03 World

South Korea says US cancels joint marine drill over Iran war– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

South Korea says US cancels joint marine drill over Iran war– www.channelnewsasia.com
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EXCERPT:

SEOUL: South Korea said on Monday (Aug 24) that the United States had cancelled a large joint amphibious landing exercise scheduled for next month due to constraints on force availability caused by the war with Iran.

The biennial Ssangyong drills involve marine forces from South Korea and the US and are designed to strengthen combined operations, typically involving warships, aircraft and ground forces rehearsing amphibious landings.

The cancellation follows US President Donald Trump’s order last week to scale down the separate annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, cutting the joint drills from 11 days to five.

Trump at the time cited their high cost and said they sent an “inappropriate and hostile” signal to North Korea, while highlighting his relationship with its leader, Kim Jong Un.

“The US Marine Corps formally notified our forces in June that its ability to deploy forces during this year’s Ssangyong exercise would be constrained due to the situation in the Middle East,” Han Seung-jeon, a spokesman for the South Korean Marine Corps, told reporters at a news briefing.

Seoul and Washington were continuing consultations on resuming the amphibious exercise, he said, without giving details.

Sudanese medical group accuses rebel group of killing 27 people– abcnews.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Sudanese medical group accuses rebel group of killing 27 people– abcnews.com
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EXCERPT:

Ethnic clashes in southern Sudan have killed 27 people, including four children, a local medical group said

CAIRO — Four children were among at least 27 people killed in the latest ethnic clashes in southern Sudan, a local medical group said on Tuesday.

The killings were carried out by the rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM-N) in Qardud and Abu Hamama, areas inhabited by the Otoro tribe in South Kordofan, according to the Sudan Doctors Network, which monitors casualty numbers in the war-torn East African country.

Earlier this year, intense fighting erupted between forces linked to SPLM-N and the Otoro tribe, which is a minority group in the Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan.

The ethnic standoff, first instigated by land disputes, adds another layer to the country’s ongoing civil war which broke out in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The attacks have forced many people to flee toward Abu Hitan, a nearby village and Kadugli, the largest town in South Kordofan, said the doctors.

The Sudan Doctors Network said in a statement on Facebook that it stressed “that targeting unarmed civilians, including women and children, on ethnic grounds constitutes an explicit violation of international humanitarian law.”

Japanese lawmakers travel to Beijing, seeking to mend ties after fallout– abcnews.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Japanese lawmakers travel to Beijing, seeking to mend ties after fallout– abcnews.com
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EXCERPT:

TOKYO — A cross-party group of Japanese lawmakers, including one from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s governing party, headed to Beijing on Monday to meet with Chinese officials for the first time since ties between the two Asian rivals deteriorated after Takaichi’s comment on Taiwan angered China.

Japan seeks a chance to mend its strained ties with China as tensions have spilled over into the economy.

The group, which includes Gaku Hashimoto, a lawmaker of Takaichi’s governing Liberal Democratic Party and a former health and welfare vice minister, and a lawmaker each from two opposition parties Komeito and the Centrist Reform Alliance, is to meet with Chinese Communist Party officials during their visit through Thursday.

“Communication has been severed in all areas and we are beginning to see their impact in many areas,” Shinichi Isa, a top spokesperson for the CRA party, told reporters before leaving Tokyo’s Haneda airport. “I hope we can somehow find a clue to restart a dialogue.”

Isa, who has served as a diplomat at the Japanese Embassy in China, wrote on X earlier this month that bilateral ties have sunk to their worst since the 1972 normalization of relations. He wrote that officials had always remained in communication even during previous lows: “Now all channels between officials and ministries have been cut off.”

The situation is not in the national interest of either side, Isa said at the time, and the Chinese side accepted a request from Japanese lawmakers for a “window for dialogue.”

Iran’s rial currency hits new record low as US prepares to announce more sanctions– abcnews.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Iran’s rial currency hits new record low as US prepares to announce more sanctions– abcnews.com
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EXCERPT:

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s currency hit a record low Monday as Washington prepared to announce new sanctions it said would add further pressure on an economy already battered by previous sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade.

The rial dropped to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar as trading opened on currency markets. Iran’s official Central Bank rate stood at around 1.5 million rial to the dollar, but the market rate is what most Iranians pay.

The currency had already been under pressure before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, as Iran faced double-digit inflation and negative growth, but has repeatedly hit new lows as nearly six months of war have taken an even greater toll.

Iranians find daily staples increasingly unaffordable. Since the war began, rice is up some 60% and prices of beef are more than 150% higher. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that GDP will contract more than 5%.

Still, economic pressure has not yet translated into political pressure. Iran retains a key strategic advantage: Its attacks and threats on ships in the Strait of Hormuz have brought traffic in the vital waterway to a near halt, damaging the world economy and heaping pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of congressional elections.

Trump floats rename of Lake Ontario to Lake America amid trade dispute | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Trump floats rename of Lake Ontario to Lake America amid trade dispute | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com
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EXCERPT:

“The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don’t expect to be doing much business with Ontario any longer.”

President Donald Trump is pitching a new name for one of the Great Lakes as tensions with Canada continue to escalate, suggesting Lake Ontario could become “Lake America.”

Trump made the proposal Tuesday morning on Truth Social, tying the name change directly to the current trainwreck of a trade relationship between Washington and Ontario.

“The United States is giving serious consideration to changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America in that we don’t expect to be doing much business with Ontario any longer,” Trump wrote.

He later shared a graphic displaying “Lake America” across the body of water.

The UAE Just Delivered a Crushing Blow to Iran’s Economy– townhall.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

The UAE Just Delivered a Crushing Blow to Iran’s Economy– townhall.com
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EXCERPT:

The United Arab Emirates suspended all trade, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran after accusing Tehran of firing two ballistic missiles toward the Gulf state, an incident that triggered nationwide shelter warnings for the first time in weeks.

The decision could deal a severe blow to Iran’s already strained economy.

New Zealand becomes latest country to propose social media ban for children– www.independent.co.uk

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

New Zealand becomes latest country to propose social media ban for children– www.independent.co.uk
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EXCERPT:

New Zealand was set to introduce legislation proposing a ban on social media for children under the age of 16, prime minister Christopher Luxon announced on Monday.

Under the plan, tech firms face penalties of up to 10 per cent of their global revenues if they fail to comply.

The proposed law would mandate that platforms implement reasonable age-verification measures, utilising digital identity documents, facial technology, and existing account data.

Scores of people kidnapped from a mosque as armed groups attacked multiple villages in Nigeria– abcnews.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Scores of people kidnapped from a mosque as armed groups attacked multiple villages in Nigeria– abcnews.com
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EXCERPT:

A number of people were kidnapped from a mosque in a spree of abductions at several villages in Nigeria ‘s north-central Niger state, police said Saturday.

The assailants attacked a mosque in Kpenya village after attacks in a string of villages in the remote Borgu Local Government Area of Niger state Friday, police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun said.

Such attacks are common in Nigeria, where multiple armed groups operate, killing and kidnapping people for ransom. The groups sometimes clash in competition with each other. No group has claimed responsibility for the Friday attacks.

Abiodun did not provide figures but said no lives were lost in the Friday attacks, and said the military was deployed to the area. Residents said scores of people were abducted, with some estimating between 60 and 80 people were kidnapped. A search for survivors was underway Saturday.

Borgu area council chairman Abdullahi Mohammed Nasir said at least 60 people were kidnapped and an unspecified number of people sustained gunshot injuries while trying to escape the gunmen.

“People were abducted while praying at a Juma’at mosque on Friday,” Nasir said. “That was when the bad people came and surrounded the mosque and took them away.”

Zubairu Umar Talba, a youth leader in the Dekara area in Borgu, told The Associated Press that his 85-year-old father was among those who were taken. “Nobody can tell you the exact number of people abducted because, so far, about 80 of our people have been abducted and many have fled the area,” he said.

Putin Wants to Draft 300K New Troops, Zelensky Says– www.themoscowtimes.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Putin Wants to Draft 300K New Troops, Zelensky Says– www.themoscowtimes.com
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EXCERPT:

Ukraine thinks Russia is planning to draft an additional 300,000 troops for its war effort after Russian parliamentary elections in mid-September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Moscow’s forces are pressing ahead with an effort to capture the rest of eastern Ukraine’s industrialized Donbas region, where its troops have ground forward at what Kyiv says is a great cost.

In comments to reporters released on Sunday, Zelensky said Russia could draft more troops in 2027 to reach an overall goal of 500,000, part of what he described as a “peripheral mobilization” targeting Russia’s far-flung regions.

“We believe it will not take place in the central cities,” he said. “But I don’t think they will be able to hide it very well.”

Parliamentary elections in Russia are set for Sept. 18-20.

As fighting rages around the strategic city of Kostiantynivka, Zelensky said Russia was losing a “maximum” amount of troops in its bid to advance into Ukraine’s so-called fortress belt of eastern cities.

He also hailed recent gains by Kyiv’s troops in southeastern Ukraine, adding that the amount of territory occupied by Russia and liberated by Ukrainian forces in 2026 would be equal.

White House ballroom will cost nearly $400m as Supreme Court allows work to continue– www.euronews.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

White House ballroom will cost nearly $400m as Supreme Court allows work to continue– www.euronews.com
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EXCERPT:

US President Donald Trump announced that a new White House ballroom will cost nearly $400 million, funded entirely by private donors and corporations.

“We’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars on the ballroom, and it’s all from people like me and great companies that are putting it up. It’s going to be close to $400 million, and it’s all paid for by patriots and patriotic companies, big companies. I’ll name the companies probably over the next couple of weeks, but I want to ask if they mind. But and really, most of them have said you could use my name gladly. So that’s all money. No, no taxpayer money for the ballroom at all,” Trump said.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has cleared the way for construction to continue for the time being.

The temporary order was issued just hours before lower-court rulings were set to halt above-ground work on the project due to a lack of congressional approval.

Trump thanked the high court and the chief justice during his remarks later Friday during a political appearance in South Carolina.

“When they say proceed, I think that’s a good thing. That’s a good thing,” Trump said.

India expects to boost ties with Moscow during top diplomat’s visit — source – World– tass.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

India expects to boost ties with Moscow during top diplomat’s visit — source – World– tass.com
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EXCERPT:

NEW DELHI, August 22. /TASS/. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is expected to discuss all aspects of bilateral agenda during his visit to Russia in order to boost cooperation between the two nations, a source in the Indian government has told TASS.

“Jaishankar’s visit is of great importance, because it is about the regular dialogue that we maintain with Russia,” the source said. “We would like to discuss all aspects of the bilateral agenda in order to further strengthen our partnership.”

Speaking about Jaishankar’s planned meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, the government source said that along with bilateral issues, the top diplomats will also “discuss geopolitical, international and regional topics.”

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs announced on Saturday that Jaishankar will visit Russia on August 23-24, at the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov. He will co-chair the 27th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC). During the visit, Jaishankar will also meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and “exchange perspectives on regional and global issues,” the ministry said.

 

Iran official says support for new sanctions would be ‘act of war’– abcnews.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Iran official says support for new sanctions would be ‘act of war’– abcnews.com
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EXCERPT:

The new head of Iran’s top security body warned Sunday that Tehran will see any country’s support for new U.S. economic measures against the Islamic Republic as an “act of war,” while Iran’s president defended a memorandum of understanding with the United States as the best way out of the stalled conflict.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday is expected to announce the new measures after the U.S. vowed to impose an “unprecedented” level of economic warfare and isolation on a country that has lived for decades under sanctions. Also Monday, Pakistan’s army chief is expected to visit Iran as mediators try to revive talks.

Meanwhile, attacks calmed on the Strait of Hormuz but posturing did not, as a recently created Iranian authority listed dozens of vessels it said will face restrictions on future transits.

Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Sunday. Full coverage can be found here.

The hard-line leader of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, issued his latest warning on X, with the comments quickly shared by Iranian state media.

It came a day after Rezaei’s most extensive public comments since being named to the post this month.

“If (Trump) wants to do something, we will retaliate in a seismic manner,” he had told the state broadcaster in an interview that aired late Saturday. He said Iran would target other oil-shipping routes from the Persian Gulf — alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz.

“Patently Unlawful”: US Judge Strikes Team Trump’s Policy Suspending Immigrant Visa For 75 Nations– www.ndtv.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

“Patently Unlawful”: US Judge Strikes Team Trump’s Policy Suspending Immigrant Visa For 75 Nations– www.ndtv.com
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EXCERPT:

Washington:

A US judge on Friday struck down a Trump administration policy suspending the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, saying that the policy exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.

US District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan said the policy that the State Department announced in January was “patently unlawful” and ran afoul of federal immigration law, which explicitly stripped the secretary of state of authority over consular officers’ processing of immigrant visas.

“The Policy, which categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant, represents a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme,” she wrote.

The State Department’s suspension that also took effect in January impacted applicants from Latin American countries including Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay; Balkan nations such as Bosnia and Albania; South Asian countries Pakistan and Bangladesh; and those from many nations in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.

The State Department said applicants from those countries were “at a high risk for becoming a public charge and recourse to local, state and federal government resources in the United States.” The department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.

Dozens of co-ordinated arson attacks hit southern Thailand– www.bbc.co.uk

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Dozens of co-ordinated arson attacks hit southern Thailand– www.bbc.co.uk
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EXCERPT:

More than 50 co-ordinated arson and incendiary attacks “aimed at creating unrest” have been carried out across Thailand’s insurgency-hit south, the Thai military has said.

At least two people were injured, with a local government office building, a convenience store, and a stolen vehicle among the targets set on fire.

The incidents took place across the country’s southern border provinces between 20:00 local time (13:00 GMT) and midnight on Saturday, the military’s Internal Security Operations Command said in a statement.

Most were reported in Narathiwat province, with others occurring in neighbouring Yala and Pattani.

According to the Bangkok Post, two women were injured when a bomb exploded in Muang district in Narathiwat province.

Telecommunication towers were set on fire in several locations, and security officials warned residents not to touch suspicious objects.

Authorities imposed an overnight curfew in the Narathiwat province that was lifted on Sunday morning. No further attacks had been reported on Sunday.

 

Iran War Updates: U.S. to unveil new sanctions Trump said would hit Iran with an “economic D-Day”– www.cbsnews.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Iran War Updates: U.S. to unveil new sanctions Trump said would hit Iran with an “economic D-Day”– www.cbsnews.com
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EXCERPT:

The South Korean military said Monday the U.S. canceled a large, joint military exercise that had been scheduled to take place next month due to force limitations amid the war with Iran.

The Ssang Yong (Twin Dragons) exercise is a joint amphibious landing drill conducted regularly since 2012 by the South Korean Navy and Marine Corps alongside U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. British and other allied forces have taken part in previous years.

A spokesperson for the South Korean Marines said its U.S. counterparts had notified the force in June that “due to the situation in the Middle East,” the U.S.’s ability to deploy forces for the exercise was constrained this year.

The news of this year’s Ssang Yong drills being called off came a week after the U.S. cut short another major joint military exercise with South Korea, on President Trump’s orders, fueling concern in Seoul, and in Japan, that Washington is becoming a less dependable ally in the face of rising threats from North Korea and China.

Ottawa and Washington head for all-out trade war– www.cnbc.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Ottawa and Washington head for all-out trade war– www.cnbc.com
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EXCERPT:

The Canadian dollar fell on Monday morning after trade talks between Ottawa and Washington fell apart, leaving both sides facing higher prices on a wide array of imported goods.

The U.S. on Saturday slapped 50% tariffs on around $20 billion worth of imports from Canada, its second-biggest trading partner after Mexico. The affected goods span dairy, wine, wood products, ceramics and a slew of other areas.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he would retaliate “dollar for dollar” with tariffs starting Sept. 8, targeting sectors such as steel, dairy, agricultural equipment, paper and electronics. Details will be released “in the coming days,” Carney added.

The Canadian dollar was 0.45% lower against the U.S. dollar at 6:10 a.m. ET. The loonie also dipped against the euro, British pound and Japanese yen.

“As a smaller, more open economy, Canada has more to lose from this, but Prime Minister Mark Carney seems to have opened the door to more fiscal stimulus to support affected business,” FX strategists at bank ING wrote in a Monday note.

Canada Strikes Back at President Trump With Major New Tariffs on US Goods– townhall.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Canada Strikes Back at President Trump With Major New Tariffs on US Goods– townhall.com
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EXCERPT:

Canada has escalated its trade dispute with the United States, announcing retaliatory tariffs after President Trump imposed 50 percent duties on roughly $20 billion in Canadian imports on Saturday.

“Today I’m announcing that Canada will match the United States tariffs dollar for dollar, rate for rate,” Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said. “Effective September 8, Canada will impose counter tariffs of up to 15, 25 or 50 percent on 27.6 billion in imports from the United States of America. For each product, our tariff would match the American tariff on the same type of Canadian good.”

Muslim Terrorists Slaughter and Kidnap Dozens for ‘Not Practicing the True Teachings of Islam’ During Friday Prayer– gellerreport.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Muslim Terrorists Slaughter and Kidnap Dozens for ‘Not Practicing the True Teachings of Islam’ During Friday Prayer– gellerreport.com
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EXCERPT:

The silence by the international community is devastating just endless condemnation of the Jewish nation defneding itself against this very thing – jihad terror.

Jihadists slaughter and kidnap dozens of people for ‘not practicing the true teachings of Islam’ during Friday prayers in Nigeria

By Sabrina Penty, Daily Mail, August 23, 2026:

Jihadists have kidnapped and slaughtered scores of people in an attack during Friday prayers in central Nigeria.

The exact toll of the attacks, which also hit the village of Binzi in Niger State, was unknown, federal representative Jafaru Mohammed said.

Jibril Ahmad, a civilian who survived the attack, said: ‘Soon after finishing the normal Friday prayer, the armed group of Lakuwara, in their hundreds, wielding guns, knives and machetes, began to attack us.’

‘They slaughtered some of our people, saying we are not practising the true teachings of Islam,’ Ahmad added.

Some are understood to have escaped when another jihadist group, known as Mahmuda, started clashing with the militants.

China warns US of retaliation if Trump’s ‘Economic D-Day’ sanctions hit their Iran oil trade– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

China warns US of retaliation if Trump’s ‘Economic D-Day’ sanctions hit their Iran oil trade– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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EXCERPT:

China has warned the US that it could retaliate if Washington significantly expands secondary sanctions on Chinese companies doing business with Iran

China has warned that it could take retaliatory measures if the United States significantly expands secondary sanctions targeting Chinese companies doing business with Iran, according to reporting by the Financial Times.The warning came after the Trump administration on Monday announced new sanctions targeting companies in Hong Kong and mainland China as part of a broader crackdown on Iran’s oil trade. The measures, however, did not target major Chinese financial institutions, FT reported.A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that Beijing would take “all necessary measures” to safeguard its rights and interests, while reiterating China’s opposition to what it described as unilateral sanctions lacking a basis in international law or United Nations Security Council authorisation.The spokesperson also called for de-escalation and a return to dialogue and negotiations.

Canada Is Spending Billions to Help Its Workers Survive Our Tariffs – Mother Jones– www.motherjones.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Canada Is Spending Billions to Help Its Workers Survive Our Tariffs – Mother Jones– www.motherjones.com
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EXCERPT:

A utilities box in front of the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario, amid Canada’s trade war with the US, August 20, 2026.Nick Iwanyshyn/Canadian Press/AP

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.

On Tuesday, Canadian officials announced funding to back businesses, workers, and industries, as they implement dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs on the US in response to the Trump administration’s newly imposed 50 percent tariffs on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian imports.

Senior members of Canada’s government announced a support package worth $7.5 billion Canadian dollars, or about $5.4 billion US, including $3 million in non-repayable loans for every small business and a further $2 million in interest-free loans—even for businesses only indirectly affected by tariffs.

Small and medium-sized businesses directly affected will be able to apply for a further $5 million through Canada’s business development bank, and the Canadian government has set aside $2 billion for medium-sized and large firms, more than half a billion dollars for retraining workers whose industries are affected by tariffs, and a one-year extension on temporary employment insurance benefits Canada already issued in response to the start of Trump’s trade war with Canada last year.

Gay media celebrates Pope Leo XIV’s 4 pro-LGBT bishop appointments– www.lifesitenews.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Gay media celebrates Pope Leo XIV’s 4 pro-LGBT bishop appointments– www.lifesitenews.com
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EXCERPT:

(LifeSiteNews) — A gay news site published an article praising Pope Leo XIV for having “made room for progressive LGBTQ+ voices.” 

Headlined Pope Leo’s Recent LGBTQ-Friendly Appointments Include Bishop Who Had Drag Queen Speak at Mass, the article draws heavily from a liberal Catholic Substack, Letters from Leo, authored by former Obama staffer Christopher Hale.

The article focuses on the installation of four reportedly pro-homosexual and pro-transgender bishops: James Checchio, appointed by Leo in February to head the Archdiocese of New Orleans; Bishop Ramón Bejarano, chosen in December to lead the Diocese of Monterrey, California; Bishop Christian Würtz, selected in by Leo in July 2025 as the new bishop of Eichstätt in Germany; and Baker, Oregon diocese’s Bishop Thomas Hennen, who at age 47 became the youngest bishop to head a diocese. 

Perhaps the most alarming of the four is Bishop Bejarano. The former San Diego auxiliary bishop famously celebrated an “All are Welcome” LGBT-themed “Pride” Mass – during which a drag queen activist was permitted to speak – as the new bishop of Monterey, California.

Australia news live: PM, premiers and chief ministers sign firearms agreement; Sarah Hanson-Young scathing on Malcolm Roberts’ gay rights comments | Australia news– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Australia news live: PM, premiers and chief ministers sign firearms agreement; Sarah Hanson-Young scathing on Malcolm Roberts’ gay rights comments | Australia news– www.theguardian.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

State and territory leaders and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, have agreed to further tighten national gun laws in a meeting in Sydney.

Albanese said federal government intelligence would be shared with state and territory law enforcement agencies as part of the deal, and that only Australian citizens would be allowed to hold gun licences.

The push comes after the deaths in December’s antisemitic shooting at Bondi Beach and as the federal government’s national buyback plan falters due to low take-up by the states. Only NSW and the ACT have signed up so far.

Albanese said 3D printed gun technology would be banned, along with sharing of materials about their production.

CIA chief travels to Moscow for unannounced talks, US media reports– www.bbc.co.uk

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

CIA chief travels to Moscow for unannounced talks, US media reports– www.bbc.co.uk
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EXCERPT:

The trip is thought to be Ratcliffe’s first trip to Russia as CIA director, although he has maintained contact with his intelligence counterparts in Moscow.

John Foreman, who served as a British military attaché to Moscow between 2019 and 2022, told Radio 4’s PM programme that the visit could be focused on “escalation management” given speculation recent drone activity in Germany could be linked to Russia.

He said: “The Americans don’t normally send such a high ranking official to Moscow unannounced at short notice unless something is up.”

Foreman said the trip could also concern the release of US detainees currently being held in Russia.

Ratcliffe played a role in negotiations for the release of Russian-American citizen Ksenia Karelina, who was jailed in Russia for over a year after being accused of providing support to Ukraine.

Trump Says Navy Has Cleared Iranian Mines From Strait of Hormuz › American Greatness– amgreatness.com

pgnewser August 26, 2026 0

Trump Says Navy Has Cleared Iranian Mines From Strait of Hormuz › American Greatness– amgreatness.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. Navy has cleared all remaining mines from international waters in the Strait of Hormuz, while warning Iran that any attempt to deploy new mines will draw an immediate military response.

Iran placed mines in the strategically critical waterway during its ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, disrupting maritime traffic through one of the world’s most important energy corridors.

“I have just been informed by the United States Navy that all mines have been removed and/or detonated from within the International Waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump warned Tehran that the United States would enforce a “Zero Tolerance” policy against renewed mining operations.

“Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed,” Trump said.