Strait of Hormuz developmentsUS controls Strait of Hormuz, would strike Iran if it attempted to change that — Trump The US president clarified that the strait was under complete control© Technician Second Class Ruskin Naval/ U.S. Navy via APWASHINGTON, August 12. /TASS/. The United States fully controls the Strait of Hormuz and is ready to deliver strikes against Iran if the Islamic republic attempts to change the state of affairs in any way, US President Donald Trump said while answering questions from journalists at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington. "We have total control over the Hormuz Strait right now. We own it. And at some point, maybe they [Iran] will do something, and then they get blown away," he said. The United States and Israel started a war against Iran on February 28. In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding calling for an immediate ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon. However, early on July 8, the United States renewed massive airstrikes on Iran, accusing Tehran of violating their previous agreements regarding the Strait of Hormuz. On August 2, Trump said he had agreed to cancel the planned major strike against Iran to reach a deal with Tehran. According to him, Iran and the countries of the Middle East asked Washington to refrain from the attack, as the parties had agreed on the outlines of a future agreement. On August 6, Saudi TV channel Al Arabiya reported, citing a high-ranking source, that mediated consultations between Washington and Tehran have entered the final stage. TagsDonald TrumpGender transition surgeries in US to no longer be paid for by Medicaid insurance — TrumpAccording to the US president, dozens of US hospitals have ended "this so-called 'gender-affirming care'"Read moreFBI refrains from commenting on US national Gilman’s releaseThe press service of the US Department of State, the White House, and the Department of Justice have not yet responded to TASS’ inquiryRead moreUS lawmaker Luna lauds Russia’s release of GilmanThe lawmaker noted the contribution of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy to the US President Steve Witkoff and "all parties involved"Read moreVietnam plans to launch satellites in partnership with SpaceX in 2027The US company will deliver the Vietnamese satellites into orbit, while the Vietnamese company will be responsible "for the research, development, manufacturing and on-orbit operation of its satellites"Read moreIN BRIEF: Latest Russian strike targets defense industry sites, logistic centersThe crews of the Russian Aerospace Forces delivered strikes against Ukrainian temporary deployment sites and drone control centers in the DPR, the Kharkov and Sumy Regions, the Defense Ministry reportedRead moreOver 40 Ukrainian drones taken down over Russian regions during dayRussian air defense systems intercepted Ukrainian UAVs over five Russian regionsRead moreRussia preparing for G20 Ministerial Council in Atlanta at high level — Russian ambassadorAccording to Marat Berdyyev, negotiations on the final documents of the forum's activities this year have entered an active phase within the G20Read moreRussia destroys Ukraine’s US-made Humvee vehicle in Donetsk regionAs a result of a single precision strike, the enemy armored vehicle caught fire and its fuel detonated, the Russian Defense Ministry reportedRead moreSerbian politician questions necessity of Zelensky's visit to BelgradeIn Milos Jovanovic's words, the people of Serbia "feel sad for casualties inflicted by the conflict on the two Slavic peoples," and Belgrade should "maintain the best possible relationship with all countries, including UkraineRead moreBrent oil on ICE climbs above $88 per barrel for first time since July 31By 1:42 a.m. GMT, Brent crude had risen 0.41% to $88.08 per barrelRead moreJapan expresses protest to North Korea over launch of ballistic missileDefense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has said that Japan, together with the US and the Republic of Korea, is currently continuing to analyze information related to North Korea's missile launchRead moreRussian, Belarusian deputy foreign ministers discuss relations with Western organizationsMoscow and Minsk reaffirmed their commitment to further close coordination and joint efforts to defend common interests in the international arenaRead moreIN BRIEF: Putin’s key statements on innovations, sovereignty, SKIFThe head of state noted that Russia has grown even stronger by expanding its technological capabilitiesRead moreUkrainians in Poland paying price for Kiev’s glorification of Nazism — Russian senatorAlexander Voloshin highlighted that the Ukrainian leadership had fostered the most radical forms of nationalism in Eastern Europe for many yearsRead moreBiden caused US munitions problems by aiding Kiev — TrumpAccording to the US leader, Joe Biden gave Kiev munitions worth $300 billion to UkraineRead moreUS Department of Energy raises Brent oil price outlook to $86.81 in 2026The authority expects "most production" to recover by early 2027Read moreTurkey may propose creating two security corridors in Black Sea — paperAccording to the newspaper, Turkey may restrict fishing by local fishermen outside the country's territorial waters in the Black SeaRead moreUS faces $13 billion in damage from Iranian strikes — newspaperIran has damaged or destroyed more than 42 US military aircraft, mostly large drones, but also fighter jetsRead moreSupreme Court rules to disqualify Yabloko party from parliamentary pollsThe Yabloko party has five days to appeal the rulingRead moreBattlegroup East fighters clear over 100 buildings liberating Novoye Pole in ZaporozhyeThe Ukrainian armed forces suffered losses amounting to up to a company of personnel, seven armored fighting vehicles and 11 motor vehiclesRead moreMorocco starts building four-meter-tall barrier near Ceuta amid new migration wave worriesAccording to the newspaper, the barrier is being built on the outskirts of the town of FnideqRead moreUK seeks to ‘reboot’ high-level military contacts with Russia — The TimesAccording to the report, UK military chiefs fear an "unintended escalation" caused by the lack of dialogue with MoscowRead moreIf Russian gymnasts win at World Cup, 2024 Olympic Games anthem to be playedThe World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships will be held from August 12 to 16 in Frankfurt am MainRead moreIN BRIEF: Putin’s statements at State Council Presidium meeting on public transportationAccording to the Russian leader, the law does not yet define the concept of a "guaranteed carrier," but this approach could be promisingRead moreFormer Chinese official sentenced to death for taking $39 mln in bribesFrom 2009 to 2025, Long Xiang held senior posts in the government of Nanjing, the administrative center of the eastern province of JiangsuRead moreDefeat in Kramatorsk to deal massive blow to Kiev — BildThe situation is getting worse day by day, and the frontline is moving closer to Ukrainian positionsRead moreRussian strikes destroy 80,000-100,000 sq m of refrigerated warehouses near Kiev — expertAccording to Alexander Bondarenko, the remaining facilities cover only 20-30% of the region’s needsRead moreImplementation of US peace plan for Gaza de-facto stalled — Russia’s UN envoyVasily Nebenzya stated that the ceasefire was still being consistently violated, first of all by the Israeli sideRead moreFACTBOX: One killed, fires at warehouses in Voronezh Region, 396 UAV attack aftermathTASS has compiled the main information about the consequencesRead moreUS citizen freed in Russia heads to Texas hospital — mediaRobert Gilman’s family also flew to Texas to be with himRead moreRussia to create national database of genetic resources — PutinThe president pointed out that the database was expected to receive about 10 petabytes of data annuallyRead moreControl of Shcherbakovka facilitates Russian troops advance to Kharkov — defense sourceAccording to the statement, the Russian troops’ active operations in the Kharkov Region are forcing the enemy to revise its combat plansRead moreNATO drills pose no threat to Minsk — Belarusian Defense MinistryAccording to the ministry, "NATO has been conducting military drills one after another, particularly exercising the use of military force in close proximity to the Belarusian border"Read moreMoldovan authorities stage provocative acts against Russian diplomats — embassyIn particular, the embassy's repeated requests to the Foreign Ministry of Moldova for assistance in returning the license plates, illegally seized from the diplomatic mission’s vehicle, still remain unansweredRead moreMoldovan authorities ignoring threats to world from Kiev regime — Russian embassyThe diplomatic mission called on Chisinau to refrain from further escalatory steps that prove to be harmful for Moldovan citizensRead moreFive Colombian airports resume operations after earthquake, while two remain closedThe airports of the cities of Armenia, Buenaventura, Cali, Quibdo, and Manizales have resumed receiving commercial flightsRead moreMoscow’s relations with Beijing are stable, protected from int’l fluctuations — ambassadorAccording to Igor Morgulov, the stability of Russian-Chinese relations is ensured by principles of equality, non-interference into domestic affairs, mutual respect and due account of each other’s interestsRead moreTrump confirms release of US citizen Robert Gilman convicted in RussiaAccording to the US President, Robert Gilman will arrive in the United States early on Wednesday Moscow timeRead moreWorld's first stratospheric platform successfully launched in ArcticResults of the platform's launch will be used for improving communications quality along the Northern Sea RouteRead moreContainer ship likely hit by missile in Gulf of Oman — news agencyAccording to UK’s Vanguard risk management group, the Vela Nova container ship was attacked 71 nautical miles off the coast of PakistanRead moreRussian strikes paralyze Ukraine’s southern power grid — officialYevgeny Poddubny said the damage to the energy infrastructure in the southern regions of Ukraine is of particular importanceRead moreRussia hopes West has common sense to prevent irreparable effects for Europe — MFARussian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin highlighted that the Joint Regional Group of Forces and the Unified Air Defense System are operating effectively within the integrated defense space of Russia and BelarusRead moreSwitzerland adds 45 entities, 9 individuals to anti-Russian sanctions list — TASSNine individuals have been blacklisted for the first time, including Rostec Executive Director Oleg YevtushenkoRead moreSiding with West in conflict with Russia unacceptable for Serbs — politicianMilos Jovanovic explained that the reason was that the West positioned itself as an enemy of Serbia and the people of SerbiaRead moreRubio says Trump nominated him for Secretary of State without prior discussionThe US president called him and said he was going to be the secretary of state, the politician saidRead moreUkrainian forces choose targets to sow fear, panic, but Russia shall win — expertYevgeny Poddubny emphasized that the most important thing for Russia right now is to prevailRead moreEU uncertain who to pay for Kiev’s 90 bln euro loan — German MEPFabio De Masi accused the German government of irresponsibility for approving the loan to Ukraine without properly assessing the risks and consequences while "nothing has functioned in Germany for a long time."Read moreMissile launched by North Korea falls outside Japan's exclusive economic zone — KyodoA source in the country's Defense Ministry told the news agency that there was no information about damage to vessels in the regionRead moreHouthis say they attacked Saudi forces’ positions in YemenThe attack left "dozens killed and wounded, including Saudis," Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree saysRead moreSyrian court sentences Bashar al-Assad to death in absentia — TVThe court also sentenced Atef Najib, the former head of the political security directorate in the Syrian province of DaraaRead moreThere have been no drafts of treaty on Ukraine, only questions for discussion — PutinThe Russian leader recalled that he had discussed this set of questions with American negotiators before his visit to AlaskaRead moreRussian swimmer Kornev wins gold at 2026 European Aquatics ChampionshipsMaxime Grousset of France won silver and Grigori Pekarski of Belarus finished thirdRead moreRussia, China discuss easier travel between countries for citizens — Foreign MinistryThe parties confirmed their readiness to further strengthen cooperation in the consular fieldRead moreItalian PM faces growing pressure over support for Ukraine — mediaAccording to the report, Giorgia Meloni is also "hardening her tone" on migrationRead moreKiev concerned over Russia’s Rassvet low-Earth orbit satellite constellationIn late March, Russia’s Bureau 1440 company successfully orbited the first 16 satellites of the Rassvet low-Earth orbit constellationRead moreUS citizen Gilman released by Russia heads to hospital in Texas — activistsAccording to Global Reach, his family has flown to the state as wellRead moreRussian Aerospace Forces strike Ukrainian targets in DPR, Kharkov, SumyThe Defense Ministry reported that Russian Aerospace Forces crews carried out airstrikes on the identified targets using FAB-250 aerial bombsRead moreFACTBOX: Bank of Russia lists Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies for public tradingAccording to the law, when selecting cryptocurrencies, their market capitalization, average daily trading volume, and pricing history on foreign exchanges are taken into accountRead moreHouthis attack Tihama again during rescue operationOne member of the rescue team was injuredRead moreArmed provocations in Transnistria to be regarded as attack on Russia — MFAMikhail Galuzin noted that Moscow assessed the risk of direct armed provocations by Kiev and Chisinau against Transnistria as lowRead moreRussia develops Darwin-D protective net to shield roads from UAV attacksThe net is designed to shield highways, major roads, and transportation arteries at least 12 meters wide from attacks by FPV drones and fixed-wing UAVsRead moreEU ready to do everything to prevent Russia from returning to international sports — SVRAccording to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, "so-called European elites are seriously concerned about the IOC's decision to remove all restrictions on the Russian Olympic Committee and Russian athletes"Read moreNon-ferrous metal prices slide in July on Mideast volatility — Kept reviewThe average aluminum price in July plummeted 8.7% from June to $3,150 per tonne on London Metal ExchangeRead moreMoldova's return to cooperation with EAEU would be in its best interests — ex-presidentIgor Dodon recalled that during his presidency, Moldova had become the first country to be granted EAEU observer status in May 2018Read moreEmbassy in Colombia receives no appeals from Russian citizens regarding earthquake — envoyNikolay Tavdumadze says embassy staff are in contact with the authorities to verify information about allegedly affected RussiansRead moreNATO-style alliances in Asia create threats for entire region — Russian security officialSumming up the results of a Russian delegation’s visit to the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, Sergey Shoigu pointed out that the issue of regional security had been discussed in detailRead moreUS expert views Gilman’s release as step towards de-escalation ahead of Witkoff’s visitAccording to Gilbert Doctorow, the move also could be aimed at de-escalation between Russia and NATORead moreCENTCOM reports disabling ship that attempted to breach blockade on IranAccording to the US military, the vessel has ignored repeated warnings while en route to an Iranian port via the Gulf of OmanRead moreRussia to resort to measures in response to growing NATO presence in Finland — embassyAccording to a source in the embassy, Russia has repeatedly drawn attention to the detrimental consequences of this policy, and the diplomats are sure that Helsinki are aware of these signalsRead moreSu-57 constitutes key element for achieving air superiority — Russia’s Air Force CommanderSergey Kobylash stated that during the special military operation, Russian aviation and aviation munitions "reached a qualitatively new level"Read moreTwo suspected Russian drones found floating in Black Sea — Romanian defense ministerAccording to Romania’s acting Defense Minister Radu Miruta, the drones were spotted by a ship working in this area which called a coastal guard boatRead moreRussian troops liberate two communities in Ukraine operation over past day — top brassBattlegroup North units took control of the settlement of Shcherbakovka in the Kharkov Region and Battlegroup East units liberated the settlement of Novoye Pole in the Zaporozhye RegionRead moreDeath toll in Houthi strike on vessel rises to fourAnother four crew members were injuredRead moreRussia develops latest Fantom camouflage cape, concealing soldier’s silhouetteAt night, the cloak’s materials minimizes light reflection and glare and pronounced contrast to prevent detection by night-vision devicesRead morePutin arrives in West Siberia’s Novosibirsk on working visitThe Russian president's visit focuses on regional issues and the development of science and technologyRead morePutin arrives in Far Eastern city of Yuzhno-SakhalinskThe Russian president will attend the final stage of the Pacific Fleet’s exercisesRead moreTrump says Russia agreed to release Gilman without exchangeAccording to the US leader, the Russian president agreed to release Gilman on a humanitarian basisRead morePress Review: EU seeks to prolong Ukraine conflict and NATO prepares Arctic opsTop stories from the Russian press on Monday, August 8thRead moreGeorgia rules out restoring diplomatic ties with Russia — prime ministerAccording to Irakli Kobakhidze, Georgia’s objective with regard to Russia is a peaceful settlement of the conflictRead moreIran offers Turkmenistan to strengthen transport cooperation between Caspian Sea portsIran's ambassador to Turkmenistan Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani believes that the Caspian Sea can be considered as part of the common civilizational heritage of the regionRead moreChancellor Merz still least liked national politician for Germans — pollThe poll was conducted from August 7 to 10 and involved 2,010 respondentsRead moreRussian army is global military powerhouse — expertAccording to Hero of Russia Yevgeny Poddubny, Russia currently has the most combat-ready and powerful army in the worldRead moreGerman lawmaker calls on government to rein in financial aid to UkraineMarkus Frohnmaier recalled that since February 2022, Germany has allocated more than 100 billion euro in assistance to UkraineRead moreGerman FAZ journalist hit with petition demanding his dismissal for remarks about RussiansThe initiators believe that Michael Martens "crossed the boundaries of journalistic impartiality"Read moreUkrainian troops burn corpses of Colombian mercenaries with acid — war prisonerThe captured Ukrainian soldier added that he was guided to the position by a drone and was not provided with water or food, so he decided to surrenderRead moreWest Bank nearing point of no return — envoy to UNVasily Nebenzya called on Israel to abandon any unilateral steps, take effective measures to curb settler violence and immediately resume compliance with relevant UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutionsRead moreBattlegroup North UAV crews destroy over 10 Ukrainian UAV control centers near KharkovA Russian serviceman, call sign Svat, said the enemy is constantly attempting to strike the civilian population and civilian infrastructureRead moreEU can supply Ukraine with weapons purchased from US — TrumpThe US president reiterated that he does not give weapons to UkraineRead morePentagon contractors for Golden Dome complete their first tests — BloombergAs the agency notes, the program included testing data transmission from sensors to the interceptor, as well as demonstration of propulsion systemsRead moreRussian Forces intercept rare Portuguese Tekever AR3 recon droneThe UAV has been transferred to a research institute, where specialists will study its design, technical specifications, and engineering solutionsRead moreRussia warns Ukraine against any provocations against Belarus — Russian diplomatMikhail Galuzin reiterated that the Agreement on Security Guarantees between Russia and Belarus implies "an obvious mechanism for joint response" to actions considered threats to a member of the Union StateRead more15 die, 75 missing after ferry capsized in ZimbabweSeventy-four people have been rescuedRead moreWorsening Middle East crisis slashes 15% off Larnaca’s hotels guestsAccording to chairman of the regional branch of the Cyprus Hoteliers Association Marios Poliviou, Israelis account for the largest share of the visitors to the province, followed by the British, Germans, Poles and GreeksRead moreCuba to embark on path of major change before end of Trump's presidential term — RubioThe head of the US foreign policy department did not disclose details of the changes he expectsRead moreRomania's MFA provides no evidence of Russia's involvement in UAV incidents — embassyThe Russian diplomatic mission stated that the officials "were shown pieces of styrofoam" during the meeting with ministry representativesRead moreDeath toll in Houthi strike on Tihama rises to sixAnother 10 people were injuredRead morePress review: NATO boosts Northern Europe presence as Israel blocks Gaza peace effortsTop stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, August 11thRead moreAircraft possibly carrying Gilman makes stopover in IrelandA source in EU air traffic control services said that Shannon Airport is often used to refuel aircraft before flying over the AtlanticRead moreIN BRIEF: What we know about release of American Robert Gilman, convicted in RussiaRobert Gilman was detained in 2022 at the Voronezh railway station after being involved in a drunken brawl on the Sukhum-Moscow trainRead moreRussian rhythmic gymnasts return to World Championships after five seasonsThe national team will compete in Frankfurt am MainRead moreRosatom completes construction of Siberian Ring Photon Source compoundThe Siberian Ring Photon Source is a complex of 34 buildings, facilities, and engineering and technological equipment spanning approximately 90,000 square metersRead more
Gagauzia head transferred to prison with conditions degrading to human dignity — lawyer
• What happened: Evgenia Gutsul, the head of Gagauzia, has been transferred to a women's prison in Moldova, where her lawyer claims the conditions are degr...