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The United States embassy in Baghdad has issued a strong security alert advising American citizens in Iraq to leave the country as soon as it is safe to do so, citing rapidly evolving security developments in the region.In a statement released on Sunday, the embassy said US nationals should consider departing via land routes to neighboring countries, including Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye. However, it warned that border crossings could close without notice.The advisory urged Americans who remain in Iraq to prepare for the possibility of staying in secure locations for extended periods. It recommended that citizens stock up on essential supplies such as food, water and medications.The embassy also cautioned people to avoid areas where protests or security disturbances could occur.Officials said the warning comes as security conditions across the wider region continue to shift quickly. US citizens were urged to exercise extreme caution and to closely monitor official updates and guidance.The statement did not provide further details on the specific developments prompting the alert, but emphasized the need for vigilance as the situation continues to unfold.

US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday the launch of the "Shield of the Americas," an alliance that aims to strengthen coordination and cooperation between the US, and Central and Latin American countries to confront drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations classified by the Trump administration as terrorist organizations.The announcement came during a summit held in Miami, Florida, attended by the presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago, along with officials from other countries.The summit witnessed the signing of the declaration launching the alliance and the appointment of Kristi Noem as its special envoy, after she had previously served as Secretary of Homeland Security before being dismissed last week.President Trump noted that drug cartels are the primary reason for the intensified US involvement in the region, and that the alliance's goal is to dismantle criminal gangs and enhance stability in partner countries.He called for the use of military force against cartels, with the possibility of US support through missile strikes, drawing on the experience of combating ISIS in the Middle East.The US President said that the alliance will operate in accordance with applicable laws to deprive gangs of control over territory, funding, and resources needed to carry out their violent activities, while training and deploying the military forces of partner countries to ensure the highest level of combat effectiveness and prevent the export of violence and the imposition of influence through organized intimidation.Trump added that the alliance will also work to counter external threats, with particular focus on the Panama Canal, noting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is working on an agreement with Cuba to ensure that no hostile foreign influence spreads in the region. 

A phone call was held between His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and President of the friendly United States of America Donald Trump.During the call, the two sides exchanged views on key regional and international developments, with particular emphasis on the evolving situation in the region and international efforts to advance de-escalation and reinforce regional peace and security.They also underscored the importance of continued coordination and consultation on issues of mutual interest, as well as supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving crises through dialogue and peaceful means.The call further addressed the strategic relations between the two friendly countries and explored ways to further strengthen and develop them across various fields.

A sparkling unbeaten 84 from India captain Suryakumar Yadav and three wickets from late call-up Mohammed Siraj in Mumbai Saturday helped India avoid a shock defeat to the United States as they opened their defence of the T20 World Cup.India were in trouble at 77-6 before Suryakumar took them to a competitive 161-9 at a packed Wankhede stadium and won by 29 runs as the USA could only muster 132-8 in reply."Only I can tell how much pressure I was feeling," said Suryakumar after his brilliantly paced knock, which contained 10 fours and four sixes as India plundered 75 off the last six overs. "But I had the belief. I knew if I bat till the end, I can make a difference."Chasing 162 for a massive upset, the Americans were quickly reduced to 13-3 as Siraj, only added to the squad 24 hours earlier as a replacement for the injured Harshit Rana, struck twice in his first two overs. A 58-run fourth-wicket partnership between Milind Kumar (34) and Sanjay Krishnamurthi (37) gave the US a chance of pulling off a stunning win. They were still in the hunt at 98-4 in the 16th over when spinner Axar Patel took two wickets in two balls to end their hopes."I thought our bowlers did a good job," said US captain Monank Patel. "We dropped catches and that cost us. At one stage, I felt we could restrict them to 130. We made a few mistakes but we will try to come back stronger."Siraj, who had not played a T20 international since July 2024 and would have been left out had Jasprit Bumrah not been sick with a fever, celebrated his recall by taking a wicket with his fourth ball. US opener Andries Gous had just hit Siraj for six but the next ball could only find Tilak Varma, who took a low catch.Arshdeep Singh got in on the act at the other end when Monank was caught by Shivam Dube off a leading edge. That left the US at 11-2, which became 13-3 when Siraj struck again to remove Saiteja Mukkamalla for two.Siraj finished with 3-29 after trapping Shubham Ranjane lbw with the final ball of the match. Monank's decision to field was rewarded with the prize wicket of the dangerous Abhishek Sharma off the first ball he faced. Number three Varma announced his arrival with a six and two fours off Saurabh Netravalkar.India had reached a steady 45-1 when Ishan Kishan (20) slapped Shadley van Schalkwyk to Kumar at mid-off to spark a mini-collapse. Tilak succumbed to Van Schalkwyk, splicing an attempted pull to Monank at midwicket and on the next ball, Shivam Dube also fell to leave Van Schalkwyk on a hat-trick, which was successfully staved off by Suryakumar.India crept to 63-4 at the halfway stage, which soon became 72-5 and 77-6 when Rinku Singh was caught in the deep and Hardik Pandya perished in similar fashion. Suryakumar bided his time before unleashing an assault in the 16th over, hitting three fours and a six off seamer Netravalkar. He reached his fifty off 36 balls with a trademark wristy sweep for four.The final over saw more carnage as Suryakumar smashed 21 runs, including two sixes, off the hapless Netravalkar, who finished with the sorry figures 0-65 off his four overs. Van Schalkwyk was the pick of the American attack with 4-25. Brief ScoresIndia 161/9 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 84; Shadley van Schalkwyk 4-25, Harmeet Singh 2-26) beat USA 132/8 in 20 overs (Sanjay Krishnamurthi 37; Mohammed Siraj 3-29, Arshdeep Singh 2-18, Axar Patel 2-24) by 29 runs 

The US economy grew at its fastest pace in two years during the third quarter of this year, driven by strong consumer spending and a sharp rebound in exports. However, this momentum appears to have slowed amid rising living costs and the recent government shutdown.The Bureau of Economic Analysis, part of the US Department of Commerce, reported in its preliminary estimate of third-quarter GDP that the gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an annualized rate of 4.3% in the last quarter, the fastest growth rate since the third quarter of 2023.According to CNN, the stronger-than-expected increase in GDP during the last quarter, announced by the Commerce Department last night, reflects continued business investment in equipment and artificial intelligence. Government spending, mostly on defense, also contributed to this growth.Inventories and residential spending, which includes home construction and sales, were the only factors that negatively impacted GDP. The increase in consumer spending was the fastest in nearly a year, as households spent generously on recreational goods, vehicles, and international travel.Consumer spending also rose by 3.5% in the third quarter, marking its strongest growth rate since the fourth quarter of 2024, after growing by 2.5% during the period from April to June. 

At least two people were killed and eight others were seriously injured in a shooting incident on the campus of Brown University in Rhode Island, in the northeastern United States.The university said in a statement that the shooter had not been apprehended and that the shelter-in-place order remained in effect.CNN reported that authorities are still searching for a suspect, according to police and university officials.At a press conference held tonight, Providence Police Deputy Chief Tim O'Hara said officials do not know what type of firearm was used.The university administration confirmed that it is working to provide psychological support to students and staff affected by the incident, calling on everyone to be cautious and follow the security instructions issued by the local authorities.Authorities have not yet determined the exact number of injured, while the injured are receiving treatment in nearby hospitals.The authorities expressed their deep regret for the incident, stressing that they will continue to investigate the circumstances of the shooting and determine the reasons that led to it. 

US President Donald Trump announced that he has approved the export of an advanced artificial intelligence chip produced by US technology giant Nvidia to China, under strict national security conditions.In a post on social media on Monday, Trump said Nvidia will be permitted to sell its H200 processors to China, stressing that the move would be subject to rigorous safeguards to protect US national security. He added that he has informed Chinese President Xi Jinping of the decision, noting that Xi responded "positively."Trump said the US Department of Commerce is finalizing the details of the arrangement, adding that the same framework would apply to other major US semiconductor companies, including AMD and Intel.The H200 chip, unveiled two years ago, features higher-bandwidth memory than its predecessor, the H100, enabling significantly faster data processing. Reports indicate that allowing its export would enable Chinese AI laboratories to build supercomputers with performance comparable to leading US artificial intelligence systems, albeit at a higher cost.Trump, however, confirmed that the export of Nvidia's latest Blackwell chips will remain prohibited."We will protect national security, create American jobs, and keep America's lead in AI," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Nvidia's US customers are already moving forward with their highly advanced Blackwell chips, and soon Rubin, neither of which are part of this deal."For its part, Nvidia welcomed the decision, saying in a statement: "Offering H200 to approved commercial customers, vetted by the Department of Commerce, strikes a thoughtful balance that is great for America."  

US President Donald Trump has said his administration intends to maintain a pause on asylum decisions for a "long time", following last week's shooting that targeted two National Guard members near the White House.Trump said he had "no time limit" in mind for the measure, which the Department of Homeland Security has linked to enhanced security reviews involving applicants from 19 countries already subject to US travel restrictions."We don't want those people. We have enough problems," Trump told reporters on board Air Force One. "Many of them are no good and they shouldn't be in our country."The Trump administration suspended all asylum decisions after a November 26 shooting near the White House that killed a National Guard member in her twenties and seriously injured another.The president said he intends to permanently halt immigration from what he described as "Third World countries" to allow the U.S. system to "fully recover." Meanwhile, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated that asylum decisions will remain halted until all applicants undergo the highest level of security screening.

The US dollar is heading for its biggest weekly drop in four months, as trading volumes shrink because of the US Thanksgiving holiday - pushing traders to focus on next year's outlook, while the Federal Reserve (the US central bank) appears to be the only party likely to take interest-rate-cut steps.In currency markets, the Japanese yen rose 0.4 percent to 155.87 per dollar in Asian trading, while the euro climbed above USD 1.16.The New Zealand dollar also rose to a three-week high of USD 0.5728, gaining about 2 percent, while the Australian dollar strengthened after inflation data that came in higher than expected.The Chinese yuan stood at 7.08 per dollar, while the British pound reached its highest level since late October at USD 1.3265, heading for its biggest weekly rise since last August.Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index - which measures the performance of the US currency against a basket of major currencies - was steady at 99.433 points, after retreating from its six-month high reached a week earlier, and is heading toward its largest weekly drop since July. 

The State of Qatar has expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the shooting incident that occurred near the White House in the United States of America, which resulted in the injury of two National Guard members, affirming its full solidarity with the United States, its government and people.In a statement issued Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated the State of Qatar's firm stance rejecting violence, terrorism, and criminal acts, regardless of the motives and reasons.The Ministry also conveyed Qatar's wishes for a swift recovery for the injured. 

A US official said that President Donald Trump has approved a peace plan between Russia and Ukraine that has been developed over the past few weeks.NBC quoted the official as saying that the plan was prepared discreetly by several senior US administration officials in consultation with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev and Ukrainian officials. He noted that US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff participated in drafting it.He added that the plan focuses on providing security guarantees for both sides, paving the way for a lasting peace.Meanwhile, US and European officials said that several key elements of the plan to end the war in Ukraine are still being revised, and that its release came as a surprise to Ukrainian and European officials.In a related development, a senior Ukrainian official revealed new US proposals to end the war, coinciding with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his anticipated meetings with US military officials in Kyiv.Direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv have not taken place since the Istanbul meeting in July, amidst the ongoing Russian military operations in eastern Ukraine, which have continued for nearly four years.

South Korea and the United States kicked off a joint cybersecurity exercise Monday to strengthen their combined readiness posture against potential cybersecurity threats from enemies.The Cyber Alliance drills, slated to run through Friday, will take place at a training facility in Maryland, aimed at better bracing for future cyberwarfare, according to South Korea's defense ministry.The training will involve swiftly sharing intelligence on a potential cybersecurity threat under a simulated cyberattack scenario.It marks the second such drills since it was conducted in South Korea's Cyber Operation Command last year, according to Yonhap News Agency.Seoul and Washington will continue to expand cooperation in not only cyber alliance training, but also intelligence sharing for cyberthreats, joint participation in multinational cybersecurity drills and more, the ministry said.