Iraqi leader, 1979–2003
President Donald Trump has announced a pledge to issue $5,000 payments to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans keep control of both the House and Senate in November. He has said the money must be spent in the United States. Legal and fiscal experts have questioned the plan’s cost, legality and how it would be funded.
The Senate has approved a war powers resolution directing the president to halt U.S. military action against Iran unless Congress authorizes such steps. The House already passed a similar measure. The vote is largely symbolic and faces legal questions, but it signals mounting congressional concern over the Iran conflict.
Khamenei’s coffin nears final burial after a week of funeral ceremonies spanning Iran and Iraq. Najaf and Karbala host large processions; Iran’s deadly regional posture and ties with Iraq underscore the regional flare. The burial will conclude in Mashhad.
Senator Lindsey Graham has died at 71 after a "brief and sudden illness," his office has said. Graham had just returned from a visit to Kyiv and had met President Volodymyr Zelensky. Officials say a preliminary medical examiner found an aortic dissection; South Carolina's governor will appoint a temporary replacement ahead of November's elections.
Iraq’s prime minister travels to Washington to deepen economic ties as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and fighting between the US and Iran intensifies. Oil output, IMF talks, and potential US investment are on the table while Iran-backed groups push back against disarmament. Diplomatic prospects hinge on stabilizing energy flows and expanding state control over weapons.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint as the United States reimposes a blockade on Iran and Iran asserts control over the waterway. Experts say escalating actions threaten global oil shipping, with discussions of large-scale military deployments and potential ground forces to secure the strait. Cross-border tensions are fueling price volatility and drawing international attention.
The United States plans to end its mission against ISIS in Iraq and withdraw most forces by Sept. 30, reaffirming a 2024 pact with Baghdad. Officials say American troops have largely left and the burden is shifting to Iraqi security forces, while U.S. companies will remain active in the country.
Airstrikes by US and Saudi forces hit PMF sites in Iraq after attacks on Saudi facilities, while Iran-backed groups and regional rivalries threaten Iraq’s new prime minister’s plan to disarm militias and anchor the state. The broader Strait of Hormuz dynamics and Yemen’s Houthis add layers to the conflict, risking wider regional instability.
Kurdistan authorities have reported Iranian-launched drones struck the private office of KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the residence of the region's security agency chief on 17 August, with no casualties. The attacks come as Baghdad presses for a September 30 deadline to bring armed factions under state control and as cross-border strikes and US-Saudi operations have raised tensions across Iraq.
Iraq has set Sept. 30 as the fixed date to end the military mission of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and to transfer bases to Iraqi forces, with US-led coalition drawing down in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Officials say the pullout is on track, though disarmament of non-state groups remains unresolved and militias may resist the deadline.
The Trump administration has mobilized a broad sanctions push to choke Iran’s economy while coordinating with G20 partners. Officials say secondary sanctions will target countries and firms doing business with Tehran, with a looming wave of penalties expected to press Iran’s leaders toward a deal. The effort unfolds amid a tense stand-off in the Middle East and global energy-market jitters.
The U.S. has struck Iranian oil tankers, prompting retaliatory actions from Iran and attacks on a U.S.-linked base in Jordan. Tankers are waiting to transit Hormuz, raising the risk of major oil spills and wider conflict as global shipping faces disruption.
The Defence Secretary is facing internal resistance as resignations and blocked promotions ripple through the Pentagon amid a broader clash over modernization and culture war priorities.
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Across major outlets, reflections focus on how intelligence failures preceded the attacks, how responses shaped two decades of security policy, and how new threats—from state actors to AI—shape the current security landscape. Readers are offered a panoramic view of evolving national security challenges while the consequences for civilians remain central.
Protests over the killing of Sami Shekhmous Hiso in Hasakeh Province have sparked prison violence at Kobani. Inmates set dormitories ablaze as security forces wage a crackdown; authorities call for restraint while Kurdish groups demand a transparent investigation.
The United States is completing its pullout from northern Iraq by Sept. 30, redeploying hundreds of troops to regional bases, while Iraqi militias linked to Iran reject disarmament and threaten regional stability as Baghdad negotiates a future security framework.