Sachin Baisoya secured his first IGPL Tour victory at the IGPL Invitational 2026 Mauritius, overcoming overnight leader Veer Ganapathy with a strong performance.
Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan has significantly increased his lead in the Candidates chess tournament after defeating India's R Praggnanandhaa. In the women's section, R Vaishali leads after drawing with Anna Muzychuk.
The intriguing bit is that Trump is likely to attend the talks in Islamabad this weekend -- if he does, it will be the clearest signal yet that the US is ready to exit the war with some sort of win to show, since he cannot afford to go for the talks and return empty-handed, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War
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.
US President Donald Trump has announced plans to clear the Strait of Hormuz to secure the vital oil corridor, citing risks to global energy supplies and criticising other nations' inaction.
For that to happen America does not have to lose. It only has to do the right thing, asserts Aakar Patel.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei on Sunday said that the recent meeting with US officials was the longest round of negotiations they have had in the past year.
'What we have yet to see on either the US or the Iranian side is willingness to compromise on their ultimate demands and the flexibility to reach an agreement to end the war.
'US and Iran have not annulled the ceasefire, and the possibility of continuing negotiations remains open.'
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.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa began his campaign at the Candidates Tournament with a win against Anish Giri, sharing the lead with Fabiano Caruana and Javokhir Sindarov. In the women's section, Indian Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh drew her game.
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.
Under-fire Liverpool boss Arne Slot said he feels "complete support" from the club and the fans on Friday, even as his team endures a torrid run of form and supporters plan protests over rising ticket prices.
Aryna Sabalenka is looking to complete the coveted 'Sunshine Double' after her triumph in the Indian Wells final over Elena Rybakina.
'Technology doesn't decide its destiny-humans do. We choose whether it becomes a weapon or a tool for progress.' 'Every breakthrough looks like a miracle at first, a disappointment later -- and finally, just another useful tool.'
Trump may strike. He may announce productive talks and extend again. He may do both at the same time. Iran will not open the Strait on someone else's terms, so no matter what happens, that problem will remain unsolved. And the IRGC will still be collecting its $2 million toll from every ship bold enough to ask permission to pass.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the BJP and RSS for undermining the Constitution and accused the TMC of failing to provide jobs in West Bengal during recent rallies.
The question is whether the clocks allow enough time for two deeply mistrustful sides to get there, and whether the surface calm holds long enough for the paddling to produce something before the ceasefire ends on April 22, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of corruption and land grabbing, promising action if the Congress party wins the upcoming elections in Assam. Gandhi also criticised the BJP's governance and economic policies.
One of the most uncivilised characteristics of this war has been the total disregard for international law and the laws of armed conflict, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
As we await the much-anticipated reunion of Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar in Bhooth Bangla, Sreeju Sudhakaran looks back at their six memorable collaborations, ranking them by how consistently they deliver on entertainment.
Each time a deadline almost runs out, President Trump hands out a new one.
Economist Jeffrey Sachs saw Gulf nations' decision to partner with the US through the Abraham Accords as an "invitation for disaster" as it made them more dependent on American protection.
The clock on the ceasefire is running out. But everyone's already whispering about round two, possibly as soon as this weekend.
Hans Niemann reignites his feud with Magnus Carlsen in a Netflix documentary, vowing to become world No.1 as the chess cheating controversy resurfaces.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday issued a stark warning that American and Israeli universities in West Asia could be treated as 'legitimate targets' in retaliation for alleged United States and Israeli strikes on Iranian academic institutions and cultural infrastructure.
The delegations from the US and Iran head to Islamabad on Friday, carrying a ceasefire that is already fraying, a Strait that is technically open and practically closed, and a negotiating agenda that would challenge even parties actually negotiating in good faith, which these groups are not. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
American 18-year-old Iva Jovic pulled off the biggest upset of her young career when she stunned Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju finished T-14 at the Valero Texas Open, while JJ Spaun secured victory after a strong performance.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa faced a defeat in the third round of the FIDE Candidates Tournament, while other key matches saw significant shifts in standings.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa faced a setback at the Candidates chess tournament, while Javokhir Sindarov increased his lead.
Zolqadr's appointment comes through a presidential decree, endorsed by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
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.
The Indian rupee saw a significant appreciation against the US dollar following President Trump's suspension of military strikes against Iran and the Reserve Bank of India's decision to maintain its key interest rate. Market sentiment was further buoyed by positive comments from the RBI regarding the health of the banking sector.
Chaffing under public ridicule in the US as well as internationally for having 'lost' the war, Trump is under immense pressure to do something, cautions Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Protests were held from coast to coast, with massive marches in major cities and smaller gatherings in suburban and rural areas across both traditionally Republican and Democratic states.
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina to reach the Miami Open final, where she will face Coco Gauff, who defeated Karolina Muchova.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa faced a defeat in the third round of the FIDE Candidates Tournament against Javokhir Sindarov, while Fabiano Caruana surged ahead. In the women's event, Bibisara Assaubayeva secured the first victory.
In his resignation letter to US President Donald Trump, Kent called the conflict with Iran unjustified, contending that Washington, DC entered the war due primarily to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby rather than clear, direct threats to national security.
Tiger Woods steps down as 2027 Ryder Cup captain to focus on his health following a DUI case, with the PGA of America backing his decision and updates on leadership to follow.
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