Trump-administration

US War Secretary Pete Hegseth has planned to reduce by 20 percent the number of positions designated for generals and admirals in the US military. A Pentagon official told Al Jazeera about the plan. The move could bring changes to the top leadership of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Hegseth may announce the decision while delivering a “State of the Force” speech at the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on Wednesday. Several US media outlets have also reported the plan citing official...

The Trump administration has further tightened the rules for international students studying in the United States. A new directive seeks to limit work authorization for certain internships. Universities could also lose their authorization to enroll foreign students if they fail to comply with the rules. Several universities including UCLA and UC Berkeley have already suspended the processing of certain applications for work authorization. A memorandum dated August 24 said the Student and E...

More than six months after US President Donald Trump promised a swift victory against Iran, the war remains effectively deadlocked. The prospects of either a military victory or a negotiated settlement are also growing increasingly slim. To break the deadlock, Trump has threatened to launch an “economic D Day” to isolate Iran. Under the plan, he warned that any country doing business with Iran would face “terrible” economic consequences. However, Iran has been under US sanctions for decad...

Iran is not holding any talks with the United States. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei made this clear at a press conference. However, he said Tehran is working with Oman to establish a ‘temporary shipping lane’ to ensure the safe passage of vessels through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson also said at the press conference that discussions are underway with Muscat to launch the temporary shipping lane through the...