Marco Rubio

Trump and Iran trade red lines as Putin enters the diplomatic crossfire

28 Apr 2026 - 8:57AMvideocam

Washington shooting exposes gaps in security protocols for Trump

27 Apr 2026 - 2:32PM

Press dinner shooting casts fresh spotlight on Trump’s security

The attack suggests that even the most extensive personal security apparatus in the US has vulnerabilities.

27 Apr 2026 - 7:09AMvideocam

Secret Service agents respond during the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday. Photo: AP

US and EU sign critical minerals plan in push to loosen China’s grip

Western nations are seeking to diversify their supply chains for resources used to make semiconductors, EVs and advanced weapons.

25 Apr 2026 - 3:07AM

Fifa

US says Iran welcome at World Cup, distances itself from envoy’s Italy proposal

Secretary of State denies that Washington had asked Iranian team not to come, but warns that some members of delegation may not be welcome.

24 Apr 2026 - 4:00PM

Exclusive | Trump ally to visit China as US turns up pressure before May summit

Republican senator to lead bipartisan delegation to China next week; visit will begin on May 1, with stops planned in Shanghai and Beijing.

24 Apr 2026 - 6:59PMvideocam

Chinese Premier Li Qiang greets US Senator Steve Daines ahead of their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 23, 2025. Photo: Pool via Reuters

‘China or India or some other hellhole’: Trump reposts anti-immigrant rant

India’s foreign ministry called the remarks ‘obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste’.

24 Apr 2026 - 6:07AM

Trump says Israel and Lebanon agree to extend ceasefire by 3 weeks

The US president says he sees ‘great chance’ of a peace deal between the two countries this year after White House talks went ‘very well’.

24 Apr 2026 - 4:38PMvideocam

United States

Washington’s ‘psyop’ propaganda push could backfire, analysts say

Amid slipping global approval, the US is risking its credibility by turning to tactics it once condemned.

22 Apr 2026 - 9:00PM

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly told embassies and consulates to launch coordinated campaigns to boost the country’s image. Photo: Reuters

Pacific nations

Pacific Islanders skip food, medicine amid global fuel shortage from Iran war

Pacific nations are the most reliant on diesel for power generation worldwide. They imported about 2.2 million tonnes of fuel in 2025.

22 Apr 2026 - 9:37AM

Boats ply the waterway in Buka, Papua New Guinea. Many Pacific Island communities rely on boat transport for movement. Photo: AFP

Trump reads from Bible after high-profile clash with pope

The US president has faced rare criticism from his evangelical supporters for sharing a meme in which he appears as a Jesus-like healer.

22 Apr 2026 - 6:26PMvideocam

US must make more bombers, bring China in on nuclear arms talks: senator

Republican Deb Fischer, whose subcommittee oversees US nuclear arsenal, insisted Beijing must be part of any future treaty negotiations.

21 Apr 2026 - 6:29AMvideocam

Cuba

Cuba’s president says island does not wish for US aggression, but ready to fight

Cuba has been bracing for a possible attack following repeated warnings from Trump after he toppled Venezuela’s leader.

17 Apr 2026 - 11:35AM

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel marking the 65th anniversary of Fidel Castro’s declaration of the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution. Photo: Reuters

Israel and Lebanon begin 10-day ceasefire as US pushes broader deal

A pause in fighting may help ease tensions with Iran, as Trump eyes a White House meeting between the leaders of Israel and Lebanon.

17 Apr 2026 - 5:25PM

US President Donald Trump said he had spoken to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun ahead of the truce, adding the pair had agreed to the truce “in order to achieve PEACE”. Photo: AFP

China warns travellers to avoid Seattle airport after academics denied entry to US

About 20 Chinese scholars going to conference harassed and interrogated at border, Beijing says.

17 Apr 2026 - 10:05AMvideocam

China-India relations

Exclusive | Quad summit plan turns uneasy as India pushes ahead without top leaders: sources

Trump foresees a ‘big, fat hug’ from China’s Xi Jinping as New Delhi mulls a face-saver Quad meet-up without the US president.

16 Apr 2026 - 2:29PMvideocam

After ‘wonderful’ talks with Lebanon, Israel envoy says more dialogue coming

Sides commit to more engagement as Trump urges disarming Hezbollah, but analysts warn a durable Israel-Lebanon deal remains unlikely.

15 Apr 2026 - 9:46AMvideocam

United States

Vance had 2 jobs last week. Neither happened for the US vice-president

J.D. Vance returns to Washington empty-handed after a diplomatic tour that saw the fall of a key European ally and a stalemate in Islamabad.

14 Apr 2026 - 1:32PM

‘We have no trust in the other side’: Iran blames US as talks end with no deal

Tehran’s lead negotiator hits out at Washington after Islamabad talks, while Vance says sticking point was lack of nuclear commitments.

13 Apr 2026 - 4:45AMvideocam

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Nato

What Trump’s Iran war ‘loyalty test’ may mean for Nato’s long-standing alliance

Transatlantic allies’ refusal to back the Iran war fuels latest Trump outburst after meeting with Nato chief Mark Rutte.

10 Apr 2026 - 7:25AMvideocam

US President Donald Trump meets Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte in Davos, Switzerland, in January. The pair held a closed-door meeting in the White House on April 8. Photo: AFP

Trump has a ceasefire with Iran. But a confrontation with Congress looms

Two-week truce with Tehran leaves Trump mere days to finalise a deal before a legal cut-off triggers a high-stakes clash with US Congress.

9 Apr 2026 - 7:03AMvideocam

Buildings lie in ruins in Tehran after joint US-Israel airstrikes, reflecting the widening toll of the conflict on the Iranian capital. Photo: Getty Images

The Philippines

Can Philippines become critical minerals powerhouse with help from US, Japan?

To curb China’s dominance in the sector, Manila has to cut red tape and fight corruption to draw US and Japanese investors.

8 Apr 2026 - 8:42PMvideocam

United States

Trump lauds Beijing role in Iran truce, but clouds ceasefire with tariff threat

Markets rise on fragile pause in fighting, as Tehran keeps Hormuz shut and warns it may abandon deal if Israeli strikes on Lebanon continue.

9 Apr 2026 - 5:11AMvideocam

Education in Hong Kong

How a US clampdown affected mainland Chinese, Hong Kong student visa numbers

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced last May the country would take stricter approach to Chinese student visas.

6 Apr 2026 - 8:30AM

A consultant has said the impact of US President Donald Trump’s policy has been short-lived. Photo: AP