Washington, April 23 (IANS) US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended a temporary sanctions waiver affecting Russian oil, saying it helped prevent a sharper spike in global prices, even as Democrats warned it could boost Moscow’s war finances and keep fuel costs high.Testifying before a Senate panel, Bessent said the move was aimed at stabilising supply during a volatile period.“Treasury was able to create the more than 250 million barrels on the water,” he said.He added that without th…
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Washington, March 14 (IANS) Democratic lawmakers in the US Congress are pressing the Pentagon for answers after reports that a US strike during Operation Epic Fury hit a girls’ elementary school in Iran, killing at least 175 civilians — many of them children — prompting calls for a full investigation, accountability, and stronger safeguards to prevent civilian casualties.Members of the House and Senate said the incident, which reportedly occurred on February 28 near the town of Minab, coul…
Washington, March 11 (IANS) About 140 US service members have been wounded during the first 10 days of sustained attacks linked to the American military campaign against Iran, the Pentagon said, as Senate Democrats demanded public hearings on President Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East.Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell disclosed the casualty figures in a statement on the ongoing conflict.“Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, approximately 140 US service members have been wounded o…
Washington, Feb 28 (IANS) From Russian and Chinese military activity near Alaska to drone incursions at the US–Mexico border, American senators pressed two Pentagon nominees on how they would defend the homeland while preserving civil liberties during a closely watched confirmation hearing.The Senate Armed Services Committee examined the nominations of Mark Roosevelt Ditlevson to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas Security Affairs, and Brian D. Birdwell to be A…
Washington, Feb 5 (IANS) The imminent expiry of the New START nuclear arms control treaty has triggered sharp warnings in the US Senate about a more dangerous, unconstrained era of nuclear competition involving the United States, Russia, and China, with lawmakers and experts cautioning that the fallout could extend well beyond the three powers.Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker believes that the treaty, signed in 2010, was “negotiated in a bygone era” and no longer reflect…
Washington, Jan 20(IANS) US senators have warned that China is aggressively expanding its political, economic, and security footprint across South America, using infrastructure control, strategic investments, and diplomatic pressure to undermine US interests and weaken Taiwan’s international standing.Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Roger Wicker, during a hearing, said China’s activities in the region go far beyond trade. “Across South America, the Chinese influence threatens US in…
Washington, Jan 20 (IANS) The United States is already engaged in an active and escalating cyber conflict with its adversaries, senior American lawmakers have warned, cautioning that attacks on critical infrastructure and national systems are occurring in real time and growing harder to detect or deter.Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker during a confirmation hearing said cyber threats are no longer hypothetical. “This is not a theoretical threat,” he said. “This is an on…