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Marco Rubio

The latest news on Marco Rubio, American politician and 72nd United States Secretary of State, including US politics news and updates.

Born

28 May 1971

Industry

Politics

Job title

US Secretary of State

The X fine, announced on Friday, is the first significant enforcement action under the EU’s Digital Services Act. Photo: AFP

United States

EU’s US$140 million fine on X riles Rubio’s deputy, stoking tensions

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said the bloc’s regulatory stance could hurt shared security and values.

5 hours ago

United States

Hegseth’s Signal use posed risk to US forces, Pentagon review finds

4 Dec 2025 - 6:37PMvideocam

Ukraine war

US sees progress after latest Ukraine talks as Trump envoy heads to Russia

1 Dec 2025 - 6:12PM

Americas and the Caribbean

Venezuela airspace should be considered ‘closed in its entirety’, Trump says

The South American nation slammed the US president’s ‘colonialist threat’, and said his comments were incompatible with international law.

30 Nov 2025 - 1:57PM

Latam Airlines planes sit on the tarmac in Bogota, Colombia on Friday. Several other airlines have also cancelled flights in recent days following a security alert issued by the United States related to Venezuela. Photo: AFP

United States

US halts asylum cases after troop killing as Trump steps up migrant crackdown

A US official says the immigration agency will ensure ‘every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible’.

29 Nov 2025 - 11:20AM

Americas and the Caribbean

Trump spoke with Venezuela’s Maduro, discussed meeting in US, report says

The US has deployed the world’s largest aircraft to the Caribbean, sparking fears that it is seeking regime change in Caracas.

29 Nov 2025 - 5:46AM

Ukraine war

US-backed peace plan for Ukraine drew from Russian document: sources

Russian ‘non-paper’ was key input for the 28-point plan, which has since been revised following talks between US and Ukrainian officials.

26 Nov 2025 - 8:14PM

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) meets with US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll in Kyiv on November 20. Photo: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/AFP

Americas and the Caribbean

Is the US preparing to invade Venezuela, or sabre-rattling to make a deal?

Largest Caribbean military build-up since the Cuban Missile Crisis leaves observers guessing if the US show of force is a prelude to action or a threat.

26 Nov 2025 - 4:10PM

Ukraine war

‘Issues remain’: US-Ukraine talks advance, but Europe cautious on Russia deal

Trump hails ‘big progress’ in talks, while Germany confirms US plan was modified with Nato and territorial demands removed.

25 Nov 2025 - 1:03AM

Americas and the Caribbean

US labels Venezuelan group terrorists amid massive military build-up

Venezuela rejects US terrorist designation as a ‘ridiculous lie’ aimed at paving the way for an ‘illegitimate’ US military intervention.

25 Nov 2025 - 11:30AM

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro addresses civilians taking an oath to join a state-organised defence network on Saturday. Photo: AP

Saudi Arabia

The China factor behind Trump’s decision to upgrade Saudi air power

The deal swaps F-35 jets for ‘guardrails’ on Chinese tech in the Gulf, analysts say – with Israel assured its military edge is safe.

24 Nov 2025 - 5:30PM

Two F-35B fighter jets of the US Marine Corps fly in formation over Puerto Rico on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

Ukraine war

US and Ukraine refine draft of peace plan under Trump deadline pressure

Talks on a 28-point proposal to end Russia’s war held in Geneva after Trump set a Thursday deadline for Ukraine to approve the plan.

24 Nov 2025 - 3:09PM

US-China trade war

US-China: a fragile truce, divergent accounts and a Thanksgiving test

Washington pushes a rare earth timeline Beijing never acknowledged, underscoring how far apart the two sides still appear to be.

22 Nov 2025 - 4:38AMvideocam

Ukraine war

Zelensky says ready to work with Trump on US plan to end Ukraine war

US-backed blueprint reportedly requires Ukraine to cede territory to Russia and significantly downsize its military.

21 Nov 2025 - 9:11PM

The US plan says Ukraine would have to limit its army to 600,000 troops. Photo: 127th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defence via EPA

Donald Trump

Dick Cheney’s funeral held in Washington, with Trump off guest list

Former presidents Bush and Biden, and all living former vice-presidents attended the Washington National Cathedral service.

21 Nov 2025 - 10:45AM

The casket with former US vice-president Dick Cheney proceeds out of the Washington National Cathedral after the funeral service on Thursday in Washington. Photo: AP

G20

White House denies reversing G20 boycott, hits out at South African leader

Cyril Ramaphosa said the US had a last-minute change of mind, but the White House had sharp words in response.

21 Nov 2025 - 3:06PM

Africa

Trump vows to end Sudan war, in sudden pivot thanks to Saudi crown prince

The US president condemned ‘tremendous atrocities’ in the conflict, which he admitted was previously ‘not on my charts’.

20 Nov 2025 - 7:53AMvideocam

US-China relations

Stop ‘stigmatising’ Chinese students and researchers, ambassador to US says

‘People with vision’ should speak up against unfair attacks and ‘smears’, top envoy Xie Feng says.

17 Nov 2025 - 5:44PMvideocam

The US government has sent out mixed messages about international students. Photo: AFP

US-China relations

Chinese student numbers in US fall as gap with Indian scholars widens: report

IIE survey shows four per cent decrease from previous year amid anxiety over Trump administration’s policies aimed at international students.

17 Nov 2025 - 1:35PMvideocam

United States

US designates 4 left-wing groups in Europe as terrorists

Designation hits groups in Germany, Greece, and Italy, with Rubio warning that Washington would target other groups around the world.

14 Nov 2025 - 2:17PM

Israel

Israeli settlers torch West Bank mosque sparking US concern

Israeli settlers torched a mosque, defacing it with hateful graffiti, prompting rare condemnations from officials amid rising tensions.

14 Nov 2025 - 12:15AM

Damaged windows and walls of a mosque that was torched and defaced by Israeli settlers in the West Bank town of Deir Istiya on Thursday. Photo: AP

India

Opinion | How India and the US can find their way back to better relations

This year has revealed the need for personality-driven diplomacy to be anchored by steadier institutional ballast.

13 Nov 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

US-China relations

Donald Trump defends policies amid pushback over Chinese students, H-1B visas

US president says cutting foreign student enrolment by half would destroy America’s ‘entire university and college system’.

12 Nov 2025 - 8:00PM

Donald Trump

Trump says US to boycott G20 in South Africa, cites treatment of white farmers

The US president says no American officials will attend this year’s Group of 20 summit, repeating claims of abuse of Afrikaners.

8 Nov 2025 - 6:48AMvideocam

Cambodia

Trump ending Cambodia weapons ban slammed as ‘beyond reckless’

A lawmaker said the president has ‘upended US policy towards Cambodia with no regard for US national security or our values’.

7 Nov 2025 - 3:17PMvideocam

Cambodian military vehicles prepare to withdraw from border areas in Preah Vihear province on Saturday after the country signed a peace deal with Thailand. Photo: EPA/AKP

Science

Chinese student boom helps create more university spots for Americans: study

Every 100 Chinese students studying in US helps create an extra master’s programme, researchers say.

6 Nov 2025 - 12:19PMvideocam

The study concluded that Chinese students had helped create more college places in the US. Photo: Xinhua

US-China relations

Opinion | Following the Xi-Trump summit, is the G2 back on track?

While alternating confrontation and negotiation seems to be the new normal, the summit holds out the possibility of a recalibration of the US-China relationship.

4 Nov 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

Taiwan

What does the Xi-Trump summit’s silence on Taiwan mean?

The self-ruled island is less of a priority for the US leader and could affect others playing the ‘Taiwan card’, analysts say.

31 Oct 2025 - 6:16AMvideocam

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