Soyuz space capsule carrying American, Russian blasts off to ISS

US President Donald Trump plans to sign a sweeping sanctions bill targeting Russia and Iran, a White House official has told ANI, after the legislation cleared both chambers of Congress.

"So our interest is not to antagonise. We are supporting American and the stance, but we do not want, at the same time, to antagonise the Houthis, because if they were to take a stance on Bab-el-Mandeb, then we'll be in a very difficult position," he highlighted.

Beijing reiterated its opposition to "long-arm jurisdiction" and unilateral economic sanctions, stating that any sanctions not authorised by the UN Security Council have no basis in international law. Defending sovereign trade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said normal economic and trade cooperation between sovereign nations is not directed at third parties and should not be subjected to external coercion or interference.

International experts and human rights advocates at a conference held on the sidelines of the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) backed India’s decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, arguing that the issue needs to be examined in the context of security, human rights and the water rights of communities dependent on the Indus River system.

India’s Ambassador to the United States Vinay Mohan Kwatra has laid out a strong defence of the country’s energy policy hours after the US Congress passed legislation opening the door to steep new tariffs on Indian goods over New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil.