Newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio has paused the Biden administration's refugee operations and is set to ramp up

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio was confirmed by the Senate to be the next secretary of state Monday night, making him the first of President Trump's Cabinet picks to receive congressional approval.

Former US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) was sworn in Monday afternoon as America’s first Cuban American Secretary of State, the 72nd individual to fill the position. The former lawmaker served as a senator for 14 years.

Rubio -- long known as a Russia and China hawk in the Senate -- has been accused of dialing back his interventionist foreign policy approach to align with Trump's positions and may face fresh criticism from opponents who believe he might prioritize serving as a yes man to president over serving the country.

Mr Rubio told Mr Netanyahu that the US will continue to work "tirelessly" to help free the remaining hostages in Gaza. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Donald Trump's former primary opponent Sen. Marco Rubio is meeting with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday as the president-elect's secretary of state nominee.

Senator Marco Rubio warned of China’s growing threat, and he backed NATO but said Europe needed to do more to help protect itself. His friendly, five-hour confirmation hearing seemed to all but guarantee he would be the next secretary of state.

The US Senate voted to confirm Marco Rubio as Secretary of State on Monday, making him the first official in Donald Trump's administration to be approved on his presidential inauguration day. The vote, which came just hours after Trump’s swearing-in ceremony, was unanimous at 99-0.

After taking the oath of office, Marco Rubio promised that every action taken by the State Department will be determined by the answers to three questions.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to reiterate Washington's support for its ally, and the two also discussed Iran and Israeli hostages in Gaza, the State Department said.

A Palestinian official said hundreds of people began leaving their homes in a flashpoint area of the West Bank on Thursday as Israeli forces pressed a deadly operation there.The Israeli military launched this week a raid in the Jenin area,