FIDE, the world chess governing body, has rejected calls to move the Candidates Tournament from Cyprus despite security concerns arising from regional conflicts. The tournament is scheduled to begin on March 28.
The logic of war plus the gathering storms in US politics as the midterms loom large leave him with no real alternative but to negotiate, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The clock on the ceasefire is running out. But everyone's already whispering about round two, possibly as soon as this weekend.
Amid escalating tensions with Iran, President Trump is urging nations dependent on Middle Eastern oil to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard critical global energy supplies.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is likely to miss the All England Championships due to travel disruptions caused by airspace closures in the Gulf region.
16 days into the war, US forces were already running out of ground-attack missiles and Israel is about to expend its entire Arrow interceptor missiles by end March. To be sure, the Iranians are watching closely and that explains their defiant stance that 'Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its conditions are met', notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
If the Iranian regime needs to be punished for promoting quasi-terrorist outfits like Hezbollah and Hamas, then what about Pakistan which has spent decades exporting terror around the world, killing thousands, particularly in Afghanistan and India? asks M R Narayan Swamy.
Donald Trump's inconsistent statements and actions regarding the conflict with Iran have drawn criticism and confusion, raising questions about American credibility and the direction of US foreign policy.
'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.'
Before they commanded nations, commanded armies... or commanded headlines, these world leaders once led lives that were unexpectedly ordinary.
'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.
United States President Donald Trump said that the US is trying to regain control of Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, which is currently under the control of the Taliban government after the US troops withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021.
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.
Iran is fighting a different war: Older, slower, and in some ways more dangerous. Iran doesn't need to shoot down an F/A-18. It only needs to make the Strait of Hormuz feel dangerous long enough for insurance markets, shipping companies, and oil futures traders to do the rest. Prem Panicker continues his must-read daily blog on the war in the Middle East.
In the Indo-Pacific's new era -- where perception shapes reality faster than treaties -- the real entrapment is not of China or the United States. It is the test Japan has set for itself -- and whether partners like India, acting as balancers rather than accelerants, can help ensure that the story ends in stability, points out Varun Arya.
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.
US reoccupation would need large troop deployments, break the Doha Agreement, and strain relations with Pakistan, Russia and Iran.
India and China will resume direct flight services by the end of this month after a five-year gap, signaling an effort to rebuild ties strained by the border standoff in eastern Ladakh.
Russia has shared intelligence with Iran that could help Tehran target American warships, aircraft and other military assets in the region, according to United States intelligence assessments cited by media reports, marking the first indication of Moscow's possible involvement in the ongoing conflict. Officials familiar with US intelligence findings said a significant portion of the shared information reportedly includes imagery from Russia's network of surveillance satellites.
The Chinese military is planning to revamp its English-language instruction in its academies to improve graduates' communication skills on the international stage, according to an article by senior lecturers from the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
One of the underground lines will head towards Bagdogra, a location of strategic importance due to its role in India's air defence infrastructure.
'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.'
The United States has warned China against escalating tensions as Taiwan detected multiple Chinese naval vessels, official ships and balloons operating around the island amid Beijing's large-scale live-fire military drills.
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 United States, which entered this war in expectation of a short, sharp win along the Venezuela model, is now preparing for deeper involvement in a conflict it does not fully control, without the allies it typically relies on, against an adversary that is not behaving as expected, in a global environment that is already absorbing economic shock. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump stated, "We have a deal," referring to the trade pact which will be routinely extended. "Every year we'll renegotiate the deal, but I think the deal will go on for a long time, long beyond the year. We'll negotiate at the end of the year," he added.
Pakistan declared an 'open war' with Afghanistan following airstrikes targeting Taliban fighters in response to alleged cross-border attacks. The situation has drawn international concern, with calls for de-escalation and diplomatic resolution.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is set to miss the All England Championships after being stranded in Dubai due to travel disruptions. Other Indian shuttlers face challenges reaching the tournament.
India is already a heavyweight in global farm trade in pockets such as rice exports, but experts are urging a pivot from a subsidy- and procurement-driven mindset to a productivity and nutrition strategy that still shields farmers from volatility.
'The contours of the trade deal need to be reworked now.'
Taking Kharg would give the US control over virtually all of Iran's oil exports and thus provide significant leverage, notes Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War. It would also put American troops within range of Iran's remaining missiles, drones, and artillery on a piece of real estate that is just eight square miles in size, and just 15 miles from the Iranian mainland.
Earlier, the Indian trio of Babuta, Rudrankksh Patil, and Kiran Jadhav had clinched the team gold in men's 10m Air Rifle event.
United States President Donald Trump has said that Iran is under close watch and a 'massive fleet' is heading towards the Gulf region.
'No, India and China were not about to go to all-out war over a few rocks of Galwan.' 'The full picture of what went on at the highest level between two heads of State will not be known for a very, very long time and rightly so,' points out Colonel Anil A Athale, former head of the history division, ministry of defence.
'I suspect that Bangladesh being given permission stuck in India's official craw, and this story was an attempt to balance the scales by giving the impression that a similar waiver had been given to India as well.'
India has seized three US-sanctioned oil tankers linked to Iran and increased surveillance in its maritime zone to curb illicit trade.
To be sure, Trump is furious, as the trajectory of the war is in a state of Zugzwang, as chess players call it. Trump and Netanyahu stare at two choices -- retreat in humiliation and concede Tehran's demands -- recognition of its rights, reparations, and binding security guarantees -- or perish in a quagmire, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The Indian government has not yet responded to Trump's comments yet.
Bangladesh has expressed a potential interest in procuring JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft from Pakistan, according to a statement from the Pakistan military. The development came during a meeting between the air chiefs of both countries, focusing on strengthening operational cooperation and institutional synergy.
China displayed a range of new weapons at a military parade, including laser weapons, nuclear ballistic missiles, giant underwater drones, and fifth-generation aircraft.
