Republican senator Lindsey Graham said he was ‘very proud of my Republican colleagues for… making sure that Border Patrol and ICE are fully funded’Senate Republicans early Friday passed a bill that would provide the Department of Homeland Security with nearly $70 billion in new funds for immigration enforcement.The vote came after a more than 18-hour “vote-a-rama”, a process by which senators offer amendments to bills passed using the reconciliation procedure. The Senate’s Democratic minority leader, Chuck Schumer, had said earlier this week that he would use vote-a-rama to force Republicans into publicly defending the policies of Donald Trump, a move that ultimately forced Senate Republicans to drop their attempt to spend $1bn on security improvements for Trump’s White House ballroom.New abuse allegations have emerged against Greg Platner, a Democratic candidate for the Senate. Platner, a progressive running for election in Maine, has rejected the new report published on Thursday in the New York Times that included an interview with a Republican operative who accused him of womanizing, physical misconduct and making troubling comments about rape.Trump has suggested that his controversial ally Bill Pulte will investigate “rigged elections” while serving as the country’s top intelligence official. Pulte, whom Trump appointed as acting director of national intelligence earlier this week, is a “very smart guy,” Trump claimed on Thursday, “and you may find out some things about the rigged elections, etc, etc”.Pam Bondi on Thursday told lawmakers before the House oversight and reform committee that Todd Blanche, the man Trump has lined up to replace her, was “in charge” of the the US Department of Justice’s controversial handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Continue reading...
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• Türkiye is leveraging regional crises, specifically the conflict between Iran, Israel, and the U.S., to re-establish its presence and influence on the global stage. • The nation is utilizing its strengths in the defense industry, energy sector, infrastructure, and multidimensional diplomacy to turn geopolitical instability into strategic opportunities.
Read original · dailysabah.com• Israeli prosecutors have charged six individuals with "acts of terrorism" following a violent settler attack on a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank. • The assault involved several criminal acts, most notably the torching of a local mosque, as confirmed by police on Friday.
Read original · english.aawsat.com• Tensions have escalated within Pakistan's ruling coalition as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) challenged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to hold long-delayed local government elections. • The dispute specifically centers on the failure to conduct these critical elections in the Punjab province and the capital, Islamabad.
Read original · paktribune.com
PakTribune• The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has identified Turkey as one of the top 10 global perpetrators of transnational repression. • An accompanying report details alleged operations by Turkish intelligence targeting exiled journalists and individuals associated with the faith-based Gülen movement.
Read original · stockholmcf.org• Nigeria is facing persistent insecurity driven by Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, and widespread kidnapping, particularly across the Northern region. • The author argues that military action alone is insufficient to achieve lasting peace and advocates for a balanced strategy.
Read original · blueprint.ng
Blueprint Newspapers Limited• Türkiye has criticized the European Parliament's 2025 report, claiming it contains biased clauses that directly conflict with established international law. • The dispute centers on maritime delimitation, with Türkiye arguing that the report ignores the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding coastal lengths and geographic configurations.
Read original · turkiyetoday.com
Türkiye Today• Ukraine has launched drone strikes deep inside Crimea, marking an escalation in its efforts to target Russian military infrastructure. • Diplomatic efforts regarding the Iran nuclear deal remain uncertain, with key details and the future of the agreement still described as blurry.
Read original · the1a.org
1A• A commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz was targeted in a suspected drone attack, which is widely attributed to Iranian forces. • The incident occurs amid a fragile ceasefire and heightened regional tensions, threatening the stability of critical global shipping lanes.
Read original · upnorthlive.com
Up North Live• Afghanistan is facing a severe humanitarian crisis following the Taliban's return to power in 2021 and the subsequent withdrawal of international development assistance. • Essential public services, which had become heavily dependent on external support due to years of conflict and state fragility, have largely collapsed.
Read original · nextcenturyfoundation.org
Nextcenturyfoundation• UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the annual session of the Peacebuilding Commission in New York to mark the body's 20th anniversary. • Guterres warned that the world is currently experiencing more conflicts than at any time since the Second World War, driven by rising geopolitical tensions and deepening inequalities.
Read original · press.un.org• The U.S. and its allies are exploring strategies to reduce global economic reliance on the Strait of Hormuz following lessons learned from conflicts with Iran. • Proposed measures include increasing strategic oil stockpiles and constructing new pipelines to bypass the waterway's potential for disruption.
Read original · nytimes.com• An expert at a World Economic Forum meeting in Dalian urged Gulf states to diversify their defense strategies to mitigate risks associated with their geographic locations. • The expert noted a shift in Iran's strategic priorities, stating that Tehran now views economic survival as its primary goal over geopolitical ambition.
Read original · scmp.com