US

US Seizes Venezuela Oil Tanker, Escalating Maritime Crackdown

US Seizes Venezuela Oil Tanker, Escalating Maritime Crackdown

The United States has seized an oil tanker that recently departed from Venezuela, marking the second such interception this month as Washington escalates enforcement against what it describes as illicit Venezuelan oil shipments.

The operation was carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard in international waters and follows President Donald Trump’s announcement this week that the U.S. would impose a maritime “blockade” on oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela in violation of American sanctions.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Coast Guard, said a specialized tactical boarding team intercepted the vessel during a pre-dawn operation …

Asian Markets Drift As US Jobs Data Dims Rate-Cut Hopes

Asian Markets Drift As US Jobs Data Dims Rate-Cut Hopes

Asian equities traded mixed on Wednesday as fresh US labour market data failed to revive expectations for another interest rate cut next month, while oil prices climbed following President Donald Trump’s order to block sanctioned Venezuelan tankers.

Investor sentiment across the region remained cautious after Federal Reserve officials signaled they were unlikely to lower borrowing costs for a fourth consecutive policy meeting. Lingering concerns over elevated technology valuations and the pace of returns from heavy investment in artificial intelligence continued to weigh on risk appetite.

Markets had been focused on the delayed release of key US non-farm payrolls data. Figures …

Belarus Frees Prisoners As US Lifts Sanctions In Deal

Belarus Frees Prisoners As US Lifts Sanctions In Deal

Belarus released 123 prisoners on Saturday, including leading opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, following an agreement with the United States to ease sanctions on the country, according to officials and rights groups.

The releases followed talks in Minsk between Belarusian authorities and John Coale, the special envoy appointed by US President Donald Trump to oversee negotiations with Belarus. As part of the deal, Washington agreed to lift sanctions on Belarusian potash exports, a critical component of global fertilizer supplies and one of the country’s main sources of revenue.

US officials confirmed that restrictions on …

India US Tariff Talks Continuous After Modi Trump Call

India US Tariff Talks Continuous After Modi Trump Call

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he spoke with United States President Donald Trump by phone on Thursday, as New Delhi pushes for relief from Washington’s fifty percent tariffs on a range of Indian exports. Modi described the exchange as “warm and engaging” and said both leaders reviewed bilateral ties and broader regional developments.

The call comes at a sensitive moment for India–US trade relations, which have struggled since negotiations collapsed in late July. Washington imposed the tariffs after India declined to open its market to certain American farm products and refused to acknowledge Trump’s involvement in mediating during a …

Turkey F 35 Rejoin Talks Gain Momentum With US

Turkey F 35 Rejoin Talks Gain Momentum With US

The United States and Turkey are holding renewed talks on Ankara’s possible return to the F 35 fighter jet program, raising hopes of a breakthrough after years of tension triggered by Turkey’s purchase of Russian air defense systems.

The discussions mark the clearest sign yet that Washington and Ankara are testing options to reset defence cooperation following Turkey’s removal from the program and the imposition of US sanctions in 2020.

US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said discussions are ongoing but stressed that US law remains clear on one core issue. In a post on X, Barrack said Turkey cannot …

Ukraine Peace Talks London Summit Tests US Pressure

Ukraine Peace Talks London Summit Tests US Pressure

President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet the leaders of the UK, France, and Germany in London on Monday, as European allies debate how to respond to renewed U.S. pressure for Ukraine to make concessions in ongoing peace negotiations with Russia.

The high-level meeting at 10 Downing Street — hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and joined by France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz — comes after three days of intensive talks in Florida, where Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators revised parts of Washington’s draft peace plan. The proposal is widely viewed as reflecting several core Kremlin demands, prompting concern among …

US Halts Asylum Rulings After DC Guard Killing

US Halts Asylum Rulings After DC Guard Killing

The United States has frozen every pending asylum ruling after the killing of a National Guard soldier in Washington DC, a move officials say will remain in place until new screening checks are confirmed.

Joseph Edlow, who leads the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, told reporters the pause would continue until authorities feel certain that every applicant is reviewed to the highest possible standard. The announcement surfaced only hours after President Donald Trump vowed to impose a permanent pause on migration from what he called third world countries.

The shift marks a sharp escalation in migration policy during Trump’s second …

Venezuela Flight Suspensions Widen After US Airspace Warning

Venezuela Flight Suspensions Widen After US Airspace Warning

Six major international airlines halted services to Venezuela on Saturday after the United States issued a notice warning pilots about a potentially hazardous situation in the country’s airspace due to increased military activity.

The suspensions mark one of the most significant disruptions to commercial travel in and out of Venezuela in recent years and highlight rising tensions between Washington and Caracas as the US expands its military presence in the Caribbean.

Spain’s Iberia, Portugal’s TAP, Chile’s LATAM, Colombia’s Avianca, Brazil’s GOL and Caribbean Airlines from Trinidad and Tobago all stopped flights following the alert, according to AFP, which cited Marisela …

Ukraine Peace Plan US Authored, Sparks Rift With Allies

Ukraine Peace Plan US Authored, Sparks Rift With Allies

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted on Saturday that Washington authored the proposed twenty eight point US Peace Plan to end the war in Ukraine, rejecting claims from lawmakers that the draft had been shaped by Moscow. His comments came as he travelled to Geneva for talks with Ukrainian and European security officials on the proposal, which President Donald Trump has urged Kyiv to accept quickly.

The plan, which has not been published but has been widely leaked, has triggered concern among Ukraine’s allies in Europe. Several governments say key provisions would leave Ukraine exposed and cement Russian gains …

US Peace Plan For Ukraine Draws Scrutiny As Russia Advances

US Peace Plan For Ukraine Draws Scrutiny As Russia Advances

Russia pushed forward on several parts of the front this week while a proposed United States peace plan for Ukraine triggered debate in Kyiv, Moscow and Western capitals. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Washington had presented him with a draft outlining possible terms to end the conflict. He said Ukraine was prepared for what he called honest work with the US on the document.

The plan would involve Ukraine giving up remaining pockets of territory it controls in the Donbas region, accepting a smaller military and agreeing not to pursue membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. According to …

Taiwan-US Relations Secure Ahead Of Trump Xi Talks

Taiwan-US Relations Secure Ahead Of Trump-Xi Talks

Taiwan-US relations remain solid, Taiwan’s foreign minister said Tuesday, rejecting concerns that President Donald Trump could bargain away the island’s interests when he meets China’s President Xi Jinping in South Korea this week.

Lin Chia lung told reporters in Taipei that there was no fear of abandonment. He said cooperation with Washington continued across security, trade and business despite Trump seeking a broader trade deal with Beijing.

The reassurance comes as Taipei watches Trump’s diplomacy closely. The US president has shifted his tone on Taiwan since taking office earlier this year, while publicly saying Xi promised not to invade …

Trump-Japan Trade Deal Marks New Chapter In Us-Japan Ties

Trump-Japan Trade Deal Marks New Chapter In Us-Japan Ties

In Tokyo on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump and Japan’s newly appointed first female prime minister Sanae Takaichi formalised a sweeping agreement on critical minerals and rare earths while discussing trade, defence and investment. 

The “trump japan critical minerals deal” signals a firm pivot by both nations to secure supply chains for materials vital to everything from smartphones to fighter jets, and to bolster bilateral ties amid growing regional tensions. This step is layered atop broader moves involving trade and military coordination.

Read Also: Sanae Takaichi Becomes Japan’s First Female Prime Minister

Takaichi pledged to accelerate Japan’s defence spending to …