Trump indicates US may step back from Hormuz security

IANS | April 1, 2026 6:45 AM

Washington, April 1 (IANS) US President Donald Trump signalled a potential shift in American policy on securing the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that other countries may need to take responsibility for protecting the critical shipping lane once US operations wind down.

Trump signs order on mail ballot rules

IANS | April 1, 2026 6:37 AM

Washington, April 1 (IANS) US President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at tightening election procedures, focusing on voter rolls and mail-in ballots, which he said would help “secure elections in the future.”

US may exit Iran war in weeks: Trump

IANS | April 1, 2026 6:27 AM

Washington, April 1 (IANS) US President Donald Trump said American forces could exit the ongoing conflict with Iran within weeks, asserting that Washington had already achieved its core objective of neutralising Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

US says Iran forces hit by desertions

IANS | March 31, 2026 10:44 PM

Washington, March 31 (IANS) The United States on Tuesday said that its ongoing military campaign against Iran is eroding the country’s armed forces, citing intelligence assessments of declining morale, desertions and shortages among key personnel.

Press freedom group slams China for blocking legal counsel for journalist

IANS | March 31, 2026 9:24 PM

Paris, March 31 (IANS) A leading international press freedom organisation on Tuesday strongly condemned the Chinese authorities for denying journalist Zhang Zhan access to legal counsel and isolating her from the outside world, urging the global community to intensify pressure on Beijing to end her persecution.

Bangladesh's democratic contraction and rising risk of extremism

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury | March 31, 2026 9:23 PM

Dhaka: Bangladesh’s return to electoral politics has done little to settle the deeper questions surrounding its democratic future. The February 12 victory of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) may have produced a government, but it has not resolved the growing crisis of political exclusion, institutional imbalance, and the steady contraction of democratic space.

EU nations pledge 'full accountability' for war crimes in Ukraine

IANS | March 31, 2026 9:01 PM

Kyiv, March 31 (IANS) European Union's (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and Foreign Ministers of EU nations, barring Hungary, gathered in Ukraine's Bucha on Tuesday to commemorate the victims of the "mass atrocities" committed during Russia's temporary occupation of the parts of Kyiv in 2022.

US presses Iran with strikes, open to deal

IANS | March 31, 2026 8:52 PM

Washington, March 31 (IANS) The United States on Tuesday said it is intensifying military strikes on Iran while pursuing active negotiations, as officials argued that battlefield pressure is forcing Tehran towards a deal.