United States news and current affairs. Coverage of US politics, policy, defence, economy, and global influence from The Oceania Cables.
Summary On May 20, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed a federal indictment against former Cuban President Raúl Castro, charging him and five co-defendants with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder, and two counts of destruction of aircraft. The charges stem from Castro’
Summary On May 18, 2026, the United States announced a freeze of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense (PJBD), a key bilateral defense forum established in 1940, citing Canada’s alleged failure to make credible progress on its defense commitments. U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby stated
Summary A joint U.S.-Nigerian military operation in the early hours of May 16, 2026, resulted in the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the global second-in-command of ISIS and a key architect of the group’s West African operations. The mission, described by both governments as a “precision air-land operation,
Summary In early May 2026, a multinational operation led by the United States, in partnership with Venezuela and the United Kingdom and with technical support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), successfully removed 13.5 kilograms of highly enriched uranium (HEU) from Venezuela’s shuttered RV-1 research reactor. The
Summary President Donald J. Trump’s state visit to China from May 13 to 15, 2026, marked the first U.S. presidential trip to Beijing in nearly a decade, set against a backdrop of global instability, ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, and heightened U.S.-China trade and security tensions.
Summary On May 13, 2026, the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs convened a hearing to examine whistleblower allegations of a cover-up regarding the origins of COVID-19. The session, chaired by Senator Rand Paul, featured testimony from James E. Erdman III, a Senior Operations Officer at
Summary Negotiations between Iran and the United States have stalled following Iran’s submission of a 14-point proposal in early May 2026, delivered via Pakistani mediators. The Iranian plan calls for a permanent end to hostilities, immediate lifting of all sanctions, release of frozen assets, recognition of Iranian sovereignty over
Summary On May 7, 2026, three U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers—USS Truxtun (DDG 103), USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), and USS Mason (DDG 87)—were subjected to unprovoked attacks by Iranian forces while transiting the Strait of Hormuz toward the Gulf of Oman. The assault involved missiles, drones, and
Summary Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has initiated an investigation into allegations that U.S. intelligence agencies withheld or downplayed evidence of election vulnerabilities and foreign interference during the 2020 presidential election. The probe, based on whistleblower claims, internal memos, and declassified documents, suggests that intelligence agencies may
Summary The 2026 United States Counterterrorism Strategy marks a sweeping realignment of national security priorities. The strategy elevates narcoterrorists and transnational gangs to the highest threat level, authorizing the use of military, law enforcement, and financial tools to incapacitate them. Legacy Islamist terrorist groups remain a central focus, with expanded
Summary US Central Command has confirmed that a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet has disabled an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel attempted to breach the ongoing US naval blockade of Iranian ports. This enforcement action underscores the blockade’s continued rigor, even as
Summary Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine delivered a comprehensive briefing at the Pentagon on May 5, 2026, outlining the launch and execution of Project Freedom in the Strait of Hormuz. The officials confirmed the ongoing U.S.-Iran ceasefire,