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Mojtaba Khamenei’s Rise Sparks Market Turmoil as Hardliners Mobilize

People attend a gathering to support Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 9, 2026.  Iran’s hardline factions mounted a powerful show of support for newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei , rallying across Tehran in a display that signaled a tightening of conservative control and diminished hopes for de-escalation in the Middle East.  The demonstrations, marked by mass gatherings and imagery linking Mojtaba to his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, underscored the regime’s consolidation at a moment of heightened regional conflict.  Analysts warn that the hardliners’ unified backing suggests Iran is unlikely to soften its stance amid ongoing tensions with the U.S. and Israel. Global markets reacted sharply. Fears that prolonged instability could further disrupt energy supplies sent oil prices soaring and triggered steep declines in major stock indices. With one of the most significan...

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Trump’s Last-Minute Demands Throw Government Funding Plan into Disarray


In a dramatic turn of events, President-elect Donald Trump has rejected a bipartisan plan aimed at preventing a government shutdown just days before the deadline. This unexpected move has left House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans scrambling to renegotiate the terms to keep the government operational.

Trump's sudden demands have sent Congress into chaos as lawmakers rush to conclude their work and head home for the holidays. The president-elect's proposal includes a controversial provision to raise the nation’s debt limit, a measure often opposed by his own party.

Democrats have criticized the Republican opposition to the stopgap measure, which was intended to keep federal offices running and provide significant disaster aid. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused Republicans of being instructed to shut down the government, thereby harming working-class Americans.

The bill, already on shaky ground, faced further rejection from hard-right conservatives and Trump’s ally, Elon Musk. Many lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the increased spending and other provisions in the 1,500-page bill.

As the deadline looms, the situation underscores the challenges Republicans will face next year as they take control of the House, Senate, and White House. It also highlights the significant influence Trump holds over the party’s legislative agenda.

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