The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 has moved to a Joint Parliamentary Committee after the Lok Sabha approved a motion to send the contentious legislation for detailed examination. The 31-member JPC will comprise 21 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha members. The panel has been asked to submit its report by the last day of the first week of the 2026 Winter Session. The move came amid strong Opposition protests, with MPs demanding that the FCRA Bill be withdrawn.  

US President Donald Trump escalates a public feud with Pope Leo XIV over escalating tensions surrounding Iran, nuclear threats, and humanitarian claims. The controversy intensified after Trump, in a series of Truth Social posts, sharply criticized Pope Leo XIV’s comments on US foreign policy and the ongoing Iran crisis. The president accused Iran of being responsible for the deaths of “at least 42,000 innocent protesters” and reiterated his strong stance against any possibility of Iran developing nuclear weapons. The situation escalated further as Trump directly attacked the Pope, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible on foreign policy,” while insisting that his leadership was essential in preventing global instability. WATCH