In Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, the Guaiba lake broke its banks, flooding streets
americas9 hours ago
US Central Command chief Kenneth McKenzie pledged on Thursday to work "aggressively" to ensure maritime safety in strategic Gulf waters after a spate of attacks blamed on Iran.
"We are currently talking with the international community about the importance of the right of freedom of navigation in the Middle East," McKenzie told reporters at Prince Sultan air base near Riyadh.
"We are going to work very aggressively with our partners... to come to a solution that will enable the free passage of critical oil and other commodities... through the region."
His comment comes after US General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, last week said the US aims to form a coalition to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Gulf amid fraught relations between Washington and Tehran.
Tensions in the area - through which nearly a third of the world's oil is transported - have spiked in recent weeks, with the US blaming Iran for multiple attacks on tanker ships in the region, and Tehran shooting down an American drone.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last month that he hopes more than 20 countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, would work together on building maritime security.
McKenzie said the US was in "exploratory talks" with potential partners to ensure free passage through strategic waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz.
This is "not a United States problem, it's an international problem... We're eager to be part of an international solution", McKenzie added.
The US announced in May that it was deploying 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East to counter "credible threats" from Iran.
McKenzie's visit to Saudi Arabia comes a day after the US House voted to block $8.1 billion in arms sales to the kingdom and other allies, in a move likely to be vetoed by Trump.
In Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, the Guaiba lake broke its banks, flooding streets
americas9 hours ago
Khan, 53, who became the first Muslim mayor of the British capital in 2016, has pledged to build more social housing
europe10 hours ago
Charlie Appleby and William Buick team up to win the prestigious English Classic for the second time in three years following Coroebus in 2022
sports10 hours ago
A UNESCO report found that journalists and news outlets reporting on environmental issues dealt with about 750 attacks in the past 15 years
world10 hours ago
Here is everything you need to have in hand before you register for the procedure
uae11 hours ago
The discovery was made after Sharjah National Oil Corporation drilled a well
uae11 hours ago
Over 500,000 people, who are not on the taxpayer list are liable to file their income tax returns for 2023
world11 hours ago
From interacting with authors to learning computer coding, an adventure awaits at every corner
uae12 hours ago