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Iran temporarily closed Strait of Hormuz
GENEVA (AP) — Iran announced the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday for live fire drills in a rare show of force as its negotiators held another round of indirect talks with the US over the Islamic Republic's disputed nuclear program. It was the first time Iran has announced the closure of the key international waterway, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil passes, since the US began threatening Iran and rushing military assets to the region. It was not immediately clear if
Feb. 18, 2026 -
Prayers, festivities usher in Lunar New Year with robots
BEIJING (AP) — Traditional prayers, fireworks and fairs marked the Lunar New Year Tuesday — alongside 21st-century humanoid robots. The activities ushered in the Year of the Horse, one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, succeeding the Year of the Snake. Thousands of people in Beijing jammed into the former Temple of Earth to buy snacks, toys and trinkets from stalls. Sun Jing, who brought her parents to the capital for the holiday, said the atmosphere was as lively as in her childhood. "I have
Feb. 18, 2026 -
Peru Congress ousts President Jeri
Peru's Congress on Tuesday ousted President Jose Jeri just four months into his term over a scandal involving undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessperson, extending a cycle of political upheaval that has gripped the Andean nation for much of the past decade. There were 75 lawmakers who voted in favor of removing Jeri, while 24 voted against and three abstained. Legislators will now elect a new head of Congress who will also assume Peru's presidency, becoming the country's eighth preside
Feb. 18, 2026 -
Rev. Jesse Jackson dies at 84
CHICAGO (AP) — The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate who led the Civil Rights Movement for decades after the revered leader's assassination, died Tuesday. He was 84. As a young organizer in Chicago, Jackson was called to meet with King at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, shortly before King was killed, and he publicly positioned himself thereafter as King's successor. Santita Jackson confirmed that her father, who had
Feb. 18, 2026 -
Iran open to compromises to reach nuclear deal with US, minister tells BBC
Iran is ready to consider compromises to reach a nuclear deal with the United States if Washington is willing to discuss lifting sanctions, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told the BBC in an interview published on Sunday. Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions, but has repeatedly ruled out linking the issue to other questions including missiles. Takht-Ravanchi confirmed that a second round of nuclear ta
Feb. 15, 2026 -
Vietnam licenses Musk's satellite internet firm Starlink
Vietnam has granted a licence to Elon Musk's Starlink to operate its satellite internet services in the communist country, a government agency said. The radio frequency regulator said local unit Starlink Services Vietnam Co. can initially deploy four gateway stations and a maximum of 600,000 terminal devices in Vietnam. The licensing requires Starlink to ensure "no interference with existing radio communication networks", the Radio Frequency Management authority announced on Saturday. The Starli
Feb. 15, 2026 -
Trump, Netanyahu agreed US should press Iran to cut oil sales to China, Axios reports
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed at a White House meeting on Wednesday that the US would work to reduce Iran's oil exports to China, Axios reported, citing two US officials briefed on the issue. "We agreed that we will go full force with maximum pressure against Iran, for example, regarding Iranian oil sales to China," Axios reported on Saturday, quoting a senior US official. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for
Feb. 15, 2026 -
Trump says Iran regime change could be 'best thing' as second carrier heads to Middle East
WASHINGTON / FORT BRAGG, North Carolina -- US President Donald Trump on Friday embraced potential regime change in Iran and declared that "tremendous power" will soon be in the Middle East, as the Pentagon sent a second aircraft carrier to the region. Trump's military moves and tough talk comes even as Washington and Tehran seek to revive diplomacy over Tehran's long-running nuclear dispute with the West. A source briefed on the matter told Reuters that US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner
Feb. 14, 2026 -
US military preparing for potentially weeks-long Iran operations
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The US military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Donald Trump orders an attack, two US officials told Reuters, in what could become a far more serious conflict than previously seen between the countries. The disclosure by the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the planning, raises the stakes for the diplomacy underway between the United States and Iran. US and Iranian
Feb. 14, 2026 -
Trump says no 'definitive' agreement with Netanyahu, US talks with Iran to continue
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- US President Donald Trump said after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday they reached no "definitive" agreement on how to move forward with Iran but he insisted negotiations with Tehran would continue to see if a deal can be achieved. Netanyahu, who had been expected to press Trump to widen diplomacy with Iran beyond its nuclear program to include limits on its missile arsenal, stressed that Israel's security interests must be taken into accoun
Feb. 12, 2026 -
Melania celebrates Valentine's Day with children
Melania Trump on Wednesday celebrated an early Valentine's Day with children and young adults being treated for rare and serious diseases, joining them in holiday-themed craft-making and chatting about their lives, health and other interests. After they finished making flower bouquets and lanterns out of construction paper and other materials, they stepped over to a festively decorated dessert bar laid out with mini cupcakes and jars of mini chocolates and other candies. The first lady then made
Feb. 12, 2026 -
Prince William tours nature reserve in Saudi
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) -- Britain's Prince William was set Wednesday to wrap up his final day of a visit to Saudi Arabia, where he toured the oasis city of AlUla. The prince, an environmentalist, visited conservation sites focused on protecting local wildlife populations in the area, as well as land restoration projects, Saudi Arabia's official press agency reported. AlUla is home to the Hegra archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its ancient Nabataean tombs dotted amid
Feb. 12, 2026 -
Dawson's Creek star James Van Der Beek dies at 48
James Van Der Beek, the star of 1990s teen drama "Dawson's Creek," died Wednesday at the age of 48 after a battle with cancer, his wife announced on social media. "Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace," his wife Kimberly wrote on Instagram. Fans and fellow actors shared tributes on social media, recalling the influence he had on their lives and careers. "While James’ legacy will always live on, this is a hug
Feb. 12, 2026 -
US lawmakers accuse Bondi of hiding names of Epstein associates
A Republican US lawmaker on Wednesday accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of concealing the names of powerful associates of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as she faced questions about the Justice Department's handling of investigative files in a charged hearing before a House of Representatives panel. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, who helped lead the effort to require the files' release, accused the Justice Department of a "massive failure" to co
Feb. 12, 2026 -
US used mobile missile launchers in Qatar, pictures show
US forces in Qatar's al-Udeid, the biggest US base in the Middle East, put missiles into truck launchers as tensions with Iran ratcheted up since January, analysis of satellite images showed, meaning they could be moved more quickly. The decision to keep the Patriot missiles in mobile trucks rather than semistatic launcher stations -- meaning they could rapidly deploy to strike or be moved defensively in case of an Iranian attack -- shows how risks heightened as frictions grew. US President Do
Feb. 11, 2026