Israel President Herzog, PM Netanyahu greet India on Independence Day

<p> Herzliya (Israel), Aug 15 (PTI): Israeli President Isaac Herzog congratulated India and its people on the 80th Independence Day, calling for strengthening the “beautiful friendship” between the two countries.</p><p> “On behalf of the State of Israel, I warmly congratulate President @rashtrapatibhvn, Prime Minister @narendramodi, and the wonderful people of India on your 80th Independence Day!” Herzog posted on X.</p><p> “I hope that we will continue to strengthen this beautiful friendship between Israel and India,” he said.</p><p>Congratulating India, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the two countries’ innovation and friendship are “boundless”, but the “best is yet to come”.</p><p>“Congratulations to India and to my dear friend @PMOIndia @narendramodi on your 80th Independence Day”, Netanyahu posted on X shortly after the end of Sabbath on Saturday evening.</p><p>“India and Israel achieved independence one year apart. We are two ancient nations that seize the future together to bring a better life for our people”, the Israeli Premier noted.</p><p>“Our innovation and friendship are boundless. The best is yet to come!”, he said.</p><p>Official communiques are generally put on hold in Israel during Sabbath, so the message came out only on Saturday evening.</p><p> The Israeli Foreign Ministry also extended its greetings.</p><p> More than 400 Indians from all over Israel descended on this northern coastal city in Tel Aviv district to celebrate Independence Day.</p><p> The enthusiastic crowd made it to the venue in the morning despite the early start in view of the “historic journey of the Suryapath Tiranga” with the Indian mission in Israel passing the baton to the one in Egypt.</p><p> Ambassador J P Singh hoisted the Tricolour amid patriotic slogans from the crowd.</p><p> The ceremony started with the singing of Vande Mataram, marking the 150th anniversary of the national song.</p><p> Singh also felicitated the winners of “Know India Quiz” and of the photography competition “India Through My Lens”.</p><p> Meanwhile, the Indian community in Israel has planned several events across the country to celebrate Independence Day.</p><p> The Bhartiya Gorkha Association of Israel has organised a special function at Rothschild Street in Tel Aviv, inviting members of the community.</p><p> More than 40,000 Indians are estimated to be working in various sectors of the Israeli economy, with reports of many more waiting to join the workforce.</p><p> The Indian mission also organised a short cultural programme following the flag hoisting. PTI HM GSP RD RD RD</p><p><i>(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)</i></p>

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Trump’s Latin American Allies Strengthen Ties With Israel

<p>A three-week military offensive in the Gaza Strip in 2009, which killed more than 1,400 people, including an estimated 1,100 civilians, spurred Venezuela's Socialist president at the time, Hugo Chavez, to expel the Israeli ambassador in protest and end diplomatic relations.</p> <p>Seventeen years later, Venezuela and Israel have agreed to establish a mechanism for the resumption of consular services. It's a limited step, but one that until recently would have been unthinkable.</p> <p>In Colombia, the nationalist government of new President Abelardo de la Espriella recently reversed the decision by his predecessor, Gustavo Petro, to sever diplomatic relations with Israel in protest of the country's most recent war in Gaza, which has killed more than 70,000 people, nearly one-third of them children.</p> <p>De la Espriella has even announced that Colombia will relocate its embassy to Jerusalem, and this week declared that Colombia would join the United States as the only two countries that recognize "Israeli sovereignty" over the Golan Heights, which is Syrian territory under international law but has been occupied by Israel since 1967. The vast majority of the international community, including Germany and the UN, does not recognize the annexation of the Golan Heights by Israel.</p> <p>"There is a trend toward rapprochement with Israel as a response to the surge of the radical right in the region," said Isaac Caro, a professor at Alberto Hurtado University in Chile. Caro said authoritarians in Latin America were linking relations with Israel to "an active alignment with US foreign policy." He said reinforcing ties with Israel had become a characteristic of Latin America's radical right as part of the renewed discourse of region's place in Judeo-Christian Western civilization.</p> <p>In Argentina, for example, ultraconservative President Javier Milei has made close relations with Israel a defining feature of both his foreign policy and his own political identity.</p> <p>Daniel Wajner, associate professor of international relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said there had been a "surge" in diplomacy between Israel and Latin American governments. Wajner said Jair Bolsonaro, the neoliberal former president of Brazil, and El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, the self-described "world's coolest dictator," were early adopters of warmer ties with Israel. They were followed by Milei and others.</p> <p>Wajner said Latin America's authoritarians were actively "embracing" the national-conservative government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also said there were ideological, religious and strategic factors in governments' tightening of bonds with the country, such as the desire to signal a like-minded international orientation with the US.</p> <p>Gilberto Aranda, a political analyst from the University of Chile, said there had been a trend in Latin America of authoritarians' aligning with the US under Donald Trump &mdash; and therefore also engaging in rapprochement with Israel.</p> <h2>Colombia's new president triggers 'fundamental shift'</h2> <p>In 2024, under Petro, Colombia broke off relations because of the war in Gaza. In the week since de la Espriella assumed office on August 7, Caro said there has been a "fundamental shift" in Colombia's foreign policy.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/z3eiXmb5Njw?si=c6K3YHiZbShNSRTs" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>In Venezuela, the stated policies of the current government, which took power after US forces abducted the sitting president in early January, remain rooted in the socialist populism of Chavismo. However, the resumption of consular services has proved a symbolic diplomatic success for Israel.</p> <p>Bolivia's Socialist government severed relations with Israel after the bombardment of a camp for displaced people in Gaza in 2023. When the conservative Rodrigo Paz assumed office 2025, he quickly restored ties.</p> <p>In Chile, the democratic socialist former president, Gabriel Boric, was highly critical of Netanyahu and his government. His successor, the national conservative, Jose Antonio Kast, is seeking, among other things, to revive Chile's defense cooperation with Israel.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-iran-war-live-updates-us-last-carrier-uss-george-washington-from-asia-giving-china-a-pacific-opening-1862262">Iran War Pulls US Last Carrier USS George Washington From Asia, Giving China A Pacific Opening</a></strong></p> <h2>Brazil, Mexico maintain 'critical stance' toward Israel</h2> <p>By contrast, the social-democratic government of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil has taken a highly critical stance toward Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.</p> <p>"The country with the most influence in the region, which maintains a critical stance toward Israel, is clearly Brazil," said Aranda. Brazil's demographic, economic and political clout are a major counterweight to the shift by other Latin American governments toward warmer relations with Israel.</p> <p>Then there is Mexico, the other giant of Latin America. Whereas Lula, in Brazil, is particularly critical, Mexico, under President Claudia Sheinbaum, is trying to preserve greater neutrality as well as a diplomatic balance. Sheinbaum has criticized Israel's actions in Gaza, but still maintains diplomatic relations. This shows that criticism of the Netanyahu government does not inevitably signify the breakdown of relations with the state of Israel.</p> <p>Still, given the recent mass killings in Gaza, the shift in Israel's relations with some governments in Latin America is significant. Israel is not just interested in winning over friendly governments. These bilateral relationships date back to the foundation of the Israeli state in 1948, and cover migration, trade, and security. The support of Latin America in multilateral organizations such as the United Nations has always been key in countering Israel's international isolation.</p> <p>Wajner said the decision by Latin American governments to improve ties with Israel offered both sides "legitimacy, cooperation and influence." Israel needs international partners, and Latin American goverments also offer opportunities for economic, technological and military cooperation. For its part, Latin America can turn to Israel as a strong partner in areas such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and defense.</p> <p>Though Israel has managed to forge new bonds in Latin America for now, long-term relations will continue to depend on who is in power, where and when.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-iran-war-live-updates-us-last-carrier-uss-george-washington-from-asia-giving-china-a-pacific-opening-1862262">Iran War Pulls US Last Carrier USS George Washington From Asia, Giving China A Pacific Opening</a></strong></p> <p><em>This article was originally written in German.</em></p> <p><em>Disclaimer: This report first appeared on&nbsp;<strong>Deutsche Welle</strong>, and has been republished on&nbsp;<strong>ABP Live</strong>&nbsp;as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by&nbsp;<strong>ABP Live</strong>.</em></p>

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Iran War Pulls US Last Carrier USS George Washington From Asia, Giving China A Pacific Opening

<div class="qMYqUG_convSearchResultHighlightRoot"> <div class="" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:a94c13ba-31cd-4bee-aa70-dae7d507eab3-290" data-is-intersecting="true"> <section class="text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id="request-WEB:a94c13ba-31cd-4bee-aa70-dae7d507eab3-290" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:a94c13ba-31cd-4bee-aa70-dae7d507eab3-290" data-testid="conversation-turn-582" data-turn="assistant"> <div class="text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-8 [--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-xs,calc(var(--spacing)*4))] @w-sm/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-sm,calc(var(--spacing)*6))] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-lg,calc(var(--spacing)*16))] px-(--thread-content-margin)"> <div class="[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn" data-conversation-screenshot-content=""> <div class="flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow"> <div class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1" dir="auto" tabindex="0" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="d9225e61-3e61-44a8-956a-050b51a5007a" data-message-model-slug="gpt-5-6" data-turn-start-message="true"> <div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden"> <div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert wrap-break-word w-full light markdown-new-styling"> <p class="PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer" data-start="102" data-end="351">President Donald Trump&rsquo;s war against Iran is placing growing pressure on the US Navy&rsquo;s aircraft carrier fleet, with one of the service&rsquo;s key warships leaving the western Pacific at a time when China is showing increasing assertiveness in the region.</p> <p data-start="353" data-end="591">The USS George Washington is set to leave the Pacific and replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, where the Lincoln&rsquo;s deployment has been extended well beyond its original May return date to support US operations against Iran, AP news agency reported.</p> <p data-start="593" data-end="846">The move could temporarily leave the Pacific without a US aircraft carrier. While the gap may be brief if another carrier deploys in the coming months, analysts say the development highlights the strain caused by prolonged operations in the Middle East.</p> <h2 data-section-id="zdshu3" data-start="848" data-end="899"><span role="text">US Focus Shifts From Pacific To Middle East</span></h2> <p data-start="901" data-end="1097">The carrier deployment comes as the Trump administration increasingly focuses on the Middle East and the Western Hemisphere, despite previously identifying the Pacific as a key strategic priority.</p> <p data-start="1099" data-end="1321">&ldquo;The administration says that the Pacific is supposed to be the most important behind the Western Hemisphere,&rdquo; said Greg Poling, director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.</p> <p data-start="1323" data-end="1459">Instead, he said, Washington was &ldquo;doing the exact opposite&rdquo; of its earlier goal of reducing its military involvement in the Middle East.</p> <p data-start="1461" data-end="1652">The shift is unsettling US allies in the Pacific, Poling said, while Beijing is benefiting from what he described as American distraction and frustration among Washington&rsquo;s regional partners.</p> <h2 data-section-id="d3vt61" data-start="1654" data-end="1710"><span role="text">China Could Use Carrier Absence To Project Power</span></h2> <p data-start="1712" data-end="1892">China regards the US military presence in the Indo-Pacific as a challenge to its rise and its ambitions regarding Taiwan, the self-governing island Beijing claims as its territory.</p> <p data-start="1894" data-end="2098">Analysts do not expect China to invade Taiwan simply because a US aircraft carrier has left the region. However, the absence could provide Beijing with an opportunity to demonstrate its military strength.</p> <p data-start="2100" data-end="2362">Bryan Clark, a former Navy submariner and defence analyst at the Hudson Institute, said China could use the situation to reinforce a narrative among countries such as the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia that Washington can no longer guarantee regional security.</p> <p data-start="2364" data-end="2492">China has recently conducted naval exercises with Indonesia and increased military activity involving Japan and the Philippines.</p> <p data-start="2494" data-end="2714">Beijing also held military drills near the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea this month. Last month, a Chinese guided-missile destroyer conducted a live-fire exercise near Japan&rsquo;s southernmost island of Okinotori.</p> <h2 data-section-id="1xl0o3x" data-start="2716" data-end="2759"><span role="text">US Seeks To Reassure Pacific Allies</span></h2> <p data-start="2761" data-end="2841">Washington is seeking to reassure its regional partners despite the carrier gap.</p> <p data-start="2843" data-end="3099">Adm Frank Bradley, head of the US Special Operations Command, visited Manila on Thursday and told Philippine officials that US special operations forces were prepared to expand joint exercises to strengthen the alliance. He is also expected to visit Japan.</p> <p data-start="3101" data-end="3269">Evan Sankey, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute who focuses on US policy towards China, said aircraft carriers offered psychological reassurance to American allies.</p> <p data-start="3271" data-end="3373">Their absence, he said, adds to the perception that the US is distracted by events in the Middle East.</p> <h2 data-section-id="ga41we" data-start="3375" data-end="3433"><span role="text">Lincoln's Extended Deployment Raises Crew Concerns</span></h2> <p data-start="3435" data-end="3605">The USS Abraham Lincoln has now spent more than 240 consecutive days at sea, a record deployment that has raised concerns over the physical and mental strain on its crew.</p> <p data-start="3607" data-end="3694">Democratic lawmakers have called for greater scrutiny of conditions aboard the carrier.</p> <p data-start="3696" data-end="3997">The Navy has already faced difficulties with other long deployments. The USS Gerald R. Ford returned home in May after an 11-month deployment, the longest since the Vietnam War. During that deployment, it supported US operations against Iran and the capture of Venezuela&rsquo;s then-leader, Nicol&aacute;s Maduro.</p> <p data-start="3999" data-end="4160">The Ford also suffered a fire in a laundry area that forced it to return to the Mediterranean for repairs and left hundreds of sailors without sleeping quarters.</p> <p data-start="496" data-end="623">&nbsp;</p> <p data-start="3999" data-end="4160"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ka7M1zyZ6Ao?si=fsM3zC0nCYAlxf-A" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-mce-fragment="1"></iframe></p> <p data-start="672" data-end="887">&nbsp;</p> <p data-start="4162" data-end="4348">Robert Farley, who teaches national security and diplomacy at the University of Kentucky, said prolonged deployments could take a significant psychological and operational toll on crews.</p> <p data-start="4350" data-end="4527">&ldquo;People don&rsquo;t get enough rest. It&rsquo;s psychologically exhausting,&rdquo; Farley said, warning that crews cannot maintain peak efficiency indefinitely without adequate rest and recovery.</p> <h2 data-section-id="i55ibu" data-start="4529" data-end="4575"><span role="text">Carrier Fleet Faces Maintenance Crunch</span></h2> <p data-start="4577" data-end="4687">The pressure on the carrier fleet also reflects questions over US planning for a prolonged conflict with Iran.</p> <p data-start="4689" data-end="4891">Clark said the Navy could potentially deploy four carriers if the USS Theodore Roosevelt moves from San Diego towards the Middle East, allowing the George Washington to eventually return to the Pacific.</p> <p data-start="4893" data-end="4975">The US Navy has 11 aircraft carriers and typically deploys two or three at a time.</p> <p data-start="4977" data-end="5050">However, prolonged deployments could create another problem: maintenance.</p> <p data-start="5052" data-end="5198">The Navy&rsquo;s carriers will eventually require extensive repairs and upkeep, potentially creating bottlenecks at the country&rsquo;s two carrier shipyards.</p> <p data-start="5200" data-end="5359">Clark warned that the Navy could accumulate a &ldquo;maintenance debt&rdquo; lasting several years, reducing the number of carriers available for operations in the future.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div>

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Indonesia Earthquake: 7.7-Magnitude Quake Kills 38, Triggers Tsunami Warning

<p><strong>Indonesia earthquake tsunami warning:&nbsp;</strong>A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least 38 people and causing widespread damage across parts of East Nusa Tenggara, officials said. The strong tremor was followed by multiple aftershocks and briefly triggered a tsunami warning for coastal areas. Authorities lifted the alert around three hours later after the immediate threat had subsided. Officials warned that the number of casualties could increase as emergency teams continue searching damaged areas and reach locations that remain difficult to access.</p> <h3>Strong Tremor Strikes East Nusa Tenggara</h3> <p>Indonesia's geophysics agency BMKG said the earthquake occurred at 4:58 am local time at a depth of 15 kilometres, making it a relatively shallow quake.</p> <p>The tremor affected parts of East Nusa Tenggara, with the port town of Maumere on Flores Island among the worst-hit locations.</p> <p>Following the earthquake, coastal areas recorded tsunami waves measuring less than one metre. BMKG issued a tsunami warning and urged people near beaches and riverbanks to move towards higher ground.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-nRfW8-54EE?si=_nj8IjLM9Ct4Wsgz" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p><strong>ALSO READ: <a title="Kharge, Rahul Gandhi Skip Red Fort Independence Day Event For Second Year In A Row" href="https://ift.tt/JcpaZLj" target="_self">Kharge, Rahul Gandhi Skip Red Fort Independence Day Event For Second Year In A Row</a></strong></p> <h3>Maumere Reports Deaths, Injuries And Collapsed Buildings</h3> <p>At least 20 bodies were recovered in and around Maumere, according to Fathur Rahman, head of the local rescue agency. Six people were reported injured, while two others were found trapped beneath rubble.</p> <p>The earthquake caused buildings to collapse across the affected region, East Nusa Tenggara police chief Rudi Darmoko said.</p> <p>The disaster also disrupted electricity and communications, complicating rescue operations and limiting the flow of information from affected communities.</p> <p>The loss of power and communication services has made it more difficult for emergency agencies to establish the full scale of the destruction.</p> <h3>Landslides Block Access To Nagekeo</h3> <p>Nagekeo, the regency closest to the earthquake's epicentre, has been particularly difficult for rescue teams to reach.</p> <p>According to Fathur, damaged roads and landslides have disrupted access to the area, while communication problems have added to the challenges facing emergency responders. A rescue team is attempting to reach the affected region by sea.</p> <p>Around 2,000 people have already been evacuated from Nagekeo, according to Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).</p> <p>The agency also reported damage to residential properties, warehouses and government buildings. Traffic congestion and power outages have further disrupted daily life in the area.</p> <h3>Rescue Operations Continue As Toll May Rise</h3> <p>Emergency personnel are continuing search-and-rescue operations across the affected parts of East Nusa Tenggara, with teams working to locate people who may remain trapped under collapsed structures.</p> <p>Authorities are assessing damage while attempting to restore access to isolated areas. The combination of landslides, damaged infrastructure and communication failures is slowing relief efforts.</p> <p>Officials have cautioned that the death toll could rise as rescue teams reach more affected communities and conduct further searches.</p> <p>Indonesia, which sits along the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire", regularly experiences earthquakes and volcanic activity. The latest disaster has once again highlighted the risks faced by communities across the country's island regions.</p>

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Trump Vows To Claim Strait Of Hormuz As US Territory ‘Pretty Soon’; Iran Hits Back

<p>US President Donald Trump has intensified his warnings over the Strait of Hormuz, saying Washington could seek control of the strategically vital waterway once its confrontation with Iran comes to an end. His latest statement comes as shipping activity through the strait has fallen sharply amid the escalating US-Iran standoff.</p> <h3>Trump Floats US Claim Over Key Waterway</h3> <p>Addressing supporters at a rally in New York on Friday, Trump said the United States could take an unprecedented step after the conflict with Iran. He said,&nbsp;"After we finish defeating Iran... I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States."</p> <p>Trump did not outline how such a declaration could be implemented or what legal authority Washington would rely upon. His comments, however, add to increasingly forceful statements from the US president about the waterway, which is a crucial route for international energy supplies.</p> <p>Earlier this week, Trump claimed the United States had "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and described the American naval blockade as a "WALL OF STEEL."</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EcVtBycWPt0?si=bjipHX1xSZ2JUYeX" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p><strong>ALSO READ: <a title="'Their Dreams Inspire Us': PM Modi Pays Tribute To Freedom Fighters On Independence Day" href="https://ift.tt/02gWeSy" target="_self">'Their Dreams Inspire Us': PM Modi Pays Tribute To Freedom Fighters On Independence Day</a></strong></p> <h3>Iran Rejects Trump's Claim</h3> <p>Tehran swiftly dismissed Trump's remarks, maintaining that Iran retains authority over the strait and that decisions concerning its passage remain under Iranian control. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded on X, arguing that Washington should recognise what he described as its losses in the confrontation.</p> <p>He said: "Once and for all, accept the reality: up to this point, you have suffered strategic and heavy defeats; the Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian; this strait will only be closed and opened under Iran's command, and as long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and cease your fanciful delusions, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade."</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ: <a title="Who Will Succeed Chandrasekaran? Neville Tata, Top Tata Executives Emerge As Contenders, Says Report" href="https://ift.tt/4UgLm2n" target="_self">Who Will Succeed Chandrasekaran? Neville Tata, Top Tata Executives Emerge As Contenders, Says Report</a></strong></p> <h3>Vessel Movement Through Strait Plunges</h3> <p>The impact of the standoff is increasingly visible in commercial shipping data. Kpler tracking indicated that only two vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, and neither was a crude oil tanker.</p> <p>The figure followed nine crossings on Thursday and five on Wednesday. Those numbers are considerably lower than the August daily average of 12 crossings and dramatically below the roughly 130 vessels that previously travelled through the waterway each day before the US-Israeli campaign against Iran began in February.</p> <h3>US Details Blockade Operations</h3> <p>US Central Command said that by August 14, American forces had redirected 62 commercial vessels, disabled three vessels and boarded two as part of efforts to enforce the blockade.</p> <p>Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that the United States could continue the operation "indefinitely", with naval vessels being rotated through the region.</p> <h3>Iran Says No New Talks Decided</h3> <p>Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran had not decided to resume negotiations with Washington, according to semi-official ISNA.</p> <p>He acknowledged that Qatar and Pakistan were maintaining contact with Iran as intermediaries, but cautioned that this "does not mean negotiations."</p> <p>Araghchi also disputed interpretations of an Islamabad memorandum, saying it referred to an "end to the war" rather than a ceasefire. He rejected suggestions that a 60-day truce was in place and would require renewal.</p> <p>According to Araghchi, Iran is instead working towards a temporary arrangement that could eventually develop into a more permanent framework. With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz already severely reduced, Trump's latest territorial claim adds another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile confrontation.</p>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/us-iran-war-trump-vows-to-claim-strait-of-hormuz-us-territory-pretty-soon-iran-hits-back-tehran-1862128

7.7-Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Eastern Indonesia, Tsunami Warning Issued

<p>A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Indonesia early Saturday, followed by several aftershocks, the country's geophysics agency BMKG said. Tsunami waves measuring less than 1 metre (3 feet) were recorded in several areas.</p> <p>The earthquake prompted people to flee their homes, although there were no initial reports of widespread damage, Reuters reported, citing Dodi Yuleova, spokesperson for the national disaster mitigation agency.</p> <p>The tremor was felt strongly for about a minute in areas including Nagekeo and Bima, he said.</p> <h3>Building Collapses Reported In Maumere</h3> <p>According to Reuters, a video posted on Facebook filmed at a port in Maumere, the main town in Sikka Regency on Flores Island in eastern Indonesia, showed part of a building collapsing amid dust and rubble as people screamed and ran through the streets.</p> <p>Footage aired by Kompas TV also showed a hospital in the Ende district of East Nusa Tenggara province moving patients outside, the report said.</p> <h3>Earthquake Followed By Aftershocks</h3> <p>BMKG said the initial earthquake was recorded at 4:58 a.m. local time at a depth of 15 kilometres (9 miles). Several aftershocks were subsequently recorded.</p> <p>The earthquake occurred offshore in eastern Indonesia, according to the agency.</p> <p>Australia's tsunami warning centre said the undersea earthquake posed "no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands or territories".</p>

source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/powerful-7-7-magnitude-earthquake-jolts-eastern-indonesia-tsunami-warning-issued-1862124

Taliban Faces Growing Insurgent Threat Five Years After Seizing Power

<p><em>Edited by: Darko Janjevic</em></p> <p>Less than a month before the five-year anniversary of the Taliban retaking power in Afghanistan, the Islamist regime lost control of the Yaftal-e Payeen district capital in the northeastern province of Badakhshan. The disruption was temporary, but it nevertheless marked the first time the Taliban lost control of a district center since returning to power in August 2021.</p> <p>Reports from Badakhshan also indicated internal clashes among Taliban fighters and fatal attacks on high-ranking Taliban officials.</p> <p>On August 2, some two weeks after the brief loss of the district center, former Afghan army general Sami Sadat ordered his forces to launch attacks against the Taliban across the country.</p> <p>"Today at 5:00 AM, I ordered all military members of the United Front to begin military operations," General Sadat said in a video message released from the US, where he has lived since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban.</p> <p>Other armed groups, including the National Resistance Front led by the son of the late commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, have been engaged in a continuous armed struggle against the Taliban since 2021. While armed insurgents have not been able to pose a major threat to the Taliban's overall grip on power, experts are questioning whether the clashes in Badakhshan could pave the way for more impactful resistance.</p> <p>"In these five years, this opposition existed in two forms: political and military... As the five-year mark approaches, both forms of opposition have taken shape," former Afghan Interior Minister Mohammad Umer Daudzai told DW.</p> <h2>Fear of new proxy wars in Afghanistan</h2> <p>The Taliban have reigned with an iron fist since the collapse of the US-backed Afghan government five years ago. The Islamist regime denied basic human rights and imposed strict restrictions on women, banning them from work and education beyond the sixth grade. Women are mostly banned from public life in Afghanistan as well, and have few rights at all.</p> <p>Most former government officials are in exile. While the Taliban maintain that all Afghans are free to return and lead ordinary lives, opponents counter that return is only viable if political activity is permitted.</p> <p>While the regime managed to cultivate some contacts internationally, they are still viewed as illegitimate by most of the world's governments. To date, only Russia has acknowledged the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan.</p> <p>Facing pressures both within and outside of the country, the Taliban repeatedly pointed to the restoration of nationwide security as their primary claim to legitimacy. However, experts warn that their governing style could in fact enable armed rebels to challenge them in various parts of Afghanistan.</p> <p>"If this policy of the Taliban continues, armed forces will emerge against them, opposition will emerge, interference from neighbors will arise, and ultimately the ground will be prepared for proxy wars," former Acting Minister of Defense Shahmohammad Miakhel told DW.</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/gunfire-targets-balochistan-minister-s-convoy-on-pakistan-s-independence-day-6-injured-minister-unhurt-1862095">Gunfire Targets Balochistan Minister&rsquo;s Convoy On Pakistan&rsquo;s Independence Day, 6 Injured; Minister Unhurt</a></strong></p> <p>Beyond political opposition, the regional branch of the "Islamic State" (IS) remains active in Afghanistan. The group has claimed responsibility for several high-profile attacks against Taliban officials, including a January explosion at a Chinese restaurant in central Kabul that killed at least seven people, and a December 2024 suicide bombing in Kabul that killed the regime's Minister of Refugees Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani.</p> <h2>Taliban claim Pakistan supports insurgents in Afghanistan</h2> <p>The strongest challenge to Taliban control could originate from outside Afghanistan's borders. Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan &mdash; once considered one of the Taliban's closest allies &mdash; have been fraught with tension since 2021, erupting in full on clashes this year. According to a United Nations report from May, cross-border hostilities during the first three months of 2026 resulted in at least 372 Afghan civilian deaths and nearly 400 injuries.</p> <p>"When Mr. Sami Sadat issues such an order from America to those who must fight the Taliban, he has certainly seen a green light. And remember that in Afghanistan, no group and no one can carry out any activity without the support of one or more foreign countries," former defense ministry spokesperson Mohammad Radmanish told DW.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/38Vj7xwF7yg?si=6GUXEELR8SCrSh0Y" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>While the Taliban publicly downplay the threat posed by rebel groups, they also allege that external support for armed resistance is rising.</p> <p>"We are aware that lame ducks were invited to Pakistan [...] A large group has been invited to Islamabad who are now discussing where they can have an office and center and refuge," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told DW in an interview.</p> <p>When pressed by DW to provide evidence for these claims, Mujahid offered no proof.</p> <h2>'Islamabad has used all its options'</h2> <p>Pakistan accuses the Taliban of providing safe havens to militants executing attacks inside Pakistani territory, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The Taliban deny these charges, in turn accusing Pakistan of harboring hostile elements and violating Afghan sovereignty.</p> <p>Qamar Cheema, an Islamabad-based security expert, told DW in February that it is Pakistan that is targeting the militant groups.</p> <p>"Pakistan wants the Afghan people to understand that the Taliban are harboring terrorists. Therefore, Pakistan will continue targeting military sites associated with the Taliban, TTP and ISIS-K hideouts," Cheema said.</p> <p>"Islamabad has used all its options, including regional diplomacy and direct communication, but nothing has been honored," he added. "As a neighboring Muslim country, Pakistan appears to inflict damage in an attempt to alter Taliban behavior."</p> <p><strong>ALSO READ: <a href="https://news.abplive.com/news/world/drone-enters-latvia-airspace-nato-jets-scrambled-italian-fighter-shoots-it-down-1862099">Drone Enters Latvia Airspace, NATO Jets Scrambled; Italian Fighter Shoots It Down</a></strong></p> <p><em>Disclaimer: This report first appeared on&nbsp;<strong>Deutsche Welle</strong>, and has been republished on&nbsp;<strong>ABP Live</strong>&nbsp;as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by&nbsp;<strong>ABP Live</strong>.</em></p>

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