Trump meets with National Security Council to discuss Middle East
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White House officials said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump has met with members of his National Security Council. He is weighing whether to get more deeply involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, and he is posting aggressive messages on social media.
Trump wrote that the US knows where Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is hiding but doesn't want him killed "for now." He urged Iran's "unconditional surrender" in the fighting that broke out last Friday.
The council meeting comes after Trump cut short his trip to the Group of 7 nations summit in Canada.
US news site Axios quotes sources as saying he is considering a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. He is reportedly focused on the uranium enrichment complex believed to be located about 80 meters underground in Fordow, central Iran. The US possesses so-called "bunker buster" bombs that might be able to damage the facility. Trump may use them as leverage to get Iran to cut a deal.
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces unveiled plans for “punitive operations” against the Zionist regime, saying the counterattacks that Iran has carried out so far were merely aimed at deterrence.In a video message released on Tuesday night, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi warned the Zionist regime to brace itself for a punishment for its act of aggression against Iran.The top commander said the military operations that Iran has carried out so far were only warnings with the purpose of deterrence, adding that the punitive operations against the Zionist regime will kick off soon.He also issued an evacuation warning, calling on the residents of the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly the people in Tel Aviv and Haifa, to leave those regions to save their lives and not sacrifice themselves for the animal desires of Benjamin Netanyahu.The great Iranian nation has never caved in to any aggression throughout history, he emphasized, saying Iran will once again stand against the barbaric Israeli attack and inflict a punishment on the Zionist regime for its criminal acts.Ref : Tasnim News Agency
White House officials said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump has met with members of his National Security Council. He is weighing whether to get more deeply involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, and he is posting aggressive messages on social media.Trump wrote that the US knows where Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is hiding but doesn't want him killed "for now." He urged Iran's "unconditional surrender" in the fighting that broke out last Friday.The council meeting comes after Trump cut short his trip to the Group of 7 nations summit in Canada.US news site Axios quotes sources as saying he is considering a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. He is reportedly focused on the uranium enrichment complex believed to be located about 80 meters underground in Fordow, central Iran. The US possesses so-called "bunker buster" bombs that might be able to damage the facility. Trump may use them as leverage to get Iran to cut a deal.Ref - Axios
Thailand is currently seeking a seat at the China-led BRICS, and its plan has just received approval from Indonesia, a newcomer in the group.President Prabowo Subianto has jetted off to Bangkok for high-level talks with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Indonesia is the latest newcomer to the BRICS grouping and even managed to secure full membership within less than three months. Its ASEAN neighbor Thailand wants to follow in its footsteps -- something that Prabowo has taken note of. "Indonesia fully supports Thailand’s efforts to be a BRICS member. We will facilitate [Thailand] in this regard,” Prabowo said in a statement.Aside from the possible BRICS expansion, Prabowo also revealed a plan to increase bilateral trade. As expected, Prabowo offered a partnership involving Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund, Danantara. A transcript of Sinawatra’s statement showed that the Thai leader did not speak of her country’s BRICS candidacy. Even so, Shinawatra agreed that the two countries should further take their bilateral economic ties to greater heights -- particularly for halal and agricultural products.Russia, one of the BRICS founding members, late last year informed Thailand that the bloc had agreed to accept Bangkok as a “partner country” starting in January 2025. Earlier this month, the Thai government reported to have sought Russia’s backing to become a full member, according to media reports. Malaysia is another ASEAN nation that has become a BRICS partner country.Indonesia had only applied for BRICS after Prabowo assumed power in October. In January, its current chair, Brazil, announced that the group had given its green light to make Indonesia a full member. BRICS is an informal group of emerging economies such as Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa -- hence the acronym. BRICS later expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and, most recently, Indonesia. As a group, BRICS mainly engages in areas such as trade, finance, among others. A country has to meet a list of criteria before it can be part of the BRICS club. Memberships are only open to UN members. Candidates must also maintain good diplomatic ties with all BRICS economies and must refrain from adopting sanctions without authorization from the UN Security Council.Official government statistics showed that Indonesia-Thailand trade totaled $17.4 billion in 2024. Jakarta posted a $2 billion deficit when doing commerce with Thailand that year. However, Indonesia managed to turn the tables by booking a $484.8 million surplus in the first three months of 2025.Ref : Jakarta Globe
US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin discussed Ukraine over the phone on Monday. Both leaders said their conversation went well, but no major progress was made on negotiations to reach peace.Putin said the conversation was frank and productive. He says a temporary ceasefire is possible, if relevant agreements can be reached. Putin said "We have agreed with the president of the United States that Russia is ready and will continue to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on a potential future peace treaty."Putin also stressed Moscow's conventional claims, saying the main thing is to eliminate the root causes of the crisis. Trump said the two-hour talk went very well and claimed that Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire. But he later told reporters that there is a limit to how far he can push Moscow and Kyiv toward peace.Trump said:" This is not my war. This is not war. I mean, we got ourselves entangled in something that we shouldn't have been involved in. Trump also said it would be great to hold ceasefire talks at the Vatican as it would add extra significance to the proceedings. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that he's waiting to hear from Moscow on starting ceasefire talks.Zelenskyy said: "We need to see the Russian proposal first, then we can put together our thoughts. If we cannot support their proposal, we want an opportunity to discuss with President Trump."Zelenskyy added that he wants the US, Ukraine, Russia, and European countries to meet for talks in Turkey, the Vatican or Switzerland in the near future.Source: NHK World
GAZA is at “critical risk of famine”, with 22 per cent of the population facing an imminent humanitarian “catastrophe” after more than two months of an aid blockade by Israel, a food security monitor warned Monday.Gaza’s entire population of around 2.4 million people is at risk of a food crisis “or worse” by September, the UN- and NGO-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said in a report.“Nineteen months into the conflict, the Gaza Strip is still confronted with a critical risk of famine,” the IPC said. It said there had been a “major deterioration” in the food security situation since its last assessment in October 2024.“Goods indispensable for people’s survival are either depleted or expected to run out in the coming weeks. The entire population is facing high levels of acute food insecurity, with half a million people — one in five — facing starvation,” it said.The consortium, which has developed a five-level famine warning system, found that from 1 April to 10 May, 244,000 people in Gaza were in the most critical food security situation — level five, or “catastrophe/famine”.It classified another 925,000 as level four, or “emergency”.The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization warned that Gaza faced “imminent risk of famine”, saying agriculture was “on the brink of total collapse”.It called for the “immediate” lifting of the blockade, saying aid like animal feed and veterinary supplies was urgently needed to maintain precious production of items such as milk and eggs, often the ast remaining food. Israel, which launched its Gaza offensive after the 7 October 2023 attacks led by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, imposed its current aid blockade on 2 March.Last week, the Israeli security cabinet approved plans to expand the military operation, including the “conquest” of Gaza and the displacement of its population. — AFPSource: The Global New Light of Myanmar
Today, I will reply for the questions raised by the media regarding India and Myanmar border area Manipur and Kabaw Valley, and the matters that the Mizoram MPs talked about.The Hindu News Agency stated on its website that Mizoram MP K. Vanlalvena visited the regions in north-west of Myanmar bordering with India.It said K. Vanalvena visited Myanmar passing through border areas from Mizoram.The governor of Mizoram and the border guard forces were informed regarding this visit, The Hindu News Agency said.Then, we also found that he met with CNF, CNA and Chin PDF. Moreover, regarding the India-Myanmar border areas, Tamu-Kabaw Valley, an MP of Manipur said these areas are likely to be territory of India according to the history at the meeting of Upper House of India.Moreover, on 10 March, Prime Minister of Mizoram Lalduhoma talked about the arrivals of foreigners to Myanmar via Mizoram at Mizoram Hluttaw.We also found that The Times of India stated that nearly 2,000 foreigners visited Aizawl between June and December last year, they were never seen in the streets, and their main intention was to cross into Myanmar to interfere in its internal affairs.Regarding with these cases, what I want to reply to the media is that Myanmar and India are good friendly nations.Myanmar has been cooperating with India under the Act East Policy.As previously said, the Myanmar government does not allow groups opposing Myanmar using Indian territory, nor does not accept the groups opposing the India government with the use of Myanmar's territory.The two countries have bilateral cooperation for border security of two countries. The Indian government has already known that there have been many successful achievements in this collaboration.Myanmar continues to hold the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as usual like India.It stands as good friend.In regard with Myanmar-India border area, the Myanmar-India border stretches over 1,010 miles. It is 1,626 kilometres.Over 907 miles were measured, over 1,460 in kilometres.Most of them have been measured already.The Kabaw Valley were also finished measuring.For the Myanmar-India border demarcation, there is MoU on Border Cooperation between Myanmar and India made on 8 May 2014. When it comes to say Kabaw Valley, in 2013, the opposition party of India BJP campaigned with a promise to reclaim the Kabaw Valley comprising of Tamu-Kalay- Mingin townships.The locals opposed in Kalay and Mingin townships. Therefore, what I want to say is that Myanmar is always a good neighbour of India. Some of the politicians in India should not jeopardize bilateral relations between the two countries solely for their own political ambitions.They should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity.Myanmar will continue to do what it should be informed and said regarding this issue.Thank you all.Source: https://myawady.net.mm/
