Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that the country refused permission for the US to land two warplanes at Mattala International Airport, citing a commitment to neutrality amidst rising tensions in the Middle East.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has briefed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation in West Asia. This follows Pakistan's offer to host talks between the US and Iran to resolve the ongoing conflict.
For weeks, the war skirted the edge of catastrophe without tipping over. Missiles flew, there was much destruction, commanders were assassinated, cities across the Gulf and even in Israel struggled to absorb the shock. But one line held: Energy infrastructure, the arteries of the global economy, remained largely untouched. That is no longer true. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Iranian women footballers Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali and Zahra Meshkehkar, decided to return to their country days after seeking asylum in Australia.
The Indian Embassy in Tehran has issued an advisory urging Indian citizens in Iran to coordinate with the embassy before attempting to cross any land borders, citing potential logistical and immigration difficulties.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in West Asia, offering to host talks between the US and Iran and engaging with regional leaders to promote peace and stability.
The ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran intensified sharply with attacks on critical energy infrastructure across the Gulf, even as US President Donald Trump said he had cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against targeting Iran's key South Pars Gas Field.
It may now be time to question the price India is paying for Israel's disregard of the serious undermining of India's energy security, asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Ali Mousavi stated that such cooperation is essential for maintaining stability in the strategic waterway.
Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, has refuted rumours circulating about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's death, attributing the disinformation to Iran and its allies.
Travel situation from the Gulf region is gradually improving, with a significant number of passengers already returning to India.
Arsenal moved nine points clear in the Premier League after beating Everton 2-0 as 16-year-old Max Dowman became the youngest scorer in league history, while Manchester City dropped points at West Ham.
Turkey, Poland, and Denmark secured crucial victories in their respective World Cup playoff semi-finals, moving one step closer to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
For that to happen America does not have to lose. It only has to do the right thing, asserts Aakar Patel.
It is time for India to step up and get Russia, China and Europe to agree to a joint appeal to all combatants. Time is of essence, tomorrow may be too late, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale, former head of the history division, ministry of defence.
Delhi should keep all its options open in what is essentially a transitional period in the geopolitics of energy rather than remain a gatekeeper serving Trump's 'America First', suggests Ambasssador M K Bhadrakumar.
'The next two to three weeks will not be decided in Washington.' 'They will be decided in Tehran, in whatever calculation Iran makes about the costs of continued resistance against the costs of appearing to have yielded.'
After the Israeli attack on Iran's South Pars Gas Field on Wednesday night, in retaliation, Iran struck Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, resulting in extensive damage, as per the country's Ministry of Defence.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are actively pushing Trump to take the war to its bitter finish and 'erase' Iran's presence in the geopolitics of the region. Simply put, the two most powerful Sunni Arab oligarchies are on the same page as Israel. Such interference increases the risk of a breakdown in dialogue between the US and Iran, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The strike hit the Kerman Air Base, located about 800 km southeast of Tehran.
On Saturday, it was reported that a drone strike had targeted the Fujairah Port in the UAE, triggering a fire.
Iran on Thursday spelled out three conditions to end the war with Israel and the United States, which entered its thirteenth day today. Taking to X, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said he reaffirmed the country's commitment to peace during talks with leaders of Russia and Pakistan.
Amid rising tensions in West Asia, China is urging all parties to cease military operations, following Trump's appeal for help in securing the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's state media cited the spokesperson for the Central Headquarters of Iran's military to claim that a United States military refuelling plane was shot down by a missile fired by resistance groups in western Iraq. The spokesperson further told Press TV that all six service members on board had been killed.
China has condemned the attack on an elementary school in Iran and pledged USD 200,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance.
The US torpedo attack on the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in international waters was a lawful act of war between belligerents, not a diplomatic or strategic embarrassment for India, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
Hegseth said the military campaign, code-named Operation Epic Fury, against Iran is "laser focused" and "decisive," with objectives set directly by the US administration remaining unchanged since the start of operations.
The 98th Academy Awards was a mix of high fashion, subdued politics, flashes of humour and emotions running high.
The UAE consulate in Erbil, located in Iraq's Kurdish region, suffered structural damage in the aerial attack. Officials said there were no casualties.
This weekend, Donald Trump has begun to say the quiet part out loud -- that he wants to take control of Iran's oil, a formulation more in line with his robber-baron style of international relations.
Tensions flared in East Asia on Saturday as the Japanese government issued an urgent warning following military activity from Pyongyang. The Prime Minister's Office of Japan, in a post on X, alerted the public to the developing situation, stating: '[Emergency alert] North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile. More updates to follow.'
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday that he met with United States President Donald Trump, who told him he welcomed Iran's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Pakistan's security forces claim to have killed hundreds of Afghan Taliban operatives in an ongoing military operation along the border, launched in response to attacks on Pakistani locations.
'Strikes into the Gulf countries are proof that the security guarantees offered by the US are ineffective and that the Gulf countries cannot rely on American security assurances for their safety.'
US-Israel air attacks intensified on the seventh day of war, striking Tehran and other Iranian cities.
Dimona and Ahad came under intense Iranian missile fire over the weekend as the conflict entered a far more volatile phase. These photographs capture the aftermath of the strikes -- thick smoke rising over the cities, emergency teams rushing to the scenes and residents caught in the chaos that followed.
A United States missile strike has reportedly hit an educational facility in Khomeyn in central Iran, according to a report by Al Jazeera citing Iran's Mehr news agency. The site was identified as the Dr Hafez Khomeyni School.
Yousef Pezeshkian, the son of the Iranian President, has confirmed that Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is 'safe and sound'. This comes after certain reports claimed that he had been injured during the ongoing strikes by the United States and Israel, according to Al Jazeera.
Iran has issued a defiant response to United States President Donald Trump's claims regarding the conclusion of hostilities, asserting that it alone will 'determine' the end of military actions against American and Israel targets.
Despite the escalation in US military action, the War Secretary noted that Iran's missile response has declined in the last 24 hours.
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