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U.S. President Donald Trump has declared Nigeria a “ country of particular concern ,” citing what he described as a genocidal wave of killings targeting Christians in the West African nation.  File Photo: Bola Ahmed Tinubu Trump’s statement, made in a public video released Thursday, paints a dire picture of the country’s deteriorating religious freedoms and urges immediate U.S. intervention.  “ Thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter ,” Trump said, referencing what he called a global crisis of religious persecution. According to Trump, 3,100 Christians have been killed in Nigeria this year alone, a figure he contrasted against a global death toll of 4,476, underscoring the country's outlier status in religious violence. While independent figures vary, multiple human rights watchdogs, including Open Doors USA and the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), have pr...

In a move that has sharpened international focus on nuclear posturing, the United States Air Force’s Global Strike Command launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, just days after President Donald Trump publicly declared his administration’s intent to resume nuclear weapons testing. US Tests Minuteman III Missile; Via: Nexta The missile, which carried no warhead, was launched as part of what the Air Force has termed a “routine reliability test” and landed near the Marshall Islands in the Pacific.  The launch was confirmed by Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson via social media, though no formal statement had been issued at the time by Vandenberg Space Force Base or Global Strike Command, the U.S. military authority that oversees both strategic bombers and silo-based nuclear missiles. ‼️‼️🇺🇲🚀 BIG NEWS - The United States is preparing for a nuclear weapons test: Washington plans to conduct a tes...

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to begin planning potential military action in Nigeria, warning that the West African nation could face immediate suspension of all U.S. aid and a possible armed intervention if it “continues to allow the killing of Christians.” Image Source: Official ABAT “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump declared in a post on his social media platform.  “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!” Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. Since 2023, our administration h...

India and the United States have signed a 10-year framework agreement to expand and deepen their defence cooperation, signalling a new phase in their strategic partnership. The deal was formalised during a bilateral meeting between Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur. The agreement lays out a unified vision for advancing military collaboration across all domains, including interoperability, joint technology development, intelligence sharing, and coordination with regional allies.  Both leaders held cordial & constructive discussions on strengthening the India-US defence partnership. Via:Pete Hegseth It is expected to provide long-term policy direction across the entire spectrum of defence ties between the world’s largest democracy and its most powerful military. “It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new dec...

When the sitting Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, tells a cheering crowd of conservatives that he hopes his Hindu wife will one day convert to Christianity, it is a statement that reveals the deep fault lines between public posturing, private faith, and the growing anxieties of an increasingly pluralistic America. File Photo Source: JD Vance At a Turning Point USA event in Mississippi, Vance, responding to a question about his wife Usha’s religion, spoke of her Hindu background, their shared early atheism, and how they now raise their three children in the Christian tradition. “Do I hope, eventually, that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved by in church? Yeah, I honestly do,” he said.  “But if she doesn’t, God gives everyone free will.” For many, it was a diplomatic answer -- respectful, restrained, and seemingly tolerant. But for millions watching, particularly Indian-Americans and interfaith families, it struck a very different chord: coercion w...

Fresh from a closed-door meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, U.S. President Donald J. Trump declared a raft of wins for American agriculture and energy in a late-night post that read more like a campaign rally than a diplomatic communique.  “Farmers should immediately go out and buy more land and larger tractors,” Trump urged, crediting Xi for greenlighting “massive amounts” of soybean and sorghum purchases, and praising China’s vow to help curb fentanyl trafficking. Image Source: MFA China But across the table, Beijing was reading from a different script emphasizing long-term engagement, economic stability, and strategic restraint. According to a statement by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Xi told Trump the U.S. and China should be “partners and friends,” and cautioned against “falling into a vicious cycle of mutual retaliation.”  He framed China’s economic trajectory as “a vast ocean, big, resilient and promising,” pointing to 5.2 percent GDP ...

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has announced a resumption of American nuclear weapons testing, triggering an immediate international backlash. The declaration follows Russia’s confirmed test of Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered cruise missile capable of intercontinental range and prolonged flight time -- a move many see as reigniting the global arms race. Representational Image Source: Nobel Prize In a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump claimed the United States possesses “more Nuclear Weapons than any other country,” asserting that his previous administration had undertaken a “complete update and renovation” of the U.S. arsenal.  Citing ongoing weapons development by adversaries, Trump stated he had instructed the “Department of War” to begin renewed testing of nuclear weapons, a shift in nomenclature that drew immediate condemnation. “I HATED to do it, but had no choice!” Trump wrote, asserting that Russia is second in nuclear capabilities and China a “distant third....

In a White House reverberating with cultural symbolism, President Donald Trump hosted a Diwali celebration that blended reverence for Indian traditions with unambiguous political messaging aimed at the Indian-American community and the broader diaspora. President Trump Celebrates Light and Legacy, Courts Indian-American Ties Welcoming business leaders, diplomats, and Indian-American officials, Trump opened the event by praising Diwali as “a beautiful Hindu festival” and “a symbol of good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and light over darkness.”  The ceremony, held in the East Room, featured a traditional diya lighting and was attended by key figures including Indian Ambassador Vinay Kwatra, Tulsi Gabbard, and Indian-origin CEOs from tech and finance. “This is a serious group of people,” Trump said early in his remarks, later calling Indian-Americans “some of the smartest, most hardworking, and successful people in the world.” The President was joined by executives from high...

Millions of Americans took to the streets across all 50 states in one of the largest protest mobilizations in recent U.S. history, under the banner of the “No Kings” movement. With over 2,700 demonstrations recorded nationwide, organizers said the turnout surpassed seven million participants--an escalation from June’s initial wave of protests that drew around five million.  Image Source: Alex Cole Saturday’s action was largely peaceful, but undeniably potent, as it unfolded against a backdrop of mounting national tension: a protracted government shutdown, sweeping immigration raids, and growing alarm over the erosion of democratic norms. The demonstrations, spread from urban centers like New York City and Chicago to small-town squares in rural America, were a defiant stand against what many view as President Donald Trump’s consolidation of unchecked executive power.  Protesters--diverse in background and motive--voiced concern over perceived threats to the country’s founding ...

The newly appointed U.S. Ambassador-designate to India, Sergio Gor, began his diplomatic innings with a whirlwind tour of New Delhi’s power corridors, marking his arrival with high-profile meetings and a strong show of bilateral optimism.  His engagements included Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and a closely watched sit-down with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself.  External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with newly appointed U.S. Ambassador-designate to India. “We just finished an incredible meeting with Prime Minister Modi, where we discussed bilateral issues, including defence, trade, and technology,” Gor said. He underlined the alignment of strategic priorities between the world’s two largest democracies. His message, though carefully diplomatic, reflected the unmistakable imprimatur of the Trump administration.  “The U.S. values its relationship with India, and under the strong le...

In what could mark a turning point in one of the most intractable conflicts in modern history, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced that both Israel and Hamas have formally signed off on the first phase of his Middle East peace plan.  “I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan,” Trump posted on his social media platform, calling it a “Historic and Unprecedented Event.” Israel and Hamas have formally signed off on the first phase of his Middle East peace plan. According to Trump, the deal ensures that “ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon,” referencing the hundreds of Israeli civilians and soldiers held captive by Hamas since the October 7 attacks.  In return, “Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.” . @SecRubio at today's vigil for hostage families and survivors of Hamas’s heinous October 7 attacks: "Th...

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has issued his most forceful warning yet over the ongoing war in Gaza, demanding that Hamas accept a sweeping ceasefire deal by Sunday 6 PM (Washington D.C. time) or face what he described as “all HELL, like no one has ever seen before.” Trump, Netanyahu Pitch Ceasefire Plan to End Gaza Conflict; Via: Netanyahu Trump said more than 25,000 Hamas fighters have already been killed , and claimed the remaining militants are “surrounded and militarily trapped,” warning that they will be “hunted down and killed” if the proposed peace deal is rejected. Inside Trump’s ultimatum is the ambitious Trump-Netanyahu ceasefire plan--a sweeping diplomatic framework unveiled earlier this week that aims to end two years of relentless violence with a hostage exchange, disarmament of Hamas, and the complete reconstruction of Gaza under international supervision. The Plan: High Stakes, Deep Fault Lines The Trump-Netanyahu proposal is the most detailed peace framework s...

The Trump-Netanyahu plan to end the Gaza war is the most comprehensive ceasefire framework proposed in two years of bloodshed. Framed as a “turning point” for the Middle East, it outlines a path toward an immediate halt in fighting, a hostage exchange, disarmament of Hamas, and full-scale reconstruction of the devastated Gaza Strip.  Image Source: White House At its heart lies a promise: Gaza will be “deradicalized” and rebuilt--militarily neutral, economically integrated, and governed under international oversight. But behind this sweeping ambition lie questions of justice, legitimacy, and accountability. Under the 21-point proposal, Hamas must return all Israeli hostages, living and deceased, within 72 hours of Israel accepting the deal. In exchange, Israel would release 1,950 Palestinian detainees, including children and women.  Hostilities would be suspended, Israeli forces would withdraw to an agreed line, and a process of phased disengagement would begin.  Hamas me...

In a high-stakes meeting at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed a joint proposal aimed at ending the devastating war in Gaza.  Their 21-point plan outlines an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces to a pre-agreed line, and the transformation of Gaza into a “deradicalized terror-free zone.”  Image Source: Benjamin Netanyahu The initiative also includes promises to rebuild Gaza and allow the free movement of those who wish to leave or return. Trump opened the press conference by thanking Netanyahu and highlighting their past cooperation on Middle East policy.  He praised the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Indonesia, and Pakistan for their support in the diplomatic process, and emphasized his confidence in securing a peace deal.  Netanyahu, walking a tightrope between international pressure and domestic political fragility, nodded in agreement. But beneath the optics, tensio...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in New York on Tuesday for a critical week of diplomacy at the United Nations General Assembly, as his country faces intensifying Russian attacks and mounting battlefield strain.  With nearly two dozen high-level meetings scheduled—including one with U.S. President Donald Trump—Zelenskyy is expected to make a direct appeal for tougher sanctions against Moscow and renewed international pressure to halt the more than three-year-old war. Image Source: The Kyiv Post His arrival follows a surge in Russian military action. Overnight missile and drone attacks on Odesa and Zaporizhzhia killed at least two civilians, while Ukraine’s air force reported it had intercepted over 100 drones in a single night.  Russia, meanwhile, claimed to have shot down dozens of Ukrainian drones aimed at Moscow, forcing temporary flight suspensions at the capital’s Sheremetyevo airport. The Kremlin’s air campaign appears to be aimed at eroding morale and inf...