STORY HIGHLIGHTS Iranians say access to life-saving drugs is difficult because of Western sanctions West has imposed harsh economic sanctions for Iran’s failure to suspend nuclear program Economic sanctions targeting Iranian banks and energy sector have crippled Iran’s economy U.S. officials say Western sanctions are designed to target government, not citizens In July, Iran lost one of its most acclaimed playwrights and directors when Mahmoud Ostad-Mohammad passed away in Tehran […]

Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif has told President Obama the US should halt drone strikes in Pakistan, a critical source of tension in the relationship. The two leaders held wide-ranging talks at the White House on Wednesday, pledging to strengthen the often-strained ties between the nations. The leaders also discussed tension between Pakistan and India over the disputed Kashmir region. Mr Obama said the US and Pakistan remained important strategic partners. […]

Police in India say they have arrested the crew of a US-owned ship accused of illegally entering Indian waters with a huge cache of weapons on board. Officials say MV Seaman Guard Ohio was detained on 12 October by the Indian Coast Guard and is currently anchored at a port in southern Tamil Nadu state. Its 35-member crew include Indians, Britons, Ukrainians and Estonians. The ship’s owner, AdvanFort, said the […]

  STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: Leaders could say “something nice” to soothe markets, Democratic aide says Spokesmen: Sen. Reid and Sen. McConnell resume talks to end the standoff The GOP-led House’s vote to end shutdown, raise debt ceiling called off Obama says House Speaker Boehner can’t control his own caucus After 24 hectic hours, Congress was back where it started Tuesday night — with Republicans and Democrats in the Senate near […]

  Libyan PM Ali Zeidan has called for “rationality and wisdom” after being freed from the custody of militiamen. He was abducted from a Tripoli hotel and held for several hours by armed men whose identity has yet to be confirmed. In a cabinet meeting, the PM thanked “real revolutionaries” who took part in a security operation to free him. The motive of the abduction is unclear but some militias […]

Malala has given her first in-depth interview since being shot on a bus on her way home from school A Pakistani teenager shot in the head by the Taliban for championing girls’ rights to education has said talks with the militants are needed for peace. Malala Yousafzai was attacked by a gunman on a school bus near her former home in Pakistan in October 2012. The targeting of a schoolgirl […]

The ferocious Republican distaste for President Obama, and their hatred of his changes to America’s healthcare system have plunged the United States into crisis. The economy may not suffer that much, it is hard to tell, but the country’s image will be hurt. “Dysfunctional” is merely polite. “Weird” is more like it. For the past two years, the US government has staggered from one funding crisis to the next, reeling […]

The US government has begun a partial shutdown after the two houses of Congress failed to agree a new budget. The Republican-led House of Representatives insisted on delaying President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform – dubbed Obamacare – as a condition for passing a bill. More than 700,000 federal employees face unpaid leave with no guarantee of back pay once the deadlock is over. It is the first shutdown in 17 […]

It sounds like a doomsday scenario drawn up by strategists at the height of the Cold War. Chinese armies move south into the Korean peninsula and collide with American and South Korean forces moving north. The resulting clashes spark war between nuclear-armed superpowers. A new report says such a confrontation is still a real danger in the event of a sudden collapse of the North Korean regime. The report produced […]

STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: In Post op-ed, Iran’s president says failing to engage “leads to everyone’s loss” NEW: Iran’s nuclear program is solely for energy, a matter of national pride, he says John Kerry praises Iranian president’s comments on talks, nuclear program Yet the top U.S. diplomat adds: “Everything needs to be put to the test” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made his case Thursday to the American people and the world […]