USA

Iraqis Vote in General Election at a Crucial Regional Moment

Iraqis began voting for a new parliament on Tuesday at a pivotal time for the country and the wider region, in an election that both Iran and the United States will be closely watching. Iraq, which has long been a fertile land for proxy wars, has only recently regained a sense of stability, as it tries to move past decades of war since the US-led ...

'Western Tech Dominance Fading' at Lisbon's Web Summit

Global tech leaders will pack Lisbon's annual Web Summit from Tuesday to talk Artificial Intelligence, robots, and startups -- all under the shadow of tensions over cutting-edge tech and the natural resources needed to build it. Over four days, the "Davos for geeks" is set to welcome over 70,000 visitors including 2,500 startups and ...

What Next After Iraq's General Election?

Iraqis head to the polls on Tuesday to elect a new parliament for a four-year term in a vote that will be closely watched in Washington and Tehran. Here is a look at what could come next and what the regional impact could be.  What happens after the vote?  Iraq's Supreme Court must first ratify the election results. Two weeks later, the ...

US to Remove Warnings from Menopause Hormone Therapy

The United States will remove strong safety warnings on many hormone therapies used to alleviate menopausal symptoms, saying the risks have been exaggerated, authorities announced Monday. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) replaces estrogen that the female body stops producing during menopause with the aim of alleviating symptoms including hot ...

End to US Government Shutdown in Sight as Stopgap Bill Advances to House

The longest-ever US government shutdown moved forward Monday toward an eventual resolution, after several Democratic senators broke ranks to join Republicans in a 60-40 vote passing a compromise deal -- sparking intra-party backlash. Since October 1, the first day of the shutdown, more than a million federal workers have been unpaid, while ...

US Envoy Kushner and Netanyahu Discuss Phase Two of Gaza Truce

US mediator Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks Monday on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, as Washington intensified its efforts to ensure the fragile truce endures. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, said Israel would enforce the ceasefire in Gaza as well as one in Lebanon with an "iron ...

Gaza's Health Ministry says 15 Palestinian Bodies Received Under Truce Exchange Deal

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said it had received on Monday the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners under the US-brokered ceasefire exchange deal. "The ministry of health announces the receipt of 15 bodies of martyrs released today by the Israeli occupation through the Red Cross, bringing the total number of bodies received to 315" under ...

US Senators Take Major Step Toward Ending Record Shutdown

The US Senate took a major step Sunday toward ending the longest government shutdown in American history when it cleared the way for a formal debate on a motion to resume funding to federal agencies. The Republican-led chamber approved a procedural vote by 60 votes to 40, putting a hard limit on how much longer senators can discuss the ...

President Aoun Meets U.S. Treasury Delegation in Baabda

President Joseph Aoun met on Sunday evening with a delegation from the U.S. Department of the Treasury at the Baabda Palace. The delegation was led by Sebastian Gorka, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the National Security Council (NSC), and included John Hurley, Under Secretary for Terrorism and ...

US Treasury Aims to Cut Hezbollah’s Funding

The US Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, John Hurley, said the United States wants to seize a “favorable moment” in Lebanon to cut Iranian funding to Hezbollah and push the group to disarm. “There is a moment now in Lebanon. If we can get Hezbollah to disarm, the Lebanese people could get their country back,” ...

US Accuses Iran in Plot to Kill Israeli Ambassador in Mexico

The United States and Israel on Friday accused Iran of plotting to assassinate Israel's ambassador to Mexico, in what would be the latest attempt to take the two countries' conflict to another region. Israel said that Mexican authorities intervened to stop the attempt to kill the ambassador, Einat Kranz-Neiger. "We thank the security and law ...

US Facing Travel Chaos as Flights Cut Due to Government Shutdown

Travelers across the United States were left scrambling to rebook flights as the government shutdown heaps pressure on the country's air traffic control system, prompting hundreds of Friday flight cancellations at major American airports. Airlines starting Friday will begin implementing up to a 10 percent reduction in flights for 40 high-traffic ...