International

Rubio promises to work for “a safer world” after swearing in as US Secretary of State

Marco Rubio was sworn in this Tuesday as the new Secretary of State of State in a ceremony in which he promised to work for “a safer world” under the directives of President Donald Trump.

Rubio became the first confirmed Trump Cabinet on Monday after receiving the unanimous support of the Senate. The new vice president, JD Vance, was in charge of taking the oath from Rubo.

After swearing in office, Rubio said that “one of the main objectives of US foreign policies will be the promotion of peace.”

“Of course, a peace through force, a peace always without abandoning our values, but I think it is extraordinary that it is something that should be said and that has not been said enough in recent memory,” added the new secretary.

Rubio had a few words in Spanish for his parents, who migrated from Cuba to Florida in 1956, during the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.

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“The purpose of his life was that we could live the dreams that were not possible for them. It is an incredible honor to be the Secretary of State of the most powerful and goodest country in the history of humanity,” he said.

Subsequently, Rubio was greeted in the lobby of the State Department with applause from dozens of workers of this agency.

“There will be changes, but changes don’t have to be destructive. They don’t have to be punitive,” said the new head of US diplomacy.

Rubio said that the State Department needs to “act faster than ever because the world is changing faster than ever.”

“It is an honor to be able to run this agency. I hope to do it with distinction and integrity, working harder than anyone in this position. And that won’t be easy, because before me there have been very hardworking people,” he added.

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The new Secretary of State was accompanied by his wife Jeanette, of Colombian origin, and their four children: Amanda, Daniella, Anthony and Dominick.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”