A growing mealybug infestation threatening sugarcane production and farmer incomes in Belize’s northern sugar belt has prompted the government to approve an emergency programme worth about $5.2 million.

Announced on September 7, the programme will fund pesticide treatments across affected areas to reduce mealybug populations and limit further crop losses. The government and cane farmers will share the cost equally, with each contributing $2.56 million. Farmers will repay their portion through agreed deductions from cane deliveries over four crop cycles.

The Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute will oversee the programme in partnership with Belize’s four cane farmers’ associations and Belize Sugar Industries Limited/ASR Group.

The intervention will cover around 50,000 acres, including standing cane as well as fields earmarked for harvesting or replanting. Each targeted field is expected to receive at least two pesticide applications, with the treatment programme scheduled for completion within two months.

The emergency response follows significant production losses in the sugar industry linked to mealybugs and Fusarium disease. The two problems are estimated to have caused more than $12 million in losses, affecting the northern sugar-producing region and the farming communities that depend on the crop.

Carlos Pol, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Economic Transformation, said on September 3 that the decline in sugarcane and sugar production last year highlighted the need for immediate action.

Pol warned that production could deteriorate further if the pest problem is not addressed and confirmed that the government had approved the $5.2 million intervention.

The programme is intended to contain the current infestation and protect sugarcane production in the short term. Its effectiveness will depend on timely application of treatments, coordination between farmers and industry stakeholders, and continued monitoring of the pest.

Longer-term efforts are expected to focus on stronger pest-management practices, improving the industry’s resilience to climate-related pressures and developing sugarcane varieties with greater resistance to threats such as mealybugs and disease.

US President Donald Trump on Friday announced an immediate ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing the three news outlets of repeatedly publishing what he called “FAKE NEWS.”

Trump announced the decision in a post on Truth Social, saying the restrictions were effective immediately.

“I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW (who recently changed their name from MSNBC due to lack of viewership and credibility!), and Politico (The recipients of an illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription, an All Time Record, directly from the United States Government, under Crooked Joe Biden, in order to keep them ‘alive.’ Seems like corruption to me!), from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” he said.

🚨 pic.twitter.com/67J1tHH7pj

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 18, 2026

Trump also indicated that additional media organisations could face similar restrictions.

“Media Outlets shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow,” he added.

Later, speaking to reporters in the Oval House, Trump said the restrictions would extend as far as possible.

“I don't want them in my office. I don't want them here. I would say the ban would go as far as you can,” he said.

Defending the move, Trump added, “I think that somebody has a right to keep them away if they're going to write false stories all the time.”

“Our country has to have honest news. You need a fair press and an honest press. You know how fake their reporting is. It's one-sided. It's never good,” he said further.

CNN issued a statement in response to the latest ban, calling it an “illegal assault” on freedom of the press.

Presidents rarely bar news outlets from the White House. Trump had previously restricted access for a CNN reporter during his first term, while former President Richard Nixon imposed restrictions on The Washington Post over its coverage of the Watergate scandal.

CNN Statement on White House access: pic.twitter.com/X0rMWFfueA

— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) September 18, 2026

Trump has repeatedly criticised news organisations and broadcasters over coverage he considers unfavourable. He has also called for broadcasters to drop programmes that have criticised or mocked him and his administration, and has urged the Federal Communications Commission to take action against stations over content he has objected to.

The latest move places CNN, MS NOW and Politico at the centre of another confrontation between the Trump administration and news organisations over media access, reporting and the White House press.

President Donald Trump has extended by another year an executive order imposing a $100,000 fee on H-1B non-immigrant visas, the White House said on Friday, keeping the controversial fee increase in place as legal challenges continue in US courts.

US employers seeking to hire skilled foreign workers can use the federal government's H-1B visa program for a fee, allowing technology and other professionals from abroad to work in the United States for a few years. Trump, who has pursued an aggressive immigration crackdown, has criticized the program and wants to permanently raise the fee from between $2,000 and $5,000 to at least $100,000.

The administration's attempt to impose the higher fee has faced legal challenges. A Boston-based appeals court is reviewing a June decision by a federal judge who deemed the higher fee imposed by the Trump administration illegal and blocked the government from collecting it. Another court is considering whether a judge properly rejected a challenge to the fee by the US Chamber of Commerce, the largest US business lobbying group.

Trump's initial order for the fee hike, first released in September 2025, was set to expire this month. The order did not apply to visas granted to foreign citizens already in the United States on student visas, who make up a large share of new H-1B recipients. It also did not apply to renewals of current visas.

The H-1B program has faced criticism from some quarters over claims that certain companies use the visas to hire lower-paid foreign workers instead of Americans. Business groups and companies, however, say the program helps recruit highly skilled professionals and addresses a lack of qualified US workers in some industries.

The visas were established by Congress in 1990 and are especially critical for technology companies seeking to recruit professionals from India and China.

Changes to how potential visa holders are scrutinized and processed have already affected companies' hiring and expansion plans. Some major H-1B users, including Google parent company Alphabet, have moved to increase operations in India.

The one-year extension keeps the $100,000 H-1B visa fee order in effect while courts continue to consider challenges to the administration's policy, leaving the future of the higher fee tied to ongoing legal proceedings.

A blast at a mosque inside the Police Lines in Kohat district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killed 11 civilians and five police officers, while a security operation against militants who entered the premises continued.

According to a spokesperson for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, seven militants entered the Police Lines after the explosion at the mosque, following which police launched a strong retaliatory operation against the attackers. Six militants have so far been killed, the spokesperson said, while a search operation remains underway.

Police had earlier said that a vehicle loaded with explosives rammed into the mosque during Friday prayers. Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi said the explosion occurred at around 1:15 pm local time on Friday. Several injured people were reported to be in critical condition.

According to the rescue service spokesperson, 14 ambulances and more than 40 personnel are currently involved in the rescue operation at the site.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the Kohat explosion and expressed deep sorrow over the injuries suffered by several people.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Shehbaz Sharif directed that immediate medical assistance be provided to the injured. He also sought a report from the relevant authorities on the causes of the explosion.

The prime minister instructed officials to accelerate relief operations and ensure that all possible facilities were provided to those affected.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the Kohat explosion and expressed grief over the loss of life.

A senior police officer in Peshawar told BBC News that 11 civilians and five police officers were killed in the explosion of an improvised explosive device (IED) fitted to a vehicle in Kohat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Speaking to BBC News’ Usman Zahid, Abdul Salam Khalid, Director of Public Relations at the Central Police Office, said the militants had targeted the Police Lines and the mosque located there. Friday prayers were underway at the time of the incident.

According to him, a vehicle loaded with explosives rammed into the mosque building during prayers.

Abdul Salam Khalid said that two to three armed militants entered the building after the explosion, one of whom was killed in firing. The operation by the armed forces is still underway.

Local media reports said the death toll could rise.

A Kohat police spokesperson said the Old Police Lines area is densely populated and busy, with other important offices also located in Old Police Lines.

Naveed, a volunteer with the Al-Khidmat Foundation who reached Old Police Lines after the explosion, told BBC Urdu that when he arrived, a large number of injured people were calling for help.

Naveed said he had been praying at another mosque about one kilometre away when the explosion occurred and that he immediately went to the site after hearing the blast.

He said Rescue 1122 personnel were engaged in the rescue operation and ambulances could be heard arriving from all directions.

“There were injured people everywhere. Some were crying for help and others were asking for water. We started the rescue operation together with Rescue 1122. After some time, more ambulances and a large number of security personnel arrived at the scene,” Naveed said.

Naveed said security personnel asked civilians to leave the area, after which heavy gunfire began immediately.

According to Naveed, “The explosion was so intense that the doors and walls of the mosque where we were praying were shaking.”

Mustafa Khan, who lives nearby, said, “We can still hear the sound of gunfire and we are trapped in our homes.”

He said he had been praying with his children at another mosque half a kilometre from the mosque where the explosion occurred. As soon as the blast happened, they left the mosque. He said he had small children with him and took them home.

He said that when they reached home, gunfire could be heard, while police and security forces had surrounded the entire area.

The explosion, the subsequent militant attack and the continuing security operation have left the Old Police Lines area under heightened security as rescue teams continue their work and authorities investigate the cause of the blast.

The cost of US military involvement in the war with Iran has risen to $43.6 billion as of September 3, according to a new estimate provided to lawmakers, highlighting the rapidly increasing financial burden of the conflict that began on February 28 with US and Israeli action against Iran.

The latest figure represents an increase from the $38 billion estimated by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) as of August 1. The CBO said the conflict could continue to cost the United States about $3 billion each month while hostilities continue. Its report was released on Tuesday, September 15.

The latest military estimate also shows how quickly spending on weapons and ammunition has increased. The amount spent on munitions rose by more than $6 billion in just over a month, from $21.7 billion in the CBO's estimate to $28.1 billion in the US Central Command estimate.

A one-page report submitted to Congress includes the costs of operating warships, aircraft and military bases, along with losses of military equipment and medical support for troops. As of September 3, Central Command estimated about $11.2 billion in incremental operational costs, $28.1 billion to replace expended munitions and about $4.3 billion to replace equipment losses.

According to Pentagon casualty figures from the Defense Casualty Analysis System, 18 American personnel have been killed and more than 830 have been wounded during the conflict.

The latest estimate does not include damage caused to US military bases in the Middle East by Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Iranian strikes have damaged or destroyed hundreds of buildings and other structures at US facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Jordan.

The CBO's August 1 estimate covered the Department of Defense's operational, logistical and sustainment costs, including the replacement of expended munitions and equipment lost in battle, increased flying hours, other operations and higher fuel costs.

The financial impact of the war extends beyond direct military spending. The conflict has affected oil prices and the stock market, while its political consequences are expected to be reflected in the November midterm congressional elections. Reports have described the war's growing unpopularity as a challenge for Republicans.

Weapons and ammunition now account for more than half of the total military cost in the latest estimate. The weapons facing the highest demand are defensive missile interceptors, including those launched by the US Army's Patriot and THAAD systems.

With the latest estimate putting the US military cost of the Iran conflict at $43.6 billion by September 3, the rising use of expensive munitions and the continuing cost of military operations have become a central measure of the conflict's expanding financial burden.

At least 48 people have died in Nigeria’s Ondo State after consuming a liquid drink suspected to contain methanol, according to health authorities, with 182 people believed to have been affected in the Odigbo and Irele local government areas.

Ondo State Health Commissioner Banji Ajaka said several people who fell ill after consuming the drink have since been discharged from hospitals. Health officials have continued monitoring those affected following the suspected methanol poisoning incident.

Ajaka said the substance could cause severe and potentially fatal damage to vital organs, depending on the quantity consumed. Methanol poisoning can affect the kidneys, eyes and brain and can lead to death.

The incident has triggered a police investigation, with Ondo State police spokesman Abayomi Jimoh saying 15 people had been arrested in connection with the case.

According to the police, one of those arrested had been producing the drink suspected of containing methanol and was assisting investigators with the probe. Authorities are investigating how the suspected methanol-contaminated drink was produced and distributed.

Local media reports said the first death in the incident was reported nearly two weeks ago. The investigation is now focused on the circumstances surrounding the production and distribution of the suspected contaminated drink.

Health officials have urged people to avoid consuming unidentified or illegally produced alcoholic or other beverages as authorities continue monitoring those affected and investigating the incident.

Russians will head to the polls from Friday to Sunday to elect members of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, in the first parliamentary election since the country launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The election comes as Russians confront a slowing economy and Ukrainian drone strikes targeting refineries and warehouses far from the front line. United Russia, the governing party that backs President Vladimir Putin, is expected to retain its dominant position.

While authorities are presenting the election as an opportunity for voters to have their say, critics argue that the absence of genuine opposition on the ballot means the outcome is largely settled in advance.

The elections will also include local contests. Voters in 11 regions will elect governors, while 39 regions will elect members of regional legislatures.

Voting will take place over three days to boost turnout among the 111 million eligible voters and will include areas Russia occupies in Ukraine. Electronic voting is also permitted.

Half of the State Duma’s 450 seats will be filled through party lists, while the other half will be contested in single-ballot races.

United Russia, formed in 2001 through a merger of pro-Kremlin parties, has backed Putin and dominated parliament ever since. Its party list is led by political heavyweights Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s top diplomat for 22 years, and Sergei Sobyanin, the powerful mayor of Moscow.

In an apparent effort to introduce fresh faces into what is widely viewed as a party dominated by bureaucrats, its third-highest-ranking official is war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny, who was badly wounded by a Ukrainian drone.

United Russia members have pledged to support the war effort and Putin’s maximalist goals in what the Kremlin calls the “special military operation” in Ukraine.

Alongside United Russia, other “systemic opposition” parties that vote in sync with the government on key issues are also expected to remain in parliament.

The liberal Yabloko Party, the only registered political party that opposes the war, was initially on the ballot, but the Supreme Court ordered it removed in August.

The court cited, among other reasons, that the party’s antiwar stance was akin to seeking the violation of Russia’s territorial integrity. Yabloko now runs only in single-ballot races.

The Communist Party has been a leading force in the Federal Assembly since the 1990s and has been led for more than three decades by 82-year-old Gennady Zyuganov, a former Soviet official.

Throughout Putin’s more than a quarter-century in power, the Communists have criticised some aspects of government policy while carefully avoiding criticism of him. They also steadfastly support the war in Ukraine.

Alexander Bratersky, a political analyst and independent journalist, told Al Jazeera that the race for second place is worth watching.

If the Communist Party finishes second, it would “suggest voters are angry about economic hardship and falling living standards”, Bratersky said.

The Liberal Democratic Party, an ultranationalist force that has maintained a significant presence in the legislature since the early 1990s, will also likely retain some influence in the Duma.

Like the Communists, it staunchly supports the war and has multiple veterans among its members.

Other smaller parties also remain on the ballot.

A Just Russia has been part of Russia’s political scene for 20 years. The social-democratic party competes with the Communists for older and middle-aged voters nostalgic for the Soviet past and supports the war in Ukraine.

The New People Party was founded shortly before the 2021 parliamentary election, seeking to position itself as a liberal voice representing younger voters and technocrats. It won just more than 5 percent of the vote, allowing it to form a small faction.

Bratersky described the party as “a liberal-leaning party backed by some Kremlin people who are more technocratic and more pro-peace”.

He said it appeals to the “middle-class audience” and, after the Kremlin banned Yabloko, has been viewed as its substitute.

“So, if they come third with a good number of votes, this is a sign that those who are antiwar used them as their legal avatar,” he said.

Other parties seeking seats include Communists of Russia, a small rival to the main Communist Party; the Party of Pensioners; the Green Party; the Party of Direct Democracy; and the Motherland Party.

For the Kremlin, the elections carry significance beyond the routine process of choosing lawmakers. Bratersky told Al Jazeera that their importance stems from the fact that they are the first parliamentary elections since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Putin has linked the election to support for the war. At United Russia’s party congress in August, he endorsed the governing party and said its duty was “to do everything for victory” in the war in Ukraine.

“This shows that the Kremlin is a bit worried since the elections are the only legal way to show disrespect for the Kremlin,” Bratersky said. “Even Putin’s core fans hate United Russia as a corrupt force.”

With the vote taking place against the backdrop of the war, economic pressure and Ukraine’s drone strikes on targets far from the front line, the election will provide a closely watched measure of how Russia’s political system operates during the country’s first parliamentary vote since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.

The United States has approved visas for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior officials to attend the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York, even as the war between Washington and Tehran continues and efforts to reach an agreement remain unresolved.

The decision comes after US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran had contacted the United States seeking an agreement. Trump has also said that, given the current circumstances, the war may be moving towards its end. Against this backdrop, the approval of visas for Iran’s top leadership has drawn attention as Pezeshkian and Araghchi prepare to travel to the United States for the UN General Assembly.

The US State Department said on Thursday that visas had been approved for Iran’s core delegation and the essential staff required for the UN meetings. According to US officials, the main delegation includes Pezeshkian and Araghchi.

The decision comes after more than six months of conflict between Iran and the United States. However, there are still no clear signs of an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or resume negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.

The war began in February when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, targeting Iranian government buildings, military facilities and air defence systems. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and US military bases in the region.

Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have continued alongside the fighting. Trump has said that the war may now be approaching its conclusion and that Iran wants to reach an agreement with the United States. The visa approval for the Iranian president and foreign minister comes as both sides remain engaged in efforts to resolve the conflict, although key issues remain unsettled.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have claimed they shot down a Saudi Arabian F-15 fighter jet over Yemen’s Marib province, releasing video footage that purportedly shows the wreckage of the aircraft in a desert area. Saudi Arabia has not officially confirmed that an F-15 was shot down, and the Houthi claim could not be independently verified.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a statement on social media platform X that the Saudi F-15 was conducting a military operation in the airspace over Marib when Houthi forces attacked it.

Footage released by the Houthi military media platform purportedly shows the burned wreckage of an aircraft scattered across a desert area. Large sections of the aircraft can be seen on the ground, with fires visible in some parts of the debris. The Houthis said the wreckage also included a section of the aircraft’s tail bearing the Saudi Arabian flag and Arabic markings.

The Houthis have also alleged that Saudi Arabia carried out more than 450 airstrikes in different parts of Yemen over the past week. According to the organization, F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets were used in the attacks and operated from Khamis Mushait and Taif airbases.

The Houthis said the aircraft targeted several Yemeni provinces, including Taiz, Lahj, Al-Jawf, Hajjah, Marib, Saada and Al-Bayda. They also alleged that civilians were killed and injured in the airstrikes. These claims have not been independently verified.

The Houthis further claimed that two groups of Saudi F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets arrived over Marib after the reported F-15 crash, allegedly to search for the aircraft’s wreckage. The organization said its forces attacked the aircraft with locally made missiles, forcing the Saudi jets to withdraw from the area.

مشاهد نوعية لإسقاط طائرة مقاتلة سعودية من نوع F15 وحطامها في محافظة مأرب - 16 سبتمبر 2026م pic.twitter.com/rk0suliePT

— الإعلام الحربي اليمني (@MMY1444) September 16, 2026

Several hours later, the Houthis issued another statement claiming that they had also shot down a Saudi Arabian Wing Loong-2 armed drone over Marib.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels have risen again in recent days. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the organization had carried out drone and missile attacks on several Saudi targets, including the Yanbu oil port on the Red Sea coast and Khamis Mushait airbase.

Tensions escalated further after Saudi Arabia claimed it had shot down a Houthi drone south of Mecca. According to Saudi officials, the drone was intercepted and destroyed before it could enter Mecca’s restricted airspace. Riyadh described the incident as serious and said it represented an action that crossed a “red line.”

The Houthis denied targeting Mecca and accused Saudi Arabia of using the incident for propaganda.

Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition against the Houthis in Yemen since 2015. The conflict between the two sides had eased in recent years, but violence has increased again in recent days, with competing claims over airstrikes, drone attacks and the reported loss of military aircraft.

Several dozen presidential briefing documents declassified on the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks reveal the intelligence gathered by US government officials about Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda in the years leading up to the hijackings that killed nearly 3,000 people and upended US national security.

The documents detail security analysts’ efforts to track bin Laden’s movements and support network, along with concerns about possible threats to US targets. They also outline officials’ understanding of his network in the United States and other countries, including information about how his operations were financed.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe described the release as “an act of exceptional transparency”, saying the documents represented the agency’s single largest release of declassified presidential daily briefs, the highly classified briefings prepared by the nation’s intelligence community for the government’s most senior leaders.

The records span the period before and immediately after the September 11 attacks. Among them is a February 1998 file prepared for then-President Bill Clinton titled “Terrorists Seeking WMD Capability”, which mentioned bin Laden and other Islamic extremists.

An April 1998 document described the Taliban’s unwillingness to hand over bin Laden, who was then viewed as their “guest” in Afghanistan. The briefing said the Taliban’s “gratitude for his assistance during the Soviet occupation” was making them “reluctant to alienate him by monitoring or controlling his activities”.

Five months later, a briefer wrote that bin Laden’s “preferred option is to strike the US on its own soil in Washington” and warned that al-Qaeda “may fly an explosive-packed airplane into a US city”.

The possibility of hijackings was also discussed in December 1998. A briefer reported that conspirators “have evaded security checks during a recent trial run at an unidentified New York airport” and that “some members of the Bin Ladin network have received hijack training”.

Other documents detail bin Laden’s pursuit of materials to make “dirty bombs”, conventional weapons infused with radioactive material. By June 1999, according to intelligence officials, his operatives had conducted experiments involving explosives to “increase their energy output”.

The briefings also document concerns over bin Laden’s network, its support system and its activities across the United States and other countries. They show how intelligence officials were tracking his movements and examining the resources and financing behind his operations.

The documents extend beyond the attacks themselves. A September 12, 2001, report said a source indicated that the attacks had been planned for two years and had also targeted the US Capitol.

Many of the released documents were redacted to conceal the names of sources and other identifying information. The records did not appear to break new ground on the planning of the attacks or on US officials’ understanding of how the September 11 hijackings had unfolded.

Taken together, the declassified presidential daily briefs provide a detailed record of the intelligence officials had gathered about bin Laden and al-Qaeda before the attacks, including warnings about potential attacks on US soil, hijacking preparations, weapons capabilities and the network’s activities.

According to US and Middle Eastern intelligence officials, Iran has resumed production of ballistic missiles by assembling components that had been stockpiled before the war. The work is reportedly being carried out at underground facilities, indicating that Iran’s missile capability is gradually returning despite the damage inflicted during the recent military campaign.

The development is significant because the United States and Israel had claimed that their recent military operations had inflicted major damage on Iran’s missile capabilities. During the early stages of the war, heavy strikes targeted Iranian missile launch sites and industrial units with the stated aim of destroying the country’s missile production capacity.

However, intelligence indicates that Iran had already stockpiled several critical components. Those parts are now reportedly being moved to underground locations, where they are being assembled into missiles. The use of underground facilities is intended to protect the production process from airstrikes and allow work to continue without interruption.

Iran is producing two types of ballistic missiles. The first are liquid-propellant missiles, which must be fueled shortly before launch. The second are solid-propellant missiles, which can be prepared in advance, stored and launched when required. Solid-propellant missiles are considered more dangerous because they are easier to conceal for extended periods and significantly reduce the response time.

The United States and Israel had described the weakening of Iran’s missile capability during the war as a major achievement. They claimed that several production sites had been destroyed and that Iran’s missile stockpile had been substantially reduced. The latest intelligence reports indicating that production has resumed are raising questions about the credibility of those claims.

If Iran can continue producing missiles relatively easily at underground facilities, completely eliminating its missile capability through future airstrikes could prove difficult. The development presents a new challenge for regional security as tensions across the Middle East remain high. A growing Iranian missile capability could increase the threat faced by neighboring countries and Israel.

Solid-propellant missiles are a particular concern because they can be deployed quickly. Liquid-propellant missiles require time to be fueled, making them somewhat easier to detect and intercept. However, the continued production of both types of missiles remains a concern for the United States and its allies.

Iran has long adopted a strategy of keeping sensitive military facilities underground. It has built factories in mountainous areas and deep tunnels to protect them from airstrikes. That strategy appears to be continuing after the war. By using stockpiled components, Iran is reducing its dependence on new production plants. This could slow the pace of production, but it does not appear to have stopped it.

Analysts believe the development demonstrates how difficult it is to completely destroy a country’s military capability in modern warfare. Once stockpiles have been built and an underground network has been established, recovery remains possible even after military strikes.

The new challenge for the United States and Israel is how to locate and target these underground facilities. Diplomatic pressure and sanctions could also continue to be used to restrain Iran. Iran’s recovering missile capability could affect the security balance across the Middle East, with Gulf countries, Israel and the United States closely monitoring the development.

If the pace of production increases, Iran could feel more confident about its position, while opposing countries may have to further strengthen their defense systems. The issue is likely to remain a subject of discussion not only at the military level but also diplomatically. The international community will have to determine how Iran’s missile activities should be monitored and what further action should be taken.

Overall, the development indicates that Iran is not prepared to permanently lose its missile capability despite the war. With underground facilities and previously stockpiled components, it has gradually resumed production. Further intelligence is expected to emerge, but for now, the development represents a major challenge for the US-Israel alliance.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has formally begun examining Democratic Party lawmaker Ilhan Omar’s family immigration records, bringing renewed attention to long-running allegations surrounding her 2009 marriage to British citizen Ahmed Nur Said Elmi.

Omar, a congresswoman from Minneapolis, has been accused of marrying Elmi to help him obtain US citizenship and a green card. The allegation has circulated for several years in the US media and political circles, but the matter has gained fresh attention after federal investigators reopened files involving passports, tax filings and marriage certificates.

If allegations of immigration fraud and false statements under oath are proven, Omar could face a major legal crisis involving not only her membership in the US Congress but also her US citizenship and possible removal from the country.

US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has provided new information about the ongoing investigation into Omar’s immigration history. He said federal officials are examining allegations that Omar married her brother to help him enter the United States.

Mullin made the remarks while speaking with Conservative Observer Benny Johnson at the Republican National Convention in Dallas on Thursday. According to Mullin, investigators are looking beyond the disputed marriage allegation and examining the immigration history of Omar’s family.

“We know that she married her brother in an attempt to bring him to America,” Mullin said. He added that “there could be a lot more to it,” saying investigators are examining possible “illegal activity” connected to the family’s arrival in the United States.

The allegations against Omar are linked to her 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, a British citizen. Conservative critics have alleged that Elmi was Omar’s biological brother and that the marriage was entered into to make his US immigration easier.

Omar has repeatedly denied the allegations. She has said that Elmi was not her brother and has rejected claims that she engaged in immigration fraud.

The reopening of immigration-related records, including passports, tax filings and marriage certificates, has now placed the long-running allegations under renewed federal scrutiny. The investigation into Omar’s family immigration history and the disputed marriage could determine whether the allegations lead to further legal action.