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Islamabad denies sheltering Iran jets, Trump praises Pakistan’s mediation as ‘absolutely great’
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Pakistan rejected reports Tuesday that it allowed Iranian aircraft to use its airfields amid tensions with the United States—claims suggesting the move could have shielded the planes from potential airstrikes—even as Islamabad positioned itself as a high-profile mediator between the two sides.
According to the report May 11, Tehran was also said to have possibly sent a civilian aircraft to Afghanistan during the conflict.
Pakistan said Tuesday the CBS report was «misleading and sensationalized. Such speculative narratives appear aimed at undermining ongoing efforts for regional stability and peace,» the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
«Following the ceasefire and during the initial round of the Islamabad Talks, a number of aircraft from Iran and the United States arrived in Pakistan to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel, security teams, and administrative staff associated with the talks process,» the ministry said before clarifying that «some aircraft and support personnel remained temporarily in Pakistan in anticipation of subsequent rounds of engagement.»
JD VANCE RETURNS TO WASHINGTON AFTER 16 HOURS OF IRAN PEACE TALKS COLLAPSE IN PAKISTAN
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir in Tehran on April 16, 2026, to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments. (Iranian Presidency/Anadolu)
The alleged Iranian asset movements had also suggested there was an effort by Iran to conceal some of its remaining aerial assets as Pakistan worked behind the scenes to broker a ceasefire between Iran and the United States.
President Donald Trump also confirmed Tuesday he was satisfied with the mediation work carried out by Pakistan, telling reporters ahead of his trip to China that they were «great.»
«I think the Pakistanis have been great. The field marshal and the prime minister of Pakistan have been absolutely great,» Trump clarified.
In April, Pakistan had emerged as a key mediator in efforts to de-escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis and the regional conflict.
Islamabad hosted senior delegations for talks on April 11–12 after helping secure a temporary two-week ceasefire.
IRAN COVERTLY REPOSITIONS STRIKE DRONES AMID RUSSIA DRILLS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ, EXPERT SAYS
Vice President JD Vance shakes hands with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Islamabad on April 12, 2026, after talks on Iran. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Chief of Defence Forces Chief of Army Staff Field Marshall Asim Munir, and U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires Natalie A. Baker look on as Vance prepares to board Air Force Two. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
Pakistan’s position was unique, given its geographic proximity to Iran and its longstanding strategic partnership with the United States.
Mediation efforts were led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
Officials told CBS that, days after Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran in early April, Tehran sent multiple aircraft to Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan.
Nur Khan Airbase, located near Rawalpindi, is said to be a key installation of the Pakistan Air Force and serves as a major logistical and operational hub.
Among the aircraft reportedly moved there was an Iranian Air Force RC-130, a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, the outlet said.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES ‘PROJECT FREEDOM,’ IRAN THREATENS ATTACKS, PAKISTAN ANNOUNCES US RELEASE OF SEIZED CARGO SHIP
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were greeted by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir upon their arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on April 11, 2026. (Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AP)
Despite initial progress between the U.S. and Iran, talks in Islamabad on April 11 ultimately collapsed.
However, Pakistani leadership said it felt optimistic. «We are very optimistic that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement,» Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.
Trump also praised Pakistan’s mediating role again, stating on May 7, «Pakistan has been fantastic. And its leaders have been fantastic—the marshal and the prime minister.»
As part of the next response, Trump also launched «Project Freedom» to guide vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and to help free up shipping.
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Trump’s initiative to help thousands of stranded crew lasted 48 hours, with the president later acknowledging that it was halted «at the request of Pakistan and other countries,» including Saudi Arabia, to avoid jeopardizing ongoing negotiations with Iran.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. said Monday that if Pakistan did shelter Iranian aircraft during mediation then it would force a complete reassessment of Pakistan’s role.
«If this reporting is accurate, it would require a complete reevaluation of the role Pakistan is playing as mediator between Iran, the United States and other parties. Given some of the prior statements by Pakistani defense officials towards Israel, I would not be shocked if this were true,» Graham said in a post shared on X.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Government of Pakistan, The White House and U.S. Central Command for comment.
afghanistan, treaties, white house, pakistan, iran
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The church bells still ring in Rmeish on the Lebanon-Israel border.
While much of southern Lebanon has suffered destruction during the war between Israel and the terror group Hezbollah, the predominantly Christian border town close to Israel remained largely untouched. Churches are still standing. Homes remain intact. Residents say the village avoided Israeli strikes because locals refused to allow Hezbollah fighters to operate from inside the town.
«There was more than one attempt for them to come to the outskirts or the entrance of the village to launch rockets from there,» one resident told Jusoor News. «The young men of Rmeish confronted them and prevented them from entering.»
«That led to the protection of Rmeish from any Israeli attacks,» the resident said. «The Israelis do not target aimlessly. They target launch sites.»
HEZBOLLAH DISARMAMENT DEADLOCK RISKS CIVIL WAR, ANALYSTS SAY, AS US PREPARES FOR ISRAEL–LEBANON TALKS
Churches in the southern Lebanese town of Rmeish remained standing throughout the conflict, as residents say the community resisted Hezbollah attempts to launch rockets from the area. (Jusoor News)
The account offers a rare public glimpse into open resistance to Hezbollah inside southern Lebanon, where criticism of the Iranian-backed terrorist group is often met with accusations of treason or collaboration with Israel.
Tarek, a Christian social activist from Rmeish who spoke by phone with Fox News Digital, said residents of the town have long-faced pressure because they refused to align with Hezbollah.
«After 2000, when Israel left, we were always labeled as collaborators of Israel,» Tarek said. «We suffered a lot from this stigma.»
He said Hezbollah supporters accused the town of cooperating with Israel simply because it escaped the destruction seen in neighboring villages.
The interviews come as the Trump administration brokers talks between Israel and Lebanon aimed at stabilizing the border and addressing Hezbollah’s military presence in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem recently rejected any discussion about disarming the group, while U.S. officials continue pushing to strengthen the Lebanese state over the armed terror group.
Hezbollah worked to build facilities below private residential buildings and houses in southern Lebanon. (Benoît Durand / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images)
Tarek argued Hezbollah’s grip on Lebanon cannot be separated from Iran.
«The Lebanese government has been ruled by Hezbollah for almost 36 years,» he told Fox News Digital. «They are deeply entrenched in all arms of the government, security, army and institutions.»
«If the president or prime minister says they want peace, Hezbollah will resist that,» he added.
Tarek said weakening Iran is the key to weakening Hezbollah.
IRAN COULD ‘ACTIVATE’ HEZBOLLAH IF US TARGETS REGIME, TRUMP’S INNER CIRCLE TO DECIDE: EXPERT
Residents of the Christian border town of Rmeish in southern Lebanon say the village remained largely untouched during the war after locals prevented Hezbollah fighters from operating inside the town. (Jusoor News)
«It’s about cutting the head of the octopus, which is the Iranian regime,» he said. «Once you cut the head, Hezbollah will no longer function.»
Another resident said many in the town increasingly believe «Hezbollah’s project is an Iranian project, not a Lebanese one.»
Another woman from the village described living surrounded by war while trying to keep the town outside the fighting.
‘WAR FOLLOWED US’: A SYRIAN FAMILY FLED BEIRUT AFTER ISRAELI BOMBARDMENT TO FACE REPRESSION, BOMBING AT HOME
A landscape view of Rmeish, a predominantly Christian town near the Israel-Lebanon border whose residents say they worked to keep Hezbollah fighters out of the village during the war. (Jusoor News)
«We are in the middle, and the war surrounds us from all sides,» she said. «This makes us live in a state of fear, anxiety, insecurity and instability.»
A man from the village said residents had endured decades of wars that they have nothing to do with.
«We decided to remain steadfast,» he said. «Where would we go?»
An older resident said his family has suffered from violence along the border since the 1970s.
«We are tired of wars,» he said. «We want nothing but peace.»
Despite accusations from Hezbollah supporters, residents insisted they do not regret standing up to the terrorist group.
«All accusations of treason are rejected,» one resident said. «The people of Rmeish want to live safely on their land.»
Another resident added: «Just because I don’t believe in your project doesn’t mean I’m a traitor.»
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A view of the southern Lebanese border town of Rmeish near Israel. (Jusoor News)
Ahed Al Hendi, a senior fellow at the Center for Peace Communications, told Fox News Digital that, «The defiance shown by Christians in southern Lebanon reflects a major shift in the country’s internal dynamics. For more than two decades, many Christians living near the border suffered under Hezbollah’s dominance, yet were stigmatized and often afraid to speak openly against it.»
«Today,» Al Hendi added, «with the changing balance of power, they are increasingly confronting Hezbollah publicly and speaking out against what they see as its tyranny.»
lebanon, wars, terrorism, iran, israel
El presidente de la República Dominicana, Luis Abinader, realizará esta semana una visita oficial a Panamá para participar en el Congreso Mundial de Zonas Francas, donde se espera que pronuncie el discurso central del evento y mantenga un encuentro bilateral con su homólogo panameño, José Raúl Mulino. Según informó la agencia EFE, la agenda presidencial incluye reuniones con empresarios del sector logístico y manufacturero, así como con representantes de la cúpula empresarial panameña, con el objetivo de atraer inversiones hacia el territorio dominicano.
De acuerdo con lo comunicado por la Presidencia dominicana, la delegación que acompaña a Abinader está integrada por el ministro de Industria y Comercio y Mipymes, Eduardo Sanz Lovatón; la directora ejecutiva de ProDominicana, Biviana Riveiro; y el embajador dominicano en Panamá, Roberto Salcedo. El mandatario aprovechará este espacio para destacar el impacto de las zonas francas en su país, que actualmente generan más de 200,000 empleos directos distribuidos en 97 parques industriales y donde operan 861 empresas, según cifras oficiales recogidas por EFE.
Estos centros de producción, indica el Consejo Nacional de Zonas Francas de Exportación, permiten que compañías extranjeras y nacionales establezcan sus operaciones bajo un régimen especial de incentivos fiscales y facilidades de importación, lo que ha contribuido a convertir a la República Dominicana en un referente regional en materia de comercio exterior.
El Congreso Mundial de Zonas Francas inicia hoy y finaliza el 14 de mayo en la ciudad de Panamá, bajo la organización de la World Free Zones Organization (World FZO), con sede en Dubái. Según la información difundida por la organización y medios internacionales, el evento congregará a más de 1,500 líderes globales, entre ellos políticos, empresarios y directivos de zonas francas provenientes de todos los continentes. La inauguración contará con la presencia de los presidentes de Panamá, Guatemala y República Dominicana, así como con más de 20 ministros, altos funcionarios y representantes de organismos multilaterales.
La agenda del congreso, de acuerdo con el sitio oficial de la World FZO, contempla mesas redondas ministeriales, sesiones plenarias y diálogos de liderazgo enfocados en la transformación digital, la sostenibilidad y las cadenas regionales de valor. Entre los temas destacados figuran la integración industrial, la cooperación público-privada y las estrategias para promover la innovación en las zonas francas.
Entre los países convocados e invitados figuran naciones de América Latina, Caribe, Mercosur, BRICS+ y delegaciones de África, Asia, Europa y Medio Oriente. De acuerdo con la programación publicada en línea, se prevé la participación de figuras como Gerd Müller, director general de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo Industrial (ONUDI); Wamkele Mene, secretario general de la Secretaría del Área de Libre Comercio Continental Africana (AFCFTA); Pedro Manuel Moreno, vicesecretario general de la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre Comercio y Desarrollo (UNCTAD); y Gilbert F. Houngbo, director general de la Organización Internacional del Trabajo (OIT).
El lema de esta edición será “Zonas francas en el nuevo modelo global operativo: desafíos y oportunidades”, y el programa incluye paneles sobre tecnologías emergentes, sostenibilidad como ventaja competitiva y nuevas rutas logísticas. Según reportes internacionales, el congreso también servirá para lanzar iniciativas de liderazgo ejecutivo, matchmaking para inversionistas y conferencias ministeriales para alinear políticas en materia de comercio e inversión.
El evento destaca a Panamá como puerta de entrada a las Américas y centro estratégico para la logística internacional, en línea con los objetivos de la World FZO de fortalecer la resiliencia, la innovación y el crecimiento sostenible en las zonas francas del mundo. La participación de la delegación dominicana busca afianzar la imagen del país como destino atractivo para la inversión productiva y consolidar alianzas con actores clave del comercio global.
Domestic,Politics,South America / Central America,Government / Politics
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FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are rolling out a new oversight task force, starting with an investigation into alleged social services fraud in Ohio.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., tapped Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, a member of the oversight panel, to lead the Task Force on Defending Constitutional Rights and Exposing Institutional Abuses, Fox News Digital has learned.
The duo sent a letter to Ohio Department of Medicaid Director Scott Partika on Tuesday to request documents related to a bombshell report in the Daily Wire, probing widespread fraud in the state’s Medicaid waiver program for home health and community-based services.
The outlet reported on 288 home health companies in Columbus, Ohio, that shared the same addresses, dozens of which were housed in office buildings that appeared to be vacant or in poor condition. The entities billed the federal government more than $250 million in Medicaid spending between 2018 and 2024, though the outlet’s reporting cast doubt on whether the companies billed Medicaid correctly or provided the services.
Rep. Brandon Gill looks on during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 26, 2025. (Getty Images)
WHISTLEBLOWER WARNS MASSIVE FRAUD IS HAPPENING IN OHIO SOMALI COMMUNITY, MINNESOTA: ‘JUST TIP OF THE SPEAR’
«Americans deserve truth, transparency and justice,» Gill said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. «They are sick of being defrauded by government institutions and programs that should have been putting them first, not robbing their tax dollars.»
«Under his leadership, we will continue to expose radical ideologies being pushed on Americans and fight to safeguard our freedom that we’ve enjoyed as a nation for 250 years,» Comer said in a statement, adding that Gill, a freshman lawmaker, had become a pivotal player on the Oversight Committee.
Gill’s task force will have a broad purview, including investigating institutions that uphold diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, individuals who misuse immigration and social welfare programs, and efforts by foreign actors and dark money groups to censor Americans’ speech.
The panel’s creation comes as House Oversight Republicans are currently investigating social services fraud in Minnesota and California.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., tapped Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, to lead a new oversight panel focused on social services fraud, among other priorities. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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«The current Medicaid system either does not have sufficient internal controls to prevent and detect fraud or is not conducting proper oversight of these HCBS [Home and Community-Based Services] providers,» Comer and Gill wrote in the letter. «As a result, Americans across the country are paying for this fraud while vulnerable patients are being exploited.»
Comer has authorized the task force for six months, and Gill is expected to hold hearings at a later date.
Ohio Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy has pledged to scrutinize the state’s Medicaid spending if elected governor in November.
«We’re going to have to take a deep, hard look at the way the $40-plus billion in state Medicaid dollars are being spent,» Ramaswamy told «Saturday in America» host Kayleigh McEnany.
Vivek Ramaswamy, seen speaking at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 in Phoenix on Dec. 19, 2025, is running for Ohio governor. (Jon Cherry/AP)
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«I think the right answer is any instance of waste, fraud, abuse … deserve[s] to be prosecuted, and we intend to investigate them aggressively, as well as to prosecute aggressively, to send a deterrent signal that our government is not a piggy bank. The taxpayer is not a piggy bank to be bilked.»
The Ohio Department of Medicaid told the Daily Wire it has sufficient safeguards in place to combat fraud and had been investigating home health companies that may be abusing the system prior to the outlet’s reporting.
politics, ohio, hearings house of representatives politics, republicans elections, investigations
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