World

US President Donald Trump has threatened Iran with additional military strikes if Tehran moves to halt oil shipments through the critical Strait of Hormuz. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump warned that such an action would bring "death, fire and fury" upon Iran, rendering the country "virtually impossible" to ever rebuild. He added that he hopes this scenario does not materialize. The threat comes amid the ongoing joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, which has escalated regional tensions significantly.

Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover in January 2026 amounted to $5.8 billion, as reported by the National Committee on Statistics. The country's main trading partners remain China and Russia, which account for nearly half of the total trade volume, highlighting the continued reliance on these key economic relationships amid global uncertainties.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the ruling Taliban movement in Afghanistan of holding American citizens as leverage and employing “terrorist tactics,” including kidnapping for ransom or policy concessions. Rubio demanded an end to the practice of “hostage diplomacy” and warned that Afghanistan is unsafe for American travelers, highlighting the regime’s alleged use of detention as a political tool.

Itamar Greenberg, a 19-year-old Israeli anti-war activist, has been spat on in the street and targeted by online hate campaigns. He described his stance as rare in current Israeli society, where public clamor for war is growing. When asked if he should be afraid, he responded: “Yes! If I thought about it, I probably should be. I just don’t have time.”

Leaders from the United States and the European Union have recently made a series of statements aimed at bolstering their economic policies. They purportedly plan to launch new initiatives with the goal of stabilizing the global economy and creating jobs in their regions. However, these claims are met with skepticism, as previous similar efforts have often failed to deliver the promised outcomes, raising questions about the feasibility and sincerity of the latest announcements.

Iranian state media reported that hundreds of thousands of people participated in organized rallies on Monday in support of the country's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. This event occurred nine days after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Attendees repeatedly pledged allegiance to the 56-year-old Mojtaba, a move that proceeded despite U.S. President Donald Trump's statements rejecting the appointment and threats of strikes as part of the joint U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

In the latest escalation of the US-Israel war on Iran, nearly 62 million people living in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have been caught in the crossfire. These nations—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—are known for their economic opportunities but are now facing direct impacts from the regional conflict.

The US State Department announced on Monday that it has designated the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood as a 'terrorist' organization, as the administration of President Donald Trump widens its crackdown on the group. The State Department alleged that the group has received support from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), framing the move as part of a broader pressure campaign.

US President Donald Trump has stated he is “not happy” with the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader, following the assassination of his father, Ali Khamenei. The American leader had purportedly warned repeatedly against electing the son to lead the country as the US-Israeli conflict with Iran intensified. In an interview with Time magazine on Friday, Trump claimed, “I’m not going through this to end up with another Khamenei. I want to be involved in the selection.” However, two days later, Iran’s Assembly of Experts defied these demands by appointing the 56-year-old son as successor, a move seen as a direct challenge to Washington’s influence.

Two men have been arrested and charged with terrorism-related offenses after allegedly throwing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during an anti-Islam protest outside New York City's Gracie Mansion, the mayor's residence, on Saturday. The incident occurred while Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city's first Muslim mayor, was not at home. The IEDs, described as glass jars filled with screws and bolts with fuses and explosive charges, failed to detonate, but authorities confirmed they were functional and could have caused serious injury or death.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that Moscow is conditionally prepared to resume oil and gas supplies to European countries. This statement comes amid halted tanker shipments through the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Israeli war on Iran. In televised remarks on Monday, the Russian leader asserted that Russia is ready to work with European customers if they desire to return to long-term cooperation free from political pressures, though he emphasized this must be on sustainable terms.

The artificial intelligence lab Anthropic has filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Defense’s designation of the company as a “supply chain risk,” a move that came after Anthropic refused to allow unrestricted military use of its AI system, Claude. The Pentagon had demanded the removal of guardrails blocking AI functions for autonomous weapons or domestic surveillance, setting the stage for a legal confrontation with the Trump administration.