After Liberals' Victory, Canada PM Mark Carney Says Old Relationship With US 'Is Over'

OTTAWA, April 29: In his victory speech after winning a stupendous electoral battle, where his Liberal Party came from behind to win the parliamentary election in Canada for a third consecutive time, Mark Carney, set to continue as prime minister, flayed US President Donald Trump.

The era of integration between Canada and the United States of America is over, Carney said, as supporters cheered in encouragement of their new prime minister. "Our old relationship with the United States, which had brought prosperity to Canada, is over," he added, cautioning Washington and President Trump that Canada has many other options and will explore it, cutting down dependency on America drastically.

President Trump, who was the primary reason why snap polls were called by its northern neighbour, has been in relentless pursuit to make Canada the "51st state of the United States of America". So determined was he, that he repeatedly disregarded Canada's sovereignty and disrespected its prime minister by addressing him as "Governor" on several occasions.

The US President, who dreams of annexing Canada, has also suggested "buying" the country, just like he wants to buy Greenland. Ottawa initially treated these remarks as a joke in the passing, but when it soured upon repeated utterances, it hit back by sending a reverse proposal to "buy" the states of California, Oregon, Washington, and Minnesota.

As a result, a furious Donald Trump went ahead and imposed punitive taxes and tariffs on Canadian goods in order to cripple the nation economically and squeeze Canadians whose livelihoods entirely depended on trade with its southern neighbour. This put Canada under immense pressure to either comply or perish.

Canadians, outraged by the betrayal of their closest ally, are determined to make Canada stronger. And the first step in this direction was to elect a government with a decisive mandate in order not just to stand up to Trump, but successfully push back any future attempts he makes.

Resonating with this sentiment in his victory speech, Carney, who returns as prime minister for a second time after his brief first stint, said, "Throughout our history there have been turning points. Turning points where the world's fortunes were in the balance. That was the case at the end of the second world war, just as it was at the end of the cold war. And in each of those times, Canada chose to step up - to assert ourselves as a free, sovereign, and ambitious nation. To lead the path of democracy and freedom. And because we are Canadian, to do so with compassion and generosity."

Carney closed the door on Donald Trump's motives and plans when he addressed the nation, saying, "We are once again on one of those hinge moments of history. Our old relationship with the United States - a relationship based on steadily increasing integration, is over. The system of open global trade, anchored by the United States, a system that Canada relied on since the second world war, a system that has helped deliver prosperity for our country for decades, is over."

Disheartened at seeing the decades-old ties with the United States now shattered, Prime Minister Carney told fellow Canadians that "These are tragedies, but it is also our reality. We are over the shock of the American betrayal. We are over. But we should never, ever forget the lessons. We're going to take this forward and we have to look out for ourselves, but above all, we must take care of each other."

Carney, who is a PhD in Economics with an education from Harvard and Oxford, has assured Canadians that he will send Canada's message of rejection to Washington loud and clear. "When I sit down with President Trump, it will be to discuss the future economic and security relationship between two sovereign nations. And it will be with our full knowledge, that we have many, many other options that just the United States to bring prosperity for all Canadians," he said.

Putin Announces 72-Hour Ukraine Ceasefire From May 8

MOSCOW, April 28: Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine between May 8th and 10th for "humanitarian reasons". The Kremlin expects Ukraine to follow through the ceasefire, but has said that they would respond if the ceasefire is violated.

"Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example. In the event of violations of the truce by the Ukrainian side, the Russian armed forces will give an adequate and effective response," the Kremlin added.

This comes days after US president Donald Trump posted on his social media, "I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying".

The ceasefire is taking place on Russia's Victory Day on May 9th, which marks the end of the Second World War.

Moscow is trying to win back Trump's favour after the US president said he was "very disappointed" after Russia continued to bomb civilian areas in Ukraine. Trump also said that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to give up Crimea for a peace deal with Russia.

In other news, North Korea has confirmed that their troops had been supporting Putin's war against Ukraine, for the first time.

Kim Jong Un, North Korea's Supreme Leader has also added that the deployment meant to "annihilate and wipe out the Ukrainian neo-Nazi occupiers and liberate the Kursk area”.

This is not the first time Russia has announced a ceasefire. In April 2025, Putin declared a unilateral Easter truce which only lasted 30 hours, and about which Ukraine was skeptical, as there were ongoing fighting and violations being reported on both sides.

However, the May ceasefire has been announced in advance notice and is longer.

Ukraine said that if Russia "truly wants peace" it should have announced an immediate 30 day ceasefire. Moreover the White House has also said that it wants to see a "permanent ceasefire".

Mega Power Outage Hits Spain, Portugal, Millions Without Electricity

MADRID, April 28: Spain and Portugal were hit by a widespread power outage on Monday that paralysed public transport, caused large traffic jams and delayed airline flights, and utility operators were scrambling to restore the grid.

The Spanish and Portuguese governments convened emergency cabinet meetings after the outage, which also briefly affected a part of France, which borders northeastern Spain.

Portugal's utility REN confirmed a cut in electricity across the Iberian Peninsula that also affected part of France, while Spanish grid operator Red Electrica said it was working with regional energy companies to restore power.

"All plans for the phased restoration of energy supply are being activated, in coordination with European energy producers and operators," a REN spokesperson said.

"REN is in permanent contact with official entities, namely the National Civil Protection Authority. At the same time, the possible causes of this incident are being assessed."

Spanish radio stations said part of the Madrid underground was being evacuated. There were traffic jams at Madrid city centre as traffic lights stopped working, Cader Ser Radio station reported.

Hundreds of people stood outside office buildings on Madrid's streets and there was a heavy police presence around key buildings, directing traffic as well as driving along central atriums with lights, according to a Reuters witness.

One of four tower buildings in Madrid that houses the British Embassy had been evacuated, the witness added.

Local radio reported people trapped in stalled metro cars and elevators.

Portuguese police said traffic lights were affected across the country, the metro was closed in Lisbon and Porto, and trains were not running.

Lisbon's subway transport operator Metropolitano de Lisboa said the subway was at a standstill with people still inside the trains, according to Publico newspaper.

A source at Portugal's TAP Air said Lisbon airport was running on back-up generators, while AENA, which manages 46 airports in Spain, reported flight delays around the country.

In France, grid operator RTE said there was a brief outage but power has been restored. It was investigating the cause.

'130 nukes aimed at you': Pakistan Minister warns India over Indus Treaty suspension

ISLAMABAD, April 27: Pakistan Minister Hanif Abbasi heightened tensions by openly threatening India with nuclear retaliation. He warned that Islamabad’s missile stockpile—comprising Ghori, Shaheen, and Ghaznavi missiles, along with 130 nuclear warheads—has been maintained "only for India."

Abbasi stated that if India were to halt the water supply to Pakistan by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, which has already been partially suspended, India should brace itself for war, as Islamabad is prepared to strike if provoked.

“If they cut off our water supply, then they should get ready for a war. The military equipment we possess and the missiles we have are not for show. Nobody knows where our nuclear weapons are stored across the country. I reiterate, all our ballistic missiles are aimed at you," the Pakistani minister said.

These remarks followed India's announcement of various measures against Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack that resulted in 26 deaths. India decided to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty and also announced the suspension of visas for Pakistani nationals.

In a retaliatory move, Islamabad closed its airspace to Indian carriers and threatened to suspend the 1972 Simla Agreement, which recognizes the Line of Control as a de facto border.

Abbasi commented on Pakistan’s decision to close its airspace for India, stating that New Delhi is beginning to realize the severe consequences of its actions. "If this situation continues for another 10 days, airlines in India would go bankrupt," Abbasi said, mocking India's decision to suspend the Indus Treaty.

The minister also claimed that Pakistan has already begun preparing for the repercussions of India's decision to downgrade bilateral trade, indicating that Islamabad is ready to counter any economic actions taken against it.

India made the bold decision to lower its diplomatic ties with Pakistan after The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.

Putin Says Russia Ready To Resume Talks With Ukraine 'Without Preconditions'

MOSCOW, April 26: Russian President Vladimir Putin told US envoy Steve Witkoff that Russia is ready to hold talks with Ukraine "without preconditions", the Kremlin said on Saturday.

"During yesterday's talks with Trump's envoy Witkoff, Vladimir Putin reiterated that Russia is ready to resume negotiations with Ukraine without any preconditions," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who also added that Putin has repeated the same several times.

This comes in the midst of US President Donald Trump's talks with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome, at the funeral of Pope Francis.

In a post on Truth Social after his talks with Zelensky, Trump also said maybe Putin "has to be dealt with differently, through 'Banking' or 'Secondary Sanctions?'"

He posted on his social media platform he said, "...there was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn't want to stop the war, he's just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through “Banking” or “Secondary Sanctions?” Too many people are dying!!!"

Trump, who promised on the campaign trail to strike a deal between Moscow and Kyiv in 24 hours, has in three months failed to wrangle concessions from Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt his invasion.

The Republican had said over the weekend he hoped a peace deal could be struck "this week" despite no signs the two sides are anywhere close to agreeing even a ceasefire, let alone a wider long-term settlement.

Moscow's forces occupy around a fifth of Ukrainian territory and tens of thousands have been killed since they invaded in February 2022.

Trump, Zelensky Meet At Pope's Funeral Weeks After White House Clash

ROME, April 26: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his US counterpart Donald Trump met on Saturday in Rome for Pope Francis's funeral, after the White House said Kyiv and Moscow were "very close to a deal", the Ukrainian presidency announced.

"The meeting took place and is already over," Zelensky's spokesman Sergiy Nykyforov told journalists.

This is their first in-person meeting since their clash in the Oval Office in February. The two leaders were not seated close to one another, per the New York Post, as the Vatican had seated delegations at the funeral in French alphabetical order.

Zelensky spoke about the meeting in a post on X saying, "Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered." He also added, "Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results."

In February, the ugly clash blew up in the Oval Office where Trump and Vice President JD Vance shouted at Zelensky, accusing him of not being "thankful" for US help in the three-year war.

Trump and Zelensky were both seen accompanied by their wives, and sat in the front row of the funeral in St Peter's Square, but were separated by other leaders.

The White House said Saturday that US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky had a "very productive" meeting ahead of the funeral of Pope Francis.

"President Trump and President Zelensky met privately today and had a very productive discussion," said White House communications director Steven Cheung.

Although Trump has called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the attacks on Ukraine, he has blamed Zelensky for the war.

Per Trump, Russia and Ukraine are "very close to a deal" and he urged the two sides to meet at "very high levels" to "finish it off".

Last year Trump promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war in a day, however in an interview to TIME magazine he said it was an "exaggeration".

8 Killed, 750 Injured In Massive Explosion At Iran's Most Advanced Port

TEHRAN, April 26: At least eight people were killed and 750 injured after several containers exploded at a key Iranian port on Saturday, causing a massive fire. Videos showed thick smoke billowing from the port area.

"The explosion occurred in a part of the Shahid Rajaee port dock, and we are extinguishing the fire," state TV quoted Esmaeil Malekizadeh, a regional port official, as saying.

Shahid Rajaee, located 1000 kilometres south of the capital Tehran, is the most advanced container port in Iran, and 23 kilometres west of Bandar Abbas, the Hormozgan provincial capital, and north of the Strait of Hormuz through which a fifth of world oil output passes.

"Four rapid response teams were dispatched to the scene after the explosion," Head of the Hormozgan Red Crescent Society, Mokhtar Salahshour, told state TV.

Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, head of the province's crisis management authority has confirmed to state tv that the cause of the incident was the explosion of several containers.

"We are currently evacuating and transporting the injured to nearby medical centres," he added.

‘Act of war’: Pakistan closes airspace to Indian airlines, suspends all trade

ISLAMABAD, April 24: Pakistan on Thursday shut its airspace to all Indian airlines and suspended all trade with India, including through third countries, and downgraded diplomatic relations in response to a slew of punitive measures announced by New Delhi over the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people on Tuesday.

Most of the steps announced by Pakistan after a meeting of the National Security Committee chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad were tit-for-tat responses to measures announced by India on Wednesday. Pakistan rejected India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and said any stopping or diversion of the flow of water belonging to Pakistan under the pact will be seen as an “act of war” and responded to with “full force”.

India’s punitive measures, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closing of the only operational land border crossing and expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, were decided by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) a day after terrorists gunned down the tourists in a picturesque meadow, marking the worst attack on civilians in Jammu and Kashmir in nearly two decades.

A statement from the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office said the country’s “airspace will be closed with immediate effect for all Indian owned or Indian operated airlines”, and that trade with India, including to and from any third country through Pakistan, will be suspended forthwith.

While rejecting India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty on the grounds that the pact has no provision for unilateral suspension, the statement described water as a “vital national interest” and said, “Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan as per the Indus Waters Treaty, and the usurpation of the rights of lower riparian will be considered as an Act of War and responded with full force across the complete spectrum of National Power.”

Pakistan also said it will “exercise the right to hold all bilateral agreements with India including but not limited to Simla Agreement in abeyance”, till India desists from “fomenting terrorism inside Pakistan; trans-national killings; and non-adherence to international law and UN Resolutions on Kashmir”.

In response to India’s expulsion of three Pakistani military attaches, Pakistan declared the Indian defence, naval and air advisors in Islamabad persona non grata and directed them to leave Pakistan no later than April 30. These posts were annulled, and the support staff of the advisors were also expelled.

Pakistan said the strength of the Indian high commission in Islamabad will be reduced to 30 from April 30 and that the Wagah border post will be closed. All cross-border transit from India through this route will be suspended and Indians who crossed via this post should return by April 30.

The Pakistani side also suspended all visas issued to Indians under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES), with the exception of Sikh pilgrims. Indians in Pakistan with such visas were asked to leave within 48 hours.

“The National Security Committee underscored that Pakistan and its Armed Forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any misadventure, as clearly demonstrated by its measured yet resolute response to India’s reckless incursion in February 2019,” the statement said, referring to tit-for-tat air strikes carried out by the two sides after the Pulwama suicide bombing that killed 40 Indian troops in 2019.

The statement described India’s punitive measures as “unilateral, unjust, politically motivated, extremely irresponsible and devoid of legal merit” and contended that Kashmir “remains an unresolved dispute”. The statement raked up India’s abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, persecution of minorities, and the passage of Waqf (Amendment) Act while also condemning all forms of terrorism.

“In the absence of any credible investigation and verifiable evidence, attempts to link the Pahalgam attack with Pakistan are frivolous, devoid of rationality and defeat logic,” the statement said.

Pakistan also claimed it had “proof of Indian-sponsored terrorism”, and the National Security Committee “deplored the implicit threat” in India’s statement on punitive measures on Wednesday. “Any threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty and to the security of its people will be met with firm reciprocal measures in all domains,” the statement said.

India Suspends Indus Waters Treaty, Shuts Attari Border In Strong Response To Pakistan

NEW DELHI, April 23: The Cabinet Committee on Security or CCS - the country's highest-decision making body on national security has taken some strict and punishing measures against Pakistan over the "cross-border linkages" that have surfaced in the investigation over the dastardly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, in which 26 people, including one foreign national, were killed.

The boldest move has been to suspend the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan indefinitely. With this, the water supply from the Indus river and its distributaries - the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Satluj will be stopped. These rivers are the water supply for Pakistan and impacts tens of millions of people in that country.

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed on September 19, 1960. The pact was signed between India and Pakistan, with the World Bank brokering the agreement. That treaty withstood three wars between India and Pakistan - in 1965, 1971, and 1999, but is now suspended indefinitely.

Announcing the measure, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out. It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union Territory and its steady progress towards economic growth and development."

He went on to say that "Recognising the seriousness of this terrorist attack, the CCS decided upon the following measures:"

The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.

The Integrated Check Post Attari-Wagah border will be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before 01 May 2025.

Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India.

The defence or military officials - Naval and air advisers in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared Persona Non Grata. They have a week to leave India. India will be withdrawing its own defence - navy, air advisers from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled with immediate effect. Five support staff of the service advisers will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions immediately.

The overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be effected by 01 May 2025.

In addition to these, Misri also announced that "The CCS reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigil. It resolved that the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account. As with the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana, India will be unrelenting in the pursuit of those who have committed acts of terror, or conspired to make them possible."

Reacting to the decision to suspend the Indus treaty, Water Resources Minister CR Paatil said, "In the past too, an ultimatum was given to them (Pakistan) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Action was taken in the past, and this time too the perpetrators shall not be spared. As for the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, it has been a very good decision taken by the Cabinet."

Putin suggests Russia open to direct talks with Ukraine, as strikes continue

MOSCOW, April 22: Vladimir Putin signalled he was open to talks with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since the early stages of the war, but Russian strikes continued hours after his comments.

Speaking to Russian state TV on Monday, Putin said Russia had "always looked positively on any peace initiatives. We hope that representatives of the Kyiv regime will feel the same way".

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin's comments indicated a willingness to engage in direct talks with Ukraine about not striking civilian targets.

However, Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities continued on Tuesday with a wave of strikes across the country.

A strike on an apartment block in Zaporizhzhia killed one woman and injured 20 others, including four children.

In Kharkiv in the country's east, authorities said a massive drone attack on Tuesday during the daytime injured at least seven people.

President Zelensky said on Tuesday afternoon there had also been strikes on Odesa, Sumy, Donetsk and other southern regions, while Ukrainian media also reported a strike in south-east Kherson.

The Monday night strike on Odesa had targeted a five-storey unit block and injured three people, local media reported.

President Zelensky described the wave of attacks as "deliberate Russian terror" which could be "stopped by a single order".

This had been proven by the short-lived Easter truce on Saturday, "when there were no airstrikes in Ukraine", he wrote on Telegram.

He again reiterated that Ukraine had proposed to extend that truce. He also again raised his proposal, voiced on Sunday, for a 30-day period for a cease to "any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days".

Putin's remarks on Monday evening were believed to be in response to this proposal.

Amid Trump's Pullback Warning, Putin Announces 'Easter Truce' In Ukraine War

MOSCOW, April 19: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday announced an Easter truce in the conflict in Ukraine starting this evening and lasting till midnight on Sunday.

The short-term ceasefire proposal from Russia comes as President Donald Trump has been pressing both Moscow and Kyiv to agree a truce, but has failed to extract any major concessions from the Kremlin.

"Today from 1800 (1500 GMT) to midnight Sunday (2100 GMT Sunday), the Russian side announces an Easter truce," Putin said in televised comments, while meeting Russian chief of staff Valery Gerasimov.

Easter, a major holiday for Christians, is celebrated on Sunday.

"I order for this period to stop all military action," Putin said, calling the truce "based on humanitarian reasons".

"We are going on the basis that the Ukrainian side will follow our example, while our troops must be ready to resist possible breaches of the truce and provocations by the enemy, any aggressive actions," Putin said.

He said that Gerasimov had told him Ukraine "more than 100 times... breached an agreement on not striking energy infrastructure".

Russia on Friday abandoned a moratorium on striking Ukrainian energy targets after each side accused the other of breaking a supposed deal without any formal agreement put in place.

The latest truce proposal will show "how sincere is the Kyiv's regime's readiness, its desire and ability to observe agreements and participate in a process of peace talks," Putin said.

Previous attempts at holding ceasefires for Easter in April 2022 and Orthodox Christmas in January 2023 were not implemented after both sides failed to agree on them.

Iran says progress in nuclear talks with US, confirms third round next week

ROME, April 19: Iran and the United States have completed a second round of indirect nuclear negotiations, which Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has described as “constructive” and moving forward with further meetings planned in the coming week.

Technical experts will be meeting in the coming days, suggesting movement in negotiations, before the third round of talks in Oman on April 26, Araghchi said.

Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff held four hours of indirect talks at Oman’s embassy in the Italian capital, Rome, on Saturday, according to Iran’s top diplomat.

“We succeeded in reaching a better understanding on certain principles and goals,” the diplomat was quoted by the semiofficial Tasnim news agency as saying. “The negotiations were conducted in a constructive atmosphere and are progressing.”

There has been no readout yet of the meeting from the US side.

The delegations – led by Araghchi and Witkoff, a billionaire real estate executive whom US President Donald Trump has dispatched on numerous foreign policy missions – stayed in separate rooms in the embassy as Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi shuttled messages between them, according to Iranian officials.

Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the parties will hold more indirect, technical-level talks in the coming days, followed by another meeting with senior officials on April 26.

“I hope that after next week’s technical sessions, we’ll be in a better position,” Araghchi said, according to Tasnim. “There’s no reason for excessive optimism or pessimism.”

US strikes on Yemeni oil port kill 74 people

SANAA, April 18: US airstrikes targeting an oil port held by Yemen's Houthi rebels killed 74 people and wounded 171 others, the group said Friday, marking the single-deadliest known attack under President Donald Trump's new campaign targeting the rebels.

Assessing the toll of Trump's campaign, which began March 15, has been incredibly difficult as the US military's Central Command so far has not released any information on the campaign, its specific targets and how many people have been killed.

Meanwhile, Yemen's Houthi rebels strictly control access to areas attacked and don't publish information on the strikes, many of which likely have targeted military and security sites.

But the strike on the Ras Isa oil port, which sent massive fireballs shooting into the night sky, represented a major escalation for the American campaign. The Houthis immediately released graphic footage of those killed in the attack.

US Says Ready To Abandon Efforts To Broker Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal

PARIS, April 18: US President Donald Trump will walk away from trying to broker a Russia-Ukraine peace deal within days unless there are clear signs that a deal can be done, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday.

"We're not going to continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end. So we need to determine very quickly now, and I'm talking about a matter of days whether or not this is doable in the next few weeks," Rubio said in Paris after meeting European and Ukrainian leaders.

"The president feels very strongly about that. He has dedicated a lot of time and energy to this ... this is important, but there are a lot of other really important things going on that deserves just as much, if not more attention."

Rubio's warning came amid signs of some progress in U.S. talks with Ukraine.

Trump said on Thursday he expected to sign a deal with Kyiv next week that would give the U.S. access to Ukraine's minerals. An attempt to sign a minerals pact in February fell apart after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's clash with Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office.

After the talks in Paris on Thursday - the first substantive, high level and in-person talks on Trump's peace push that have included European powers - Rubio said a U.S. peace framework received an "encouraging reception". Zelenskiy's office called the talks constructive and positive.

Rubio's comments on Friday underline mounting frustrations in the White House over a lack of progress in pushes to settle a growing list of geopolitical challenges.

Trump promised during his election campaign to end the war in Ukraine within his first 24 hours in the White House. He moderated that claim on taking office, suggesting a deal by April or May as obstacles mounted.

Rubio said he spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the Paris talks and had told him they had been constructive, and also briefed him on "some of the elements of" the U.S. peace framework.

Rubio said the issue of U.S. security guarantees as part of any deal came up in the talks in Paris, without going into greater detail.

He said security guarantees was an issue "we can fix in sort of in a way that's acceptable to everyone," but "we have bigger challenges that we need to figure out, whether it's even possible within the short term".

He said it was clear that a peace deal would be difficult to strike but there needed to be signs it could be done soon.

"There's no one saying this can be done in 12 hours. But we want to see how far apart it is and whether those differences can even be narrowed, if it's even possible to get movement within the period of time we have in mind," he said.

Neither French presidency or foreign ministry immediately returned requests for comment.

Israel Says One-Third Of Gaza Now Under Its Military Control

JERUSALEM, April 17: The Israeli military has said it is expanding the "Morag Corridor," a new dividing line in the southern Gaza Strip, and has turned roughly a third of the enclave into "security zones" under full Israeli military control.

An infographic video released by the military showed the "Morag Corridor" running through an area between Rafah and Khan Younis, cutting off Rafah from Khan Younis and central Gaza, Xinhua news agency reported.

In the video, Khan Younis, southern Gaza's largest city, appeared almost completely razed, with only a few severely damaged buildings left.

"As part of the operation, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) has achieved full operational control over several key areas and routes throughout Gaza. Nearly 30 per cent of the strip's territory is now designated as an Operational Security Perimeter," the military said in a statement.

Apart from the "Morag Corridor," Israel has also established the "Netzarim Corridor" during the war, a military buffer zone in central Gaza aimed at isolating Gaza City and northern Gaza from the rest of the enclave.

Israel has blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid into Gaza since March 2.

It then ended a two-month ceasefire with Hamas on March 18 and resumed deadly air and ground assaults on the enclave.

The military said since March 18, it has carried out airstrikes on about 1,200 targets in Gaza using nearly 350 fighter jets and other aircraft.

The renewed Israeli attacks have so far killed 1,652 Palestinians and injured 4,391 others, Gaza health authorities said on Wednesday, adding the death toll in the enclave since the war began in October 2023 has risen to 51,025, with 116,432 injured.

China to ignore Trump's tariffs

BEIJING, April 17: China on Thursday said that if the United States continues to play the "tariff numbers game", it will pay no attention to it, according to reports.

China's foreign ministry made the comment in response to the White House's statement that China faces tariffs of up to 245% due to its retaliatory action.

Trump's administration has announced a sweeping new tariff of up to 245% on Chinese imports, sharply escalating the trade conflict between the United States and China.

The decision was detailed in the White House's fact sheet released late Tuesday.

"More than 75 countries have already reached out to discuss new trade deals. As a result, the individualised higher tariffs are currently paused amid these discussions, except for China, which retaliated," it said.

"China now faces up to a 245% tariff on imports to the United States as a result of its retaliatory actions," the fact sheet said, without giving details.

The White House, in the fact sheet, also accused Beijing of banning exports to the US of gallium, germanium, antimony, and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications.

"Just this week, China suspended exports of six heavy rare earth metals, as well as rare earth magnets, in order to choke off supplies of components central to automakers, aerospace manufacturers, semiconductor companies and military contractors around the world," it added.

Amid trade war with US, China halts Boeing jet deliveries

BEIJING, April 15: In a major escalation of trade tensions between China and the United States, Beijing has instructed its carriers to halt the delivery of aircraft from American aerospace giant Boeing, a report stated on Tuesday.

Beijing also instructed its carriers to halt the purchase of aircraft-related equipment and components from US firms.

The development, first reported by Bloomberg News, follows escalating tensions in the trade conflict between Beijing and the US, which was triggered by Donald Trump's 'reciprocal tariffs.'

Since President Donald Trump came into office in January, the world's two largest economies have been engaged in a tit-for-tat trade war, with the US now levying tariffs of up to 145 per cent on Chinese imports.

Beijing, too, responded to what they called illegal "bullying" by Washington and has slapped retaliatory taxes of 125 per cent on US imports, ruling out further increases as worthless.

The most recent Chinese government mandate of suspending deliveries by Boeing, which involves state-owned as well as private airlines, is also interpreted as a component of Beijing's overall strategy to counter the US tariffs.

The blocking of Boeing deliveries may have significant implications for both the Chinese aviation sector and the US aerospace industry giant.

Sheikh Hasina Warns Muhammad Yunus 'Not To Play With Fire'

DHAKA, April 14: Ousted Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina tore into the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government on Sunday, branding him as a "self-centered loan shark" who plotted the country's downfall with foreign players to quench his thirst for power. In an eight-minute virtual address, she also raised doubts over what killed Abu Sayeed, a student protester who became a face of the resistance.

Hasina, who escaped to India last August fearing for his life, had vowed to return to Bangladesh days ago, saying this was the reason Allah had kept her alive.

Addressing her supporters on Sunday, she accused Yunus of erasing Bangladesh's history, especially those linked to the Awami League's contribution to the country's freedom struggle.

"All signs of Bangladesh's freedom movement are being removed. Mukti Joddhas (freedom fighters) are being insulted. We had built Mukti Joddha Complexes in all districts to keep their memories alive, but those are being burnt down. Will Dr Yunus be able to justify this?" she said, warning the chief adviser, "If you play with fire, it will burn you too."

Her jabs at Md Yunus - the chief adviser to the interim government - were pointed and miles away from subtleness and diplomacy. Seven months after being forced to flee the country, she reiterated her claim of a foreign conspiracy that wanted to destroy Bangladesh.

"That loan shark, power-hungry, money-hungry, self-centred person hatched a foreign conspiracy and used wealth from abroad to destroy the country. The BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) and Jamaat-e-Islami are carrying out (political) murders and harassing (Awami League leaders)," she said.

BNP, led by an ailing former prime minister Khaleda Zia, is the only major political alternative to the Awami League that had managed to dethrone Hasina in the past. Hasina's ouster emboldened the BNP last year to try and reclaim power, but a comeback is unlikely for Zia due to her ill health.

Ms Hasina - against whom a new arrest warrant was issued in Dhaka yesterday - said the end of Awami League's regime has given an industrial shock to Bangladesh. Thousands of factories have since shut, and those linked to Awami leaders have been burnt down. Industries are being finished. Hotels, hospitals, everything is being destroyed, she said.

"Awami League leaders are being framed for the death of vandals. Those who burnt down police stations and beat cops to death are not being charged. Cases are being filed against Awami League leaders. Our leaders are not able to stay at home, everything has been destroyed," she added.

Yunus was well aware of the fallout but he is driven by his hunger for power, said Ms Hasina.

"How will this country run if the law enforcement personnel are being murdered in public? Doesn't Yunus understand this? Or is he guiding the country to doomsday? This fascist terrorist Yunus is destroying our country out of hunger for power," added the Awami League chief.

At least 34 people killed in Russian ballistic missile attack on Sumy

KYIV, April 13: At least 34 people have been killed and 117 injured, including 15 children, after a Russian attack on the centre of Sumy, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Two Iskander-variant ballistic missiles struck at around 10:15 local time, both hitting the area around Sumy State University and its congress centre.

Images and videos of the aftermath show bloodied bodies scattered in the streets around the impact of the missiles. At least two children were killed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said among the injured was a girl born this year, adding that medics were doing "everything they can" to save as many lives as possible.

"The strike hit right in the heart of the city on Palm Sunday," he said in his evening video message. "Only completely deranged scum can do something like this."

Iran said to consider proposing interim nuclear deal in talks with US

TEHRAN, April 11: Iran is weighing its options ahead of nuclear talks with the US, which are set to begin in Oman this weekend, and may propose an interim nuclear agreement to avoid any military escalation, according to a report Thursday.

Iranian and American diplomats are expected to arrive in the Gulf state on Saturday to kickstart negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program, with US President Donald Trump reportedly seeking to clinch a deal within the next two months.

The Axios news site reported, however, that Iran believes Trump’s close deadline is too short a timeframe, and that failing to reach a comprehensive agreement within the set time would leave it vulnerable to US and Israeli military action.

As such, Iran may propose an interim agreement that would allow parties to iron out the details of a more permanent deal, without the use of military force, the report suggested, citing a European diplomat and an unnamed source familiar with the details.

An interim agreement could reportedly involve Iran partly reducing its uranium enrichment activity — which it insists is not related to any attempts to build a nuclear weapon, despite being at levels that have no civilian use — and allow the UN increased access to its nuclear facilities, as a confidence-building step to a more comprehensive agreement.

The proposal, if it were on the table, would appear to contradict comments from a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who warned on Thursday that the UN’s nuclear watchdog agency could be expelled ahead of the talks due to being considered an “external threat.”

The potential interim agreement would demand in return that Trump ease his “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign against Tehran, which has continued despite the planned talks, Axios said.

The report acknowledged, however, that it was unclear whether the US would agree to an interim agreement, as the move could be seen by Washington as an attempt by Iran to stall for time while keeping its nuclear program intact.

China hits back at Trump with 84% retaliatory tariff on US goods

BEIJING, April 9: Amid the ongoing trade war between the United States and China, Beijing on Wednesday hit back at Donald Trump's 104 per cent tariffs with its own additional tariffs of 84 per cent, up from the previous 34 per cent, on all American goods.

The Chinese finance ministry said that these additional tariffs will be imposed on goods from the US from April 10, it was reported. Beijing had previously announced a retaliatory tariff of 34 per cent on American goods.

China's commerce ministry also announced that it has added 12 US entities to its export control list, while including 6 American entities to its "unreliable entity" list.

Soon after the announcement, the US stock index futures also reportedly took a sharp dive.

Later, the US reacted to China's retaliatory tariffs, describing them as “unfortunate”. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged Beijing to not avoid the issue and asked it to “come to the table”.

'Reaffirmed Strength Of UAE-India Ties': Dubai Crown Prince On Meet With Modi

NEW DELHI, April 8: Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday hailed UAE-India ties following a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

The Crown Prince of Dubai of arrived in India on a two-day visit earlier in the day at invitation of Prime Minister Modi.

"It was a pleasure meeting the Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in New Delhi. Our conversations reaffirmed the strength of UAE-India ties which is built on trust, shaped by history, and driven by a shared vision to create a future full of opportunity, innovation, and lasting prosperity," he posted on X after meeting PM Modi.

This is Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's first official visit to India as the Crown Prince of Dubai and he is accompanied by several ministers, senior government officials and a high-level business delegation.

Prime Minister Modi hosted a working lunch for the visiting dignitary and the Crown Prince also held meetings with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

"Delighted to welcome Crown Prince of Dubai and DPM & Minister of Defence of UAE HH Hamdan Mohammed at the start of his first official visit to India. Value his positive sentiments for our wide-ranging cooperation and vibrant ties," said EAM Jaishankar.

After Delhi, the Crown Prince will visit Mumbai and will also participate in a business roundtable with prominent business leaders from both sides. The interaction will strengthen India-UAE economic and commercial cooperation across traditional and futuristic areas.

"Traditionally, Dubai has played an important role in India's commercial, cultural and people-to-people exchanges with the UAE. Majority of India's around 4.3 million diaspora in UAE reside and work in Dubai. The visit of His Highness the Crown Prince will further solidify the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and strengthen our multifaceted ties with Dubai," read a statement issued by the MEA.

Two UK MPs Denied Entry Into Israel, Detained, Britain Says 'Unacceptable'

LONDON, April 7: Britain's Foreign Secretary David Lammy said Saturday it was "unacceptable" and deeply concerning that Israel had detained two UK lawmakers and denied them entry.

Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, from the governing Labour Party, flew from London to Israel but were blocked from entering the country and deported, British media reported.

"It is unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning that two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation to Israel have been detained and refused entry by the Israeli authorities," Lammy said in a statement.

"I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British parliamentarians, and we have been in contact with both MPs tonight to offer our support.

"The UK government's focus remains securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza."

Russia Signals New Talks After Firing Missile Barrage at Ukraine

MOSCOW, April 6: Fresh talks between Russia and the US toward a ceasefire in Ukraine are expected as soon as this week, the Kremlin’s negotiator said in a state TV interview that aired hours after Moscow’s forces fired a ballistic missile at Kyiv, killing at least one person.

It was unclear from the comments by Kirill Dmitriev on Russia’s Channel 1 who would be involved in the talks and at what level, or whether there would be in-person meetings.

Dmitriev, who’s regarded as a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, traveled to Washington last week for two days of meetings with officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy. He was the most senior Russian official to visit the US capital since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Dmitriev told Channel 1 said that among the topics discussed during a “positive, frank conversation” were potential joint investments, including in rare earth metals and in the Arctic. “We see a lot requests from American companies in the energy sphere and other spheres,” he said.

Russian forces early Sunday fired a ballistic missile at Ukraine’s capital and a barrage of missiles and drones at several other locations. The attack included over 100 drones as well as 23 missiles of various types, Ukraine’s armed forces said.

Russia’s defense ministry said in an update that it launched a “precision strike” with long-range air- and sea-based weapons “against the central artillery base” of Ukraine’s armed forces, as well as enterprises involved in drone production. The ministry didn’t specify any locations of those targets.

In Kyiv, explosions were heard early Sunday from air defense efforts, and fires broke out in at least three districts as some residents took shelter in subway stations. One person was killed and at least three injured, the city’s military administration said on Telegram. Sumy and Kupyansk in Ukraine’s northeast were also targeted, along Mykolayiv in the south.

One missile was intercepted in the the Khmelnytskyi region in western Ukraine, the regional governor said.

Poland’s military said it scrambled Polish and NATO alliance jets in response to “intense activity of long-range Russian jets, carrying out air strikes on western Ukraine.” There was no breach of Polish airspace, it said.

Sunday’s barrage followed an Iskander ballistic missile strike Friday in Kryvyi Rih, home town of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, which killed 19 people, including nine children, and injured dozens of others.

Iran rejects Trump call for direct nuclear talks

TEHRAN, April 6: Iran's top diplomat has dismissed direct negotiations with the United States as pointless, his office said Sunday, after US President Donald Trump said he preferred face-to-face talks over its nuclear programme.

Trump sent a letter to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last month calling for negotiations but warning of military action if diplomacy failed.

On Thursday, the US president said he favoured "direct talks", arguing they were "faster" and offered a better understanding than going through intermediaries.

But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said direct talks made no sense with a country "that constantly threatens to resort to force in violation of the UN Charter and that expresses contradictory positions from its various officials".

"We remain committed to diplomacy and are ready to try the path of indirect negotiations," he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by his ministry.

Saudi Prince MBS orders visa ban on 14 nations, including India, Pakistan

RIYADH, April 6: In a major move, Saudi Arabia has temporarily stopped issuing certain types of visas to people from 14 countries, including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. This ban will remain in place until mid-June, which is around the time this year’s Hajj pilgrimage will be completed.

The visa suspension affects Umrah visas as well as business and family visit visas. Saudi authorities have decided to prevent people from attempting to perform Hajj without proper registration. According to officials, many foreigners have been entering the country on Umrah or visit visas and then staying illegally to join the Hajj without official approval.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman has instructed officials to tighten visa regulations to ensure the pilgrimage is organized and safe. As part of this effort, foreigners can apply for Umrah visas only until April 13. After this date, no Umrah visas will be given out until the Hajj ends.

The 14 countries affected by this ban include: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Nigeria, Jordan, Algeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Yemen, and one more not clearly named in reports.

This step comes after a tragic incident in 2024 where over 1,000 people died during Hajj, many of whom were unauthorized pilgrims. Overcrowding and extreme heat made the situation worse. Saudi officials believe that preventing unregistered pilgrims from joining the Hajj will reduce the risk to people’s lives.

Sri Lanka Confers Top Honour On Modi; Key Defence Pact Signed

COLOMBO, April 5: India and Sri Lanka signed a major defence cooperation pact for the first time ever after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake spoke.

The two countries signed a few more pacts, including one to develop Trincomalee as an energy hub. Another agreement was signed to provide India's multi-sectoral grant assistance to the eastern region of Sri Lanka. The two leaders also virtually inaugurated the Sampur solar power project.

The talks follow Modi's arrival in the Sri Lankan capital after his visit to Bangkok where he attended a summit of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).

In perhaps the first of such honour given to a foreign leader, Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the historic Independence Square in the Sri Lankan capital, where he was also received by President Dissanayake.

The Independence Square holds importance as it takes it name from the Independence Memorial Hall built to commemorate the country's independence from British rule in 1948.

"PM @narendramodiwas welcomed by President @anuradisanayake with a ceremonial reception at the Independence Square in Colombo," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on 'X'.

"Bilateral discussions to foster a partnership for a shared future & mutual prosperity of our people, lie ahead," he said.

Modi's visit to Sri Lanka comes at a time when the latter is only just recovering from economic stress. India extended financial assistance worth USD 4.5 billion when the island nation was reeling under financial crisis 3 years back.

Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also honoured Modi with Mitra Vibhushana, the highest award to a foreign head of state, and said that Modi highly deserves this honour.

In a joint press statement alongside Modi, Dissanayake said, "I am pleased to announce that the Government of Sri Lanka has decided to confer upon him (PM Narendra Modi) the highest Sri Lankan honour to a foreign head of state/head of government- Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana. This prestigious honour, which was introduced in 2008, is conferred upon heads of states and government for their friendship, and honourable Prime Minister Modi highly deserves this honour; that is what we firmly believe."

In another development, Modi also announced a big relief to several fishermen from Tamil Nadu and said that he had also raised their concerns and declared that Sri Lanka has agreed to release any Indian fishermen immediately and also promised to return their boats.

Modi's visit also comes at a time when Tamil Nadu has passed a resolution to retrieve Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka - regarded as a soft spot for fishermen in the state pertaining to the long-standing dispute over fishing rights around the island.

Iranian personnel leave Yemen as US strikes intensify

TEHRAN, April 4: Iran has ordered its military personnel to leave Yemen amidst the ongoing US bombing campaign in the country, The Telegraph reported. The newspaper’s source added that regime officials’ concerns over the Trump administration have eclipsed discussions on Tehran’s regional proxies, dominating every meeting and sidelining previous strategic priorities.

The move is part of a broader pattern of the Islamic Republic recalibrating its regional strategy in response to the Trump administration’s efforts to curtail Tehran’s influence in the Middle East and threats to potentially strike Iran’s nuclear sites.

Iran had previously urged the Houthis to “cool tensions” in the Red Sea on March 18, with Iranian officials claiming the request was conveyed to the Houthi envoy in Tehran and that Iran asked Oman to communicate the same message.

The US has launched an extensive military campaign against the Tehran-backed Houthi terrorist group in Yemen, with daily attacks since March 15. US officials stated that the first wave, which targeted radars, air defenses, and missile and drone systems, was in response to the Iranian proxy’s attacks against commercial vessels and warships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The White House also claimed that the strikes eliminated a high-ranking missile expert, with National Security Advisor Mike Waltz stating that the first attack wave targeted “[the Houthis’] head missileer.”

This extensive bombing campaign followed President Donald Trump’s January 22 announcement of re-designating the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and the State Department’s official FTO designation on March 4.

Myanmar earthquake toll crosses 3,000; rain forecast a new threat for rescuers

NAYPYIDAW: The death toll from Myanmar's devastating earthquake has surpassed 3,000, with hundreds more missing, as forecasts of unseasonal rain presented a new challenge for rescue and aid workers trying to reach people in a country riven by civil war.

Last Friday's 7.7-magnitude quake, one of the Southeast Asian nation's strongest in a century, jolted a region home to 28 million, toppling buildings, flattening communities and leaving many without food, water and shelter.

Deaths rose to 3,003 on Wednesday, with 4,515 injured and 351 missing, Myanmar's embassy in Japan said on Facebook, while rescuers scramble to find more.

But conditions could get even tougher for the huge relief effort after weather officials warned unseasonal rain from Sunday to April 11 could threaten the areas hardest-hit by the quake, such as Mandalay, Sagaing and the capital Naypyidaw.

"Rain is incoming and there are still so many buried," an aid worker in Myanmar told Reuters. "And in Mandalay, especially, if it starts to rain, people who are buried will drown even if they've survived until this point."

Myanmar military regime declares temporary ceasefire, cites rehabilitation efforts

NAYPYIDAW, April 2: Myanmar's military regime on Wednesday announced a temporary ceasefire against armed opponents effective to allow relief and rehabilitation operations following last week's deadly earthquake.

The ceasefire will be in place from April 2 to April 22 following last week's deadly 7.7-magnitude earthquake, according to state-run MRTV.

In its nightly news bulletin, MRTV said the ceasefire was to facilitate rehabilitation of the country after the disaster, which killed more than 2,700 people and triggered a humanitarian crisis.

The development comes after reports suggested that the ruling military has remained on war footing despite Myanmar's worst disaster in decades and launched airstrikes against rebel groups, according to a rebel group and Amnesty International.

However, Min Aung Hlaing said that the military had halted its offensives, but unspecified rebels were planning to exploit the disaster and preparing to attack. He warned that the armed forces would "respond accordingly".

China’s military says it’s launching combined drills around Taiwan, testing US resolve

BEIJING, April 1: China’s military said Tuesday it had kicked off joint exercises involving its army, navy, air force and rocket force around Taiwan as a “stern warning,” days after US defense chief Pete Hegseth vowed to counter “China’s aggression” on his first visit to Asia.

The drills, which will see China’s armed forces “close in” on Taiwan from “multiple directions,” mainly focus on sea-air combat-readiness patrols, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, assault on maritime and ground targets, and blockade on key areas and sea lanes to test joint operations capabilities of China’s troops, the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command said in a statement on social media.

“It is a stern warning and forceful deterrence against ‘Taiwan Independence’ separatist forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity,” the statement added.

China’s latest military exercises come as Taiwan is looking on nervously as US President Donald Trump transforms Washington’s global relationships with his mercantilist “America First” foreign policy, discarding decades-old guarantees towards Europe and pushing long-standing Asian allies and partners to pay more for US protection.

Meanwhile, officials close to Trump have repeatedly emphasized the need for the US to focus its attention and resources on countering China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.

For Taiwan, a democracy of some 23 million people, the drills are the latest reminder of the threat that comes from its giant Communist Party-run neighbor.

Joseph Wu, secretary-general of Taiwan’s National Security Council, condemned the drills as “reckless” and “irresponsible” in threatening Taiwan as well as peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

“It came without justification, violates international laws and is totally unacceptable. Democracies need to condemn China for being a troublemaker,” Wu said in a post on social platform X.

‘No choice' but to acquire nukes: Khamenei's aide over Trump's ‘bombing’ threat to Iran

TEHRAN, April 1: Iran supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's adviser Ali Larijani warned on Monday that the country would have to get nuclear weapon if attacked by the United States or its allies.

Khamenei's remarks followed US President Donald Trump's threat from Saturday, warning that "there will be bombing" if Iran did not agree to a nuclear deal, NBC News had reported. Donald Trump also threatened to punish Iran with what he described as 'secondary tariffs'.

Following this, Khamenei promised to hit back if Trump carried out his threat to bomb the Islamic republic if it did not make a nuclear program deal.

The supreme leader's adviser Ali Larijani, while speaking to state TV, said, "We are not moving towards (nuclear) weapons, but if you do something wrong in the Iranian nuclear issue, you will force Iran to move towards that because it has to defend itself."

He further added that, "Iran does not want to do this, but...(it) will have no choice. If at some point you (the US) move towards bombing by yourself or through Israel, you will force Iran to make a different discussion."

France's Marine Le Pen gets 4 years for embezzlement, with 2 under ankle monitor

PARIS, April 1: A French court sentenced France's far-right leader Marine Le Pen to four years in prison for embezzling European Parliament funds and barred her from running for any public office for five years -- a huge blow to her presidential ambitions for 2027.

Out of the four-year sentence, Le Pen was placed under house arrest for two years with an ankle monitor, while the remaining two years are suspended.

Even though Le Pen will be appealing the verdict in a higher court, her lawyer said that she will be ineligible to run for the office of the French President till the time her hearing concludes. She called this possibility a "political death."

While the judge was pronouncing the order, Le Pen, shook her head vehemently and muttered, "Incredible." Showing no signs of remorse, she stormed out of the French court on Monday in the middle of the ruling.

The court further ordered her party, National Rally (RN), to pay 2 million Euros in fines out of the 4.1 million Euros it was accused of embezzling.

Le Pen, who was the frontrunner for the 2024 presidential elections, along with more than 20 members of her party, was convicted of paying her party's staff using funds from the European Parliament.