Marco Rubio

US-Russian citizen released in Moscow-Washington prisoner swap

10 Apr 2025 - 7:19PMvideocam

Africa

US revokes all South Sudan visas after it refuses to take back its citizens

6 Apr 2025 - 7:34AM

Trump losing patience with Putin, US’ Marco Rubio tells Nato

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump probably wouldn’t accept the Russian president’s delaying tactics much longer.

4 Apr 2025 - 10:09PMvideocam

At a Nato foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump probably wouldn’t accept the Russian president’s delaying tactics much longer. Photo: AFP

The Philippines

Opinion | Why the Philippines can’t count on the US’ strategic love

The Trump administration has offered reassurances to Manila, but mixed signals and global tariffs mean there are still reasons to be wary.

4 Apr 2025 - 6:58AMvideocam

Nato

Marco Rubio says US committed to Nato but tells allies to spend more

Trump has demanded Nato more than double its current spending target to five per cent of GDP – more than any, including the US, spend now.

3 Apr 2025 - 7:39PMvideocam

China-Russia relations

Car trouble: is a drop in China-Russia auto shipments a bad omen for trade?

As the US attempts to peel Russia away from China, Moscow and Beijing’s auto trade has slowed. Is Donald Trump’s plan working?

30 Mar 2025 - 6:14PMvideocam

China and Russia’s previously ironclad trade ties may be softening as the US attempts to bring Moscow out of Beijing’s orbit. Photo: Reuters

Israel-Gaza war

Rubio says he stripped visas from 300 ‘lunatics’ over university Gaza protests

The Trump administration has moved aggressively against foreign students over on-campus demonstrations, leading to some high-profile arrests.

28 Mar 2025 - 6:18AM

Not all European allies agree on troops for Ukraine: Macron

France and Britain, which are driving the initiative, would forge ahead with a ‘reassurance force’ with several countries.

28 Mar 2025 - 12:07AMvideocam

Trump’s top diplomat says adding journalist to war chat was ‘big mistake’

Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk has offered his tech experts to help investigate the incident, the White House says.

27 Mar 2025 - 4:36AMvideocam

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a press conference in Kingston, Jamaica, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

South Africa

67,000 white South Africans express interest in Trump’s plan for refugee status

Trump’s executive order specifically refers to Afrikaners, a white minority group who are descendants of mainly Dutch and French settlers.

21 Mar 2025 - 2:42AM

White South Africans supporting US President Donald Trump gather in front of the US embassy in Pretoria on February 15. Photo: AFP

Trump, Putin agree on partial Ukraine ceasefire. Kyiv wants details

Ukraine ceasefire talks set for Sunday in Jeddah after Trump and Russian president hold lengthy phone call.

19 Mar 2025 - 4:00PM

China’s Global Times praises Trump cuts to Voice of America, Radio Free Asia

US media broadcasters have long drawn criticism from Beijing over reporting critical of mainland government’s human rights record.

18 Mar 2025 - 9:22AM

US expels South African ambassador, saying he ‘hates’ Trump

Trump has cut US financial aid to South Africa, citing disapproval of its land policy and of its World Court genocide case against Israel.

15 Mar 2025 - 6:38AMvideocam

South Africa’s Ambassador to the US Ebrahim Rasool speaks at the his country’s embassy in Washington in December 2013. Photo: AP

US hits Thai officials with visa sanctions over deportation of Uygurs to China

A group of at least 40 Uygurs was sent back last month despite warnings from UN experts that they could face torture and ‘irreparable harm’.

15 Mar 2025 - 2:50AMvideocam

Footage that shows Uygur refugees arriving at an airport in China is shown during a press conference at the Justice Ministry in Bangkok, Thailand in February. Photo: EPA-EFE

G7 slams China’s ‘dangerous’ moves in South China Sea, strongly backs Ukraine

Statement by foreign ministers gathered in Canada also highlights importance of ‘maintaining peace and stability’ across Taiwan Strait.

15 Mar 2025 - 10:47PMvideocam

Rubio vows to block ‘antagonistic’ language on Russia at G7 meeting

US wants softer tone on Russia when G7 foreign ministers meet in Quebec from Wednesday.

11 Mar 2025 - 10:05AM

Zelensky in Saudi Arabia as US voices hope for Ukraine peace talks

Tuesday’s crunch Ukraine-US talks will be the first between the two sides since White House blow-up.

11 Mar 2025 - 5:58PMvideocam

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greeting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: Saudi Press Agency via AFP

Trump’s purge of USAID complete, with 83% of programmes gone, Rubio says

This move, following US President Trump’s executive order, has sparked controversy, with critics calling it illegal and harmful to US interests.

11 Mar 2025 - 2:16AM

Trump denies Musk and Rubio clashed in front of him over staff cuts

The US president insisted the billionaire and the top diplomat ‘get along fantastically well’.

8 Mar 2025 - 9:48AMvideocam

Panama president says Trump ‘lying’ about reclaiming canal

Trump was referring to a deal for US firm BlackRock to buy a controlling stake in a port operator currently held by Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison.

6 Mar 2025 - 2:42AMvideocam

Panama President Jose Raul Mulino speaks during a press conference in Panama City on February 2. Photo: AFP

CK Hutchison to sell unit operating near Panama Canal amid Trump pressure

Decision by Hong Kong-based conglomerate comes as US president pushes for greater control of critical trade route over concerns about China.

5 Mar 2025 - 10:18AMvideocam

Containers at the Balboa Port operated by Panama Ports Company at the Panama Canal in Panama City, Panama, on February 1. Photo: Reuters

Rubio, Czech counterpart discuss Ukraine after Trump-Zelensky clash

Rubio and Lipavsky discuss US-Czech relations, Nato defence spending, and prospects for peace in Ukraine.

4 Mar 2025 - 11:11AM

The Philippines

Philippine ambassador warns defence treaty with US may not be ironclad

The comments by Jose Manuel Romualdez come after a row between Trump and Zelensky rattles the confidence of Washington’s defence partners.

3 Mar 2025 - 10:23PMvideocam

Beijing sees red over Marco Rubio’s comments on Taiwan and tariffs

Chinese foreign ministry also objects to Rubio’s revival of the Covid-19 lab leak origin theory.

4 Mar 2025 - 6:31AMvideocam

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has drawn ire in Beijing over his comments on Taiwan. Photo: Reuters

Trump signals support for Britain’s plan to transfer control of strategic Chagos Islands

But some Republicans worry about handover to Mauritius, a close China ally, as archipelago includes US-UK military base Diego Garcia.

1 Mar 2025 - 12:30AMvideocam

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (left) meets with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Thursday. Photo: AFP

US condemns Thailand’s deporting of 40 Uygurs to China

The 40 men were flown back after being detained in Thailand for over a decade.

28 Feb 2025 - 6:46AM