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Washington, July 14 (IANS) US President Donald Trump on Monday declared that the United States would become the "Guardian of the Hormuz Strait" and said countries using the strategic waterway would have to reimburse Washington "at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped" for providing security in one of the world's most volatile maritime corridors.

He said the Strait of Hormuz would remain open "with or without Iran" as the United States reinstated what he called the "Iranian blockade", allowing all countries except Iran and its customers to use the waterway freely.

Announcing the move on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as 'THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,' but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World."

"The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran," Trump said. "We are reinstating the IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only stopping Iran's ships or customers from entering or leaving. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait."

He added that "the process and formation will begin immediately."

Hours earlier, in an interview with Fox News, Trump previewed the announcement, saying: "We're going to keep the strait and we'll probably run it. We'll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we'll call it the guardian angel of the strait, and we should be reimbursed for that."

"When we do that, we're going to be reimbursed because the other nations are very wealthy, they're on our side, and we can't be expected to do that for nothing," he said.

Trump argued that Washington had protected shipping through the strategic passage for decades without compensation.

"We guarded the strait for 50 years, more, and we never got paid for it... now we're going to guard it, and we're going to get paid for guarding it, a lot of money," he said.

The President also accused Iran of backing away from an agreement reached during recent negotiations.

"What nobody knows, we had a deal. It was a done deal, and then they broke it. They always break it. We've had 10 deals with these people, and so we're just going to hit them very hard," Trump said.

He further claimed Iran's military had been severely weakened.

"They have no navy, they have no air force, it's all gone. Their anti-aircraft is gone. Their leaders have all been killed," he said, adding that recent US military action had prevented Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Trump's latest announcement did not explain how the proposed 20 per cent reimbursement would be collected, whether it would apply to all commercial cargo transiting the Strait, or under what legal framework such a system would operate. The White House also did not immediately release additional details on implementation.

--IANS

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Berlin, July 13 (IANS) The Indian Ambassador to Germany, Ajit Gupte, and Dirk Wiese, Member of the Bundestag and Vice Chairman of the India-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group, discussed ways to strengthen the multifaceted Strategic Partnership.

"Ambassador Ajit Gupte met Mr Dirk Wiese, Member of the Bundestag and Vice Chairman of the India-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group on 10 July 2026. They discussed strengthening the multifaceted India-Germany Strategic Partnership, facilitating Parliamentary exchanges and enhancing cooperation between Indian States and German Landers," the Embassy of India in Berlin wrote on X.

The Ambassador also met Bundestag Member and Transatlantic Coordinator Metin Hakverdi and discussed deepening the India-Germany Strategic Partnership using opportunities from the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

"Ambassador Ajit Gupte met Bundestag Member and Transatlantic Coordinator Metin Hakverdi on 9 July 2026. Discussions focused on deepening the India-Germany Strategic Partnership, utilising opportunities from the India-EU FTA, growing defence & security cooperation and global and regional issues," the Embassy noted on X.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) Summit in Evian, France, to discuss ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two leaders reviewed the progress in bilateral engagements and expressed satisfaction at the renewed momentum in the India-Germany Strategic Partnership following Merz's visit to India and the conclusion of the India-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations earlier this year.

As India and Germany celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2026, PM Modi and Chancellor Merz reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation across various sectors, including trade and investment, defence and security, green and sustainable development, technology, innovation, education and mobility. That was the second meeting between the two leaders this year, and they welcomed the signing of the Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap and the operationalisation of the transit visa waiver for Indian nationals transiting through Germany.

Chancellor Merz invited the Prime Minister for the 8th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) scheduled to be held later this year in Germany.

--IANS

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Sanaa, July 13 (IANS) An Iranian passenger plane carrying a senior Houthi delegation landed Monday in Houthi-controlled Hodeidah in western Yemen, after airstrikes claimed by the Yemeni Armed Forces hit Sanaa International Airport to prevent the plane from landing.

The Mahan Air aircraft landed in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah after it was prevented from landing in the Houthi-held capital, a military commander with the Houthi group said.

"Saudi warplanes also launched airstrikes on Hodeidah airport in an attempt to stop the aircraft from landing," the source claimed.

Subsequently, Yemen's internationally recognised government ordered the closure of all airports across the country and suspended civilian flight operations until further notice, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Yemeni Armed Forces claimed responsibility for the strikes on the Sanaa airport, saying it struck the runway, after the Houthis rejected government proposals for the Houthi delegation to return from Tehran aboard a non-Iranian aircraft under government supervision.

The Houthi delegation had travelled to Iran for the funeral ceremonies of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Earlier on Monday, Yemen's Defence Minister Taher al-Aqili warned that the armed forces would intercept any "hostile aircraft" violating Yemen's airspace, saying the government had exhausted efforts to persuade the Houthis and Iran to halt the "repeated violations" of the country's sovereignty.

Local residents told Xinhua they heard multiple explosions in and around the Sanaa airport and saw plumes of smoke.

The Houthi group described the strikes as a major escalation, accusing Saudi Arabia, a main ally of Yemen's government, of carrying out the strikes. The group's military spokesperson, Yahya Sarea, said the attack "will not go unanswered," while its political bureau said it marked the beginning of a "new phase" in confronting Saudi Arabia.

The latest escalation followed more than a week of mounting tensions between Yemen's warring sides over direct flights between Tehran and Sanaa.

Last week, Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council called for an international investigation into an Iranian aircraft that landed in Sanaa, alleging it had transported Iranian military personnel, drone and missile specialists, and Yemeni trainees under the guise of a civilian flight. The Houthis rejected the allegations, insisting the flight was civilian in nature.

--IANS

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Mumbai, July 13 (IANS) The flight carrying the mortal remains of the 15 Indian nationals who died in a boat accident near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam arrived at Mumbai airport on Monday.

"The flight transporting the mortal remains of the Indian nationals who had lost their lives in the tragic boat accident on 11 July in Phu Quoc has just arrived in Mumbai," the Indian Embassy in Vietnam wrote on X.

"The Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City will continue to coordinate with respective State Governments to ensure that the mortal remains reach the bereaved families at the earliest. Our prayers are with the families of the deceased," it added.

The state governments of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu will coordinate the transportation of mortal remains to their final destinations within their respective states.

Meanwhile, the Indian national undergoing treatment at Phu Quoc after the tragic boat accident successfully underwent a medical procedure on Sunday evening. According to the Indian Embassy, he was admitted to a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, and his family members have also arrived in the country.

The Vietnamese police in southern An Giang province on Sunday detained and initiated criminal proceedings against a local man over alleged legal violations linked to the tourist boat that capsized. The detainee was identified as 57-year-old captain Nguyen Hong Hai, a resident of Thuan Tien hamlet in Son Kien commune, An Giang province, who was temporarily residing in the Phu Quoc special zone.

According to preliminary reports, the boat was carrying around 32 Indian tourists, including 17 from Tamil Nadu, while the remaining passengers were from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala.

The vessel reportedly overturned while cruising in waters south of Phu Quoc, a popular tourist destination in southern Vietnam. Soon after the incident, rescue teams, local residents, and emergency personnel rushed to the scene and launched a large-scale rescue operation.

--IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday announced that India has handed over family tents for Afghan returnees as part of its continued humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.

"As part of India's continued humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan, India has handed over family tents to the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) to support the shelter and rehabilitation needs of Afghan returnees," the MEA wrote on X.

Afghanistan has been witnessing a large number of returnees, especially from Pakistan, as Islamabad has ramped up measures to repatriate refugees and undocumented migrants.

According to reports, an enforcement drive has begun following the expiry of the July 10 deadline for Afghans without valid visas to leave voluntarily.

The Taliban's Secretariat of the High Commission for Addressing Returnees' Issues said that more than 4,000 Afghans were deported from Pakistan within 24 hours over the weekend, Amu TV reported.

Figures obtained from the Hamza Baba transit point in Landi Kotal showed a significant increase in the number of Afghan refugees returning in recent days. According to officials at the transit point, the number of returnees has exceeded 10,000 daily since Pakistan ordered all Afghan nationals in the country to return to Afghanistan, Pakistan's daily Dawn reported.

The spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Pakistan, Qaiser Khan Afridi, while speaking to Dawn, expressed concern over the Pakistan government's decision to "forcibly" send back Afghan refugees and asylum seekers.

"UNHCR remains particularly concerned about women and girls forced to return to a country where their human rights are at risk, as well as other groups who might be at risk," he said.

He also urged the authorities to ensure that the return of Afghans to Afghanistan is voluntary, safe and dignified.

"UNHCR has appealed to the government of Pakistan to exempt Afghans with continued international protection needs from voluntary return, especially those facing refoulement risks, including profiles such as female heads of households, women and girls enrolled in educational institutions in Pakistan, individuals from ethnic and religious minorities, human rights defenders, journalists, performing artists and members of the transgender community," the report in Dawn said.

--IANS

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Abu Dhabi, July 13 (IANS) The global premiere of noted filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s film 'The Odyssey' in India is not merely a promotional strategy but represents the country’s growing prominence on the global entertainment map, and its emergence as a market the world increasingly trusts, a report has stated.

India has also emerged as a destination for major entertainment and media summits, bringing together creators, studios, technology firms, investors and policymakers from across the globe. These platforms highlight the country’s expanding role not just as a consumer of international content but also as a hub for production, investment and creative collaboration. Global studios are increasingly dependent on Indian expertise in areas such as visual effects, animation, post-production, music and technology, according to a report in the United Arab Emirates-based daily ‘Gulf Today.’

“Christopher Nolan’s decision to bring the global premiere of 'The Odyssey' to India is far more than a promotional gesture. It is a recognition of how decisively India has moved from the margins of the international entertainment business to its centre. For one of the world’s most celebrated filmmakers, choosing India sends a clear message: this is no longer merely a promising market. It is one of the most dependable entertainment markets anywhere in the world,” the report detailed.

“A major international premiere involves much more than rolling out a red carpet. Studios commit substantial resources to security, hospitality, media management, logistics, brand partnerships and the movement of globally recognised actors and filmmakers. Such decisions are made carefully. India earns a place on a premiere circuit because it offers an enormous and committed audience, an energetic media environment and an events ecosystem capable of delivering spectacles at global standards,” it added.

The report noted that India’s reliability depends not only on the size of its population but also on the consistency of its market demand.

Despite fragmentation of consumer preferences across cinema, streaming, gaming and social media platforms, it said, large films still can generate extraordinary excitement nationwide. India provides global studios with both “strong box-office potential” and “immense digital engagement”.

The premiere of 'The Odyssey' held in Mumbai, the report said, captured national attention that transcends languages and regions, while generating publicity far beyond the event itself.

Highlighting the broader significance of such global events, it further said, “For India, the opportunity extends beyond prestige. Global premieres and live events generate jobs for technicians, designers, security professionals, caterers, drivers, hotel staff, photographers and digital creators. They help cities build international identities and encourage investment in infrastructure. They also strengthen India’s soft power by presenting it as a confident, modern and culturally dynamic country capable of hosting the world.”

--IANS

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Quetta, July 13 (IANS) At least four more civilians have been extrajudicially killed by Pakistani forces in Balochistan, a leading human rights organisations alleged on Monday.

These latest incidents come against the backdrop of a growing wave of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances across the province.

Paank, the Baloch National Movement's Human Rights Department, strongly condemned the extrajudicial killing of two brothers, Imam and Muhammad Umar, residents of the Shaban Bazaar area in Kech district.

Citing reports, the rights body said that the two brothers, who worked as labourers in the Jiwani area, were returning home on July 10 when their motorcycle reportedly ran out of fuel near Balicha Cross. It further cited eyewitness accounts who alleged that both Imam and Umar were taken into custody by the Pakistani security forces and were later found dead with gunshot marks.

Paank stated that their bodies were handed over to their family by the police on Monday

Calling for a prompt, independent, impartial, and transparent investigation into the incident, the rights body said that if these allegations are confirmed, those responsible must be held accountable in accordance with international human rights standards.

It also urged the authorities to ensure justice for the victims' family and to end the pattern of alleged “enforced disappearances and unlawful killings” in Balochistan.

In a separate incident, a 35-year-old tractor driver, Riaz Baloch from Dera Bugti district, reportedly died on July 10 following severe torture by Pakistan’s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) during custody.

Human rights body Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) revealed that Riaz Baloch was forcibly disappeared by the CTD during a raid on his home on June 12.

During his detention, the rights body said, he was subjected to severe torture.

The BYC cited Riaz’s family, who alleged that CTD officials demanded Pakistani Rupees 5 million for his release. After the payment, Riaz was released on June 13 June in critical condition. Due to the extent of the torture inflicted upon him, the rights body said, he was shifted to Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, for medical treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on July 10.

“The death of Riaz Baloch highlights the pattern of enforced disappearances, custodial torture, and extortion carried out under the guise of counterterrorism operations in Balochistan. Instead of upholding the law, security institutions continue to target civilians, subjecting them to illegal detention, torture, and financial exploitation, leaving families devastated and without justice,” the BYC noted.

Amid the rising atrocities, the BYC revealed that another 20-year-old student, Kamran Baloch, was targeted and killed on July 8 by Pakistan-backed death squads in Khuzdar district.

“The brutal killing of Kamran Baloch is yet another tragic reminder of the continuing violence against the Baloch people and the deepening human rights crisis in Balochistan,” the rights body stated.

The BYC called on the global community, the United Nations, and international human rights organisations to urgently take notice of the grave human rights situation in Balochistan.

“No one is safe, not students, not teachers, not doctors, not labourers, nor ordinary civilians. People continue to face enforced disappearances, targeted killings, and other grave human rights violations without justice or accountability,” it highlighted.

--IANS

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Dhaka, July 13 (IANS) Security concerns remain perhaps the biggest obstacle for the implementation of the proposed China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor (CMBC), despite renewed momentum for the project following Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to China in June.

The corridor was among the key issues discussed during the visit. It envisages a road and rail network linking Kunming in China's Yunnan province with Bangladesh's ports via Myanmar, a report has stated.

Highlighting the security implications, a report in Bangladesh's newspaper 'Daily Sun' said, “The proposed route would pass through Myanmar's conflict-ridden Rakhine State, where fighting has continued since the military takeover in 2021. The Arakan Army now controls or influences much of the territory through which the corridor would run, creating serious uncertainty for long-term infrastructure projects.”

“The ongoing Rohingya crisis adds another layer of complexity. Bangladesh continues to host around 1.2 million Rohingyas, and analysts argue that any regional connectivity initiative should not undermine efforts to ensure their safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation,” it added.

Citing experts, the report warned that infrastructure passing through conflict zones could inadvertently strengthen armed groups by creating new sources of revenue or influence, underscoring the need for comprehensive security assessments before any commitments are made.

The initiative revives the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor, originally proposed in 1999. However, India later exited the project due to concerns over China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Beijing's increasing regional influence, effectively leaving the corridor without New Delhi's participation.

Beyond security, the report said that the corridor has significant geopolitical implications. India remains concerned about projects that could increase China's presence near its sensitive northeastern region and the Siliguri Corridor, while the United States has encouraged Bangladesh to preserve its strategic balance amid deepening economic ties between Dhaka and Washington.

According to the report, the financial consequences of the proposed corridor also require close scrutiny. Large infrastructure projects entail substantial investment, sustained maintenance and commercially viable operations. It cited economists who argued that any major investment should be assessed against competing national priorities, including port modernisation, export infrastructure, climate resilience, healthcare, education and industrial development.

Analysts reckoned that Bangladesh should evaluate the proposal solely through the lens of its national interests rather than geopolitical competition.

“Lessons from projects such as the China-Laos Railway, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Sri Lanka's Hambantota Port show that infrastructure alone cannot guarantee economic success. Transparent financing, careful feasibility studies, strong institutions and a competitive domestic economy are equally important,” the report noted.

--IANS

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United Nations, July 13 (IANS) India is pursuing parallel roads to the UN Security Council (UNSC), launching on Monday a campaign for election to it, while continuing its bid for a permanent seat.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar is to formally announce India’s candidature for the Asia Pacific non-permanent seat in next year’s elections for the two-year term starting in 2028.

India, which has served eight terms as an elected member, will continue its fight against terrorism, a hallmark of its last term in 2021-2022, in the Council as well as being a voice of the Global South, if elected.

So far, only Tajikistan has announced its candidature for the Asia Pacific seat to be vacated by Bahrain when it completes its term at the end of next year.

Dushanbe has been lobbying for the seat for several years and was endorsed by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as far back as 2023.

The OIC, which has 56 votes in the General Assembly, said in its resolution that its backing was based on “the principle of Islamic solidarity as being inherent to the joint Islamic action”.

India will need two-thirds of the votes in the193-member Assembly.

In its last election, India, which was unanimously backed by the Asia Pacific group and ran unopposed, received 184 votes, and eight were cast as spoiler votes.

The 53-member Asia Pacific Group covers a wide swath of the world from Lebanon on the West to Kiribati on the East.

The non-permanent seats are distributed by region.

When possible, the regional groups select who is to represent them. Sometimes, there is no unanimity, and at other times, a country may decide to run on its own.

The highlight of India’s last term was convening a meeting of the Council in India during its rotating presidency in October 2022.

During its session in Mumbai, the Council members honoured the victims of the 2008 terrorist attack by Pakistan-based terrorists, and they got a first-hand view of the ravages of terrorism.

There and in New Delhi, the Council focused on countering the use of emerging technologies by terrorists.

The bid by India for the 2028-29 term is an attempt to shorten the long gaps of as much as over a decade between some of its previous terms so that it can have a consistent voice at the UN’s highest decision-making body.

India’s first term was in1950-51, and its next came in 1967.

That was followed by two-year terms starting in 1972, 1977, 1984, and 1991.

There was then a 19-year gap till 2011, and the next tenure came a decade later in 2021.

Kyrgyzstan was elected in June to the Asia Pacific seat and will succeed Pakistan, which completes its term at the end of this year.

OIC has endorsed Libya for the 2027 election for the Africa seat.

Some countries prepare decades in advance for Council elections. Malaysia, which is aiming for the 2035 election, began lobbying for the UNSC seat at the beginning of this decade and received the OIC backing in 2023.

--IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent visit to India for the 16th India–Japan Annual Summit reflects the continuation of the longstanding relationship. Japan, a report highlighted, remains the second country after Russia with whom India holds annual bilateral summits.

India and Japan established this format in 2006 when the ties were elevated to a 'Strategic and Global Partnership'. India also holds an annual 2+2 ministerial dialogue with Japan, showcasing how close the two nations are to each other. The ties between India and Japan are bipartisan and both nations enjoy strong state-to-state connection and hold goodwill among their peoples. Japan is the most important partner in India’s story of economic laterisation in the past 35 years, a report in Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) detailed.

Takaichi was on a three-day visit to India from July 1-3, her first to India after assuming office. During the 16th Annual India-Japan Summit at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on July 2, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Takaichi discussed the full spectrum of bilateral ties, including trade and investment, economic security, energy, emerging technologies, defence and people-to-people exchanges. Both leaders also spoke about regional and global developments of mutual interest.

During the summit, Japan committed to invest USD 62 billion in India over the next 10 years. The two nations also signed agreements in important sectors such as energy resilience, economic security, and artificial intelligence. Both nations also signed a first defence co-development pact, which would be useful for ensuring the security of maritime routes and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, according to the report. India wants Japan to develop Mogami-class stealth frigates, naval radio antenna systems (UNICORN masts), and next-generation warship propulsion systems in India.

PM Modi and Takaichi also attended the India–Japan Joint Economic Forum and virtually inaugurated a new Maruti manufacturing facility in Haryana. Spread across 800 acres, the integrated manufacturing complex has been developed with an adjoining supplier park and is designed to become one of the world's largest vehicle manufacturing facilities when fully operational.

Japan wants to secure its technology pipelines in the semiconductor, artificial intelligence, and robotics sectors. Tokyo also intends to have stable, alternative suppliers for critical minerals and battery production as China has imposed export restrictions in these domains, the IPCS stated.

The two nations are exploring joint projects in sectors like clean energy, with a focus on green ammonia, biogas, and upstream oil and gas exploration. India and Japan announced biogas initiative, targeting establishment of 1,000 biogas and organic fertilizer plants across India.

PM Modi and Takaichi had also reaffirmed the importance of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail as a flagship project between India and Japan. Takaichi expressed Japan's commitment to extending the necessary cooperation for India's target to commence commercial operations on priority sections in 2027.

--IANS

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