Saturday, 15 August 2026

President Trump announced he will 'soon' declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory following the ongoing Iran conflict. Iran rejected the declaration as 'delusions' and called on the U.S. to 'accept the reality of defeat,' while FM Abbas Araghchi said shipping depends on the U.S. meeting certain conditions.

A federal judge in Boston lifted a stay blocking the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals, giving Trump a major legal victory in his immigration enforcement campaign.

Vice President JD Vance stated that keeping gas prices low is the U.S. 'goal No. 1' in the Iran war, while Washington threatened an indefinite naval blockade and signaled intensified economic pressure on Tehran.

U.S. attorneys in Chicago subpoenaed a fundraising firm co-owned by the daughter of Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the hush-money trial that resulted in Trump's felony conviction.

U.S. immigration judges are conducting 'mega master' calendar hearings with short notice and deporting people without adequate notification, with The Guardian documenting this new tactic that prevents defendants from appearing.

A Trump-affiliated World Liberty Trust Company received a conditional bank charter to issue the USD1 stablecoin, taking over issuance from BitGo and advancing Trump's cryptocurrency ventures.

A Canadian petition to expel U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra has gained over 170,000 signatures, signaling growing Canadian discontent with Trump administration policies and Hoekstra's role as a 'faithful messenger' in the relationship.

Human Rights Watch released a report documenting how federal agencies have reduced the number of civil rights cases they pursue as staffing falls under the Trump administration.

Following a major earthquake, Colombia requested that Trump suspend tariffs as the country reels from reconstruction costs estimated at $6.4 billion. The country faces renewed U.S. tariffs compounding the disaster recovery effort.

The Justice Department dismissed a threats case against a Minnesota man days before trial, adding to dozens of cases in the deportation efforts that have unraveled due to inability to prove charges.