WASHINGTON: Marco Rubio heads Saturday to Panama on his debut trip abroad as US secretary of state as he looks for how to follow up on President Donald Trump’s extraordinary threat to seize the Panama Canal.
Rubio’s travel comes the same day that Trump’s promised tariffs on the three largest US trading partners – Canada, Mexico and China – are set to come into effect, another step showing a far more aggressive US foreign policy.
Rubio will travel later to four other small Latin American countries for an agenda focused on migration, a highly unusual first trip for the top US diplomat, whose predecessors were more likely to start the job with language of cooperation with major allies.
Trump has refused to rule out military force to seize the Panama Canal, which the United States handed over at the end of 1999, saying that China has exerted too much control through its investment in surrounding ports.
In his inaugural address, Trump said that the United States will be “taking it back” – and he refused to back down Friday.
“They’ve already offered to do many things,” Trump said of Panama, “but we think it’s appropriate that we take it back.”
He alleged that Panama was taking down Chinese-language signs to cover up how “they’ve totally violated the agreement” on the canal.
“Marco Rubio is going over this talk to the gentleman that’s in charge,” Trump told reporters.
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, generally considered an ally of the United States, has ruled out opening negotiations after complaining to the United Nations about Trump’s threat.
“I cannot negotiate, much less open a process of negotiations on the canal,” Mulino said Thursday.
The issue “is sealed. The canal is Panama’s,” Mulino said.
Mulino’s government, however, has ordered an audit of CK Hutchison Holdings, the Hong Kong company that operates ports on both sides of the canal.
It remains to be seen if or how Rubio carries out the threat. Some experts believe that Trump was simply applying pressure and could declare a win by the United States ramping up investment in the canal – an outcome that most Panamanians would welcome.
Rubio has played down the military option but also not contradicted his boss.
“I think the president’s been pretty clear he wants to administer the canal again. Obviously, the Panamanians are not big fans of that idea,” Rubio told SiriusXM radio in an interview before the trip.
He acknowledged that Panama’s government “generally is pro-American” but said that the Panama Canal is a “core national interest for us.”
“We cannot allow any foreign power – particularly China – to hold that kind of potential control over it that they do. That just can’t continue,” Rubio said.
The canal remains the crucial link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and coasts, with 40 percent of US container traffic going through it.
Trump administration officials said they were blaming not Mulino but previous Panamanian president Juan Carlos Varela who in 2017 – during Trump’s first term as president – moved to sever ties with Taiwan in favor of China.
“It wasn’t just a diplomatic recognition. He literally opened the floodgates and gave strategic assets throughout the Canal Zone to China,” said Mauricio Claver-Carone, the US special envoy on Latin America.
He charged that Panama unfairly raised costs for US ships while also seeking assistance from the United States for canal upkeep. Panama attributes rising costs to the effects of a drought, exacerbated by climate change.
Trump has quickly made clear he will exercise swift pressure to bend other countries to his will, especially on his signature issue of deporting undocumented immigrants.
On Sunday, he threatened major tariffs against Colombia to force its president to back down after he insisted that repatriated migrants be treated in a more dignified way.
Rubio to make debut in Panama as Trump threatens to take canal
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Rubio to make debut in Panama as Trump threatens to take canal
- Marco Rubio’s travel comes the same day that Trump’s promised tariffs on the three largest US trading partners – Canada, Mexico and China – are set to come into effect
- Rubio will travel later to four other small Latin American countries for an agenda focused on migration, a highly unusual first trip for the top US diplomat
Greece drafts tougher law for rejected asylum seekers, PM says
Mitsotakis has pledged to toughen his stance
ATHENS: Greece has prepared legislation that will introduce tougher penalties for rejected asylum seekers and speed up returns to their home countries, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday.
The Mediterranean nation was on the frontline of a 2015-2016 migration crisis when more than a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa crossed into Europe.
The surge in arrivals triggered calls for countries on Europe’s southern frontier like Greece and Italy to shore up their borders.
The numbers have since fallen. But migration remains a politically charged issue in Greece, and Mitsotakis has pledged to toughen his stance.
“Penalties will be heavier for those who enter the country illegally or stay in our country, if their asylum application is being rejected,” Mitsotakis told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, which discussed a new draft law on illegal migration.
Mitsotakis said the bill will also aim to speed up returns through a “more effective and fair mechanism.” The regulations will need parliamentary approval before taking effect.
Migrant flows to Greece dropped 30 percent in the first four months of this year compared to the previous year as fewer people entered along its eastern border with Turkiye.
But sea arrivals from Libya to the outlying islands of Crete and Gavdos have surged in recent months along a new smuggling route on the Mediterranean Sea. Thousands of rejected asylum seekers are stranded in Greece.
In order to accelerate asylum processes and reduce pressure on asylum systems, the EU’s executive last week proposed amending European law to allow member states to deport rejected asylum seekers if they can be sent to a third country deemed safe by the bloc.
Migrant boat capsize kills seven in Spain’s Canary Islands
- Rescuers supported by a helicopter were working to save people in the port of La Restinga on the island of El Hierro
- Red Cross spokesman Alexis Ramos told RTVE there could be “more than 100 people” on the boat
MADRID: Four women and three girls died after their migrant boat capsized shortly before reaching safety in Spain’s Canary Islands on Wednesday, emergency services said, the latest tragedy on the perilous route.
Emergency services in the Atlantic archipelago said rescuers supported by a helicopter were working to save people in the port of La Restinga on the island of El Hierro.
Red Cross spokesman Alexis Ramos told RTVE there could be “more than 100 people” on the boat but was unable to provide a figure for the number of missing.
Public broadcaster RTVE aired footage of rescuers throwing lifebuoys to people clinging onto an overturned boat and treading water off El Hierro.
Emergency services initially confirmed on X “the death of two women after the capsizing of a vessel” in La Restinga and later said “health services confirm another two dead women.”
The rescuers then reported the death of two girls aged five and another aged 16, which meant the incident “has resulted in seven people dead.”
A three-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl were being treated after they almost drowned and would be transported by helicopter to a hospital in Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, the emergency services added on X.
Four other minors with breathing difficulties were being taken to hospital on El Hierro, they added.
Spain takes in each year tens of thousands of Europe-bound migrants who arrive in the Canary Islands from west Africa — with Mali, Senegal and Morocco the most common nationalities.
Strong ocean currents and ramshackle vessels make the long crossing dangerous.
According to the NGO Caminando Fronteras, at least 10,457 migrants died or disappeared while trying to reach Spain by sea from January 1 to December 5, 2024.
Local authorities have consistently warned of unsustainable pressure on their resources and complained about a lack of solidarity from the rest of the country.
“Once again we witness the harshest face of immigration which those far away fail to appreciate in its true measure,” the Canary Islands’ regional leader Fernando Clavijo said on X. “Please listen to us!“
Almost 47,000 irregular arrivals reached the archipelago in 2024, breaking the annual record for the second year running, as tighter controls in the Mediterranean pushed migrants to attempt the Atlantic route.
But numbers are down so far this year, dropping 34.4 percent between January 1 and May 15 compared with the same period in 2024, according to the latest interior ministry figures.
Ukraine protests to IAEA over Russia building power lines to Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
- Ukrainian officials have repeatedly stated that attempts to restart the plant could lead to a nuclear disaster
- Russian personnel are unfamiliar with the significantly upgraded equipment
KYIV: Ukraine has protested to the international atomic energy watchdog about reports that Russia is building power lines to connect the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to its own grid, a Ukrainian official said on Wednesday.
Yuriy Vitrenko, Ukraine’s representative to international bodies in Vienna, told Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform that Kyiv sees any attempt by Russia to connect the occupied plant to its grid as a gross violation of international law and Ukrainian sovereignty.
On Tuesday, The New York times cited a new Greenpeace report which found that Russia had been building more than 50 miles (80 km) of power lines between the occupied Ukrainian cities of Mariupol and Berdyansk.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly stated that attempts to restart the plant could lead to a nuclear disaster, as Russian personnel are unfamiliar with the significantly upgraded equipment, are not trained to use it, and the condition of the plant itself is unknown.
The lack of sufficient water volumes to cool the reactors after the Russian-held Kakhovka dam was blown up in June 2023, unleashing flooding, was an additional source of danger, they say.
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said the issue of restarting the plant would be discussed at meetings during his visits to Ukraine and possibly to Russia in the coming days.
Saudi Arabia offers fully funded scholarships to Filipino students
- ‘Study in Saudi’ scholarship open to all Filipinos, regardless of location
- Courses at 25 institutions include King Abdulaziz, King Saud universities
MANILA: Saudi Arabia has opened 265 fully funded scholarships for Filipino students for the upcoming academic year, its ambassador to the Philippines announced on Wednesday, as a part of efforts to strengthen educational ties under Vision 2030.
The “Study in Saudi” scholarship is open to all Filipinos, including those residing in the Kingdom, the Philippines, or elsewhere.
The program offers opportunities to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, arts and math fields. In addition courses are offered in social sciences, business administration, economics, agriculture, Arabic, political science, Islamic law, and media.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia places great emphasis on international education as a foundation of its Vision 2030,” Faisal Ibrahim Al-Ghamdi, the Kingdom’s ambassador-designate to the Philippines, said during a press conference in Manila.
“The scholarships we are announcing today align with this strategic direction, which reflect the Kingdom’s continued commitment to supporting higher education for Filipino students.
“A total of 265 fully funded scholarships are being offered, covering both undergraduate and graduate degrees.”
The courses are offered at 25 Saudi universities, including the nation’s top academic institutions.
These include King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, King Saud University in Riyadh, Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, King Faisal University in Al-Ahsa, as well Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University — the world’s largest women’s university, which is prominent in the fields of education and health.
“These opportunities will enable Filipino students to join prestigious Saudi universities, where they will study alongside peers from around the world in academic environments that seamlessly blend tradition and innovation — offering an enriching educational experience unlike any other,” Al-Ghamdi said.
“These scholarships go beyond tuition fees. They include financial stipends, accommodation, medical insurance, annual round-trip air tickets, and many other benefits that ensure students can focus entirely on their academic goals.”
Nearly 1 million Filipinos are living and working in Saudi Arabia, making up the sixth-largest expatriate community in the Kingdom.
Currently, more than 800 of them are enrolled in Saudi universities.
This ongoing partnership is exemplified by the presence of more than 806 Filipino students currently enrolled in Saudi universities across diverse programs.
“These students are benefiting from advanced learning opportunities and comprehensive care — a testament to the Kingdom’s unwavering dedication to international students,” Al-Ghamdi said.
He added that the scholarship, which aims to connect young people from both countries, helps in “strengthening cultural and intellectual ties and reaffirming the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting education in friendly countries.”
Zelensky visits Berlin as he seeks more support for Ukraine in the war against Russia
- Germany has been the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States
- Friedrich Merz has plunged into diplomatic efforts to try to secure a ceasefire and keep Western support for Ukraine intact
BERLIN: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Wednesday as Ukraine seeks further military support amid a recent escalation in Russia’s bombing campaign, despite US-led efforts to end the war.
Germany has been the second-biggest supplier of military aid to Ukraine after the United States. Merz has plunged into diplomatic efforts to try to secure a ceasefire and keep Western support for Ukraine intact since becoming Germany’s leader three weeks ago. European leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in US-led peace talks.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was set to meet in Washington with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday.
Zelensky said Tuesday that Ukraine is ready to hold peace talks at the highest level, including a trilateral meeting with himself, Putin and US President Donald Trump.
“We are ready to meet at the level of leaders. Both the American side knows this, and the Russian side knows this,” he said. Zelensky said he would accept any configuration of talks, whether that includes one trilateral meeting or separate meetings with Trump.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is grateful to Trump for his mediation efforts.
“At the same time, there is a big number of nuances to be discussed that can’t be neglected and which neither party is going to sacrifice, because of its national interests,” Peskov told reporters. “Just like the United States, Russia has its national interests that are of primary importance to us.”
He said that Moscow will “soon” deliver its promised memorandum on a framework for a peace settlement.
Taurus cruise missiles may be discussed
Merz said on Monday that Germany and other major allies are no longer imposing any range restrictions on weapons supplied to Ukraine as it fights to repel Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began in February 2022.
Merz’s government hasn’t said whether it will supply its Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, something his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, refused to do and which Merz advocated for as opposition leader. The government has said it would no longer provide full details of the weapons it’s supplying to Ukraine, unlike Scholz’s administration, citing the need for “strategic ambiguity.”
Taurus missiles have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles). The German- and Swedish-made missiles, which are equipped with stealth technology, would be able to reach targets deep in Russia from Ukrainian soil, including the Black Sea. Ukraine wants the missiles to complement the long-range Storm Shadow missiles sent by Britain and France’s nearly identical Scalp cruise missiles.
Zelensky said that he plans to discuss the supply and use of long-range weapons in his talks with Merz. The Ukrainian leader said Tuesday that he hasn’t received any indications from Germany that their policy of limiting the use of Western weapons against Russian targets has changed.
Ukraine needs $30 billion in additional financing to help it compete with Russia in the production of drones and missiles, Zelensky said. Russia is aiming to produce 300-350 drones per day, he said.
Front-line fighting, deep strikes continue
Meanwhile, fighting has continued along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where Ukraine’s army is shorthanded against its bigger adversary. Zelensky claimed Tuesday that Russia is mobilizing up to 45,000 men every month, while Ukraine mobilizes between 25,000-27,000.
Both sides are continuing to conduct deep strikes. Russia launched its biggest drone attack of the war against Ukraine on Sunday.
Russian air defenses downed 296 Ukrainian drones over 13 Russian regions late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Russia’s Defense Ministry said, in what appeared to be one of the biggest Ukrainian drone assaults of the war.
Ukraine is increasing its domestic production of drones and missiles, according to Zelensky. He said late Tuesday that Ukraine wants European countries to help it invest in the manufacturing of attack drones, air defense interceptors, cruise missiles and ballistic systems.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that air defenses shot down Ukrainian 33 drones heading toward the capital.
Andrei Vorobyov, the governor of the Moscow region, said that 42 drones were downed. He said that drone fragments damaged three residential buildings in the village of Troitskoye, but no one was hurt.
Moscow airports delayed or diverted hundreds of flights.
Overnight, Russian forces launched an attack on Ukraine using five Iskander ballistic missiles, one guided air-launched missile and 88 drones, Ukraine’s Air Force said Wednesday. Air defense units shot down 34 drones, and 37 drones were jammed.
Ukraine’s railway infrastructure and equipment in the Kharkiv, Donetsk and Sumy regions also came under fire overnight and Wednesday morning, Ukraine’s state railway company Ukrzaliznytsia said. No casualties were reported.
In Kharkiv region, railway traffic was temporarily suspended so that police and emergency workers could clear debris from a downed drone that landed on the tracks. In Sloviansk in the Donetsk region, the attack shattered windows at the station building, and drone debris slightly damaged a train car.
