Washington, May 22 (IANS) US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio intensified pressure on Cuba, describing the island nation as a failed state and a continuing national security threat to the United States.Speaking separately in Florida and at the White House, both officials signalled a tougher posture towards Havana while also leaving open the possibility of a negotiated settlement.Trump, responding to questions about Cuba during an Oval Office event on deregulation, said t…
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Minsk, May 21 (IANS) Belarus summoned Lithuania’s Charge d’Affaires Erikas Vilkanecas to the Foreign Ministry on Thursday after a Ukrainian military drone launched from Lithuanian territory violated Belarusian airspace.During a meeting with Vilkanecas, Belarusian officials condemned repeated border violations, saying a “Chaika” drone, initially targeting Russian sites, was detected in the country’s north near Stanislavtsy in the Vitebsk region on Sunday, Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesperson …
Washington, May 21 (IANS) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sharply escalated criticism of Cuba’s leadership on Thursday, calling the island a “failed state” and warning that instability there directly threatens US national security. Speaking during a media gaggle in Miami ahead of his India trip, Rubio said Cuba’s political and economic system was “broken” and accused the government of blocking humanitarian assistance while enriching military-linked entities.“Their economic system…
New Delhi: India has recently concluded deals with New Zealand, South Korea and Russia that are advantageous in headline terms, but signal more about India’s quest for strategic autonomy. They mark a deliberate shift in how New Delhi is deploying trade and defence alignment policies as calibrated levers of strategic autonomy amidst rising global rivalries and uncertainties. The agreements, different in scale and context, indicate a strategic logic: India is widening its economic and security o…
Tokyo, May 21 (IANS) A senior Japanese official has rejected the criticism of China and Russia over their claims of Japan’s “remilitarisation” on Thursday, terming it “entirely unfounded,” local media reported. Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki said that Tokyo wants China and Russia to “change their behaviour” over issues like Beijing’s military activities, which he called a “cause for serious concern for the international community”,…
Cairo, May 21 (IANS) Ahead of the nation’s final training camp this month, the Egyptian Football Association has announced a preliminary 27-player squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026, with coach Hossam Hassan’s selection highlighting a core group of ever-present stars, including Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush, Trezeguet, and Mohamed Abdelmonem.Of the 27 players from the preliminary squad, only 26 players are to be selected after the friendly match against Russia scheduled for May 28, as part of the …
New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) After Iran demonstrated that it can exploit its geographical advantage to use the Strait of Hormuz as a chokepoint and monetise transit through the narrow waterway by charging a fee on ships, the trend appears to be spreading, with Indonesia sending a signal that it is contemplating similar steps to raise revenue from the Strait of Malacca.Critical sea trade passages are no longer deemed safe and neutral. Instead, they are increasingly viewed as assets that can be regula…
New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) There is no shortage of petrol, diesel or LPG in the country and petrol pumps that are not giving fuel or giving fuel in reduced quantities are being pulled up, according to senior government officials on Thursday.The government is receiving feedback about petrol pumps across India and full supply of fuels is being maintained to all retail outlets. There has also been no reduction in oil imports coming from Russia in order to ensure adequate crude supplies to the refiner…
Washington, May 21 (IANS) Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks reshaped America’s national security architecture, lawmakers and counterterrorism experts have warned that the United States faces a more complex and dangerous threat landscape driven by artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, drones, foreign espionage and decentralised terror networks.During a hearing of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on Wednesday (local time), bipartisan lawmakers and witnesses r…
Washington, May 21 (IANS) President Donald Trump used a commencement address at the US Coast Guard Academy to praise the graduating class, defend his administration’s immigration and economic policies, and issue fresh warnings to Iran, saying Tehran would never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. Addressing the graduating class of 2026 in New London, Connecticut, on Wednesday (local time), Trump described the United States as “the hottest country anywhere in the world” and told cadets t…