus outbreaks. The gag order comes at a time when two viruses have created major health emergencies. The hantavirus ravaged a cruise ship, while DR Congo is battling an Ebola crisis driven by a novel variant. The officials were reportedly offered some relaxation following the Ebola outbreak.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jimmy-kimmel-mocks-donald-trump-as-he-skips-son-s-wedding-he-loves-don-jr-he-just-loves-the-united-states-more-1779935771620">Jimmy Kimmel mocks Donald Trump as he skips son’s wedding: ‘He loves Don Jr. He just loves the United States more’</a><h2>No more than 3 people can join virtual WHO meetings</h2>CNN reported that a May 18 email from a senior NIAID official to staff directs a small group to attend virtual WHO meetings only in a "listening capacity". All follow-ups will be handled by NIAID’s parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services. Following the release of the report, the number of NIAID staff members permitted to attend has reportedly risen to 30. “We’ll be operating in the same manner for Ebola as we have been doing for Hantavirus, assembling a small group of experts — no more than three — to participate,” the email tells the officials, adding that legitimate research questions or countermeasure testing ideas should be taken up through the “proper chain of command.”<h2>Positions lying vacant in US health bodies</h2>The sources told the publication that such measures are unheard of during a US response to emerging public health emergencies. Earlier this year, under Donald Trump, the US pulled out of major global health forums, including the WHO. Many US health agencies are operating with interim heads, and several senior positions are lying vacant. Some of them are the director of the infectious disease agency, the surgeon general, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, the deputy health secretary, and the head of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.<h2>No Surgeon General and CDC Director</h2>A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said the CDC is on the ground in disease outbreaks, and they are “fully equipped to protect Americans and mitigate risks.” President Donald Trump has had trouble filling two major US public health jobs - Surgeon General and CDC Director. Two of his earlier picks failed to gain a permanent position, and now he is trying to fill the posts for a third time. During Trump’s current term, no one has successfully become Surgeon General yet, also known as the nation’s doctor. Only one CDC director was officially approved by the Senate but vacated the position in less than a month.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The Trump administration has been blocked from engaging directly with WHO officials over discussions on health risks and virus outbreaks. Only three people are allowed to attend virtual meetings, and even then, they are not allowed to speak.

The Trump administration has barred US officials responsible for research on infectious disease threats from speaking to the World Health Organisation (WHO) unless granted permission by senior staff. A CNN report states that individuals at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases can no longer speak directly with the UN World Health Organisation. This means they will be left out of discussions on virus outbreaks. The gag order comes at a time when two viruses have created major health emergencies. The hantavirus ravaged a cruise ship, while DR Congo is battling an Ebola crisis driven by a novel variant. The officials were reportedly offered some relaxation following the Ebola outbreak. Also Read: Jimmy Kimmel mocks Donald Trump as he skips son’s wedding: ‘He loves Don Jr. He just loves the United States more’ No more than 3 people can join virtual WHO meetings CNN reported that a May 18 email from a senior NIAID official to staff directs a small group to attend virtual WHO meetings only in a "listening capacity". All follow-ups will be handled by NIAID’s parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services. Following the release of the report, the number of NIAID staff members permitted to attend has reportedly risen to 30. “We’ll be operating in the same manner for Ebola as we have been doing for Hantavirus, assembling a small group of experts — no more than three — to participate,” the email tells the officials, adding that legitimate research questions or countermeasure testing ideas should be taken up through the “proper chain of command.” Positions lying vacant in US health bodies The sources told the publication that such measures are unheard of during a US response to emerging public health emergencies. Earlier this year, under Donald Trump, the US pulled out of major global health forums, including the WHO. Many US health agencies are operating with interim heads, and several senior positions are lying vacant. Some of them are the director of the infectious disease agency, the surgeon general, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, the deputy health secretary, and the head of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. No Surgeon General and CDC Director A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said the CDC is on the ground in disease outbreaks, and they are “fully equipped to protect Americans and mitigate risks.” President Donald Trump has had trouble filling two major US public health jobs - Surgeon General and CDC Director. Two of his earlier picks failed to gain a permanent position, and now he is trying to fill the posts for a third time. During Trump’s current term, no one has successfully become Surgeon General yet, also known as the nation’s doctor. Only one CDC director was officially approved by the Senate but vacated the position in less than a month.

The Trump administration has been blocked from engaging directly with WHO officials over discussions on health risks and virus outbreaks. Only three people are allowed to attend virtual meetings, and even then, they are not allowed to speak.

US health blockade: Only 3 researchers at WHO meetings, all barred from speaking

A video showing an Indian couple facing a racist confrontation in the United States has triggered widespread outrage online. The clip, which has been circulating across social media platforms, shows a man sitting inside a car questioning the couple about their nationality before asking them to leave the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;While the exact location of the incident has not been independently verified, the video has once again sparked debate around racism and xenophobia faced by immigrants abroad.&nbsp;In the video, the man first asks the couple whether they are from India and then questions if India is better than the United States. Responding calmly, the Indian man says both countries have “plus points” and mentions that their family lives in India.&nbsp;The stranger then asks why they are staying in the US if they believe India is good.When the couple explains that they are in the country “to explore the world,” the man becomes aggressive and says, “No, we don't want you here. You have to go home. Get the f*** out of my country.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">I encountered some incredible H-1B indians, and I had to let them know something! <a href="https://t.co/Qi8FyfcjzF">pic.twitter.com/Qi8FyfcjzF</a>&mdash; tone (@AyTone4th) <a href="https://x.com/AyTone4th/status/2057130312639860940?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Despite the hostile comments, the couple remains composed throughout the exchange, with the video drawing support for their calm response online.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-intent-on-making-deal-trump-says-as-white-house-labels-tehran-report-on-draft-agreement-complete-fabrication-1779900971950">‘Iran intent on making deal’: Trump says nobody will control Hormuz, it's international waters</a>&nbsp;The verified social media account that shared the video reportedly belongs to a music producer who has previously uploaded clips mocking Indians, including content filmed inside an Indian restaurant.&nbsp;Several users on social media also tagged Marco Rubio in posts related to the incident. Rubio had recently concluded a visit to India, during which he was asked about increasing reports of racist behaviour targeting Indians in the US.&nbsp;Responding to a question from reporters, Rubio had said that “every country has its stupid people” and added that such incidents were not limited to one nation.&nbsp;“People say stupid stuff all the time on social media and in every country in the world, unfortunately,” he said.

While the couple responded calmly to the questions, the stranger reacted aggressively, saying, “No, we don't want you here. You have to go home.”

A video showing an Indian couple facing a racist confrontation in the United States has triggered widespread outrage online. The clip, which has been circulating across social media platforms, shows a man sitting inside a car questioning the couple about their nationality before asking them to leave the country. While the exact location of the incident has not been independently verified, the video has once again sparked debate around racism and xenophobia faced by immigrants abroad. In the video, the man first asks the couple whether they are from India and then questions if India is better than the United States. Responding calmly, the Indian man says both countries have “plus points” and mentions that their family lives in India. The stranger then asks why they are staying in the US if they believe India is good. When the couple explains that they are in the country “to explore the world,” the man becomes aggressive and says, “No, we don't want you here. You have to go home. Get the f*** out of my country.”

While the couple responded calmly to the questions, the stranger reacted aggressively, saying, “No, we don't want you here. You have to go home.”

‘We don’t want you here’: Racist confrontation with Indian couple in US goes viral | Video

Meta has quietly launched a new standalone app called Forum, designed to give users a focused space for discussions built around Facebook Groups. The app is currently available only for iOS users in the United States and has not yet been rolled out globally.&nbsp; The launch is part of Meta’s broader strategy to experiment with new social apps, especially as artificial intelligence tools make it easier and faster to build and test products.<h2>What the Forum app offers</h2>Forum is built to create deeper conversations within communities. Once users log in with their Facebook account, the app shows a feed of posts from the Groups they are part of. The interface is similar to platforms like Reddit, where discussions are the main focus rather than general social media updates.Users can:Post using nicknames Browse group discussions Discover new communities Continue conversations where they left off Posts shared on Forum are also visible within Facebook Groups, keeping both platforms connected.<figure class="image"><img src="https://images.indianexpress.com/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-24-121046.png" alt="Forum"></figure>

<h2>AI features at the centre of the app</h2>One of the key features of Forum is its AI-powered ‘Ask’ tool. This allows users to ask questions and receive answers based on conversations happening across multiple groups.The AI: Summarises discussions Shows sources of information Suggests relevant groups to joinGroup administrators also get access to an AI assistant that helps with moderation and content management.<h2>How Forum is different from other Meta apps</h2>Unlike Facebook or Instagram, Forum focuses only on group discussions. It removes distractions like general feeds and highlights conversations that matter to users. The app is part of a wider push by Meta to launch more standalone apps. Recently, the company also introduced new features like Instants for sharing disappearing photos. This approach allows Meta to test new ideas without changing its main platforms.<h2>Meta’s strategy behind launching new apps</h2>Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has indicated that the company plans to build more apps using AI-driven development tools. Reports suggest Meta is exploring the idea of launching multiple apps quickly to see what users prefer. This strategy is made possible by faster development cycles enabled by AI. However, some analysts question whether users want more separate apps, especially when many features already exist within existing platforms.<h2>Challenges and competition</h2>Forum enters a space already dominated by platforms like Reddit, which are built entirely around community discussions. Meta had previously launched a Facebook Groups app in 2014, which was later shut down after a few years. This raises questions about whether the new app will succeed in the long term. At the same time, Meta’s strong user base and integration with Facebook Groups could give Forum an advantage.<h2>What happens next</h2>For now, Forum remains in limited release, and Meta has not confirmed when it will expand to other regions. The company is likely to monitor user engagement before making further decisions about a wider rollout. The launch reflects Meta’s ongoing efforts to reshape social media experiences, with a stronger focus on communities and AI-driven interactions.

Meta has quietly launched a new standalone app called Forum, designed to give users a focused space for discussions built around Facebook Groups. The app is currently available only for iOS users in the United States and has not yet been rolled out globally.


Meta has quietly launched a new standalone app called Forum, designed to give users a focused space for discussions built around Facebook Groups. The app is currently available only for iOS users in the United States and has not yet been rolled out globally. The launch is part of Meta’s broader strategy to experiment with new social apps, especially as artificial intelligence tools make it easier and faster to build and test products. What the Forum app offers Forum is built to create deeper conversations within communities. Once users log in with their Facebook account, the app shows a feed of posts from the Groups they are part of. The interface is similar to platforms like Reddit, where discussions are the main focus rather than general social media updates. Users can: Post using nicknames Browse group discussions Discover new communities Continue conversations where they left off Posts shared on Forum are also visible within Facebook Groups, keeping both platforms connected.

Meta has quietly launched a new standalone app called Forum, designed to give users a focused space for discussions built around Facebook Groups. The app is currently available only for iOS users in the United States and has not yet been rolled out globally.

What is Meta’s new Forum app? Facebook Groups gets a standalone AI-powered platform

Cuba has blamed United States energy blockade policies for the country’s worsening power blackout crisis, as large parts of the island continue to face electricity shortages. Cuban authorities say sanctions and restrictions have severely impacted fuel imports and energy infrastructure, deepening the nation’s economic challenges.

Cuba Power Blackout: Cuba Blames United States' Energy Blockade Policies

Hours after President Donald Trump shared a social media post describing India in derogatory terms, it sparked a political uproar, prompting United States officials to move quickly to contain the damage, with the US Embassy in New Delhi highlighting India as a “great country” and underscoring strong ties with its leadership, pointing to Trump’s personal rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he has often described as a “great friend”.&nbsp;A US Embassy spokesperson said, “The President has said India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top,” in an attempt to ease tensions after the post triggered a strong reaction.&nbsp;The controversy stems from a social media post shared by Trump that included a transcript from a conservative talk show hosted by Michael Savage. In the discussion, Savage referred to US birthright citizenship and made claims about migrants arriving late in pregnancy to secure automatic citizenship for their children.&nbsp;&nbsp;The post further alleged that such migrants later bring family members from countries including India and China, referring to them as coming from “some other hellhole on the planet.”&nbsp;Responding to queries regarding the controversial social media post and subsequent clarification issued by US officials, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the remarks as “uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste” and stated that they do not reflect the reality of India-US ties.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-that-s-where-mea-shrugs-off-trump-s-hellhole-comment-on-india-and-china-1776947554143">‘That’s where…’: MEA shrugs off Trump’s ‘hellhole’ comment on India and China</a>&nbsp;“We have seen the comments, as well as the subsequent statement issued by the US Embassy in response. The remarks are obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste. They certainly do not reflect the reality of the India-US relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests.”&nbsp;However, earlier in the day, the MEA played down the controversy as Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen some reports,” declining to elaborate further during a press briefing.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Iran also reacted to the controversy, defending India and China. The Consulate General of Iran in Hyderabad posted on X that both countries are “cradles of civilisation” and criticised the remarks, taking a dig at Trump amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Responding to queries on the controversial post and subsequent US clarification, the MEA said the remarks were “uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste” and do not reflect the reality of India-US ties.

Hours after President Donald Trump shared a social media post describing India in derogatory terms, it sparked a political uproar, prompting United States officials to move quickly to contain the damage, with the US Embassy in New Delhi highlighting India as a “great country” and underscoring strong ties with its leadership, pointing to Trump’s personal rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he has often described as a “great friend”. A US Embassy spokesperson said, “The President has said India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top,” in an attempt to ease tensions after the post triggered a strong reaction. The controversy stems from a social media post shared by Trump that included a transcript from a conservative talk show hosted by Michael Savage. In the discussion, Savage referred to US birthright citizenship and made claims about migrants arriving late in pregnancy to secure automatic citizenship for their children. The post further alleged that such migrants later bring family members from countries including India and China, referring to them as coming from “some other hellhole on the planet.” Responding to queries regarding the controversial social media post and subsequent clarification issued by US officials, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the remarks as “uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste” and stated that they do not reflect the reality of India-US ties. Also Read: ‘That’s where…’: MEA shrugs off Trump’s ‘hellhole’ comment on India and China “We have seen the comments, as well as the subsequent statement issued by the US Embassy in response. The remarks are obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste. They certainly do not reflect the reality of the India-US relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests.” However, earlier in the day, the MEA played down the controversy as Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen some reports,” declining to elaborate further during a press briefing. Meanwhile, Iran also reacted to the controversy, defending India and China. The Consulate General of Iran in Hyderabad posted on X that both countries are “cradles of civilisation” and criticised the remarks, taking a dig at Trump amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Responding to queries on the controversial post and subsequent US clarification, the MEA said the remarks were “uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste” and do not reflect the reality of India-US ties.

'President has said India is a great country': US rushes to damage control after Trump’s ‘hellhole’ remark

A day after Iran opened fire at ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump on Sunday (April 19) described the incident as “A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement!” He added, “Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it?”&nbsp;Trump announced that US “representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — they will be there tomorrow evening, for negotiations,” while claiming that Washington is “offering a very fair and reasonable deal.” He renewed his warning, saying, “I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single power plant, and every single bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY! They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the deal, it will be my honour to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran by other presidents for the last 47 years,” in a post on Truth Social.&nbsp;The US President also reacted to Tehran’s move on the Strait, saying, “Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our blockade has already closed it.” He added that actions by the IRGC were inadvertently benefiting the United States by boosting demand for American oil.&nbsp;“They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones who lose with the closed passage, $500 million dollars a day! The United States loses nothing. In fact, many ships are headed right now to the US — Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska — to load up,” he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/manipur-violence-escalates-two-killed-in-ukhrul-ambush-protests-intensify-in-imphal-valley-1776601283181">Manipur violence escalates: two killed in Ukhrul ambush, protests intensify in Imphal valley</a>&nbsp; The remarks come as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed amid a deepening stand-off between Iran and the United States. Tehran had briefly signalled reopening the route on Friday before announcing another shutdown on Saturday, unsettling global markets.&nbsp;Iran has maintained that it will not reopen the crucial maritime corridor until the United States lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports. Responding to Washington’s accusations, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the blockade itself violates the ceasefire and is “unlawful and criminal.”&nbsp;“The United States’ so-called ‘blockade’ of Iran’s ports or coastline is not only a violation of the Pakistani-mediated ceasefire but also both unlawful and criminal,” he said in a post on X, adding that it amounts to “collective punishment” and could be considered a war crime and a crime against humanity.

Iran has maintained that it will not reopen the crucial maritime corridor until the United States lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports.

A day after Iran opened fire at ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump on Sunday (April 19) described the incident as “A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement!” He added, “Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it?” Trump announced that US “representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — they will be there tomorrow evening, for negotiations,” while claiming that Washington is “offering a very fair and reasonable deal.” He renewed his warning, saying, “I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single power plant, and every single bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY! They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the deal, it will be my honour to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran by other presidents for the last 47 years,” in a post on Truth Social. The US President also reacted to Tehran’s move on the Strait, saying, “Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our blockade has already closed it.” He added that actions by the IRGC were inadvertently benefiting the United States by boosting demand for American oil. “They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones who lose with the closed passage, $500 million dollars a day! The United States loses nothing. In fact, many ships are headed right now to the US — Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska — to load up,” he said. Also Read: Manipur violence escalates: two killed in Ukhrul ambush, protests intensify in Imphal valley The remarks come as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed amid a deepening stand-off between Iran and the United States. Tehran had briefly signalled reopening the route on Friday before announcing another shutdown on Saturday, unsettling global markets. Iran has maintained that it will not reopen the crucial maritime corridor until the United States lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports. Responding to Washington’s accusations, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the blockade itself violates the ceasefire and is “unlawful and criminal.” “The United States’ so-called ‘blockade’ of Iran’s ports or coastline is not only a violation of the Pakistani-mediated ceasefire but also both unlawful and criminal,” he said in a post on X, adding that it amounts to “collective punishment” and could be considered a war crime and a crime against humanity.

Iran has maintained that it will not reopen the crucial maritime corridor until the United States lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Trump renews threat to destroy bridges if no deal is reached, accuses Iran of ceasefire violation over Hormuz firing

The United States Senate has rejected an effort to halt arms sales to Israel, allowing previously approved military assistance to proceed. The vote reflects continued congressional support for Israel’s security cooperation with Washington, even as debate grows over the humanitarian situation and regional tensions linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

Senate Reject Effort to Halt Israel Arms Sales

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (April 11) hailed the sight of "massive numbers of completely empty oil tankers" heading toward the United States to collect American crude. Describing the exports as the "best and ‘sweetest’ oil (and gas!) anywhere in the world," the President’s remarks come as global markets pivot away from GCC countries due to severe disruptions caused by the escalating war in West Asia.&nbsp;&nbsp;The shift in global energy logistics follows Iran's effective closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz. In retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on its own facilities, Tehran has targeted critical oil infrastructure across the region, including refineries and ports.&nbsp;Even as the pivot toward US energy is driven by a conflict many critics argue was exacerbated by American foreign policy, Trump utilised the moment to boast about the nation's energy independence. "We have more oil than the next two largest oil economies combined—and higher quality," he stated.&nbsp;"We are waiting for you. Quick turnaround!" In a separate interaction on Truth Social, the President amplified a post calling the movement of vessels "great." The shared post noted, "Very cool seeing the wave of empty tankers heading to the US to pick up some desperately needed crude for Hormuz-starved markets."&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-aimed-at-complete-and-comprehensive-end-of-war-hamas-welcomes-us-iran-talks-in-pakistan-1775904180801">'Aimed at complete and comprehensive end of war': Hamas welcomes US-Iran talks in Pakistan</a>&nbsp;This sudden dependence on American energy highlights the strategic fragility of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Oman and Iran that typically facilitates the passage of 20% of the world’s total oil consumption. As Iranian forces continue to restrict maritime traffic and target regional infrastructure, the global supply of "sour" crude from the Persian Gulf has plummeted, leaving a deficit of millions of barrels per day.&nbsp;Consequently, international buyers are now prioritising the US Gulf Coast for its "sweet" crude oil with low sulfur content that is faster and cheaper to refine into essential fuels. This geopolitical shift has effectively positioned the United States as the primary guarantor of global energy security, as nations bypass the traditional energy hubs of the Middle East to secure their fuel reserves amidst the ongoing regional instability.

Even as the pivot toward US energy is driven by a conflict many critics argue was exacerbated by American foreign policy, Trump utilised the moment to boast about the nation's energy independence.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (April 11) hailed the sight of "massive numbers of completely empty oil tankers" heading toward the United States to collect American crude. Describing the exports as the "best and ‘sweetest’ oil (and gas!) anywhere in the world," the President’s remarks come as global markets pivot away from GCC countries due to severe disruptions caused by the escalating war in West Asia. The shift in global energy logistics follows Iran's effective closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz. In retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on its own facilities, Tehran has targeted critical oil infrastructure across the region, including refineries and ports. Even as the pivot toward US energy is driven by a conflict many critics argue was exacerbated by American foreign policy, Trump utilised the moment to boast about the nation's energy independence. "We have more oil than the next two largest oil economies combined—and higher quality," he stated. "We are waiting for you. Quick turnaround!" In a separate interaction on Truth Social, the President amplified a post calling the movement of vessels "great." The shared post noted, "Very cool seeing the wave of empty tankers heading to the US to pick up some desperately needed crude for Hormuz-starved markets." Also Read: 'Aimed at complete and comprehensive end of war': Hamas welcomes US-Iran talks in Pakistan This sudden dependence on American energy highlights the strategic fragility of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Oman and Iran that typically facilitates the passage of 20% of the world’s total oil consumption. As Iranian forces continue to restrict maritime traffic and target regional infrastructure, the global supply of "sour" crude from the Persian Gulf has plummeted, leaving a deficit of millions of barrels per day. Consequently, international buyers are now prioritising the US Gulf Coast for its "sweet" crude oil with low sulfur content that is faster and cheaper to refine into essential fuels. This geopolitical shift has effectively positioned the United States as the primary guarantor of global energy security, as nations bypass the traditional energy hubs of the Middle East to secure their fuel reserves amidst the ongoing regional instability.

Even as the pivot toward US energy is driven by a conflict many critics argue was exacerbated by American foreign policy, Trump utilised the moment to boast about the nation's energy independence.

Trump hails surge in oil demand as tankers head to US amid West Asia crisis

A new Covid variant from South Africa is slowly spreading in the United States, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has said. The SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 variant has been reported in 23 countries as of February 11, according to the health agency. &nbsp;BA.3.2 first appeared in South Africa in November 2024. Scientists have warned that it has the ability to evade all immune defences. It believes the 2025-2026 Covid vaccines are not effective against the strain. The spike protein in this Covid variant has undergone about 75 mutations, which means the vaccines trained to recognise and fight the spike protein are unable to do so. CDC says this could lead to a rise in the number of infections, although not necessarily making them severe. CDC has been tracking the strain through its Traveller-Based Genomic Surveillance program. Till mid-March, BA.3.2 has reportedly been detected in six travellers who travelled to the US, and in over two dozen patients across 29 states and Puerto Rico.<h2>First case of BA.3.2 Covid strain in the US&nbsp;</h2>The strain of the Covid virus has also been detected in 260 wastewater sites, which is the first sign that a strain is spreading its roots in a region. However, CDC data shows that only about half a per cent of recent virus sequences have had the strain present. The first case of the BA.3.2 strain was confirmed in the US in June 2025 in a traveller from the Netherlands. "BA.3.2 represents a new lineage of SARS-CoV-2, genetically distinct from the JN.1 lineages (including LP.8.1 and XFG) that have circulated in the United States since January 2024," according to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/epstein-files-bill-gates-pandemic-preparedness-geneva-2015-1770631357216">Epstein files reveal 2015 email linking Bill Gates, Jeffrey Epstein to global pandemic preparedness conference</a>&nbsp;BA.3.2 cases saw a spike in Europe around September last year, and roughly 30 per cent of all cases in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands comprised this strain. But it has not become a dominant strain, which could be because it does not bind well to human cells compared to other variants. This is preventing it from spreading at a fast pace. Experts say that even if the new strain has the ability to evade protection offered by current vaccines, they are still important to prevent severe disease. In India, no cases of the BA.3.2 strain have been officially reported yet. &nbsp;

The SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 variant of the COVID-19 virus has been detected in several states in America. The CDC has warned that the variant has undergone about 75 mutations and can evade the protection offered by the vaccines. 

A new Covid variant from South Africa is slowly spreading in the United States, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has said. The SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 variant has been reported in 23 countries as of February 11, according to the health agency. BA.3.2 first appeared in South Africa in November 2024. Scientists have warned that it has the ability to evade all immune defences. It believes the 2025-2026 Covid vaccines are not effective against the strain. The spike protein in this Covid variant has undergone about 75 mutations, which means the vaccines trained to recognise and fight the spike protein are unable to do so. CDC says this could lead to a rise in the number of infections, although not necessarily making them severe. CDC has been tracking the strain through its Traveller-Based Genomic Surveillance program. Till mid-March, BA.3.2 has reportedly been detected in six travellers who travelled to the US, and in over two dozen patients across 29 states and Puerto Rico. First case of BA.3.2 Covid strain in the US The strain of the Covid virus has also been detected in 260 wastewater sites, which is the first sign that a strain is spreading its roots in a region. However, CDC data shows that only about half a per cent of recent virus sequences have had the strain present. The first case of the BA.3.2 strain was confirmed in the US in June 2025 in a traveller from the Netherlands. "BA.3.2 represents a new lineage of SARS-CoV-2, genetically distinct from the JN.1 lineages (including LP.8.1 and XFG) that have circulated in the United States since January 2024," according to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Also Read: Epstein files reveal 2015 email linking Bill Gates, Jeffrey Epstein to global pandemic preparedness conference BA.3.2 cases saw a spike in Europe around September last year, and roughly 30 per cent of all cases in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands comprised this strain. But it has not become a dominant strain, which could be because it does not bind well to human cells compared to other variants. This is preventing it from spreading at a fast pace. Experts say that even if the new strain has the ability to evade protection offered by current vaccines, they are still important to prevent severe disease. In India, no cases of the BA.3.2 strain have been officially reported yet.

The SARS-CoV-2 BA.3.2 variant of the COVID-19 virus has been detected in several states in America. The CDC has warned that the variant has undergone about 75 mutations and can evade the protection offered by the vaccines.&nbsp;

COVID-19 strain Cicada, that has undergone about 75 mutations, spreading in the US

A CBS News report has shown that a day before the January 2025 midair collision over Washington, DC, which killed 67 people, two close calls were averted after collision alarms sounded. On January 29, a Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 crashed into each other. A day before the tragedy, two Army helicopters approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at a higher altitude than expected. Those in the control tower quickly triggered an alarm inside the cockpit of an American Airlines flight from Norfolk that was preparing for landing. The pilot was instructed to quickly climb to a higher altitude to avoid a collision. Nearly four hours later, another Army helicopter was involved in a similar situation when a commercial flight from Connecticut that could seat about 80 people started descending. Another alarm was sounded, and the aeroplane did not land.&nbsp;Officials who worked at the air control tower at the Washington airport told 60 Minutes that such incidents were common and the warning signs had been there for years. There was constant movement of passenger jets, military, police, and hospital helicopters, and together they were a perfect recipe for disaster. They warned the Federal Aviation Administration about the issue for several years, yet no action was taken. Emily Hanoka, who was at the tower on the day the Army Black Hawk with the call sign PAT25 collided with the passenger jet, told the outlet, it was "surprising" to see "how close aircraft were".<h2>Congress misread the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport situation</h2>According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), at least 85 near-midair collisions between helicopters and commercial aircraft were reported in the area between 2021 and 2024. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a unique airport as it is owned by the federal government, and Congress decides how many flights can operate on a day. However, the lawmakers seem to have missed the disastrous mix and continued adding more flights despite the ongoing congestion. At least 50 flights were added since 2000, and another 10 were approved in 2024. CBS News quoted data from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which states that the airport, also known as DCA, handles 25 million passengers a year, 10 million more than its intended capacity.&nbsp;Hanoka told the outlet that they came up with ways to tackle the traffic, including &nbsp;"squeeze play." She said, "A squeeze play is when everything is dependent on an aircraft rolling, an aircraft slowing, and you know it's going to be a very close operation." She says that no one was willing to take up a new job at the ATC at the airport after looking at how chaotic things got there. FAA figures show that nearly one-third of the controller positions in the Reagan tower remain unfilled a year after the crash.&nbsp;

An investigative report by CBS News has revealed that a day before a Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 killed 67 people at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, two similar close calls happened a day before. 

A CBS News report has shown that a day before the January 2025 midair collision over Washington, DC, which killed 67 people, two close calls were averted after collision alarms sounded. On January 29, a Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 crashed into each other. A day before the tragedy, two Army helicopters approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at a higher altitude than expected. Those in the control tower quickly triggered an alarm inside the cockpit of an American Airlines flight from Norfolk that was preparing for landing. The pilot was instructed to quickly climb to a higher altitude to avoid a collision. Nearly four hours later, another Army helicopter was involved in a similar situation when a commercial flight from Connecticut that could seat about 80 people started descending. Another alarm was sounded, and the aeroplane did not land. Officials who worked at the air control tower at the Washington airport told 60 Minutes that such incidents were common and the warning signs had been there for years. There was constant movement of passenger jets, military, police, and hospital helicopters, and together they were a perfect recipe for disaster. They warned the Federal Aviation Administration about the issue for several years, yet no action was taken. Emily Hanoka, who was at the tower on the day the Army Black Hawk with the call sign PAT25 collided with the passenger jet, told the outlet, it was "surprising" to see "how close aircraft were". Congress misread the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport situation According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), at least 85 near-midair collisions between helicopters and commercial aircraft were reported in the area between 2021 and 2024. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a unique airport as it is owned by the federal government, and Congress decides how many flights can operate on a day. However, the lawmakers seem to have missed the disastrous mix and continued adding more flights despite the ongoing congestion. At least 50 flights were added since 2000, and another 10 were approved in 2024. CBS News quoted data from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which states that the airport, also known as DCA, handles 25 million passengers a year, 10 million more than its intended capacity. Hanoka told the outlet that they came up with ways to tackle the traffic, including "squeeze play." She said, "A squeeze play is when everything is dependent on an aircraft rolling, an aircraft slowing, and you know it's going to be a very close operation." She says that no one was willing to take up a new job at the ATC at the airport after looking at how chaotic things got there. FAA figures show that nearly one-third of the controller positions in the Reagan tower remain unfilled a year after the crash.

An investigative report by CBS News has revealed that a day before a Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 killed 67 people at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, two similar close calls happened a day before.&nbsp;

Deadly cocktail of passenger jets and choppers at DCA recipe for disaster: Close calls and chaos a day before collision killed 67

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