The elephant in the room between Trump and oil execs: Iraq
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Trump admin deports Iranians for first time since brutal crackdown on protests
The Trump administration sent about a dozen Iranians back on a deportation flight Sunday, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. It was the first known deportation flight since sweeping anti-government protests broke out in Iran, in which thousands have been killed. President Donald Trump has threatened retaliation against Iran if it executes protesters, and although he has claimed his government with talk with Tehran, he has not taken the threat of military action off the table. According to one source, 14 Iranians were on board the flight that left Sunday. CNN reported Friday that dozens of Iranians were expected to be deported as soon as Sunday. However, it appears a number of Iranians who were told that they would be on the flight were not on it because of measles exposure. A White House official stated that “while the administration does not typically comment on specific flights to protect operational security, any individuals being deported woul...
Venezuela’s acting president says she has had ‘enough’ of US orders
Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez said Sunday she has had “enough” of Washington’s orders, as she works to unite the country after the US capture of its former leader Nicolás Maduro. Rodríguez has been walking a tight-rope since being backed by the US to lead the country in the interim; balancing keeping Maduro loyalists on board at home while trying to ensure the White House is happy. Now, almost a month into her new role, Rodríguez has pushed back on the US, amid ongoing pressure including a series of demands for Venezuela to resume oil production. “Enough already of Washington’s orders over politicians in Venezuela,” she told a group of oil workers in Puerto La Cruz city, at an event broadcast by state-run channel Venezolana de Televisión. The White House has maintained steady pressure on Venezuela since Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized in a raid in early January and taken to the US, where the former leader is facing charg...
Ferry carrying over 350 people sinks in Philippines, killing at least 18
A ferry carrying more than 350 people has capsized off the southern Philippine province of Basilan, killing at least 18 people, according to officials. The accident occurred after midnight on Monday as the passenger vessel, MV Trisha Kerstin 3, was en route to Jolo Island in southern Sulu after departing the port city of Zamboanga. Recommended Stories list of 4 items list 1 of 4 Typhoon Fung-wong destroys homes in the Philippines list 2 of 4 Typhoon Fung-wong a “devastating blow” to the Philippines list 3 of 4 Landslides kill dozens as heavy rains lash Southeast Asia list 4 of 4 Landfill collapse kills one and leaves dozens missing in Philippines end of list The vessel, which had 332 passengers on record and 27 crew, issued a distress signal at 1:50am on Monday (17:50 GMT Sunday), about four hours after it departed Zamboanga City, according to the Philippine coastguard. The ferry sank in good weather about 1 nautical mile (nearly 2km) from the island village of Baluk-baluk i...
Bangladesh slams India over fugitive ex-PM Hasina’s first public address
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is “surprised and shocked” that fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been allowed to make a public address in neighbouring India, where she fled in 2024. “Allowing the event to take place in the Indian capital and letting mass murderer Hasina openly deliver her hate speech … constitute a clear affront to the people and the Government of Bangladesh,” the ministry said in a statement on Sunday about the address – Hasina’s first since she was ousted. Recommended Stories list of 4 items list 1 of 4 Campaigning begins in Bangladesh for first election after Hasina’s ouster list 2 of 4 Bangladeshi Gen Z toppled ex-PM Hasina. Now they could decide next leader list 3 of 4 What is Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami party? Could it lead the country next? list 4 of 4 Making sense of Bangladesh’s ‘Hadi effect’ shaping the vote end of list Hasina, 78, has lived in exile in India since August 2024 when a student-led uprising ended her 15-ye...
What al-Maliki’s return would mean for Iraq and the region
Two weeks ago, incumbent Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced his withdrawal from the premiership race. Amid political negotiations following the November elections, this move effectively paved the way for former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to return to power. This development is not just an act of political recycling; it reflects the failure of Iraqi state-building after the United States invasion of 2003. Under al-Maliki, Iraq may well go back to the disastrous policies that in 2014 led to the rise of ISIL (ISIS). Sectarian politics In reflecting on what al-Maliki’s return could possibly mean for Iraq, it is important to examine his track record. In 2006, when he was first nominated for the prime minister’s post, the administration of US President George W Bush supported him. Washington did so in the name of stability and trust, despite the early red flags. By November 2006, just six months after al-Maliki came to power, US National Security Advisor Stephen...