Iranian Navy at the bottom of the sea, claims Trump

IANS | March 20, 2026 9:39 PM

Washington, March 20 (IANS) President Donald Trump said Friday that Iran’s navy was now “at the bottom of the sea” as he opened a White House event honouring the Navy Midshipmen with an extended defence of US military action against Tehran.

Shared beliefs, interests deepening ties among nations across Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean-Atlantic theatres

IANS | March 20, 2026 9:07 PM

Washington, March 20 (IANS) The national interests of the United States, India, Israel, Italy, and Japan form a critical allied bridge across the Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean-Atlantic theatres, underscoring the importance of these regions to all five nations. This alignment should be consolidated into a resilient, resolute fabric advancing the shared beliefs and interests of these countries, a report mentioned.

US-NATO rift widens as Trump calls allies ‘cowards’

IANS | March 20, 2026 8:42 PM

New York, March 20 (IANS) The rift between US President Donald Trump and NATO deepened on Friday as he called members of the pact “cowards” and warned that he would “remember” their refusal to help open the Strait of Hormuz.

Nepali detained by Iran amid Hormuz crisis

IANS | March 20, 2026 7:22 PM

Kathmandu, March 20 (IANS) The Nepal government on Friday confirmed that a Nepali national working aboard a vessel navigating the maritime corridor of the Strait of Hormuz has been detained by the Iranian authorities amid the ongoing war involving the US, Israel, and Iran.

China's assertiveness in South China Sea poses global security concern: Report

IANS | March 20, 2026 7:16 PM

Naypyidaw, March 20 (IANS) Vietnam's resistance to Chinese hegemony in the South China Sea represents both a national defence of sovereignty and a struggle to uphold international law. The deterioration of ties between the two countries indicates a risky trajectory – one where China’s assertiveness could disrupt fragile stability in the Southeast Asian region, a report has detailed.