US-Iran Nuclear Deal

 

 

Negotiators from the US and Iran held "constructive" talks on Iran's nuclear program, marking the first direct contact between the Trump administration and Iranian officials. Further meetings are scheduled for next week.

 

In a significant development in nuclear diplomacy, delegations from Iran and the United States concluded "constructive" talks in Oman, mediated by Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi. The discussions, primarily indirect with messages relayed between separate rooms, marked the first direct contact between an Iranian official and a representative of the Trump administration, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. A brief direct exchange occurred between the delegation heads in the presence of the Omani minister as the meeting ended. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported a positive atmosphere of mutual respect, with both sides expressing a desire to reach an agreement swiftly, scheduling the next round of talks for April 19 in Oman.

The talks carry high stakes amid escalating tensions, with President Trump issuing a two-month deadline for Iran to accept a deal to significantly reduce or eliminate its nuclear program, threatening military action led by Israel if no agreement is reached. Iran, however, has firmly rejected negotiations under pressure, outlining "red lines" that include no threats, excessive demands on its nuclear program, or restrictions on its defense industry, particularly its ballistic missile program. The backdrop includes Iran’s weakened regional influence due to Israeli strikes on its proxies, the fall of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, and attacks within Iran’s borders, intensifying the urgency of the negotiations.

The discussions aim to forge a new nuclear deal stronger than the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), from which Trump withdrew in 2018, criticizing it as flawed. While Trump emphasizes preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, specifics of the proposed deal remain vague. U.S. officials may push for dismantling Iran’s entire nuclear program, including its civilian energy component, a demand Iran rejects as an attempt to undermine its sovereignty. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi indicated progress toward a negotiation framework, but Tehran insists on retaining its rights under UN nuclear treaties, setting the stage for complex and contentious follow-up talks.

 

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U.S. Tariffs reaction by China

 

In response to U.S. tariff actions, China has raised its levies on U.S. imports to 84%, effective recently, while the EU has put counter-tariffs on hold for 90 days following the U.S. pause, as reported on April 10, 2025. These moves signal ongoing global trade tensions.

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Elon Musk the Saver of Billion Dollars

 

Elon Musk, the Saver of Hundreds of Billions of Dollars!

President Trump predicts 'hundreds of billions' in waste in next DOGE directives Elon Musk on Monday promised to eat a giant piece of ‘Doge’ if he can make it happen.

President Donald Trump laid out how he would direct DOGE lead, Elon Musk, to search the Education and Defense Departments for waste. The President told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier in an exclusive interview leading up to the Super Bowl that the billionaire entrepreneur has been a reliable ally in the mission to deliver on his pledge of cutting red tape.

"He's not making any progress. I actually question how he can find the time to do it," Trump remarked. "I will shortly advise him to visit the Department of Education. He will discover the same thing. After that, I plan to enlist in the military. Let's examine the armed forces. The people elected me based on the discovery of fraud and abuse totaling billions, even hundreds of billions of dollars."

President Trump has announced plans to direct Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to investigate the Education and Defense Departments for wasteful spending. Trump believes that Musk's efforts will uncover "hundreds of billions" in fraud and abuse. This initiative is part of Trump's broader agenda to reduce government waste and improve efficiency.

The announcement has sparked significant reactions, with some Democrats expressing strong opposition. Recently, thirty House Democrats attempted to enter the Department of Education building to discuss potential cuts but were stopped by security.

Trump emphasized that the American people elected him to address such issues and praised Musk for his dedication to the cause. The interview with Trump, conducted by Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier, will air in a special segment before the Super Bowl.

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Rebellious Prince of Jordan Made Peace with The King; Thanks to His Uncle

 

Jordan: Half-brother and former Crown Prince of Jordan Hamza, who tried unsuccessfully to overthrow King Abdullah II of Jordan, has reconciled with the king over his uncle's intervention.

According to the International News Agency, Prince Hamza, who was detained in Jordan after a failed attempt to overthrow the King, has re-sworn allegiance to King Abdullah II. Hamza's uncle played a key role in the reconciliation between King Abdullah II and Prince Hamza.

Upon his uncle's intervention, Prince Hamza signed a document of allegiance to King Abdullah and the country, which was also attended by cousins ​​of the former crown prince, members of the royal family and friends.

Alleged Coup to de-throne King Abdullah of Jordan 

Two days ago, 16 people, including Sharif Hassan, a member of the royal family, former cabinet member and former head of the royal court, Baseem Odullah, were arrested on charges of sedition against the king, while the former Crown Prince, who played a central role, was arrested. Hamza was detained.

During the detention, the king's half-brother, Prince Hamza, denied involvement in the coup in a video message, saying he would not heed government threats such as remaining silent at home and refraining from making statements against state policies ۔

In a video message, Prince Hamza threatened to record threatening remarks by the chief of staff, who would send the recordings abroad to his loved ones if attempts were made to harm him.

On the other hand, Foreign Minister Iman Safadi said that Prince Hamza had recorded the conversation of the Army Chief of Staff and sent him abroad, which would be severely questioned.

It should be noted that King Abdullah II ascended the throne in 1999 and appointed his half-brother Prince Hamza as the Crown Prince, but only five years later, due to differences, Prince Hamza was removed from office.

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Alleged Coup to de-throne King Abdullah of Jordan

 

Riyadh: The palace of the former Crown Prince of Jordan in Amman was raided on Saturday (local time) and two of his senior associates were arrested after revealing their position that they believe the country's ruling King Shah An attempt has been made to overthrow Abdullah II. It was reported by the state media.

The arrested comrades include Basem Ibrahim Awadallah, a member of the Jordanian royal family and longtime confidant of Saudi Arabia's envoy Hassan bin Zayed and King Abdullah. "Jordanian nationals Hassan bin Zayed, Basem Ibrahim Awadallah and others were arrested," Sputnik was quoted as saying.

Also Read:  Restoration of Relations with Israel, helpful for Region: Said Saudi FM

Two senior palace officials and an unidentified "other" man were arrested for "security reasons". An investigation is under way, according to Sputnik. The agency later denied media reports claiming that King Abdullah's half-brother and former Crown Prince Hamza bin Hussein had been detained or detained.

The Washington Post reports that Jordanian police have arrested about 20 people who tried to block the movement of the former Crown Princess.

As a result of the move, officials described the complex and far-reaching plan, which includes at least one other Jordanian monarch, as well as tribal leaders and members of the country's political and security establishment, according to the Post. An official cited uncontroversial evidence of "foreign" support for the project.

In a statement later on Saturday, the Jordanian armed forces confirmed several arrests, saying Prince Hamza had been "asked to stop all activities or activities aimed at undermining Jordan's security and stability."

Jordan is considered a key ally of the United States in the Middle East and has been a key partner in the US-led campaign against Islamic State.

Zaid is a distant cousin of King Abdullah. His brother was Ali Bin Zaid, an intelligence officer killed along with seven CIA operatives in 2010 in a suicide bombing in Khost, Afghanistan.

 

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Restoration of Relations with Israel, helpful for Region: Said Saudi FM

 

Restoring relations with Israel will be very helpful for the region, Saudi Foreign Minister

Washington (Web Desk – 3 April 2021) Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, while supporting the agreement with Israel, said that normalization of relations with Israel would be very helpful for peace and prosperity in the region.

In an interview with US broadcaster CNN, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said that normalization of relations with Israel would have tremendous benefits, including economic, social and security in the region.

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Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan added that normalization of relations with Israel has long been part of Saudi Arabia's vision, and that a possible agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel depends largely on peace and development in the region.

However, the Saudi foreign minister made it clear that an agreement with Israel was possible only if Palestine's 1967 status was restored and the same borders were re-recognized with sovereignty.

It should be noted that after the resumption of relations with Israel by several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, it was thought that Saudi Arabia would soon restore trade and diplomatic relations with Israel.

 

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Another Attack on US Capitol Hill Building, Security Personnel Killed

 

Washington (Web Desk – 3 April 2021) The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a U.S. military base.

According to US media, another attempt was made to attack the Capitol Hill building in Washington DC, but the security forces foiled the attack when one officer including the attacker was killed and another was injured in the incident.

According to media reports, the suspected assailant first drove over security personnel stationed outside Capitol Hill and then the vehicle hit a security barrier outside the building, after which the assailant got out of the vehicle and approached the security personnel with a knife. Police tried to stop the assailant, but failed and shot him.

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After the incident, a heavy contingent of security forces cordoned off the entire area including the building while the injured personnel and the attacker were shifted to the hospital where one of the attackers succumbed to his injuries.

The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a Capitol Hill building in January, police said. The bomber was identified as Noah Green, 25. However, further investigations are underway.

On the other hand, Speaker Nancy Pelosi while expressing grief over the death of the police officer killed in the attack said that the officer sacrificed for democracy, the whole nation is proud of the officer and the flag will remain in the tunnels for tribute.

Earlier this year, five people were killed and 52 were arrested as a result of raids by Trump supporters on the US Parliament and police shelling.

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Another arab country; Bahrain accepts Israel

 

US President Trump announces peace deal between Israel and Bahrain

 

US President Trump has announced that the Gulf state of Bahrain and Israel have agreed to normalize relations. 

"In 30 days, another Arab country has made peace with Israel," he tweeted.

For decades, Arab states have boycotted Israel and kept it a secret that they can only establish relations with Israel once the Palestinian issue is resolved.

But last month, the UAE made a peace deal with Israel, making it the first Gulf country to make peace with Israel. Ever since then, there has been speculation that Bahrain will do the same.

President Trump has acted as a mediator in both agreements.

Bahrain is the fourth Arab country to recognize Israel since Israel came into being in 1948. Egypt and Jordan were on the list before the UAE and Bahrain.

"Today is another historic milestone," said President Trump. Two of our great friends, Israel and Bahrain, have agreed to a peace deal.

President Trump also shared a copy of the joint statement from the United States, Bahrain and Israel on his Twitter account.

Joint Statement of the United States, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the State of Israel pic.twitter.com/xMquRkGtpM

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 11, 2020

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CPEC Chairman Lt. Gen Bajwa Steps Down from SAPM Post

 

Lt Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa has decided to step down as special assistant to prime minister on information and said that he will continue as heading CPEC project. He decided this after coming clean on scandalous accusations of assets disguise in a detailed rebuttal shared on Twitter.

He further said that he will present his resignation to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday and request him to dismiss him of the portfolio.

The statement by the former chief of the Pakistan Army's media wing came short after he issued a four-page denial to a recently published investigative news report by journalist Ahmad Noorani about alleged offshore properties and businesses of Bajwa and his close family members.

Bajwa said in private news channel that he had decided to quit as the SAPM on information after consultation with his family. "I decided to put all my energies into CPEC because we thought that a lot of focus is currently needed on the CPEC Authority,". The premier's aide said the government's information wing "has many other qualified people", therefore, he will keep his focus on CPEC. He said an excellent team was taking shape regarding CPEC and the entire cabinet was focused on the multi-billion dollar project.

Bajwa said he has all the relevant documents to support his money trail when he was asked about the Noorani’s allegations on him and his family. He said, "Being a Pakistani citizen, I am ready to provide the money trail, document or any sort of evidence on any platform,".

On Thursday, Bajwa in a tweet denied what he termed as "baseless allegations" against him and his family. "Alhamdolillah another attempts to damage our reputation belied/exposed. I have and will always serve Pakistan with pride and dignity," he wrote.

When the report was first published, Bajwa had denied the allegations on Twitter, saying: “A malicious propaganda story published on an unknown site, against me and my family, is strongly rebutted.”

FM Qureshi that authenticity of the report will be cleared soon and he further said “It is now a common practice that the news is run without confirmation. A news should be made public once it is confirmed. The truth in this case will come to the fore soon,” the minister had stated.

 

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Backlash by China and HK officials after US Sanctions

China’s top representative and Hong Kong’s leader took high shots at United States after Trump decided to put sanctions on them and other nine officials for allegedly cracking down on their freedom and undermining the local autonomy of the former British colony.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam took to Facebook to say that the U.S. got her speech wrong, listing the official address of her chief deputy instead. She noted that she was the deputy when she applied for her U.S. visa in 2016. Lam said: “By the way, my entry visa to the U.S. is valid until 2026. Since I have no desire to visit this country, it looks like I can take the initiative to cancel it”.

The sanctions, announced Friday by the U.S. Treasury Department, block all property or other assets that the individuals have within U.S. jurisdiction. Luo Huining, the director of the central government’s liaison office in Hong Kong, said being included on the list shows that he has done what he should for the city and his country. “I don’t have a penny of assets abroad. Isn’t it in vain to impose `sanctions’? Of course, I can also send 100 U.S. dollars to Mr. Trump for freezing,” he said in a statement on the office’s website.

Hong Kong Commerce Secretary Edward Yau, who wasn’t sanctioned, called the sanctions “unreasonable and barbarous” and said they would harm U.S. interests in the city, an Asian financial and shipping hub. Hong Kong has long appreciated civil liberties not seen in mainland China because it is governed under a so-called “one country, two systems” principle in place since it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997.

However, Beijing forced a national security law on Hong Kong at the end of June, following months of anti-government protests last year. The new law forbids what Beijing views as secessionist, subversive or terrorist activities or what it sees as foreign intervention in Hong Kong’s internal affairs. Police now have sweeping powers to conduct searches without warrants and order internet service providers and platforms to remove messages deemed to be in violation of the legislation.

Critics see the law as Beijing’s boldest move yet to erase the divide between Hong Kong’s Western-style system and the mainland’s authoritarian way of governing.

It said that while national security is under the purview of the central government in any country, the new law authorizes local authorities in Hong Kong to be its main enforcer and specifies that human rights will be protected.

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