Speaking before boarding Air Force Two, Vance said Washington was open to constructive negotiations but warned that progress would depend on Tehran’s willingness to engage in good faith.

“We’re going to try to have a positive negotiation,” Vance told reporters. “If the Iranians are willing to negotiate in good faith, we’re certainly willing to extend the open hand.”

The diplomatic effort comes amid heightened tensions following a two-week ceasefire agreement that has been repeatedly tested by mutual accusations of non-compliance.

Pakistan is hosting the talks as part of ongoing international efforts to prevent further escalation between Washington and Tehran, with the outcome seen as critical to maintaining regional stability.

According to the report, which cited four U.S., Israeli and regional sources, the proposed arrangement would begin with a temporary ceasefire lasting 45 days, during which negotiators would seek to reach a permanent agreement to end the war.

A second phase would focus on finalizing terms for a comprehensive settlement.The report said the ceasefire period could be extended if additional time is needed to conclude negotiations.

Reuters could not independently verify the Axios report, and neither the White House nor the U.S. State Department immediately responded to requests for comment.

The development comes as tensions remain high, with U.S. President Donald Trump reiterating a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face potential strikes on critical infrastructure.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump said the deadline would expire on Tuesday evening.

According to the report, some officials in the White House view Ghalibaf as a pragmatic figure who could engage in negotiations with Washington as the conflict with Iran enters a new phase.

The report said discussions remain preliminary and are being conducted quietly within the administration. Ghalibaf is seen by certain policymakers as a figure capable of navigating Iran’s political structure while maintaining enough authority to enter into talks with the United States.

There was no immediate comment from the White House on the report.Context of rising tensionsThe deliberations come amid escalating hostilities between the United States and Iran, including ongoing military exchanges and heightened regional instability.

The conflict has drawn in multiple actors across the Middle East, increasing the risk of broader escalation.Uncertainty over Tehran’s stanceIt remains unclear how such considerations would be received in Tehran.

Iranian officials have publicly rejected claims of engagement with Washington, with Ghalibaf himself recently denying that any negotiations with the United States have taken place.

The U.S. aviation industry remains strong and resilient amid temporary air traffic staffing challenges, as airlines and authorities work together to maintain passenger safety, efficient operations, and long-term solutions for smoother travel across the country.

The U.S. aviation industry continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience and coordination despite facing staffing challenges within air traffic control departments. On Saturday, thousands of flights experienced delays across several major cities, yet airline teams and aviation authorities worked tirelessly to minimize disruption and ensure passenger safety.

Even with these operational challenges, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) emphasized its commitment to maintaining safety and efficiency across all airports. Major cities including Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco, Newark, and New York were affected, but swift ground delay programs and rapid response teams helped stabilize flight operations throughout the day.

The U.S. transportation sector has long been known for its strength, flexibility, and problem-solving capacity. Despite external challenges, aviation experts praised the FAA and airline staff for adapting quickly, ensuring that travel continued smoothly for millions of passengers. This highlights the sector’s ability to overcome short-term hurdles while maintaining the highest safety standards.

Officials noted that about 1,500 flights were canceled and 6,000 delayed on Saturday, compared with slightly lower figures the previous day. However, proactive management and clear communication with passengers helped reduce the impact significantly. Airlines such as American, Delta, United, and Southwest coordinated closely with the FAA to maintain safe skies and limit schedule disruptions.

The FAA’s decision to temporarily reduce flight operations at major airports was made as a precautionary measure to ensure continued safety and prevent congestion in the skies. By implementing strategic reductions—starting at 4% and gradually adjusting—authorities demonstrated foresight and responsibility in handling the evolving situation.

Transportation Secretary Duffy reaffirmed that passenger safety and staff welfare remain the top priorities. She noted that the government is working on sustainable staffing solutions and ensuring that all federal employees affected by the temporary shutdown are supported. These actions highlight a strong sense of national responsibility and long-term planning.

The U.S. Senate is also engaged in bipartisan talks to reach an agreement that will ensure smoother operations moving forward. Lawmakers expressed optimism about resolving the issues quickly, reflecting the unified approach of the country’s leadership in safeguarding public infrastructure and essential services.

At airports such as Atlanta, one of the busiest in the world, operations teams displayed incredible professionalism in handling nearly five-hour average delays. Their coordination and clear passenger guidance ensured that the travel experience remained calm and organized, earning appreciation from travelers and aviation analysts alike.

Industry insiders say the aviation community’s spirit of cooperation has been crucial in managing this period. The collaboration between air traffic controllers, pilots, ground staff, and airline management showcases the strength and resilience of the U.S. aviation ecosystem.

Despite temporary setbacks, analysts believe that the aviation sector will bounce back stronger than ever. Airlines are already preparing enhanced schedules, additional training programs, and new digital systems to optimize operations. These innovations aim to prevent future disruptions and improve passenger experience across all airports.

The government’s continued dialogue with aviation leaders reflects a proactive stance focused on long-term stability and modernization. Once the shutdown ends, the FAA plans to introduce enhanced recruitment drives and improved work-life policies for controllers to strengthen the system further.

Overall, this episode stands as a reminder of how the United States aviation industry continues to thrive through unity, innovation, and resilience. It underscores how collaboration between government, airlines, and aviation professionals ensures safety and efficiency, even during challenging times.

The two allies agreed that Seoul does not fall under the manipulator designation that the U.S. Treasury Department announces in reports twice a year, Kang Yu-jung told a press conference

Officials at the U.S. embassy in Seoul could not be reached for comment outside business hours.

The administration of President Joe Biden added South Korea to a manipulation monitoring list in November due to its large current account surplus and its sizable trade surplus with the U.S. The government of Donald Trumpkept Seoul on the list in June.

Under a 2015 U.S. law,Washington can take “remedial action” against countries that do not “correct the undervaluation of their currency and trade surplus with the United States”.

The South Korea-U.S. deal is not related to talks on a currency swap as part of bilateral negotiations over Trump’s tariffs on South Korean goods, South Korean officials said.

President Lee told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday in New York that the Asian country needs a foreign exchange swap in order to make the $350 billion investment it has pledged in the tariff talks, Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said on Saturday.

Koo quoted Bessent as saying he would discuss the issue with other U.S. officials and get back to South Korea.

South Korean National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac reiterated on Saturday that Seoul cannot pay the $350 billion “upfront”, as Trump has suggested in recent days. President Lee told Reuters this month that South Korea’s economy could fall into crisis rivalling its 1997 meltdown if the government accepted the U.S. demands without safeguards.

Koo said he had not heard anything about a Wall Street Journal report that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had discussed raising the $350 billion investment.

If Washington and Riyadh can seize this moment to work together, they could reshape not just Syria’s destiny but also the broader regional landscape.

Next week marks a critical juncture for Syria’s embattled leadership—a rare opportunity to step onto the global stage and present their vision for the country’s recovery. A senior delegation is set to travel to Washington D.C. to participate in the IMF and World Bank spring meetings.

The stakes could not be higher. What unfolds in this high-profile forum may well shape Syria’s future trajectory after more than a decade of devastating conflict, economic collapse, and social disintegration.

This historic opportunity is underscored by a series of quiet but significant developments behind the scenes. Saudi Arabia, once distant from Syria’s political orbit, is now actively working with the World Bank to convene a high-level reconstruction roundtable. The gathering is expected to draw influential players including the G7 finance ministers and the IMF chief, signaling a serious shift in regional and international engagement.

Importantly, Riyadh has already taken concrete steps to remove financial obstacles by settling Syria’s $15 million debt to the World Bank. This move clears a major hurdle and paves the way for Syria to access potentially hundreds of millions in reconstruction grants. The focus of these funds will be on vital sectors such as repairing the devastated electricity grid and funding public sector salaries—critical lifelines for a country struggling to maintain basic services.

Michael Arizanti, a seasoned commentator on Middle Eastern affairs, succinctly framed this emerging reality: “This isn’t about handouts — it’s about hard-headed stability. A stable Syria benefits everyone, especially in a region that has paid dearly for more than a decade of conflict, economic collapse, and mass displacement.”

Yet, Arizanti cautions that rebuilding Syria requires more than money and good intentions. The foundation of renewed international cooperation depends heavily on confidence — and that starts with sanctions relief. Syria remains shackled by punitive measures that complicate every business deal, every investment decision, and every diplomatic outreach. Without clear pathways for easing these sanctions, the prospect of reconstruction remains fragile at best.

Syria’s Central Bank Governor, Husriyeh, underscored this message in a recent interview with Reuters, highlighting his delegation’s priority at the Washington meetings, “We want to be part of the international economy. And we hope the global community will help us remove any obstacle to this integration.” His words reflect the deep urgency within Syria’s economic leadership to reintegrate into the global financial system—a prerequisite to attracting the tens of billions in investments the country desperately needs.

Echoing this perspective, Abdallah Dardari, the UNDP’s senior figure on regional development, delivered a sobering reminder, “Even suspending sanctions won’t be enough. If I were an investor putting $100 million into a power plant, I couldn’t risk sanctions snapping back next year. They must be lifted in a comprehensive and lasting way.” His insight highlights the chilling effect that sanctions uncertainty has on investment flows—essential capital that Syria needs not just to stabilize but to build a sustainable post-war future.

The significance of this moment cannot be overstated. Regional players have begun to recalibrate their approach. Last month, Qatar announced plans to supply Syria with natural gas via Jordan to alleviate the chronic electricity shortages that plague the country. This move signals a thawing of Gulf ties after years of political estrangement and hesitation, and it highlights the practical benefits of engagement over isolation.

However, progress still faces formidable obstacles—primarily emanating from within Washington. Certain factions aligned with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu remain deeply skeptical of re-engagement with Damascus, citing Syria’s past ties to extremist groups such as Al-Qaeda as justification to maintain a hard line.

Arizanti argues this stance is dangerously outdated: “If we’re serious about fostering peace, rebuilding institutions, and preventing the return of chaos — we must look at today’s realities, not yesterday’s headlines.”

Indeed, the path forward demands courage and pragmatism on both sides. From the Syrian government, it requires transparency, meaningful reform, and a credible roadmap toward a stable and peaceful future. From the West—especially the United States—it requires abandoning isolationist policies that have failed to bring peace and instead embracing engagement as the only sustainable strategy to break the vicious cycle of conflict and despair.

“The international community must offer a credible path back into the global system,” Arizanti insists. “Isolation has failed. Engagement is the only sustainable path to peace, stability, and reconstruction—not just for Syria, but for the entire Levant.”

If Washington and Riyadh can seize this moment to work together, they could reshape not just Syria’s destiny but also the broader regional landscape. The coming weeks will be a test of political maturity and strategic clarity. For Syria, and for the millions of Syrians yearning for peace and normalcy, this moment may be the long-awaited turning point.

The bombardment signals the risks of a deepening rift between two powerful regional militaries over Syria, where Islamist rebels have installed a new government after toppling former leader Bashar al-Assad in December.

The Israeli strikes on the three sites Turkey was assessing, including a heavy barrage on Wednesday night, came despite Ankara’s efforts to reassure Washington that a deeper military presence in Syria was not intended to threaten Israel.

The Islamists replacing Assad have alarmed Israel, which is wary of an Islamist presence on its border and has lobbied the United States to curb Turkey’s growing influence in the country.

Ankara, a longtime backer of opposition to Assad, is positioning to play a major role in the remade Syria, including with a possible joint defence pact that could see new Turkish bases in central Syria and use of Syria’s airspace.

In preparation, Turkish military teams in recent weeks visited the T4 and Palmyra air bases in Syria’s Homs province and the main airport in Hama province, according to a regional intelligence official, two Syrian military sources and another Syrian source familiar with the matter.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the visits, which have not been previously reported.

Turkish teams evaluated the state of the runways, hangars and other infrastructure at the bases, the regional intelligence official said.

Another planned visit to T4 and Palmyra on March 25 was cancelled after Israel struck both bases just hours beforehand, according to the regional intelligence official and the two Syrian military sources.

Strikes at T4 “destroyed the runway, tower, hangars and the planes that were grounded. It was a tough message that Israel won’t accept the expanded Turkish presence,” said the intelligence official, who reviewed photographs of the damage.

“T4 is totally unusable now,” said a fourth Syrian source, who is close to Turkey.

When asked about the visits, a Turkish defence ministry official said: “Reports and posts regarding developments in Syria – whether real or alleged – that do not originate from official authorities should not be taken into consideration, as they lack credibility and may be misleading.”

A spokesperson for Syria’s defence ministry declined to comment.

Turkey’s foreign ministry on Thursday called Israel “the greatest threat to regional security”. On Friday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Reuters Turkey wanted no confrontation with Israel in Syria.

Heavy Strikes

In the four months since Assad was toppled, Israel has seized ground in southwest Syria, made overtures to the Druze minority, and struck much of the Syrian military’s heavy weapons and equipment. Wednesday’s strikes were some of the most intense yet.

Syria’s foreign ministry said Israel struck five separate areas within a 30-minute window, resulting in the near-total destruction of the Hama base and wounding dozens of civilians and soldiers.

Israel said it hit the T4 air base and other military capabilities at air bases in Hama and Homs provinces, as well as military infrastructure in the Damascus area.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called the air strikes a warning that “we will not allow the security of the State of Israel to be harmed”. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Ankara of seeking a “Turkish protectorate” in Syria.

Noa Lazimi, a specialist in Middle East politics at Bar-Ilan University, said Israel was concerned that Turkey could establish Russian anti-aircraft systems and drones at T4.

“The base would enable Turkey to establish air superiority in this area, and this poses a serious concern for Israel because it undermines its operational freedom in the region,” she said.

Ideological Collision Course

Turkey has tried to reassure the U.S. that it wants to work towards a stable Syria.

Foreign Minister Fidan told U.S. officials in Washington last month that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa would not pose a threat to neighbours, according to a senior regional diplomat close to Turkey and a source in Washington briefed on the meetings.

Fidan and other Turkish officials had earlier told Sharaa that Ankara was carefully calibrating its moves towards a defence pact so as not to irk Washington, one of the Syrian military sources said.

“Turkey, not Israel, would pay the highest price among regional states were there to be failure or destabilization in Syria, including with refugees and security,” an official in Turkey’s ruling AK Party told Reuters.

Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute think tank, said Turkey and Israel were on an “ideological collision course” but could avoid military escalation through mediation with Washington.

Ilhan Omar was spotted enjoying time with Tim Mynett at a California restaurant in March.

A Washington, DC, mom says her political-consultant husband left her for Rep. Ilhan Omar, according to a bombshell divorce filing obtained by The Post.

Dr. Beth Mynett says her cheating spouse, Tim Mynett, told her in April that he was having an affair with the Somali-born US representative — and that he even made a “shocking declaration of love” for the Minnesota congresswoman before he ditched his wife, alleges the filing, submitted in DC Superior Court on Tuesday.

The physician, 55, and her 38-year-old husband — who has worked for left-wing Democrats such as Omar and her Minnesota predecessor, Keith Ellison — have a 13-year-old son together.

“The parties physically separated on or about April 7, 2019, when Defendant told Plaintiff that he was romantically involved with and in love with another woman, Ilhan Omar,” the court papers say.

“Defendant met Rep. Omar while working for her,’’ the document states. “Although devastated by the betrayal and deceit that preceded his abrupt declaration, Plaintiff told Defendant that she loved him, and was willing to fight for the marriage.

“Defendant, however, told her that was not an option for him’’ and moved out the next day, the papers say.

“It is clear to Plaintiff that her marriage to Defendant is over and that there is no hope of reconciliation,’’ according to the filing.

The Mynetts lived together for six years before marrying in 2012, the filing said.

Omar — a member of “the Squad,” a group of far left-leaning female freshman House members including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and two others — recently separated from her husband, according to reports.

The 37-year-old congresswoman and mom of three paid Tim Mynett and his E. Street Group approximately $230,000 through her campaign since 2018 for fundraising consulting, digital communications, internet advertising and travel expenses.

Omar was spotted enjoying time with Tim Mynett at a California restaurant in March.

Beth Mynett is seeking primary physical custody of her and her husband’s son in part because of Tim Mynett’s “extensive travel” with Omar — which isn’t exactly part of his job description, the document says.

“Defendant’s more recent travel and long work hours now appear to be more related to his affair with Rep. Omar than with his actual work commitments,” the court papers state.

When he was home, “he was preoccupied and emotionally volatile,’’ Beth Mynett says of her estranged spouse. Meanwhile, the mom has been juggling “the vast majority of responsibilities related to [their son’s] school, medical care, and extracurricular activities,’’ the papers say.

The doctor argued that she doesn’t trust her husband’s judgment with their son anymore — in part because of his relationship with Omar.

“By way of example, days prior to Defendant’s devastating and shocking declaration of love for Rep. Omar and admission of their affair, he and Rep. Omar took the parties’ son to dinner to formally meet for the first time at the family’s favorite neighborhood restaurant while Plaintiff was out of town,” the papers state.

“Rep. Omar gave the parties’ son a gift and the Defendant later brought her back inside the family’s home,” the papers say.

Beth Mynett said in the filing that the most concerning thing about the excursion was her hubby’s decision to “put his son in harm’s way by taking him out in public with Rep. Omar, who at that time had garnered a plethora of media attention along with death threats, one rising to the level of arresting the known would-be assassin that same week.”

The physician said her husband “has a history of emotional volatility, that can cause him to become easily angered and rageful,’’ according to the papers.

She added that she used her contacts to help him launch and grow his career and financially supported him along the way — only to have him “conveniently asserting after their separation that he is nearly broke, and his business is floundering,” the documents show.

Tim Mynett, using “bullying tactics,” has “begun threatening not to pay for his share of their joint financial responsibilities,” Beth Mynett says in the complaint.

She is seeking full control of the couple’s DC home, child support and legal fees, according to the filing.

Tim Mynett and Omar did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Omar’s husband, Ahmed Hirsi, is a former banker who was hired as a senior policy aide to a Minnesota city councilwoman last year, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported at the time. Omar was previously married to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi.

President Trump has repeated a claim that the union with Elmi was illegal immigration fraud because he is her brother and that they wed so he could obtain American citizenship. Omar called that allegation “absolutely false and ridiculous.”

Article first published on NYPost.

A decendent of the Bush family, he was born on 12 June 1924 in Milton, Massachusetts, to Prescott Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush.

Senior Bush served as 43rd Vice President of United States from 1981 till 1989 before assuming the position of President from 1989 till 1993.

He belonged to the Republican Party, and prior to becoming President he was also a Congressman, Ambassador and Director of Central Intelligence (CIA from 1976 – 1977).

He has been simply referred as “Bush 41” or “Senior Bush”, since 2001 in order to distinguish him from his eldest son George W. Bush who became 43rd President of United States.

Senior Bush will be buried according to the Christian rituals in the grave yard of his presidential library in College Station, Texas. He will be buried alongside his wife and daughter Robin, who are already buried at the same gated grave site.