Web Desk/AFP

WASHINGTON:&nbsp;Israel and Lebanon released a joint statement saying that they held &ldquo;productive discussions&rdquo; and agreed to launch direct negotiations as the two sides met in Washington, the United States said on Tuesday. &quot;The participants held productive discussions on steps toward launching direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon,&quot; State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement. &quot;All sides agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed time and venue,&quot; he said. The announcement came after Israeli and Lebanese envoys held more than two hours of talks mediated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. &quot;The United States congratulated the two countries on this historic milestone and expressed its support for further talks, and for the government of Lebanon&#39;s plans to restore the monopoly of force and to end Iran&#39;s overbearing influence,&quot; Pigott said. And it &quot;affirmed that any agreement to cease hostilities must be reached between the two governments, brokered by the United States, and not through any separate track,&quot; he added. Lebanon was pulled into the region-wide Iran war on March 2 after pro-Tehran Hezbollah attacked Israel. Since then, Israeli strikes have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than one million, despite international calls for a ceasefire, and Israeli ground forces have invaded southern Lebanon.

Middle East

Israel and Lebanon agree to launch direct negotiations after “productive” talks in Washington mediated by Marco Rubio, marking a potential step toward de-escalation.

Israel, Lebanon agree to direct negotiations after 'productive' talks: US

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the Trump administration has been unable to conduct the kind of disciplined, technically grounded diplomacy needed for negotiations on Iran&rsquo;s nuclear program. She was responding to a question during a recent interview on MSNBC&rsquo;s talk show Morning Joe.&nbsp; Clinton said negotiations are a slow, highly specialized process that requires officials with real expertise in nuclear weapons and verification, contrasting that with what she portrayed as the administration&rsquo;s reliance on a small inner circle to handle several major crises simultaneously. &ldquo;When I was Secretary of State, I began secret negotiations with Iran to try to reach a nuclear weapons deal to prevent it from ever having a nuclear arsenal. It was a very slow, deliberative process,&rdquo; she said. The former secretary said that the US would need to &ldquo;bring in people who actually know something about nuclear weapons.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;We had physicists and nuclear weapons practitioners at the table when our administration was negotiating the Joint Plan of Action [pact with Iran]. You need people who know something and know the history,&rdquo; she said. She was sharply critical of the administration&rsquo;s strategic judgment, saying she was stunned by reports that President Trump had not anticipated Iran could try to close the Strait of Hormuz.&nbsp; Clinton said that in the military exercises she attended while in government, closing the strait had long been seen as one of the most immediate risks in any confrontation with Tehran.&nbsp; She said she supported Trump bombing Iran&rsquo;s nuclear sites in June of last year because she thought that was an appropriate and limited strategic objective. &ldquo;[But] I opposed his incoherent attack on Iran,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp; &ldquo;I know from personal experience how Netanyahu has tried to get every American president to agree to have an open-ended war with Iran, because I had many hours-long conversations with him and his war cabinet about this and refused to go along with a very inchoate desire to do something to Iran that, you know, with no real end state,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I think you&#39;ve got to get back into hard negotiations with the right people at the table who know what they are doing. And I think you&#39;ve then got to make it very clear that we want our allies involved. We don&#39;t want to be dissing our allies because they have a big stake in this,&rdquo; she said. In her interview, Clinton urged Congress to assert its constitutional role and place limits on presidential war-making before lasting damage is done to American authority.

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a recent interview, says the US is in a ‘very weak position’ in its dealings with Iran, arguing that Washington has lost the leverage and initiative it once possessed.

US needs technically grounded diplomacy on Iran: Hillary Clinton

ISLAMABAD: The United States and Indonesia announced a new Major Defense Cooperation Partnership on Monday, strengthening military ties as the strategic significance of Southeast Asia&rsquo;s sea lanes gains increased attention.&nbsp;The agreement was unveiled at the Pentagon after US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met with Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, with both sides saying the framework would deepen operational collaboration, defense modernization, training and interoperability.&nbsp; According to a US-Indonesia joint statement, the new partnership rests on three pillars: military modernization and capacity building, training and professional military education, and exercises and operational cooperation.&nbsp; The two sides said they would explore initiatives in maritime, subsurface and autonomous systems, cooperate on maintenance and repair support, and expand joint special forces training.&nbsp; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2043819323601342697&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=695618f6f280be58ce22ef01cddd46d57957413f&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Hegseth said the two countries already conduct more than 170 military exercises together each year.&nbsp; Jakarta stressed that any arrangement would protect Indonesian sovereignty and comply with national law. One of the world&rsquo;s major chokepointsThe significance of stronger defense ties with Indonesia extends well beyond bilateral military cooperation.&nbsp; Indonesia sits across some of the world&rsquo;s most important maritime routes, including the Strait of Malacca and the alternative Sunda and Lombok passages.&nbsp; The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) says Malacca is the primary chokepoint in Asia, while a major chokepoints database at the research institute, Strauss Center, lists it among the world&rsquo;s eight major chokepoints.&nbsp; In the first half of 2025, the Strait of Malacca handled an estimated 23.2 million barrels of oil per day, making it the world&rsquo;s largest oil transit chokepoint, accounting for 29% of global maritime oil flows.&nbsp; China was the single largest destination for crude and condensate moving through the strait, receiving 7.9 million barrels per day, or 48% of import volumes, while Russian volumes were much smaller at about 0.4 million barrels per day.&nbsp; Malacca is also one of the world&rsquo;s most vulnerable bottlenecks. At its narrowest point in the Phillips Channel, it is only about 1.7 miles wide.&nbsp; Earlier EIA analysis found that more than 90% of crude oil passing through the South China Sea transited the Strait of Malacca, while about 90% of China&rsquo;s maritime crude imports moved through the South China Sea, underscoring Beijing&rsquo;s long-standing &ldquo;Malacca dilemma&rdquo; and the broader strategic value of Indonesia&rsquo;s geography.

Americas

Asia

The two countries launch a major defense partnership, deepening military ties through training, modernization and joint operations.

US, Indonesia announce major defense cooperation partnership

MOSCOW: Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev is in the United States for talks on the economy, Russia said Friday, stressing that he would not be holding discussions on the Ukraine war. &quot;Kirill Dmitriev is not conducting negotiations on a settlement of the Ukrainian issue. This does not constitute a resumption of negotiations,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, including AFP. &quot;Kirill Dmitriev heads the economic affairs group and he continues his work within the framework of this group.&quot; Dmitriev, who heads a Russian state investment fund, has been one of Moscow&#39;s main conduits for talks with Washington since Donald Trump returned to the White House last year and has travelled to the US several times, including last month. He is pushing for the US to relax sanctions and boost business ties with Russia, though has made little progress. Talks on the Ukraine war have been stalled for weeks, with Moscow sticking to hard-line territorial and political demands that Ukraine has ruled out. Trump has flipped between putting pressure on Moscow and Kyiv to end the conflict, which he claimed he would resolve within hours of returning to office.

Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev is in Washington for economic talks, Russia said, stressing he is not discussing Ukraine, as broader negotiations remain stalled and Moscow continues pressing for sanctions relief.

Russian envoy in US for economy talks: Kremlin

ISLAMABAD: World leaders on Wednesday publicly thanked Pakistan for its mediation efforts following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Messages on X from European, Asian, and Middle Eastern officials emphasized Islamabad&#39;s role as a crucial diplomatic channel in reducing tensions. The United Nations Secretary-General welcomed the announcement, calling on all the parties to comply with their &quot;obligations under international law and to abide by the terms of the ceasefire to pave the way toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region.&quot; According to a statement issued by spokesperson St&eacute;phane Dujarric, the secretary-general expressed &quot;sincere appreciation for the efforts of Pakistan and other countries involved in facilitating the ceasefire.&quot; European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she welcomed the ceasefire and &ldquo;thank[ed] Pakistan for its mediation,&rdquo; while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also said he welcomed the pause in fighting and thanked Pakistan for its role.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2041755410290393255&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=873a55453a537d0656fc6f405763375253472d25&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;European Council President Ant&oacute;nio Costa said he welcomed the US-Iran ceasefire announcement and urged all sides to uphold its terms to achieve a lasting outcome, while the European Union&rsquo;s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the deal as a step back from the brink after weeks of escalation.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2041784093843521606&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=873a55453a537d0656fc6f405763375253472d25&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Portugal&rsquo;s foreign ministry also welcomed the ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, adding to a broader European chorus backing diplomacy over further military action.&nbsp;Support for Pakistan&rsquo;s role also came from beyond Europe. New Zealand said it welcomed the announcements by Washington and Tehran and all efforts to end the conflict, while Oman&rsquo;s foreign ministry welcomed the ceasefire declaration and praised mediation efforts.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2041684624091574750&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=873a55453a537d0656fc6f405763375253472d25&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Kazakhstan&rsquo;s presidency said President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed the agreement on a full ceasefire and truce in the Middle East, reached with the assistance of international mediation.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2041752473862598933&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=873a55453a537d0656fc6f405763375253472d25&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 874px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Ukraine&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv welcomed the agreement to unblock the Strait of Hormuz and cease fire, as well as Pakistan&rsquo;s mediation efforts, underscoring how widely Islamabad&rsquo;s role was being acknowledged across different regions.&nbsp;Norway&rsquo;s foreign minister Espen Barth Eide likewise said the temporary ceasefire gave diplomacy a chance at a moment when the world had stood on the edge of a wider confrontation.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s foreign ministry said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had been engaged with foreign counterparts as the ceasefire took shape.&nbsp;Taken together, the wave of public messages and statements shows that Pakistan has earned visible international recognition for its mediation efforts. Reaction from world leadersLeaders from Europe and East Asia welcomed the ceasefire between Iran and the United States, mediated by Pakistan, in a joint statement issued on Wednesday. In the statement, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, the European Commission, the European Council, and Japan jointly thanked Pakistan and all partners involved for facilitating this &ldquo;important agreement.&rdquo; &ldquo;The goal must now be to negotiate a swift and lasting end to the war within the coming days. This can only be achieved through diplomatic means,&rdquo; the statement said. It also encouraged quick progress towards a substantive negotiated settlement, adding that this will be crucial to protect the civilian population of Iran and ensure security in the region. &ldquo;It can avert a severe global energy crisis,&rdquo; it added. &ldquo;We support these diplomatic efforts. To this end, we are in close contact with the United States and other partners,&rdquo; the statement said.

Foreign Affairs

World leaders from Europe, Asia and the Middle East publicly thanked Pakistan for helping mediate the U.S.-Iran ceasefire, underscoring Islamabad’s diplomatic role in opening channels for de-escalation, easing tensions and supporting renewed dialogue during a dangerous regional crisis.

‘Islamabad Diplomacy’ hailed as world leaders praise Pakistan’s Iran mediation

TEHRAN: Israeli strikes hit Iran&#39;s largest petrochemical complex Monday, as the Islamic Republic defied threats from US President Donald Trump to devastate civilian infrastructure if it does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. A separate Israeli strike also killed a senior Revolutionary Guards commander, while Iran launched drone and missile attacks against Israel, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Iran said &quot;much more devastating&quot; attacks would come if Trump followed through on his threat to hit civilian targets. The US leader had on Sunday threatened to destroy Iranian bridges and power plants if Tehran does not bow to his demand to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to shipping by Tuesday 8:00 pm (0000 GMT Wednesday). Iran has all but blocked Hormuz, a vital energy chokepoint, sending oil and gas prices soaring and pushing countries around the world to enact measures to contain the fallout. In a stark, expletive-laden social media post on Sunday, Trump demanded: &quot;Open the Fuckin&#39; Strait, you crazy bastards, or you&#39;ll be living in Hell.&quot; On Monday, Israel said it had struck Iran&#39;s largest petrochemical facility in Assaluyeh on Iran&#39;s Gulf coast, where local media reported multiple explosions. The site accounted for about 50 percent of the country&#39;s petrochemical production worth &quot;tens of billions of dollars&quot;, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said. Ahead of the latest strikes, Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guards said Hormuz &quot;will never return to its former status, especially for the US and Israel&quot;. The Guards posted on Telegram Monday that their intelligence chief Majid Khademi had been killed at dawn in US-Israeli strikes. &quot;We will reach anyone who seeks to harm us,&quot; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, after Katz confirmed the country&#39;s military was behind the strike. Israel&#39;s defence ministry also said it would ramp up production of Arrow missile interceptors, part of the country&#39;s multi-layered air defences.<h2 style="line-height: 2;"> </h2><h2 style="line-height: 2;">A deal?</h2>While the violence continued to spiral, reports surfaced of a potential push to halt the fighting. Citing US, Israeli and regional sources, US news website Axios said a deal mediated by Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey for a 45-day ceasefire to allow for negotiations on a more permanent peace was under discussion. Pakistan confirmed peace talks were underway but did not comment on the 45-day ceasefire report. Egypt&#39;s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty had on Sunday confirmed he was engaging in talks with governments across the region, as well as US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran&#39;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. &quot;Views and proposals were exchanged on ways to deescalate the military situation in the region given the delicate juncture it is currently facing,&quot; a statement from his ministry said. Trump told Fox News that Iran was &quot;close&quot; to making a deal, but Tehran has repeatedly denied it is engaged in any negotiations with the US or Israel. European Council chief Antonio Costa, one of the EU&#39;s top officials, called in an X post for a &quot;diplomatic solution&quot;. &quot;Any targeting of civilian infrastructure, namely energy facilities, is illegal and unacceptable,&quot; Costa said.&nbsp;

Israel strikes Iran’s largest petrochemical complex as tensions with Iran escalate over the Strait of Hormuz, with both sides trading attacks and threats amid tentative ceasefire talks.

Israel hits Iran gas complex after Trump threat

TEHRAN:&nbsp;Iranian and American forces were racing each other early Saturday to recover the crew of the first US fighter jet to go down inside Iran since the start of the war. Tehran said it had shot down the F-15 warplane, while US media reported American special forces had rescued one of two crew members. Iran&#39;s military also said it downed a US A-10 ground attack aircraft in the Gulf, with US media saying the pilot was rescued. The war erupted more than a month ago with US-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, triggering retaliation that spread the conflict throughout the Middle East. It also convulsed the global economy and impacted millions of people worldwide. US Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the loss of the F-15, but White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: &quot;The president has been briefed&quot;. President Donald Trump told NBC the F-15 loss would not affect negotiations with Iran, saying: &quot;No, not at all. No, it&#39;s war.&quot; &#39;Valuable reward&#39; A spokesperson for the Iranian military&#39;s central operational command said &quot;an American hostile fighter jet in central Iranian airspace was struck and destroyed by the IRGC Aerospace Force&#39;s advanced air defense system&quot;. &quot;The jet was completely obliterated, and further searches are ongoing.&quot; An Iranian television reporter on a local official channel said anyone who captured a crew member alive would &quot;receive a valuable reward&quot;. The US military has announced the loss of several aircraft during Iran operations, including one tanker that crashed in Iraq and three F-15s shot down by Kuwaiti friendly fire. Fresh strikes meanwhile hit Israel, Iran, Lebanon and Gulf countries while large blasts rocked northern Tehran, an AFP journalist said. Israel said it had launched a wave of strikes in the Iranian capital, alongside parallel attacks in Beirut. Blown-out windows Earlier, Israel&#39;s military reported a new missile salvo from Iran, activating its air defenses. Strikes by all sides have increasingly targeted economic and industrial sites, raising fears of wider disruption to global energy supplies. In the area around a bridge west of Tehran that was targeted by the United States, an AFP reporter saw a villa and residential buildings with blown-out windows &ndash; but no military installations. According to the martyrs foundation of Alborz province, cited by the official IRNA agency, the attack killed 13 civilians and wounded dozens. In Abu Dhabi, Iran&#39;s neighbor across the Gulf, metal giant Emirates Global Aluminium meanwhile said it could take up to a year before it can resume full production, after its site was damaged by Iranian strikes. Ex-FM urges deal Writing in the US journal Foreign Affairs, Iran&#39;s former foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said Tehran should make a deal with Washington to end the war by offering to curb its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran has virtually blocked the key waterway since the war began, where one-fifth of the world&#39;s oil and natural gas normally passes. Of the few ships that have managed to cross, most have had links to Iran, with 60% of commodity-bearing ships crossing the strait either coming from Iran or heading there, an AFP analysis of maritime data showed. In the first known transit by a major European shipping group since March 1, the Maltese-flagged Kribi, belonging to the French maritime transport group CMA CGM, crossed the strait to exit the Gulf on Thursday, according to Marine Traffic data analyzed by AFP. Three other ships, including one co-owned by a Japanese company, crossed Thursday. Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari warned that Iran would increase its own attacks on energy sites in the region in response to threats from Trump of attacks on infrastructure. A drone attack on a refinery owned by Kuwait&#39;s national oil company on Friday sparked fires at several of its units, state media said. Later, an Iranian attack damaged a power and desalination complex, Kuwait&#39;s water and electricity ministry said. In Abu Dhabi, a gas complex shut after a fire broke out, following an attack that resulted in &quot;falling debris&quot; upon interception, the government media office said. Bridge destroyed in Lebanon The Israeli military said Friday it had struck more than 3,500 targets across Lebanon in the month since Israel began its assault on the latter. It added that it would attack two bridges in Lebanon&#39;s eastern Bekaa region &quot;in order to prevent the transfer of reinforcements and military equipment&quot;. Lebanese state media later reported that Israel destroyed one bridge in the region. Lebanon&#39;s health ministry said Thursday that 1,345 people had been killed &ndash; &nbsp;and 4,040 wounded &ndash; since the start of the war. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon peacekeeping force said a blast of unknown origin wounded three peacekeepers Friday, the third such incident in a week.

Iranian forces downed a US F-15 and A--one crew rescued amid races to recover pilots; fresh strikes hit Tehran, Israel, and Gulf energy sites, disrupting global oil flows.

Iran searches for downed US jet crew, as US media says one member rescued

WASHINGTON: The US Supreme Court seemed ready on Wednesday to reject Donald Trump&#39;s historic attempt to end birthright citizenship after a hearing highlighted by the notable presence of the Republican president. The landmark case is a pillar in Trump&#39;s attempts to restrict immigration and his decision to attend oral arguments was unprecedented for a sitting president. Trump left the hearing following the presentation by his solicitor general, John Sauer, and did not remain for the arguments of American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney Cecillia Wang, who was defending birthright citizenship. &quot;We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow &#39;Birthright&#39; Citizenship!&quot; Trump said in a social media post after returning to the White House. Trump signed an executive order on the first day of his second term, decreeing that children born to parents in the United States illegally or on temporary visas would not automatically become US citizens. Lower courts blocked the move, ruling that under the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, nearly everyone born on US soil is an American citizen. Sauer told the justices that &quot;unrestricted birthright citizenship contradicts the practice of the overwhelming majority of modern nations&quot; and &quot;demeans the priceless and profound gift of American citizenship.&quot; &quot;It operates as a powerful pull factor for illegal immigration and rewards illegal aliens who not only violate the immigration laws but also jump in front of those who follow the rules,&quot; he said. It also encourages what Sauer called &quot;birth tourism,&quot; in which foreigners come to the United States solely to give birth. The three liberal justices and several conservatives appeared skeptical of the administration&#39;s arguments. Conservatives have a 6-3 supermajority on the court and three justices were appointed by Trump. &#39;It&#39;s the same constitution&#39;Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative, asked Sauer how common &quot;birth tourism&quot; is before pointing out that, regardless of the numbers, it would have &quot;no impact on the legal analysis&quot; of the case. &quot;We&#39;re in a new world now,&quot; the solicitor general said, &quot;where eight billion people are one plane ride away from having a child who&#39;s a US citizen.&quot; &quot;Well, it&#39;s a new world. It&#39;s the same constitution,&quot; Roberts replied. The 14th Amendment states that, &quot;All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.&quot; It does not apply to those not subject to US jurisdiction -- the children of foreign diplomats, for example -- and Roberts said the government appeared to be seeking to expand the exceptions &quot;to a whole class of illegal aliens,&quot; a move he described as &quot;quirky.&quot; Justice Brett Kavanaugh, another conservative, asked Sauer why he was citing the birthright policies of other nations. &quot;We try to interpret American law with American precedent based on American history,&quot; Kavanaugh said. &quot;Why should we be thinking about ... other countries? I&#39;m not seeing the relevance as a legal, constitutional interpretive matter.&quot; Justice Neil Gorsuch, another conservative, said that when the 14th Amendment was passed, in 1868, there was no such thing as &quot;illegal&quot; immigration. &quot;If somebody showed up here in 1868 and established domicile, that was perfectly fine,&quot; Gorsuch said. &quot;And so why wouldn&#39;t we ... come to the conclusion that the fact that someone might be illegal is immaterial?&quot; Decision by JulyWang, the ACLU attorney, told the justices a rejection of birthright citizenship would call into question &quot;the citizenship of millions of Americans past, present and future.&quot; &quot;Ask any American what our citizenship rule is, and they&#39;ll tell you, everyone born here is a citizen alike,&quot; Wang said. &quot;That rule was enshrined in the 14th Amendment to put it out of the reach of any government official to destroy.&quot; The Trump administration is arguing that the 14th Amendment, passed in the wake of the 1861-65 Civil War, addresses citizenship rights of former slaves and not the children of undocumented migrants or visitors. Trump&#39;s executive order is premised on the notion that anyone in the United States illegally or on a visa is not &quot;subject to the jurisdiction&quot; of the country and is therefore excluded from automatic citizenship. The Supreme Court rejected such a narrow definition in a landmark 1898 case involving a man who was born in San Francisco to parents from China. If the Supreme Court rejects ending birthright citizenship, it would be the second major loss for Trump this term -- the justices struck down most of his global tariffs in February. A decision in the case is expected by late June or early July.

The US Supreme Court appeared inclined to reject Trump’s bid to end birthright citizenship, with liberal and conservative justices questioning his arguments and warning that narrowing the 14th Amendment could affect millions of Americans, past, present and future.

US Supreme Court skeptical of Trump bid to end birthright citizenship

ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that US military operations in Iran could conclude &ldquo;very soon,&rdquo; suggesting a possible timeline of two to three weeks.&nbsp;Speaking to reporters at the White House after signing an executive order, Trump said American forces were &ldquo;finishing the job&rdquo; in Iran.&nbsp;&ldquo;I think in two weeks, or maybe a few days longer, we&rsquo;ll do the job. We want to knock out everything they&rsquo;ve got,&rdquo; he said, referring to Iran&rsquo;s military capabilities.&nbsp;The US president reiterated earlier claims about significantly weakening Iran&rsquo;s capabilities, though he has previously offered mixed signals regarding Washington&rsquo;s objectives and timeline in the conflict.&nbsp;On economic concerns, Trump linked a potential&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-ready-to-end-middle-east-war-with-hormuz-strait-still-closed" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">US withdrawal from Iran</a>&nbsp;to falling oil prices. &ldquo;All I have to do is leave Iran &ndash; and we&rsquo;ll be doing that very soon. Then prices will come tumbling down,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Addressing the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route, Trump said the United States would not be responsible for ensuring its security.&nbsp;&ldquo;That&rsquo;s not for us. That&rsquo;ll be for whoever&rsquo;s using the strait,&rdquo; he told reporters, adding that countries dependent on the waterway should take responsibility.&nbsp;He also criticized US allies for not doing enough to support Washington&rsquo;s efforts in the ongoing conflict with Iran.&nbsp;The remarks come amid heightened tensions in the region and continued uncertainty over the scope and duration of US military engagement.

US President Donald Trump speaks after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Reiterates earlier claims about significantly weakening Iran’s capabilities, though he has previously offered mixed signals regarding Washington’s objectives and timeline in the conflict.

Trump says US may end Iran operations within ‘two to three weeks’

ISLAMABAD: The Pentagon is preparing plans for weeks of ground operations in Iran, though President Donald Trump has not yet approved any deployment, AFP reported earlier this week, citing the Washington Post.&nbsp; There is no confirmed presence of US ground forces inside Iran at this stage. However, any ground operation would stop short of a full-scale invasion, instead involving raids by special operations forces and conventional infantry troops, the Post said, citing unnamed officials. Troops on groundAFP said Saturday the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli had arrived in the Middle East, citing US Central Command, with 3,500 Marines and sailors aboard, while an estimated 2,000 to 4,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division are deploying. The ship, which is usually based in Japan, arrived in the region on Friday, Centcom said in a post on X. The group also includes &quot;transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical assets,&quot; it said. The Council on Foreign Relations reports that the United States maintains a vast network of both temporary and permanent military installations in at least 19 locations throughout the region. Eight of them are said to be permanent bases spread among Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Troops already stationed in the regionEven before the latest escalation, the United States maintained a substantial military presence in the Middle East. According to Al Jazeera, between 40,000 and 50,000 troops are stationed across countries, including Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.&nbsp; While exact deployment locations have not been officially disclosed, US forces are believed to be stationed at key bases, including Al Udeid Air Base, Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Camp Arifjan, and Al Dhafra Air Base, placing them within operational range of Iran. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Washington operates at least 19 military sites in the region, including 8 permanent bases. Washington can achieve its objectives &#39;without ground troops&#39;As of now, Trump has not approved any deployment and has kept a vague stance on the issue for weeks. According to AFP, several US media outlets have reported that he is mulling the idea of sending at least 10,000 troops to the Middle East soon.&nbsp; The deployment would mark a significant boost to Washington&#39;s military presence in the region, despite US President Donald Trump insisting that Tehran was taking part in peace talks with Washington to end the war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington can achieve its objectives &ldquo;without ground troops,&rdquo; while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth -- who revealed he had visited US troops in the Middle East over the weekend -- warned Tuesday that the coming days would be &ldquo;decisive.&rdquo;&nbsp; On the Iranian side, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said any deployment of US ground forces would mark a major escalation and would be met with widespread retaliation. &quot;It is unclear where precisely forces will go in the Middle East, but they will likely be within striking distance of Iran and Kharg Island, a crucial oil export hub off Iran&rsquo;s coast,&quot; The Wall Street Journal said. Middle East war &#39;far worse&#39; than IraqAccording to The New York Times, the US-led coalition that invaded Iraq in 2003 had about 250,000 members at first, with Al Jazeera reporting that the Baghdad morgue estimated it received 6,000 corpses. According to AFP, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned on March 25 that the Middle East war presented a &quot;far worse&quot; scenario than the invasion of Iraq in 2003. &quot;This is not the same scenario as the illegal war in Iraq. We are facing something far worse. Much worse. With a potential impact that is far broader and far deeper,&quot; he told parliament. &quot;This time, it&#39;s an absurd and illegal war. A cruel one that sets us back from achieving our economic, social, and environmental goals.&quot;

The deployment adds to an existing US force of up to 50,000 in the Middle East, as the Pentagon advances plans for a limited ground action against Iran, though President Donald Trump has not yet approved any action.

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