Browsing: Gaming
US Vice President JD Vance said that the Trump administration's agreement with Iran was clear that sanctions would be eased if Tehran stopped attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.In a press statement, Vance said that Iran adhered to the understandings for approximately a week before resuming attacks against ships.He warned that Tehran now faces a choice between complying with the agreement or risking a repeat of previous military strikes, adding that the situation will remain as is until the Strait of Hormuz is reopened and Iran stops attacking ships.Vance noted that Trump remains committed to ensuring the continued flow of commercial shipping through the Strait, describing it as a vital artery through which significant energy supplies pass to the world. Source link
The United States said Wednesday it will delist Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, a decades-old designation that severely impeded investment, in a new vote of confidence in leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.Secretary of State Marco Rubio notified Congress of the long-expected move, which will be effective in 45 days unless lawmakers take the unlikely step of blocking it.The step came as President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkey with Sharaa, a former jihadist who has sought to recast himself as a unifying figure after the 2024 toppling of the Assad family, which ruled with an iron fist for a half century.’This is yet another historic step by President Trump to give the Syrian people a chance at greatness,’ Rubio said in a statement.’Lifting sanctions on Syria will unlock international trade and investment, give Syria a chance to rebuild, and open up a new chapter for the Syrian people,’ he said.Trump's embrace of Sharaa comes despite misgivings from Israel, which has repeatedly launched airstrikes in Syria, one of its historic adversaries.Trump had earlier publicly pressed for Syria to make peace with Israel but went ahead with the delisting decision despite a lack of tangible progress.Rubio said in his statement that ‘a stable, unified Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors benefits not only the region, but the entire world.’Syria is seeking economic support to rebuild after years of brutal war that helped rise to the Islamic State extremist group and generated a major refugee crisis.Meeting in Ankara with Sharaa, who has traded his guerrilla fatigues for a suit, Trump said, ‘He's doing an unbelievable job in unifying Syria. What a job he's doing.”Syria was a mess with what happened with the previous government,’ Trump said. Source link
US President Donald Trump has altered his journey home following the Nato Summit in Turkiye, adding a stop in the United Kingdom to show off his new Qatari-donated aircraft.He had been due to fly directly to Washington this evening, but announced on Truth Social that he would first head to RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England, aboard the old Air Force One, to give American troops stationed at the base a chance to see his new plane. It was not immediately clear why he abruptly changed his itinerary.Asked twice, as he prepared to leave Turkiye after his news conference, why he was not travelling on the new aircraft, Trump said “it’s going to go to a couple of bases, so the soldiers can see it” because it’s “magnificent.”Last month, Trump unveiled the new Air Force One, a refurbished Boeing 747 donated by Qatar. This was the first international trip on which the president used the aircraft. Related Story Source link
Pakistani authorities have launched a search and rescue operation after a Boeing 737 cargo aircraft carrying five crew members lost contact with air traffic control off the coast of Karachi following a reported navigation system malfunction.The Pakistan Airports Authority said the aircraft, operated by K2 Airways, was en route to Karachi when it reported a navigation system problem late Tuesday before communications with air traffic controllers were lost. Preliminary flight-tracking data indicated the aircraft made erratic altitude changes before disappearing from radar over the Arabian Sea, raising fears it may have crashed into the water.Authorities have mobilized a multi-agency search and rescue operation in the Sea to locate the missing aircraft and its crew.As part of the operation, the Pakistan Navy has deployed the frigate PNS Zulfiqar, while the Pakistan Air Force is assisting with aerial search missions. Merchant vessels in the area have also been directed to support the search efforts.The cause of the aircraft's disappearance has not been determined, and authorities said the search operation remains ongoing. Source link
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was “over”, adding he did not want to engage with Tehran, calling the Iranian leadership “sick people”.Speaking at a summit of NATO leaders in Ankara, Trump also said he had ordered his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cut off trade ties with Spain, calling Madrid a “terrible partner” in NATO. The twin announcements overshadowed a summit that European leaders hoped would be focused on projecting unity and support for Ukraine, and put a lid on a series of rows that have threatened to blow NATO apart. The U.S. unleashed new military strikes on Iran and revoked a licence allowing Iran to sell oil in response to attacks on three tankers. It was the latest blow to a fragile ceasefire agreement in a war that is deeply unpopular in Europe.”It’s a very interesting question. To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them,” Trump said when asked whether the interim accord with Iran that envisaged hammering out a long-term peace deal by mid-August was over. “They’re scum. They’re sick people. They’re led by sick people.” “As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them,” he said. Washington and Madrid have been at loggerheads, with Spain explicitly rejecting Trump’s demands for European countries to sharply increase military spending to pay for their own defence. “Spain is a wasted cause. We don’t want to do any trade business with Spain anymore,” Trump said. “By the way, I’d like to cut it off. Spain is a terrible partner in NATO. They don’t participate, they don’t pay. I don’t want anything to do with Spain. Cut off all trade with Spain, including visits.” In response, the office of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said it was treating Trump’s statements as business as usual, adding that bilateral relations benefited both countries. Related Story Source link
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had launched a series of attacks on targets in Iran in response to what it said were Iranian attacks targeting three commercial vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command said in a statement: “Our forces have begun to launch a series of strong strikes on Iran to incur the price of targeting and attacking commercial shipping.” “The aggression shown by Iran was unjustified and dangerous and represented a clear violation of the ceasefire Related Story Source link
Nine Pakistani police officers were killed on Tuesday after armed militants attacked a security checkpoint in the Ziarat district of Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan.Security sources reported that violent clashes and heavy exchanges of gunfire broke out between Pakistani police personnel and the militants after the checkpoint was stormed, resulting in casualties among the security forces.Authorities have launched an investigation to identify those responsible for the attack, while security operations are continuing to clear the area and prevent further violence.Pakistani authorities continue to carry out security operations in Balochistan province to pursue the militants, while emphasizing that protecting strategic projects remains a top government priority due to their economic and developmental significance. Source link
US President Donald Trump on Monday confirmed that work was underway to build a “beautiful” new helipad at the White House, in his latest personally directed redesign to the iconic building. The helipad is situated on the South Lawn, where presidents and their family for decades have been photographed strolling across the grass to board or exit awaiting “Marine One” helicopters. The contractor has been asked to speed up work to be finished ahead of an upcoming state visit, apparently that of Chinese President Xi Jinping in September, the Washington Post reported. “So now we’re building a helipad, beautiful helipad, and it’s got the seal of the White House on it — in granite, carved granite, it’s… really a beautiful thing,” Trump told reporters. The landing site aims to solve problems associated with the new fleet of presidential helicopters built by Sikorsky, Trump said. An aerial view of ongoing construction of a helipad and ballroom at the White House from the US Army Golden Knight DHC-8 airplane on the…
US agencies have seized over 600 drones near FIFA World Cup venues since the start of the tournament on June 11, the Transportation Security Administration said on Monday.On match days, all aircraft operations, including drones, are prohibited within a radius of three nautical miles and up to 3,000 feet above ground level around the stadiums unless specifically authorized by air traffic controllers. The FBI said the drones have been seized from restricted airspace across all 11 US host cities. Source link
NATO heads of state and government will meet in Ankara, Turkiye, on Tuesday, for a two-day summit of great importance amidst numerous regional crises and global challenges and transformations, particularly in the security and energy sectors.Ankara is hosting the summit 22 years after the last one held on its soil in 2004. Turkiye occupies a strategic importance from geographical, political, and defense perspectives, as well as being a key transit corridor for energy supplies.The summit is expected to discuss the alliance’s defense spending and the Russia-Ukraine crisis. It will reaffirm the commitment to the principle of collective defense and the bonds between member states, in addition to addressing the developments in the Middle East, global challenges related to security, freedom of navigation, energy supplies, and other regional and international issues.The summit is also expected to highlight Turkiye’s prominent diplomatic role, its military contributions, the development of its defense industries, and its crisis management capabilities.In this regard, Assistant Professor at Qatar University, Dr. Abdulla Banndar Al Etaibi, noted that Turkiye has emerged as one of the world’s leading producers of defense equipment, military technologies, and security and intelligence systems. He explained that the country’s defense budget reached approximately $22.8 billion in 2024, representing 2.09% of its GDP. When Turkiye meets NATO’s newly agreed 5% defense spending target, its defense budget would rise to around $70 billion, an increase of approximately $47 billion.Al Etaibi added, in exclusive statements to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), that Turkiye’s hosting of the summit carries significant political and strategic weight. It confirms that Ankara remains an indispensable player within the alliance, despite the disagreements that have strained its relations with some Western countries in recent years.He emphasized that Turkiye’s ability to play a crucial role in mediation efforts has given it added value within the alliance. This is because Turkiye can communicate with parties that other NATO members cannot easily reach. Furthermore, hosting the summit reflects the alliance’s recognition that European security is no longer separate from the security of the Middle East and the Black Sea.For his part, Professor of Critical Security Studies at the Doha Institute Dr. Muhannad Salloum affirmed the significant role that Turkiye has come to occupy within NATO. He pointed out that Ankara is an indispensable ally, both geographically and militarily, for NATO, despite its disagreements with some members of the alliance.For its part, the State of Qatar is keen to strengthen its relations with the NATO, as the two sides have distinguished relations within the framework of the “Istanbul Cooperation Initiative,” which the State of Qatar joined on February 16, 2005. This includes the exchange of visits and political consultations, and participation in the study and training courses provided by NATO in the scientific and military fields.Relations between the State of Qatar and NATO witnessed significant development following the historic visit of His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani to NATO Headquarters in 2006, the first such visit by a head of state from a member country of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative.In 2014, relations between the State of Qatar and NATO saw further progress, with the agreement to hold the NATO and Gulf Security Conference in Doha in December 2014 as part of the celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative. Additionally, the NATO Conference on Weapons of Mass Destruction arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation was held in Qatar in March 2015. Related Story Source link