144 articles
Myanmar's junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has ordered a one-sixth reduction in prison terms for all inmates, further reducing the sentence of former elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The move is the second mass amnesty this month, as the military regime faces ongoing civil conflict and international criticism over political repression.
Two months after the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, negotiations have stalled, blockades at the Strait of Hormuz are disrupting global energy, and the nuclear program's fate is uncertain. Experts warn of a prolonged 'frozen conflict' with heavy economic costs and regional instability.
President Donald Trump declares the U.S. blockade of Iran's ports a success and calls on Tehran to 'surrender,' while global crude oil prices top $120 per barrel, driving U.S. gasoline to a four-year high. Iran's parliament speaker dismisses the blockade's impact, and OPEC enters crisis mode amid the energy shock.
Indian officials have proposed a controversial plan to release apex predators like crocodiles and venomous snakes along the border with Bangladesh to deter illegal migration and smuggling, instead of building fences in difficult terrain. Human rights and wildlife conservation activists have expressed alarm, warning of ecological disruption and danger to local communities. The plan echoes past proposals in the U.S. and has no modern precedent.
An Iranian football federation delegation, led by President Mehdi Taj, was denied entry at Toronto airport despite valid visas, preventing them from attending the FIFA Congress in Vancouver. Canada cited an entry ban on members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
New Zealand’s Court of Appeal on August 15 rejected an appeal by Brenton Tarrant, the gunman who killed 51 people in the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks. The court deemed his attempt to overturn his guilty plea “entirely without merit,” after Tarrant argued that prison conditions had impaired his judgment.
European leaders are pushing to clarify Article 42.7 of the EU treaty, a rarely used collective defense clause, as tensions with the United States deepen and doubts about NATO's reliability grow. The move reflects efforts to build an independent European security mechanism amid U.S. threats to penalize allies and questions about Washington's long-term commitment to the alliance.
Oil prices surged more than 6% on Wednesday, hitting multi-week highs amid fears of prolonged supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and a U.S.-led blockade of Iranian ports. The White House confirmed President Trump held talks with oil executives to discuss sustaining the blockade for months.
The U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment against Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine officials, accusing them of collaborating with the Sinaloa cartel in exchange for political support and bribes. The rare move targets a sitting senior Mexican politician and could shift U.S. strategy in combating drug cartels.
The US Justice Department has indicted Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and nine other current and former Mexican officials for allegedly aiding the Sinaloa cartel in trafficking drugs into the United States. The charges, including drug conspiracy and weapons offenses, could lead to life imprisonment. The Mexican government has not yet commented on the allegations.
