Mexico City, Sep 4 (IANS) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that American forces could have intercepted a Venezuelan vessel suspected of carrying illegal drugs, but President Donald Trump instead ordered it destroyed, resulting in the deaths of 11 people. “Instead of interdicting it, on the President’s orders, we blew it up — and it’ll happen again,” Rubio told reporters in Mexico City on Wednesday (local time), defending what he called an unprecedented escalation.The strike, described…

New Delhi, Sep 4 (IANS) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday called on Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in New Delhi and discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations, expressing confidence that ties between the two nations will further deepen following Wong’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Taking to X, Jaishankar posted, “Pleased to call on PM Lawrence Wong of Singapore this morning in Delhi. Appreciate his constant encouragement for the strengthening of I…

Florida (United States), Sep 4 (IANS) The US state of Florida announced plans to end all state vaccine mandates, including for school children, making it the first state in the nation to do so. Florida State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said at a press conference on Wednesday (local time) that current vaccine requirements in schools hamper parents’ ability to make health decisions for their children.The move would make Florida the first state in the United States to completely withdraw from a p…

United Nations, Sep 4 (IANS) The UN General Assembly (UNGA) met to commemorate and promote the International Day against Nuclear Tests.”Today’s commemoration takes place in a world overshadowed by conflict, mistrust and the looming shadow of nuclear weapons,” said Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Undersecretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, on behalf of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at the conference on Wednesday.As trust between states continues to erode and investments i…

Jerusalem, Sep 4 (IANS) Israel has rejected Hamas’ proposal for reaching a comprehensive ceasefire deal in Gaza to end the war, saying its army will continue to prepare for a major attack on Gaza City.In a press statement released on Wednesday, Hamas reiterated its willingness to reach a “comprehensive deal” under which Israeli hostages in Gaza would be released in exchange for an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.According to Hamas, the deal would also include a permanent ce…

Washington, Sep 4 (IANS) India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra, met with Representative Gregory Meeks, the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, to discuss the India-US ties amid escalating trade frictions under President Donald Trump. In a post on Wednesday on X, the House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats quoted Representative Meeks as underscoring “Congress’ support for the US-India partnership, which has deepened over the past 25 years, including through the Quad”.Mee…

Washington, Sep 4 (IANS) A US federal judge has sided with Harvard University in a lawsuit against the Trump administration, ruling that the federal government illegally froze billions of dollars in research funds. Allison Burroughs, judge of the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, wrote on Wednesday in a ruling that “Defendants (US Department of Health and Human Services and US Department of Justice) used anti-semitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated as…

Washington, Sep 4 (IANS) Former Indian Ambassador to France and Director General of Jadeja Motwani Institute for American Studies at OP Jindal Global University, Mohan Kumar, has countered the Trump administration’s assertion that India is the “Maharaja of tariffs”. In an article in Newsweek magazine on Sunday, titled “Is India a ‘Tariff King’? Not Really,” Kumar, termed the perception of India’s high tariff rates as “widespread but fallacious”.Kumar argued that “tariff war initiated by the US i…

Lisbon, Sep 4 (IANS) The Gloria Funicular, one of Lisbon’s best-known tourist attractions, derailed and overturned, leaving 15 people dead and 18 others injured, including five in serious condition, local media reported, citing the National Institute of Medical Emergency. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has canceled a book festival at the Belem Palace, which was scheduled to take place from Thursday to Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported.The decision was made “in memory of the victi…

Amman, Sep 4 (IANS) Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s remarks on West Bank “annexation” made flagrantly violate international law, escalate regional tensions, and challenge the global will for the two-state solution, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories,” the Ministry said on Wednesday, adding that the Israeli government’s continued expansionist actions and its officials’ “racist statements” incite “cycles o…