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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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Special Counsel Pauses Federal Prosecution of Trump Over 2020 Election Interference

 

In a significant development, Special Counsel Jack Smith has requested a pause in the federal prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump for his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. This move comes in light of Trump's recent victory in the 2024 presidential election.

Smith's request, filed on Friday, asks the court to vacate all remaining deadlines in the pretrial schedule to allow the government time to assess the unprecedented circumstances and determine the appropriate course of action. The Justice Department has a longstanding policy against prosecuting sitting presidents, which has influenced this decision.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan granted the request, setting a new deadline of December 2, 2024, for the government to file a status report outlining its proposed course for the case. This pause reflects the complexities and legal considerations surrounding the prosecution of a sitting president.

Trump, who has denied all wrongdoing, was initially indicted in August 2023 for his alleged role in a criminal scheme to overturn the 2020 election results. The case has faced numerous delays, and the recent election victory has added another layer of complexity to the proceedings.

As the legal and political implications of this decision unfold, the nation watches closely to see how the Justice Department will navigate this unprecedented situation.

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