The Lebanese army has begun evacuating some of its forward positions along the border with Israel and redeploying troops to other posts, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported on Tuesday, amid intensified Israeli military activity in the area.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Lin Jian, said on Wednesday that China supports Iran in maintaining its stability, adding that Beijing has always opposed the interference in other countries' internal affairs and the use of force in international relations.
Petrol and diesel prices in India have been increased for the second time in a week, following a long freeze on revisions. The increase comes as global crude prices surge and state-run oil firms look to recoup losses.
The US President clarified that these negotiations do not involve the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Israel and the United States had a plan. Iran punched back. And now the Gulf is reeling, the world is beginning to feel the pain and, as on date, no one in Washington or Tel Aviv appears willing to admit that the punch has landed, notes Prem Panicker, continuing his must-read blog on the war in the Middle East.
'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.'
The Maharashtra government has launched an emergency WhatsApp helpline for state residents stranded in the Middle East due to airspace closures amid the US-Israel-Iran conflict. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is monitoring the situation and coordinating with central agencies.
An art exhibition in New Delhi showcased drawings by children killed in a school bombing in Iran, offering a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict.
Petrol and diesel prices have been increased by Rs 3 per litre each, marking the first hike in over four years, as state-run fuel retailers pass on some of the impact from surging global crude prices, which have been exacerbated by the Iran war.
Pope Leo XIV on Monday underscored his commitment to spiritual advocacy over political friction, stating that he has no desire to engage in a confrontation with the US administration.
Indian equity benchmark indices experienced a significant drop in early trade, with the BSE Sensex falling over 525 points and the NSE Nifty down more than 164 points, primarily due to rising crude oil prices and ongoing uncertainty surrounding the US-Iran conflict.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for citizens to make economic sacrifices in response to the West Asia conflict, calling it 'evidence of failure'. Gandhi accused Modi of shifting responsibility onto the public and being incapable of running the country.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
The Indian government has reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel to mitigate the impact of rising global crude prices, triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. This move aims to provide relief to consumers and oil companies amidst volatile international oil markets.
Indian cement manufacturers, despite a stable Q4FY26, are bracing for significant profitability pressures from Q1FY27 onwards due to escalating input costs, primarily driven by the West Asia conflict's impact on coal and petcoke prices.
India's trade with West Asia saw a significant decline of over 28% in April, marking the second consecutive month of contraction. This downturn is attributed to severe shipping disruptions stemming from the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran, particularly impacting the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway.
The cost of the war is being counted not in the corridors of power in Washington or Tehran, but in Firozabad's darkened furnace rooms, Howrah's idle casting sheds, and a barbershop in Kochi where the wait is suddenly, inexplicably, an hour long, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran's Supreme Leader, is reportedly recovering from injuries sustained in an attack. Reports indicate he is participating in meetings and decision-making despite his condition.
'Even last year, when India bought gold, the physical quantity was much less than the previous years.'
Government officials are reportedly apprehensive that the 30,000 to 40,000 US troops currently deployed within the region could serve as the primary target of the Islamic Republic in the event of an all-out war.
US special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are travelling to Pakistan for direct talks with an Iranian delegation as part of efforts to end the seven-week war, the White House announced.
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been stranded in Qatar for over a week due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, impacting flights and travel across the region.
'The real money in India over the coming period is likely to be made in small-cap stocks rather than in the large-cap benchmark names.'
'When we start describing somebody as an enemy that is the start of politics and emotion after which no business can take place.' 'We need to get out of this, allow Indian businessmen to do business with China.'
'Much later when I came to Afghanistan, I realised that there were songs in Bollywood films.'
Petrol and diesel prices in India have seen their fourth increase in less than two weeks, pushing cumulative hikes to nearly Rs 7.5 per litre since May 15, reaching their highest levels since May 2022. This surge, driven by global crude oil costs and the Iran conflict, is expected to exacerbate inflationary pressures and raise transportation costs across the economy.
'It was diminishing even before Trump came to power.' 'The US was at the centre of the global economy. That position is going to become less and less important and less central.'
"The world might face a food crisis if the war continued till the end of April, as it could have a dramatic impact on planting in Europe and North America," said Matt Simpson, CEO of Brazil Potash.
Iranian officials allege a US airstrike on Mashhad airport damaged a Mahan Air plane set to collect vital medical aid from India.
US President Donald Trump concluded his Beijing summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing it as 'incredible' and highlighting 'fantastic trade deals' and a 'very strong' relationship between the two leaders.
The government on Thursday restored liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies to commercial consumers such as hotels, restaurants and other businesses to pre-crisis levels, and lifted sector-specific restrictions imposed during the recent West Asia conflict, in a sign that energy supply concerns are easing as global markets stabilise.
A media report indicates the White House was directly involved in crafting a social media post by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, requesting then-US President Donald Trump to extend the deadline on Iran.
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.
US Marines boarded and searched a commercial ship, M/V Blue Star III, in the Arabian Sea on suspicion of violating the US blockade of Iranian ports, later releasing it after confirming it was not headed to Iran.
'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.'
'India's security challenges are no longer confined to the Line of Control or the Line of Actual Control.'
'They also span cyber networks, economic systems, information warfare, technology ecosystems, maritime routes, and internal social cohesion.'
India is the only significant power that all parties trust, or at least do not distrust, notes former defence secretary Ajay Kumar.
'India has initiated a bear market and we will still go lower. It has nothing to do with the economy.'
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member squad, including six uncapped players, for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Bangladesh.
The Indian rupee is highly vulnerable among Asian currencies, with Barclays and MUFG warning of a potential depreciation towards 100/$ if the West Asia conflict persists, driven by widening current account deficits and elevated crude oil prices.
