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Russian ghost returns to hover on Trump administration

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Russian ghost returns to hover on Trump administration

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]New York Times spoils his maiden foreign trip

By Abu Turab

A recent New York Times story about what transpired during US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak in the Oval Office on May 10 at the White House, may affect Trump’s maiden five-country eight-day foreign trip. It might be a “considered” move, on behalf of NYT, to spoil the US media priorities while Trump meets Muslim leaders in Saudi Arabia, reach out to Israel’s leadership on Middle East crisis, visits the Vatican and attends the NATO summit in Brussels next week.

The New York Times broke the story on May 19, on the basis on an undisclosed document, that President Trump told Russian officials that firing FBI Director James B. Comey had relieved him of “great pressure”.  He told the Russians: “I just fired the head of the FBI. He was crazy, a real nut job.” The document was claimed to be read to the NYT by an American official. Trump was quoted as saying, “I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off.” He assured Russians saying “I’m not under investigation.” President Trump met the Russian officials on May 10, the day after he fired Comey on May 9.

After the news was broken, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer defended Trump saying it was Comey’s  “grandstanding and politicizing” of the Russian investigation that put pressure on the administration’s ability to engage Moscow. He further said President Trump has always emphasised the importance of making deals with Russia as it relates to Syria, Ukraine, defeating ISIS and other key issues for the benefit and safety of the American people.

A White House spokesman further said, “The investigation would have always continued, and obviously, the termination of Comey would not have ended it. Once again the real story is that our national security has been undermined by the leaking of private and highly classified conversations.”

Lot of contradictions were reported over the White House’s decision to fire FBI chief Comey. Initially, it was argued that he was fired based on the recommendations of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstien. But Trump embarrassed the White House with a tweet saying he “wanted to fire Comey for months”. In an NBC interview last week, Trump was quoted saying that “regardless of the recommendation, I was going to fire Comey”.

However, a person familiar with Comey’s thinking, was quoted by CNN, saying Comey now believes that President Donald Trump was trying to influence his judgement about the Russia probe.

The source admitted that Comey’s relationship with Trump was uncomfortable from the start. One Comey memo reportedly claims that Trump asked FBI director to “let this go” — referring to the FBI investigation into General Michael Flynn’s contacts with the Russians. However, Trump had, on Thursday, angrily denied asking Comey to end the investigation.

Flynn served as National Security Adviser from January 20 to February 13, 2017, the shortest stint. He was forced to resign after information surfaced of him misleading Vice President Mike Pence about the nature and content of his communications with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Finding himself in the centre of cyclone, Trump also raised alarm over the appointment of former FBI director Robert Mueller as special counsel to oversee the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential elections. Trump said on Thursday that the appointment of a special counsel which “hurts the country”- proves he (Trump) is the subject of the “single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history”.

It was interesting to note that during Trump’s meeting with top Russian officials, the US media was not invited. A photographer associated with Russian state media organisation TASS was in the room for part of the meeting. The high profile interaction was organised after Russian President Vladimir Putin made a personal request to President Trump when he spoke with him earlier this month.

The New York Times had announced on January 17 that it will spend $ 5 million for covering the new President in the White House. Jack Shafer, a Politico media columnist, in one of his articles, said, “Trump is making Journalism great again.” Shafer wrote a few months later, “Donald Trump and his forthcoming presidency maybe the greatest gift to Washington journalism since the invention of the expense account.”

President Trump has more than once changed his stance about Russian involvement in the run-up to presidential elections held in 2016. Recent developments clearly indicate that the Russian ghost will keep President Trump busy for some time.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Trump says Iran agrees to never have nuclear weapons, rejects $300 billion fund claim

Donald Trump said Iran has agreed to never possess nuclear weapons under a proposed framework, while dismissing reports that the US would provide Tehran with a $300 billion reconstruction fund.

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Donald Trump statement

US President Donald Trump has said that Iran has agreed to a commitment that it will never develop or possess nuclear weapons, describing it as a central element of a proposed understanding between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking about the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Trump also rejected reports suggesting that the United States planned to provide Iran with a reconstruction or investment package worth $300 billion. He described such claims as false and said no such arrangement had been agreed.

The remarks come as discussions continue over a broader framework aimed at easing tensions between the two countries. According to Trump, the understanding would ensure that Iran remains without nuclear weapons while opening the door for future engagement if the terms are respected.

Questions remain over final agreement details

Despite Trump’s comments, several aspects of the proposed arrangement remain unclear because the full text of the agreement has not yet been made public.

Reports indicate that negotiations have involved discussions on sanctions relief, access to frozen assets and potential economic measures linked to Iran’s compliance with future commitments. However, the exact scope of these provisions has not been officially confirmed.

Another key issue is how compliance would be monitored. Details regarding inspections, verification mechanisms and the handling of Iran’s existing nuclear materials have yet to be fully explained.

Further negotiations expected

Officials have suggested that discussions on technical nuclear matters could continue even after the signing of an initial memorandum of understanding. Such talks would likely focus on implementation and verification measures.

The proposed framework is being closely watched internationally, as any agreement between the United States and Iran could have significant implications for regional stability and global non-proliferation efforts.

For now, Trump has maintained that the core objective remains clear: ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon while denying reports that Washington has committed to a multibillion-dollar reconstruction fund.

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USA start FIFA World Cup 2026 with dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay

The USA opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 journey with a dominant 4-1 victory against Paraguay, earning three valuable points in Group D.

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The United States kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in impressive fashion, securing a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their Group D opener at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, the hosts delivered an attacking display to collect all three points and make an early statement in the tournament. The match also marked a significant occasion as the USA hosted part of the World Cup opening festivities before turning attention to the action on the pitch.

The Americans took control early and maintained pressure on Paraguay throughout the contest. Their attacking movement and clinical finishing helped them establish a comfortable lead, while Paraguay struggled to contain the hosts’ pace and creativity in the final third.

USA seize control after fast start

The United States settled quickly and found success going forward, creating several opportunities through quick passing and aggressive pressing. Their attacking approach paid off as they built momentum and gradually stretched Paraguay’s defence.

Paraguay attempted to respond and managed to get on the scoresheet, but the South American side found it difficult to match the intensity shown by the hosts. The USA continued to create chances and added further goals to put the result beyond doubt.

With the victory, the United States moved to the top section of Group D and gained an important boost in confidence ahead of their upcoming fixtures in the tournament.

Strong opening result for hosts

A winning start is particularly important in a World Cup campaign, and the USA achieved exactly that with a comprehensive performance. The result gives the hosts valuable momentum as they prepare for the next stage of group play.

For Paraguay, the defeat means they will need a strong response in their remaining group matches to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds alive.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the tournament featuring an expanded format and more participating teams than previous editions.

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Jaishankar raises deaths of three Indian sailors with Marco Rubio, lodges strong protest

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed India’s strong protest to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over an attack that killed three Indian sailors, stressing that lethal action against commercial shipping is unjustified.

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External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday spoke with Marco Rubio and conveyed India’s strong protest over recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf that resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors.

According to reports, Jaishankar told Rubio that the use of lethal force against commercial shipping was not justified and underlined India’s serious concerns regarding the safety of civilian seafarers operating in the region. The conversation came days after three Indian mariners were killed in an attack on the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello near the Oman coast.

The incident has triggered diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Washington. India had earlier summoned a senior US diplomat to register its concerns and seek accountability following the attack. The Ministry of External Affairs has emphasized that actions endangering civilian shipping undermine maritime safety and stability in a strategically important region.

India reiterates concern over maritime safety

India has stressed the importance of protecting civilian seafarers and ensuring the security of international maritime commerce. Officials have expressed concern over multiple incidents involving Indian crew members in West Asian waters in recent days.

The deaths of the three sailors have also sparked calls within India for stronger diplomatic efforts to safeguard Indian nationals working aboard commercial vessels in conflict-affected maritime zones.

Background of the incident

The attack involved the tanker Settebello, which was operating near Oman when it was struck during ongoing tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran and maritime operations in the Gulf region. Initial reports indicated that Indian crew members were among those affected, and later confirmations established that three Indian sailors had died in the incident.

India has maintained that civilian shipping should not become a target and has continued diplomatic outreach to ensure the safety and welfare of Indian seafarers working across global shipping routes.

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