The Justice Department’s internal watchdog is launching a review into the DOJ’s production of files and documents related to Jeffrey Epstein as controversy continues over the handling of the case of the convicted sex offender. The Inspector General will focus on “the DOJ’s identification, collection, and production of responsive material,” it said in a statement Thursday, as well as “processes for redacting and withholding material” and how the Justice Department addressed issues following the release of Epstein documents. The vast files collected throughout investigations related to Epstein were ordered to be released by Congress in a law that passed late last year. Some members of Congress have ridiculed the Justice Department for over-redactions and tracking their searches as they went through unredacted versions of the material. “Men need to be perp-walked in handcuffs to the jail, and until we see that here in this country … we don’t have a...

President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on Saturday. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP US President Donald Trump holds significant leverage over Israel’s offensive in Lebanon, a regional expert told CNN, as Washington prepares to host a second round of talks between the two nations. “It’s only President Trump who could really exert pressure on his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu,” said Fawaz Gerges, a professor at the London School of Economics, pointing out that it was Trump who announced the ceasefire in a social media post. Trump announced the “10-day ceasefire” last week, pausing hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, saying “Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer… Enough is enough.” But Israeli strikes have continued since, killing civilians and a journalist in Lebanon. Hezbollah has also launched attacks on Israeli troops. The truce is tied to a US-led framework that allows Israel to “preserve its right...

Footage of a gunman shooting at panicked tourists lying atop Mexico’s historic Pyramid of the Moon has renewed concerns about security in the country as it prepares to co-host millions of soccer fans for the World Cup this summer. At least one person, a Canadian woman, was killed in the Monday attack in Mexico’s Teotihuacán archeological zone, a major tourist hotspot 30 miles north of Mexico City. Five soccer matches are expected to be played in the capital city when the global tournament kicks off in July. Seven other foreign nationals – including two Americans – were wounded by gunshots, and another six foreigners suffered varying injuries during the chaos. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has insisted her country is safe for tourists and said authorities will reinforce security to prevent another shooting of this kind. But the attack may have dealt a blow to the Mexican government’s assertions that the...

Infantry officer Oleksiy Mykhailov just spent 343 days without leaving the front line, in what his battalion believes is one of the longest combat deployments for an officer in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. His lengthy deployment, in the woodlands between settlements in the eastern Zaporizhzhia region, underscores Ukraine’s severe lack of manpower as the war drags on after more than four years. The 37-year-old had the opportunity to leave the front at one point but volunteered to stay due to the manpower challenges. “My company is understaffed (as are all the others) and of those who are here, roughly half are in the 50-plus age bracket,” said Mykhailov – whose call sign is “Botanik,” a.k.a. “nerd” – in a statement published by his unit last week. “Ideally, an infantryman would spend a month on combat duty and a month recovering in a frontline village. But under current conditions, that’s completely...

The Egyptian House of Representatives is currently reviewing a draft law proposed by several members to regulate social media platforms, including a proposal to establish a dedicated Egyptian national platform. The bill, submitted by MP Mohamed al-Haddad and 60 other lawmakers—meeting the constitutional requirement of at least one-tenth of the Council’s members—has been referred to a joint committee of the Communications and Information Technology Committee and the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee for formal study.   A national alternative for digital security A central pillar of the project is the creation of a national Egyptian social media platform designed to rival global giants like Facebook. Proponents argue the move will enhance digital security, protect user data, and offer an integrated digital experience within a secure national framework. Under the proposal, the government would be mandated to launch this national platform. Furthermore, the draft law seeks to impose new requirements on...

A new milestone in Egypt’s offshoring industry was marked with the inauguration of Alshaya Group’s first Offshoring Global Talent Center in Cairo, coinciding with the Group’s 20-year presence in the Egyptian market. Eng. Ahmed Elzaher, Chief Executive Officer of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA), inaugurated the center in the presence of Mr. John Hadden, Chief Executive Officer of Alshaya Group, Eng. Mahmoud Sofrata, Vice President of ITIDA; Mr. Paul Morris, Chief Customer and Technology Officer; and Ms. Janset Hussein Kasht, Country Manager, Egypt. The new center delivers a comprehensive range of offshore business services, including contact center operations, multilingual customer support, digital marketing, and IT solutions, supporting the Group’s operations while enhancing operational efficiency and enabling international expansion. The center also provides services powered by Egyptian talent to 16 markets across the Middle East and North Africa, in addition to other markets including Turkey, Kazakhstan, Central and Eastern...

Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, said that the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) is one of Egypt’s key strategic assets that represent an integrated platform where trade, logistics, and production converge to serve the overall economy. The minister was delivering the inaugural speech during a high-level roundtable on boosting foreign investment and integrating Egyptian companies into global value chains, through the continued support for the private sector, enhancing competitiveness and flexibility, as well as advancing toward diversified and sustainable economic growth. The roundtable, attended by a delegation from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), government representatives, and private sector partners, focused on leveraging the Suez Canal Economic Zone to strengthen Egypt’s economic competitiveness. Rostom noted that the discussions come at a highly strategic time amid shifting global trade patterns, rising geopolitical tensions, and increasing pressures on supply chains. He emphasized...

Multiple oil spills are visible from space after Iranian and US-Israeli strikes hit oil facilities and ships in the region, with experts warning of an impending environmental catastrophe. Satellite images are giving an insight into destruction in the region, including to the fragile biodiversity of the Persian Gulf. Oil spilt there has the potential to affect the lives and livelihoods of people along the Gulf coastlines, as well as the region’s rich marine life. One image, taken on April 7, shows a spill spanning more than five miles in the Strait of Hormuz near Iran’s Qeshm Island. An Iranian vessel, the Shahid Bagheri, was leaked oil in the same area after US forces hit the vessel on February 28, Greenpeace Germany spokesperson Nina Noelle told CNN. Another image shows oil around Lavan Island after what Iranian state media called a hit “by enemies” on an oil facility near the island’s...

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has announced the appointment of Rania al-Mashat as Under-Secretary-General and the new Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).   Distinguished career Al-Mashat is a distinguished international expert in economic diplomacy, bringing over 25 years of extensive experience in macroeconomic policy, central banking, and monetary policy frameworks. She holds both a PhD and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the American University in Cairo. Additionally, she has completed advanced executive programs in public policy and leadership at Harvard and Oxford Universities. Her expertise spans sustainable economic and social development, structural and institutional reforms, and development and climate finance. Furthermore, she has been a prominent advocate for climate action and gender equality through strategic international partnerships. Prior to this appointment, al-Mashat held several high-ranking positions,...

Tokyo Reuters —  Japan on Tuesday unveiled its biggest overhaul of defense export rules in decades, scrapping restrictions on overseas arms sales and opening the way for exports of warships, missiles and other weapons. The move aimed at strengthening Japan’s defense industrial base marks another step away from pacifist restraints that have shaped its postwar security policy. Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are also straining US weapons production, expanding opportunities for Japan. At the same time, US allies in Europe and Asia are looking to diversify supply as Washington’s long-held security commitments look less certain under President Donald Trump. “No single country can now protect its own peace and security alone, and partner countries that support each other in terms of defense equipment are necessary,” Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a post on X. Japanese officials and diplomats have told Reuters that countries ranging from Poland to...