US President Donald Trump has banned travel to the US from certain countries with citizens of a few others facing partial travel restrictions.
Citing national security concerns following the Colorado fire attack, the proclamation bans entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Additionally, the entry of people from seven other countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela, will be partially restricted.
Staying with Trump, the US President spoke with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin who declared that he was obligated to respond to Ukraine’s weekend drone attack.
Trump warned in a social media post that the phone call, which lasted more than an hour, would not "lead to immediate peace" between Russia and Ukraine.
Russian officials declined to confirm this on Wednesday night, but Moscow had earlier said that military options were "on the table" for its response.
Shifting focus to the Middle East, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has slammed the US nuclear proposal and pledged that Tehran will not abandon its uranium enrichment.
In a speech, Khamenei decried that the “US nuclear proposal contradicts the nation’s belief in self-reliance”.
He added that “independence means not waiting for the green light from America and the likes of America”.
Moving on, the US on Wednesday vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution that demanded an "immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza as well as unhindered aid access across the war-torn enclave.
The US was the only country to vote against the measure while the 14 other members of the council voted in favour.
In India, celebrations over RCB winning its maiden IPL title quickly turned tragic in Bengaluru with at least 11 people feared dead in a stampede near M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
An official statement by RCB read they “are deeply anguished” and “mourned the tragic loss of lives”. The statement further urged all supporters “to please stay safe”.
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