Washington, June 11 (IANS) The United States launched a fresh round of strikes against multiple targets in Iran, with President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warning Tehran that military pressure would intensify unless it agreed to a nuclear deal with Washington.The latest operation began at 5:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, when US Central Command (CENTCOM) launched what it described as additional self-defence strikes against multiple targets in Iran at the direction of Pres…

Washington, June 11 (IANS) The United States has effectively taken control of the Strait of Hormuz and quietly protected the movement of more than 100 million barrels of oil through the strategic waterway despite tensions with Iran, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has said.Speaking at US Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters in Florida on Wednesday (Local time), Hegseth unveiled new details of what he described as a largely undisclosed maritime operation aimed at keeping one of the world’s most i…

New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the 11th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre here on Thursday. This year’s theme is ‘Inclusive Human Development for Viksit Bharat @2047’, focusing on the well-being and development of every Indian, regardless of age, region, gender, or socio-economic background, according to an official statement.The Governing Council Meeting will deliberate on the approach to realise this vision and …

Washington, June 11 (IANS) A senior Republican lawmaker has introduced an amendment aimed at reinforcing US policy that the succession of the Dalai Lama is a religious matter to be determined solely by Tibetan Buddhist authorities, warning that China could seek to install a successor loyal to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).Speaking during a House Foreign Affairs Committee markup this week, Chairman Emeritus of the committee, Michael McCaul, urged lawmakers to back the amendment, saying it wou…

Kinshasa, June 11 (IANS) The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has risen to 635 as of June 9, Health Minister Roger Kamba has said. In a post on social media platform X on Wednesday (local time), Kamba said the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, continues to pose challenges, but the response is gaining momentum, with more patients recovering and contact tracing improving,, reports Xinhua news agency.According to Kamba, the proportion of co…

London, June 11 (IANS) The International Maritime Organization (IMO) strongly condemned an attack on a tanker near the Strait of Hormuz that reportedly left three seafarers missing. In a statement on Wednesday (local time), the IMO said the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello caught fire after reportedly being struck by a projectile off the coast of Oman.IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez expressed deep concern over the incident, saying any act endangering the lives of seafarers and the safe…

Washington, June 11 (IANS) A bipartisan congressional leader has accused China of attempting to exploit America’s open political system after OpenAI disclosed that China-linked actors used ChatGPT to generate content aimed at influencing debates over US tariffs and the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure.The findings were highlighted by Rep. John Moolenaar, Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, who said the Chinese government was seeking to …

New Delhi, June 11 (IANS) Congress has approached the Supreme Court to contest the dismissal of its Rajya Sabha candidate Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination from Madhya Pradesh and is expected to bring the issue up early in the morning for an urgent hearing before the court’s vacation bench on Thursday.This legal action follows the Returning Officer’s rejection of Natarajan’s nomination papers due to objections raised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The ruling party claimed that the Congress …

Beirut, June 11 (IANS) At least 18 people were killed, and several others were injured in southern Lebanon as the cross-border fighting with Israel continues, according to civil defence and health authorities. The deadliest attack occurred in Tyre District’s town of Tayr Debba, killing nine people and injuring seven others, according to a preliminary toll, reports Xinhua, quoting Lebanon’s National News Agency.Hezbollah said on Wednesday (Local time) that it targeted gatherings of Israeli troops…

United Nations, June 11 (IANS) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for continued United Nations “uniformed presence” following the departure of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), a process set to begin at the end of this year. Speaking at an open debate of the UN Security Council on the situation in the Middle East on Wednesday (local time), Guterres said that the region is being pulled deeper into crisis, and the consequences reach far beyond the region.”I am profoundly concerne…