'The White House lunch that Trump hosted for Munir last year came just after Munir returned from a visit to Iran, at a moment when Israel and Iran were at war.' 'Trump said after that lunch that the Pakistanis know Iran very well. He likely views Munir as a useful interlocutor that can give helpful insights on Iran.'
By all available indications, the White House drafted a face-saving note and handed it, ready-made, to Islamabad. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was supposed to then post it in the guise of a plea urging Trump to extend the deadline by two weeks 'to allow diplomacy to run its course'. Trump would then graciously accept Pakistan's 'request' and declare a ceasefire. Sharif dutifully posted the message on X. Except that he, or whoever was handling the account, forgot to delete the tell-tale first line visible in the edit history: 'Draft - Pakistan's PM Message on X'. Prem Panicker's must read blog on the Iran War.
'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.'
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa faced a setback at the Candidates chess tournament, while Javokhir Sindarov increased his lead.
The FBI has arrested eight individuals in California for allegedly defrauding the national healthcare system of over USD 50 million through fraudulent hospice care facilities.
The FBI has arrested eight individuals in California for allegedly defrauding the national healthcare system of over $50 million through fraudulent hospice care facilities.
'Our diplomacy should have been focused on preventing war and avoiding the inevitable disruptions it would cause, posing a real risk to India's growth story,' asserts former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Trump seems to have estimated that Ghalibaf is a pragmatic politician who is receptive to close relations with the US and is enthusiastic about fostering business and economic ties in particular, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the decision followed a request from the Iranian government and added that talks between the two sides were 'going very well'.
The core issues to be settled -- access to Hormuz, Israel's aggression in Lebanon, the question of Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions relief and compensation -- are thorny enough to require weeks of patient negotiation. The most likely outcome of the opening sessions is that both sides take the measure of each other, establish what is and is not negotiable, and return home without having broken anything. That would count as progress.
The operation reportedly extended to American assets, with the IRGC claiming that "US military bases in the region, namely Ali al-Salem in Kuwait, as well as al-Minhad and al-Dhafra in the United Arab Emirates, were also targeted."
Iran's Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, has said there are no ongoing talks between Tehran and Washington, DC, countering United States President Donald Trump's claims of peace overtures.
Despite heightened tensions and Iran's rejection of a US-backed ceasefire, President Trump claims Iran is now 'begging' for a deal.
Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey met in Islamabad in what analysts say is the formal opening of a new diplomatic formation that could reshape the post-war regional order. Their immediate goal is a ceasefire; their larger ambition is to ensure that neither Iran nor Israel emerges from this war in a dominant position. Pakistan's foreign minister then flew directly to Beijing and mooted a Chinese role as guarantor of any eventual agreement. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
'I'm devastated. This is a massive loss for the world of chess.'
US Second Lady Usha Vance discusses her role as a trusted advisor to her husband, US Vice President J D Vance, particularly on issues of personal importance, and highlights the value of open-minded conversations in their marriage.
The ceasefire is still technically holding, to the extent that no overt hostilities have been reported yet, but the rhetoric has hardened dangerously. The week ahead will also clarify whether the Islamabad failure was a negotiating tactic or whether Washington has genuinely locked itself into a position from which the only exits are climb-down, escalation, or the slow bleed of a new status quo that nobody chose and nobody controls. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
US President Donald Trump welcomed Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami team to the White House on Thursday as he boasted about the United States' ongoing operation in Iran.
In the women's section, World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh turned the tables on overnight leader Anna Muzychuk to jump into joint lead with four others.
Specifically, military experts are assessing if the 'Octopus' interceptor anti-drone system, produced in the UK to support Ukraine in countering Russian threats, could be repurposed to strengthen British protections against Iran's Shahed drones.
Indian American golfer Sahith Theegala moves into the top 10 at the Players Championship, while other Indian and Indo-Canadian players also make significant strides.
Indian men's and women's lacrosse teams, fresh off their gold-winning performance at the Asian Lacrosse Games, have been felicitated by the Sports Minister and urged to focus on qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Donald Trump has appointed Markwayne Mullin as the new Secretary of Homeland Security, replacing Kristi Noem, who will take on the role of Special Envoy for 'The Shield of the Americas' initiative.
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.
Iranian military spokesperson said that stability in the region would be ensured only by the strength of Iran's armed forces and warned that energy and oil markets would not return to previous levels unless this reality was acknowledged.
In a coordinated military operation, the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran, escalating tensions amid stalled nuclear talks and claims of resumed nuclear activities, resulting in the death of Iran's supreme leader.
Fight on toward goals that keep receding, or exit with most objectives unmet. Trump is agitated, his poll numbers falling below the Plimsoll line, his base fractured between those who back the war and those who remember that he campaigned on ending them.
The urgency for a resolution is underscored by the military situation, as joint operations by Israel and the US have consistently been "targeting Iran's missile systems, launch sites and other critical infrastructure" since the onset of the conflict.
'US and Iran have not annulled the ceasefire, and the possibility of continuing negotiations remains open.'
Novak Djokovic fights past Aleksandar Kovacevic to reach the last 16 at Indian Wells Open, setting up a clash with defending champion Jack Draper.
'As result, Netanyahu 'convinced' Trump to go to war with the help of overoptimistic Israeli intelligence assessments, essentially explaining to him that they only need to bomb Iran for 3-4 days, and the regime would then collapse.' 'Rather unsurprisingly, Netanyahu is ever since blaming his own intel service for the entire operation failing.'
Russia has expressed strong concern over a US-Israeli strike on the Iranian port of Bandar Anzali, a key transit hub on the INSTC, warning of the risk of drawing Caspian states into the ongoing conflict.
'The unexpected turn of events and assertion of sovereignty by the Taliban has baffled the Pakistan security establishment.'
'Just because I am famous and have body of work in one country does not translate into every country in the world.'
The Centre has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its judgements decriminalising adultery and same-sex relationships, arguing they were based on a subjective application of 'constitutional morality'.
'Without ground troops the US will not be able to oust the Iranian Islamic regime. Political change does not happen just by using bombs or planes.'
Akshay Bhatia, a three-time PGA Tour winner, is set to make his debut at the Hero Indian Open, fulfilling a long-held ambition to play in his parents' home country. The tournament features a strong field, including defending champion Eugenio Chacarra and Ryder Cup hero Francesco Molinari.
In the video, the Supreme Leader can be seen teaching religious studies to a group of pupils who are listening attentively. The IRIB said that the video of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei was published for the first time.
American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has criticised the International Chess Federation (FIDE) for its stringent anti-cheating measures at the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus.
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.
