Iraq: Shopping centre fire leaves 60 dead

Iraq: Shopping centre fire leaves 60 dead

A fire that tore through a shopping centre in the Iraqi city of Kut has left at least 60 dead, officials said. The blaze at the mall, which had reportedly opened five days ago, broke out on Wednesday night and has since been brought under control. Social media videos showed firefighters rescuing people from the … Read more

U.S. Senate passes aid, public broadcasting cuts in victory for Trump

U.S. Senate passes aid, public broadcasting cuts in victory for Trump

The U.S. Senate, early on Thursday (July 17, 2025), approved U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan for billions of dollars in cuts to funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting, handing the Republican president another victory as he exerts control over Congress with little opposition. The Senate voted 51 to 48 in favor of Mr. Trump’s … Read more

US says ‘specific steps’ agreed to end Syria violence after Israeli strikes hit Damascus

US says ‘specific steps’ agreed to end Syria violence after Israeli strikes hit Damascus

Watch: How a day of bombing unfolded in Damascus Israel’s military struck the Syrian defence ministry in Damascus and government forces in southern Syria for a third day on Wednesday, as deadly sectarian fighting in the mostly Druze province of Suweida continued. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was “working to save our Druze … Read more

Trump administration pulls $4 billion in federal funding for California’s bullet train project

Trump administration pulls  billion in federal funding for California’s bullet train project

Representational image of a bullet train | Photo Credit: Special arrangement The U.S. government has revoked federal funding for California’s high-speed rail project, intensifying uncertainty about how the State will make good on its long-delayed promise of building a bullet train to shuttle riders between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The U.S. Transportation Department announced … Read more

Trump says he’s ‘highly unlikely’ to fire Fed’s Jerome Powell after floating that idea in private

Trump says he’s ‘highly unlikely’ to fire Fed’s Jerome Powell after floating that idea in private

President Donald Trump said that he was “highly unlikely” to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. File | Photo Credit: Reuters President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (July 16, 2025) that he was “highly unlikely” to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, a public statement made less than 24 hours after suggesting in a private … Read more

Israel bombs Syria Army headquarters after warning Damascus to leave Druze alone

Israel bombs Syria Army headquarters after warning Damascus to leave Druze alone

Israel’s Army said it struck a “military target” in the area of Syria’s presidential palace in Damascus on Wednesday (July 16, 2025), after earlier announcing it had hit the military headquarters in the capital. The Israeli military “continues to strike military targets belonging to the Syrian regime in Damascus”, an Army statement said. “A military … Read more