YEREVAN: Europeans have &quot;heard&quot; US President Donald Trump&#39;s message of frustration over the Iran war and are &quot;stepping up&quot;, NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Monday after Washington announced it would withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany. &quot;European leaders have gotten the message. They heard the message loud and clear,&quot; Rutte said before talks with European leaders in Armenia, acknowledging &quot;disappointment on the US side&quot; faced with European allies&#39; resistance to joining the war. &quot;Europeans are stepping up, a bigger role for Europe and a stronger NATO,&quot; Rutte insisted ahead of a European Political Community meeting dominated by the twin security threats posed by the Ukraine and Middle East wars. &quot;We have seen all these countries now participating with their bilateral agreements making sure that when it comes to basing requests and all the logistical support,&quot; Rutte said. The Pentagon troop move comes with transatlantic ties badly strained over the Middle East war although German Chancellor Friedrich Merz insisted Sunday there was &quot;no connection&quot; with his recent spat with Trump over the conflict. EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas called the announcement&#39;s &quot;timing&quot; a &quot;surprise&quot;. &quot;There has been a talk about withdrawal US troops for a long time from Europe,&quot; she told reporters in Yerevan. &quot;But of course, the timing of this announcement comes as a surprise.&quot; &quot;I think it shows that we have to really strengthen the European pillar in NATO, and we have to really do more,&quot; Kallas said, while stressing that &quot;American troops are not in Europe only for protecting European interests, but also American interests.&quot; Europe has been ramping up its defense spending in the face of fears over Trump&#39;s commitment to NATO and Russia&#39;s assault on Ukraine a push underscored by several leaders in the Armenian capital. &quot;Europeans are taking their destiny into their own hands, increasing their defense and security spending, and building their own common solutions,&quot; French President Emmanuel Macron said. &quot;We have to step up our military capabilities to be able to defend and protect ourselves,&quot; EU chief Ursula von der Leyen told reporters.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrives to attend the 8th European Political Community (EPC) summit in Yerevan on May 4, 2026. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

Americas

European and NATO leaders said they are “stepping up” defence efforts and strengthening NATO’s European pillar after the US announced troop withdrawals from Germany amid tensions over the Iran conflict.

NATO chief says Europeans have 'gotten message' from Trump on defense

WASHINGTON: The battle for control of the US Congress entered its final six months on Sunday, as midterm elections in November could reshape President Donald Trump&#39;s second term and redefine the balance of power in Washington. As ever, the midterms will be a referendum on the president, with Democrats hoping to capitalize on economic discontent and Trump&#39;s sliding approval ratings to retake the House of Representatives and Senate -- while Republicans fight to defy political headwinds. At stake is not just legislative control but the trajectory of Trump&#39;s agenda, with a Democratic-run&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/congress-to-vote-on-trumps-war-powers-as-usisrael-strikes-on-iran-enter-fifth-day" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Congress</a>&nbsp;able to launch investigations, block nominees and generally complicate the remainder of his presidency. Early indicators point to a challenging environment for Republicans, with Trump&#39;s approval rating around 40% and economic dissatisfaction -- particularly inflation and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-lawmakers-say-no-evidence-iran-had-planned-first-strike-on-us" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Iran&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-lawmakers-say-no-evidence-iran-had-planned-first-strike-on-us" target="_blank">war-related&nbsp;</a>costs&nbsp;-- eroding confidence.&nbsp;&lsquo;Structural headwinds&rsquo;Polling shows Democrats with a narrow edge on the generic ballot, while some surveys suggest voters now trust them more on the economy. A Republican-aligned group, AFP Action, warned the party&#39;s Senate majority was &quot;at risk,&quot; citing &quot;structural headwinds&quot; and disengaged voters. In midterm elections, Americans vote to fill all 435 House seats, about one-third of the 100-member Senate and most governorships. Democrats need to flip three House seats and four Senate seats to take control. &quot;The Senate is on the table here,&quot; Molly Murphy, of pollster Impact Research, told cable network MS NOW, pointing to Trump&#39;s waning popularity and strong Democratic turnout in recent elections. &quot;When the president&#39;s approval rating is at or below 40%, that is when you start to see these deeper pickups in much more Republican-heavy terrain.&quot; Still, the landscape remains fluid, with structural challenges for both parties.<h2 style="line-height: 2;">&nbsp;</h2><h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;Always tough&#39;&nbsp;</h2>Republicans benefit from a favorable Senate map, with Democrats needing to win in states Trump carried.&nbsp; And heavily gerrymandered districts -- as well as a shrinking number of competitive seats -- limit how far a national swing can translate into House gains. The campaign has been further complicated by a fierce redistricting battle, with states including Texas, California, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Missouri, Utah and Virginia pursuing new mid-decade voting maps. The overall impact of the changes -- alongside a Supreme Court ruling limiting race-based redistricting -- remains unclear. Republicans are banking on financial advantages and voter concerns over immigration and national security, while Democrats are focusing on cost-of-living pressures and framing the election as a defense of democratic norms.&nbsp;&lsquo;Effort to rig the system&rsquo;Ahead of the six-month mark, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer accused Republicans of undermining voting rights through pushes for overzealous election security and immigration enforcement initiatives. &quot;Let&#39;s call it what it is: an effort to rig the system,&quot; he said. For Republicans, the central challenge remains the president himself.&nbsp;Midterms typically punish the party in power, and Trump&#39;s weak approval ratings have heightened concerns. At the same time, even some of his supporters say his focus on foreign policy, particularly the war with Iran, has drawn attention away from domestic economic concerns that typically dominate midterm campaigns. Even so, Republicans insist the race is far from settled, noting that political conditions can shift rapidly ahead of an election. House Majority Leader&nbsp;Steve Scalise&nbsp;told CNBC that Republican prospects would depend on turnout and voters appreciating his party &quot;delivering what we&#39;ve delivered to finally start turning this mess around that we inherited a year and a half ago.&quot; &quot;Midterms are always tough for the incumbent party, but this is not your father&#39;s Democrat Party,&quot; Scalise said.

Polling shows Democrats with a narrow edge on the generic ballot, while some surveys suggest voters now trust them more on the economy.

US midterm race enters last six months with Congress at stake

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: United States President Donald Trump will appear on a new limited-edition US passport being issued to mark the country&rsquo;s 250th anniversary next July, the White House said on Wednesday.&nbsp;The commemorative passports are part of wider celebrations planned for the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, with events scheduled across the country.&nbsp;Images released by the White House and the Department of State show Trump&rsquo;s portrait included in the passport design alongside elements of the Declaration of Independence and the American flag. The design also carries the president&rsquo;s signature in gold. Another page features an illustration of the Founding Fathers signing the Declaration of Independence.<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;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 1167px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2049249271946391799&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=57aa8c83d905caa0ac2d80ff10531f7f3d7fdd25&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2049249271946391799"></iframe></div></div>State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott, as cited by Al-Jazeera, said the special passports would be released in limited numbers and made available to US citizens applying through the Washington Passport Agency. Distribution is expected to begin this summer and continue while supplies last. Current US passports already contain images linked to American history, including the Battle of Fort McHenry, the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, and symbols such as the Statue of Liberty.&nbsp;The passport redesign follows other efforts by Trump and his administration to place his name, image, or signature on national projects and institutions. This year&rsquo;s national park passes, for example, include Trump&rsquo;s image alongside George Washington, departing from the program&rsquo;s traditional focus on natural landscapes.&nbsp;The United States Mint has also released draft designs for a one-dollar coin featuring Trump&rsquo;s profile as part of the anniversary celebrations. Proposed imagery includes his portrait with the words &ldquo;Liberty&rdquo; and &ldquo;In God We Trust,&rdquo; while the reverse side shows him raising a clenched fist before an American flag with the phrase &ldquo;FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT,&rdquo; referencing a slogan he used after a 2024 assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.<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;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 858px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=1974156375891804229&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=57aa8c83d905caa0ac2d80ff10531f7f3d7fdd25&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="1974156375891804229"></iframe></div></div>Trump has also sought to rename New York&rsquo;s Penn Station after himself, though the idea has failed to gain support.&nbsp;His name was also added to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington last year after a controversial vote by board members, marking the first time a major national institution was renamed after a sitting US president.

The redesigned US passport now prominently displays an image and signature of President Donald Trump. (Photo: Screengrab from X/The White House)

Trump to feature on limited-edition US passport for America’s 250th anniversary

WASHINGTON: Investigators on Sunday said the gunman who tried to storm a gala dinner attended by Donald Trump planned to assassinate the US president and multiple top officials, as scrutiny grew over the event&#39;s security. Trump, who was rushed out of the hotel ballroom in Washington by Secret Service agents, posted surveillance footage of the gunman attempting to sprint past a checkpoint. After a brief exchange of gunfire with agents, the suspect was detained at the scene on Saturday evening and was being questioned before he is due to appear in court Monday. Trump shared photos of the suspect handcuffed on the carpeted hotel floor. &quot;He&#39;s not actively cooperating. I expect that he will be formally charged tomorrow morning in federal court in Washington,&quot; acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche told CBS&#39;s &quot;Face The Nation.&quot; &quot;We do believe, based upon just a very preliminary start to understanding what happened, that he was targeting members of the administration.&quot; Blanche added that no further motive was known for the attack, and confirmed the suspect &mdash; who officials said was armed with a shotgun, handgun and knives &mdash; was staying at the Washington Hilton hotel where the black-tie dinner was held. &quot;We believe that he traveled by train from Los Angeles to Chicago, and then from Chicago to Washington,&quot; Blanche said. &quot;It appears he purchased these firearms in the past couple years.&quot; Guests hid under tables Trump, without providing details, said the gunman had written an &quot;anti-Christian&quot; manifesto. &quot;The guy is a sick guy,&quot; Trump told Fox News. &quot;His sister or his brother actually was complaining about it. They were even complaining to law enforcement.&quot; The New York Post said the suspect, widely named as Cole Allen, 31, had written in a note shared with his family shortly before the attack that his targets would be &quot;prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest.&quot; In the seconds after the shooting a floor above, Secret Service agents swarmed into the ballroom, prompting chaotic scenes as attendees dove under tables. Crowded into the ballroom were Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, several cabinet members and top lawmakers, and hundreds of guests in black tie. Trump said at a hastily arranged late-night news conference at the White House that he first thought the noise was a tray being dropped, before realizing it was gunfire. He said he hoped the annual gala, hosted by the White House Correspondents Association, would be rescheduled within a month. &quot;They seem to think he was a lone wolf, and I feel that too,&quot; the president said. One officer was shot at close range in his safety vest and appeared to be not seriously harmed. Trump added that the hotel venue was &quot;not a particularly secure&quot; facility, as questions swirled about the president&#39;s safety protocols. Multiple attempts on Trump&#39;s life Trump was the target of an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in 2024. A gunman fired several shots, killing an audience member and lightly wounding the president in the ear. A few months later, another man was arrested after a Secret Service agent saw the barrel of a rifle poking from the bushes on the perimeter of the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing a round. The Washington Hilton, where Saturday&#39;s gala was taking place, is the site where Republican President Ronald Reagan was shot by a would-be assassin in 1981. &quot;This keeps happening,&quot; Brian Raftery, an attorney, told AFP in Washington on Sunday. &quot;One of these times, unfortunately, something very bad is going to happen if we continue to have these types of attacks on political leaders.&quot; Trump on Sunday said the shooting underlined the security reasons that he has cited for planning a huge new ballroom next to the White House, a project that has faced legal challenges. The White House Correspondents&#39; Association invited Trump to its gala this year despite his repeated attacks on the media. Before this year and unlike all other presidents from the past 100 years, Trump had never attended while in office. The dinner brings together journalists and the who&#39;s who of Washington to raise funds for scholarships and awards. The incident came less than 48 hours before King Charles III and Queen Camilla begin a four-day state visit to Washington.

US Attorney General Blanche says no further motive known for the attack, confirms the suspect was staying at the Washington Hilton hotel, where the black-tie dinner was held; Trump says gunman had written an "anti-Christian" manifesto.

Gunman sought to kill Trump, cabinet at gala dinner

Web Desk/AFP

Navy vessel is seen sailing in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which much of the world's oil and gas passes, on March 1, 2026. (File photo: AFP)

Middle East

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf describes the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as a “clumsy and ignorant decision,” saying tensions nearly escalated during behind-the-scenes talks involving an American minesweeper near the strategic waterway.

All you need to know about Day 50 of US-Israel war on Iran

ISLAMABAD: United States President Donald Trump on Thursday said a deal with Iran could be within reach and indicated that the next round of negotiations may take place as early as this weekend, with Islamabad remaining a key venue in the diplomatic process.&nbsp;&ldquo;We&rsquo;re very close to make a deal with Iran,&rdquo; Trump told reporters, adding that Tehran had &ldquo;agreed to almost everything.&rdquo;&nbsp;He also suggested he could personally attend if an agreement is finalized in Pakistan&rsquo;s capital. &ldquo;If [a] deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&ldquo;I would go to Pakistan. Pakistan has been great. They have been so good. &nbsp;Islamabad, I might go,&rdquo; he added. If the deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go. The Field Marshal [Asim Munir] has been great. The Prime Minister [Shehbaz Sharif] has been really great in Pakistan. So I might go. They want me.&rdquo; He stated that Iran has agreed to &quot;almost everything.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m ⁠not sure it needs to be extended,&quot; Trump told reporters at the White House. &quot;Iran wants to make a ⁠deal ⁠and we&#39;re dealing very nicely with them.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;Trump linked the outcome of the talks to global economic conditions, saying a breakthrough would ease pressure on energy markets.&nbsp;&ldquo;If [a] deal happens, oil goes down, prices go down and inflation goes down,&rdquo; he said, highlighting the broader global stakes tied to the negotiations. His remarks come as diplomacy continues following the initial round of Iran&ndash;US talks in Islamabad, brokered through Pakistan&rsquo;s mediation after a ceasefire paused weeks of conflict.&nbsp;While discussions remain ongoing, Trump said he was &ldquo;not sure&rdquo; the ceasefire needed to be extended, noting that &ldquo;Iran wants to make a deal and we&rsquo;re dealing very nicely with them.&rdquo; However, contrary to the president&#39;s remarks, the&nbsp;<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; float: none; display: inline !important;" id="isPasted">US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth continued&nbsp;threatening renewed strikes if Tehran does not make a deal. &quot;If Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power, and energy,&quot; Hegseth told a news conference at the Pentagon.

Suggests he could personally attend if an agreement is finalized in Pakistan’s capital; links outcome of the talks to global economic conditions; remarks come as diplomacy continues following the initial round of Iran–US talks in Islamabad, brokered through Pakistan’s mediation after a ceasefire paused weeks of conflict.






Trump says he may go to Islamabad if Iran deal reached

HOUSTON: Little-known lunar craters, a solar eclipse and meteor strikes: the Artemis II astronauts wrapped their lunar flyby and began their journey back to Earth late Monday, bringing with them rich celestial observations scientists hope will open doors. Their eyes glued to the spacecraft windows for nearly seven hours, the team of four who spent their day breaking records and making history were treated to a view of the Moon unlike any other.&nbsp;&lsquo;It is amazing&rsquo;&nbsp;&quot;Humans probably have not evolved to see what we&#39;re seeing,&quot; said Victor Glover. &quot;It is truly hard to describe. It is amazing.&quot; The crew reported in vivid detail features of the lunar surface and later witnessed a solar eclipse, when the Moon passed in front of the Sun. They also described flashes of light -- meteor strikes -- on the Moon&#39;s surface. &quot;I can&#39;t say enough how much science we&#39;ve already learned,&quot; Kelsey Young, lead scientist for the Artemis II mission, told the astronauts. &quot;You really brought the Moon closer for us today, and we cannot say thank you enough.&quot;&nbsp;Trump praises &#39;modern-day pioneers&#39;&nbsp;But even after becoming the furthest humans to ever travel from Earth, their day was not over: the bleary-eyed astronauts remained in good spirits as they took a late-night call from US President Donald Trump. Unlike the Artemis astronauts and NASA administrator Jared Isaacman, Trump at age 79 is old enough to remember the Apollo days. And he was, in a word, impressed. &quot;You&#39;ve really inspired the entire world,&quot; Trump said, calling them &quot;modern-day pioneers&quot; who have &quot;a lot of courage doing what you&#39;re doing.&quot; &quot;America will be second to none in space and everything we&#39;re doing, and we will continue to lead the whole thing into the stars, this incredible journey into the stars.&quot; He probed the astronauts about their favorite moments and asked what it was like to lose connection with Earth for some 40 minutes during an expected communications blackout. The call even had a little signal glitch of its own, with Trump waiting expectantly as the astronauts appeared not to hear him for a full minute. &quot;Might have gotten cut off,&quot; Trump said. &quot;It is a long distance, it&#39;s a long ways.&quot;&nbsp;Historic trip&nbsp;Monday&#39;s milestones were plentiful, including when the Artemis II team broke the distance record set by the 1970 Apollo 13 mission, which they were expected to surpass by 4,105 miles (6,606 kilometers) when they reached the journey&#39;s anticipated furthest distance from Earth -- 252,760 miles (406,778 kilometers). Astronaut Jeremy Hansen said the moment should &quot;challenge this generation and the next, to make sure this record is not long-lived.&quot; And as noted by Trump, the crew lost contact with planet Earth for about 40 minutes as their spacecraft passed behind Earth&#39;s satellite. The blackout period was expected but still notable: they were the first people in more than 50 years to lose contact with the rest of humanity. &quot;It is so great to hear from Earth again,&quot; said astronaut Christina Koch, as the crewmembers were once again able to speak with humans on their home planet.&quot;We will always choose Earth.&quot;&nbsp;Moon memorials&nbsp;The Orion capsule will now travel back to Earth in a so-called &quot;free-return trajectory,&quot; a trip home that will take about four days. Adding to the historic nature of the mission led by Reid Wiseman, the Artemis II crew includes several firsts. Glover will be the first person of color to fly around the Moon, Koch will be the first woman, and Canadian Hansen the first non-American. Monday&#39;s celestial workday included a poignant moment just after the crew broke the distance record, when they proposed designating two previously unnamed craters. The first they requested to name in honor of their spacecraft&#39;s nickname, &quot;Integrity.&quot; They offered a second name, &quot;Carroll,&quot; for another crater, which they asked be named after the late wife of mission commander Reid Wiseman, who died of cancer.&nbsp;&lsquo;Like to call it Carroll&rsquo;&quot;It&#39;s a bright spot on the Moon,&quot; said Hansen, his voice breaking with emotion. &quot;And we would like to call it Carroll.&quot; The astronauts embraced, and mission control in Houston held a moment of silence. &quot;Integrity and Carroll crater, loud and clear. Thank you,&quot; said Gibbons. NASA said they would formally submit the name proposals to the International Astronomical Union, the body charged with naming celestial bodies and surface features.

Artificial Intelligence

Their eyes glued to the spacecraft windows for nearly seven hours, the team of four who spent their day breaking records and making history were treated to a view of the Moon unlike any other.

After milestone-rich lunar flyby, astronauts start trip home

WASHINGTON:&nbsp;Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who led a politically explosive investigation into Donald Trump&#39;s election campaign, has died aged 81, triggering a gloating response Saturday from the US president. US media reported that Mueller died late Friday, citing a family statement, without specifying a location or cause. Trump responded quickly on Truth Social, writing: &quot;Robert Mueller just died. Good, I&#39;m glad he&#39;s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!&quot; Barack Obama, whose presidency overlapped with Mueller&#39;s tenure as FBI chief for five years, hailed him as &quot;one of the most respected public servants of our time.&quot; Mueller led the FBI for 12 years, starting just days before the September 11, 2001 Al-Qaeda attacks on the United States, during which time he built up the bureau&#39;s counterterror mission. After his tenure at the FBI, he was tapped as a special counsel for the Justice Department to lead an investigation into whether Trump&#39;s presidential campaign conspired with Russia to get him elected. Starting in 2017, Mueller operated for two years quietly behind the scenes, emerging in July 2019 to testify before Congress about the probe that Trump regularly denounced as a &quot;witch hunt.&quot; For many Americans, the nationally televised hearing was the first close look at the patrician, grey-haired former FBI director. What many saw was a cautious career prosecutor who was forced to testify under duress and who deflected questions from both Democrats and Republicans by referring repeatedly to his voluminous report. Mueller said his report did not exonerate Trump but he mostly deflected questions from lawmakers seeking to score political points for their sides. A &#39;straight shooter&#39;&nbsp;That was in keeping with the career of a public servant who had spent four decades serving both Democratic and Republican presidents. Before taking on the politically sensitive Russia investigation, Mueller, a former marine who was wounded and decorated for heroism in Vietnam, enjoyed a sterling reputation in Washington. Mueller is a &quot;consummate professional and a straight shooter,&quot; then-FBI chief Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee, said in July 2019. As a young prosecutor in San Francisco and Boston, Mueller took on cases involving grisly murders, organized crime, fraud by powerful banks and terror attacks, winning some, losing some, but rarely drawing serious criticism for his work. At the FBI, he gained a reputation of being an exacting taskmaster and, despite his early Republican political alignment, someone who was appreciated by politicians of both political parties. Two of his most heralded prosecutions involved New York mobster John Gotti and General Manuel Noriega of Panama. After retiring in 2013, he joined a private Washington law practice where he handled official arbiter missions. Trump&#39;s May 2017 firing of Mueller&#39;s successor at the FBI, James Comey, resulted in Mueller being recalled to public service to lead the investigation into suspected Russia meddling. Over 22 months, his investigators issued charges against 34 individuals, including six Trump associates, and three companies. Born August 7, 1944, in New York City, Mueller grew up on Manhattan&#39;s tony upper East Side. He attended the elite, and at the time all-male, Princeton University where he earned his bachelor&#39;s degree in 1966. After college, Mueller enlisted in the US Marines, and after one year as an enlisted man, entered officer candidate school. As a marine, Mueller earned a Bronze Star for valor and a Purple Heart for wounds received in combat. In 2001, he took over an FBI beset by scandals, including the years-long deception by FBI mole Robert Hanssen and the agency&#39;s failure to turn over thousands of pages of investigative documents to Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh&#39;s attorneys. Then-president George W. Bush and legislators agreed that Mueller was the person to set the bureau right. &quot;His skills should be a perfect match for the challenge,&quot; Republican Senator Jeff Sessions said at the time. Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, heartily agreed. &quot;Bob Mueller,&quot; he said, &quot;will give the FBI a major boost that will help it get back on its feet.&quot;

Robert Mueller, the former FBI director has died aged 81; The New York Times reported Mueller's death, citing a family statement, but did not specify a location or cause.

Former FBI chief Robert Mueller dies at 81

ISLAMABAD: Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi on Tuesday rejected reports of contacting senior US envoy Steve Witkoff, according to Iran&rsquo;s semi-official Tasnim News Agency.&nbsp;The denial follows reports by Axios and other outlets reporting that Aragchi had attempted to directly communicate with Steve Witkoff, with messages reportedly focused on ending the ongoing conflict.&nbsp;&ldquo;My last contact with Mr. Witkoff was prior to his employer&rsquo;s decision to kill diplomacy with another illegal military attack on Iran,&rdquo; the minister said in a post on X.&nbsp;&ldquo;Any claim to the contrary appears geared solely to mislead oil traders and the public,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;The reports suggested a possible backchannel between Washington and Tehran, since US, &nbsp;Israel carried out airstrikes against Iran almost 3 weeks ago.&nbsp;US President Donald Trump, on multiple occasions, suggested that Iran wanted a deal for a ceasefire.&nbsp;&ldquo;They want to make a deal. They are talking to our people&hellip; we have people wanting to negotiate, [but] we have no idea who they are,&rdquo; Trump told reporters earlier.&nbsp;Iranian officials have maintained publicly that no ceasefire negotiations are underway

Central Asia

Iran denies reports of renewed contact with a US envoy, rejecting claims of backchannel talks with Donald Trump’s administration and insisting no ceasefire negotiations are underway amid escalating conflict.

Iran denies contact with US envoy

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Sunday the United States would hit Iran with &quot;force that has never been seen before&quot; if the country retaliated against US and Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran indicated it was &quot;going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before,&quot; wrote Trump, who has vowed to seek regime change in the Islamic republic, on his Truth Social platform early Sunday. &quot;THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!&quot; he said.<div class="fr-embed"><iframe src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116152251973821428/embed" class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>&#39;As long as necessary&#39;The bombing campaign by the US and Israel -- which followed a massive military buildup in the Middle East unseen since the 2003 invasion of Iraq -- killed Khamenei, Iranian state television confirmed Sunday. Iran has since retaliated, with reported Iranian strikes across the Gulf, including in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi and near regional US military bases. Trump has said the US bombing will continue &quot;as long as necessary&quot; and noted Khamenei&#39;s killing gives Iranians their &quot;greatest chance&quot; for taking power from the current regime.

After Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei's death in US-Israeli strikes, US president in a social media post warned Iran against retaliation, saying, 'THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT...WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!' 

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