Author: Andrew Rogers

Members of Iraq’s security forces and its internally displaced population began casting ballots on Sunday in the country’s parliamentary elections, the sixth since the US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. Voting opened at 7 a.m. (04:00 GMT) for 1.3 million security personnel at 809 polling centers. Ballots will close at 6 p.m. (15:00 GMT) so the forces can be deployed for election day duties on Tuesday. More than 26,500 displaced Iraqis are also eligible to vote early across 97 polling stations in 27 locations nationwide, the Iraqi News Agency reported. Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari said the special voting…

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in the United States on Saturday for a landmark official visit, a day after Washington removed him from a terrorism blacklist. This visit marks the first time a Syrian president has come to the US since the country gained independence in 1946. Sharaa, whose rebel forces overthrew longtime leader Bashar al-Assad last year, is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. The visit follows a previous meeting in Riyadh during Trump’s regional tour in May. US officials hope the meeting will result in an agreement for Syria to join…

President Donald Trump’s new One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) aims to provide tax relief for seniors, but experts warn it could have long-term consequences for Social Security and Medicare. The White House claims that 88% of Social Security recipients will pay no federal tax on their benefits under the bill, but independent analyses suggest the impact may be smaller and short-lived. The bill introduces a new deduction for seniors aged 65 and older, allowing individuals to claim up to $6,000, or $12,000 for couples filing jointly. While this reduces taxable income for some, eligibility depends on modified adjusted gross…

Democrats scored a decisive victory in recent elections, delivering a major rebuke to President Donald Trump and his party. The results reflect a notable shift in voter sentiment, particularly among Latino communities, analysts say. Trump has long argued that his previous election victory represented a broad mandate from Americans. However, the Democratic wins on Tuesday challenged that narrative, signaling growing support for Democratic candidates across multiple races. Political commentators Susan Del Percio and Paola Ramos highlighted the significance of the results on “The Weekend: Primetime.” They noted that the Democratic surge could shape strategies for both parties ahead of the…

The Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court order requiring the Trump administration to provide full federal food benefits to roughly 42 million Americans. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued the temporary pause on Friday to allow a federal appeals court more time to review the administration’s request for extended relief. The decision came as the administration approached a deadline set by a district court to deliver full food assistance for November. The order also required the use of roughly $4 billion from other nutrition programs to cover payments. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit had previously maintained…

UNICEF has intensified its efforts to restore education for children in Gaza, aiming to bring all 650,000 school-aged children back into classrooms for in-person learning. The task is enormous, the agency says, due to extensive destruction across the region. Tess Ingram, a UNICEF spokesperson, explained that significant obstacles remain before schools can fully reopen. “We need more space. We’ve got to clear the massive amounts of rubble that now cover large parts of Gaza and make sure that there are no unexploded ordnance that present a risk to children,” Ingram said. In addition to clearing debris, temporary structures must be…

Ukraine is facing widespread power cuts of eight to 16 hours across most regions after Russian attacks targeted the country’s energy infrastructure. State transmission operator Ukrenergo reported that the strikes have reduced Ukraine’s electricity generating capacity to “zero,” forcing authorities to implement rolling blackouts. Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukraine’s energy facilities in recent months. From Friday into Saturday, Russian drones and missiles hit hundreds of sites, killing at least seven people and disrupting electricity, heat, and water supplies in several cities. State power firm Centerenergo warned that the country’s generating capacity is critically low. While some repairs have…

Russia launched a series of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine overnight, hitting more than 25 regions. Ukrainian authorities reported over 450 drones and 45 missiles were fired, most of which were intercepted. Despite the defenses, some strikes caused damage in Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia, including civilian casualties from a building hit. Prime Minister Yulia Shredev said power stations in Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Poltava regions were heavily damaged. Many areas are now facing electricity and water shortages. Emergency services are running on generators while repair teams work to restore essential infrastructure. The situation is further complicated by Ukraine’s military staffing shortages.…

US flight cancellations rose sharply on Saturday as the government shutdown continued to affect air traffic across the nation. Airlines canceled 1,460 flights on the second day of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) order to reduce operations, signaling deeper disruptions ahead. Charlotte, North Carolina, faced the most severe impact, with 120 flights canceled by midday. Other major airports including Atlanta, Newark, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York also experienced delays due to staffing shortages. The FAA reported that 37 airport towers and other centers were affected, slowing flights in at least 12 cities. Officials warned that the cancellations could grow…

Israel is detaining dozens of Palestinians from Gaza in an underground jail where they never see sunlight. Reports say inmates are deprived of food and barred from contacting their families or learning about the outside world. The facility, Rakefet Prison, was reopened after attacks in October 2023. It had been closed for decades due to inhumane conditions. Far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ordered its reopening to hold high-risk prisoners. Lawyers from the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) represent two civilians detained there: a nurse arrested while at work and an 18-year-old food seller taken at a checkpoint. Both…