Washington, June 2 (IANS) Voicing concerns over China’s activities in the South China Sea, Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday reaffirmed U.S. support for the Philippines, describing Manila as a critical partner in the Indo-Pacific amid growing regional tensions. Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio said he had raised concerns about Chinese actions near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in multiple engagements with Chinese officials and warned against efforts to alt…
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Seoul, June 2 (IANS) South Korea and the United States launched their first round of talks on Tuesday to implement a set of security agreements reached by their leaders last year, including Seoul’s push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, officials said. The inaugural two-day talks began at around 10 a.m. at the foreign ministry building in Seoul, focusing on security-related provisions in a bilateral joint fact sheet issued following a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and US President …
Beirut, June 2 (IANS) Lebanese authorities have confirmed that Hezbollah has agreed to a US proposal for a “mutual cessation of attacks” with Israel, according to a statement by the Lebanese presidency, citing the Lebanese embassy in Washington. The statement, released on Monday (local time), said that the confirmation followed a phone call between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which the situation in Lebanon and efforts to de-escalate tensions were …
Seoul, June 2 (IANS) South Korean stocks traded lower late on Tuesday morning as investors rushed to cash out market heavyweights, bucking overnight gains on Wall Street.Opening a tad higher, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was down 188.63 points, or 2.15 percent, to 8,599.75 as of 11:20 am (local time), reports Yonhap news agency.Overnight, U.S. stocks finished higher, with major indexes reaching fresh record highs as a rally in tech shares lifted market sentiment.U.S. c…
Washington, May 31 (IANS) As the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of its independence next month, the Trump administration is facing a series of political and legal challenges, from questions over anniversary celebrations in Washington to growing controversy surrounding immigration detention policies and key Senate races ahead of the midterm elections. Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the administration’s Freedom 250 in…
New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) India and the United States are set to resume negotiations on an interim bilateral trade agreement this week, with chief negotiators from both sides meeting in New Delhi for four days beginning June 1. The discussions are expected to focus on finalising the details and legal text of the proposed interim trade pact, whose broad framework was agreed upon earlier this year.The US delegation will be led by chief negotiator Brendan Lynch, while India’s team will be headed by …
Singapore, May 31 (IANS) US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has called on America’s allies in the Indo-Pacific region to increase defence spending and strengthen military preparedness to counter China’s growing influence and military expansion, according to a report. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth stressed that maintaining regional stability would require stronger deterrence, deeper security cooperation and greater contributions from US allies.According to a report by M…
Tehran, May 31 (IANS) Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on Sunday that it had shot down a US MQ-1 drone, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported.The drone entered Iranian territorial waters with the intention of conducting hostile operations, but was promptly detected and brought down by air defence missiles, the report said.Earlier on Tuesday, the IRGC said that it reserved the “legitimate and definite” right to retaliate against any ceasefire violatio…
Singapore, May 30 (IANS) US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday called for finding a “balance” in the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to South Korea in a way that respects the roles the US military has played for decades.Hegseth made the remarks at a defence forum in Singapore amid growing concerns over what appear to be differing views between Seoul and Washington over when and how the transition should proceed, Yonhap news agency reported.”I think we have to find the bal…
New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) Pakistan has been projecting itself as a strong player on the international front. However, in reality, it is desperately attempting an image makeover not just at home, but on the international level as well.The problems in Pakistan are grave, human rights issues remain a major concern, and the world has been flagging it repeatedly.Islamabad has been talking to lobbyists across the world to hobnob with influential players in a bid to project a positive image.While the Pa…