Prem Panicker's Must Read Blog On The Gulf War.
Twenty rebel Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MPs have merged with the obscure Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), a move seen by political observers as a strategic way to support the BJP-led NDA without immediately joining the saffron party and bypassing legal complexities.
The rejection of senior Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination papers transformed what should have been a routine Rajya Sabha election into a lesson in contemporary political warfare.
From online abuse targeting cricketers' families to paid hate campaigns and bot-driven fan wars, cricket's social media ecosystem has spiraled into a toxic industry driven by outrage, algorithms and commercial interests.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval called for decisive action against terrorism and said there cannot be 'double standards' in the fight against it, while addressing an international security forum in Russia.
Amidst the INDIA bloc conclave in Delhi, a significant number of Trinamool Congress MPs convened a closed-door meeting, signalling a deepening internal rebellion and discontent within the party's parliamentary ranks following recent electoral setbacks.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has stated that Tehran currently has no plans for a subsequent round of negotiations with the United States, according to the state media Tasnim news agency. This announcement comes as international mediators had hoped for a follow-up to the Islamabad talks before the looming ceasefire deadline.
Three milestones in three days signal India's growing mastery in next-generation strategic technologies spanning nuclear deterrence, hypersonic propulsion and precision stand-off strike capability.
Loitering munitions, often described as 'suicide drones' or 'kamikaze drones', are becoming central to modern warfare because of their ability to hover over target areas, identify threats and strike with high precision.
US President Donald Trump announced the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a key ISIS leader, in a joint operation with Nigerian forces.
TMC's Falta candidate Jahangir Khan withdrew from the May 21 re-election, citing Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's promise of a special development package for the area.
Described by Mahindra as a vehicle with "no excess" and "no ornamentation," this machine is a stark departure from the polished SUVs found on Indian roads. Instead, it is a high-capability tool engineered for the most punishing environments on Earth.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran is considering various paths to address regional tensions, including negotiations conducted with dignity and authority, while emphasising that military gains should be reinforced through diplomacy.
Glimpses from Vayu Shakti 2026 highlight India's aerial might and combat readiness. From sonic booms to precision strikes, the Indian Air Force showcased its full-spectrum capabilities over Rajasthan skies.
A senior Iranian legislator has suggested that Tehran could further escalate pressure on its adversaries by targeting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising concerns about global supply chain vulnerabilities.
Exercise Kharga Shakti 2026 concluded successfully after an intense operationally orientated training cycle that rigorously validated the combat readiness of Kharga Corps across the full spectrum of modern battlefield scenarios.
Drishyam 3, the latest installment in the popular Malayalam franchise, struggles to maintain the ingenuity and thrilling narrative of its predecessors, with Georgekutty's once-brilliant facade showing significant cracks, leading to a convoluted plot and a less engaging antagonist-driven conflict.
TARA is India's first indigenous modular glide weapon, capable of transforming conventional unguided warheads into long-range precision-guided weapons.
India is the only significant power that all parties trust, or at least do not distrust, notes former defence secretary Ajay Kumar.
BJP's Panihati candidate Ratna Debnath faced protests by TMC workers when she visited a booth in the assembly constituency in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district where polling was underway. She also accused the ruling party activists of preventing her from leaving the booth premises, following an altercation with them over an allegation of influencing voters.
'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.'
Iran's state broadcaster denies sending a diplomatic delegation to Pakistan for talks with the US, despite reports suggesting otherwise. This denial comes amid escalating tensions and aggressive rhetoric from Washington, even as signs of potential diplomatic movement emerge.
Aditya Kripalani's Main Actor Nahin Hoon, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Chitrangada Satarupa, turns 'acting lessons' into an emotional battlefield of loneliness, ego and vulnerability.
Whether Vijay has the political spine to stitch together a stable government from this patchwork of conditions, demands, and midnight drama is the question Tamil Nadu is living through right now.
In West Bengal's electoral chessboard, governments are rarely made in the hills of North Bengal or the forested region of Jangalmahal. Power is usually decided in the crowded plains of South Bengal, where elections are won less by momentum and more by mathematics.
A humanoid robot named 'Flash,' developed by Shenzhen Honor Smart Technology, achieved a record-breaking time of 50 minutes and 26 seconds in the Beijing E-Town half-marathon, surpassing the human world record in autonomous navigation.
An Iranian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, is expected to arrive in Islamabad for the second round of peace talks with the US, according to Pakistani media reports. This follows a phone call between Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Araghchi regarding the US-Iran ceasefire and Pakistan's diplomatic efforts.
Voting has commenced in 142 constituencies for the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, with significant security measures in place. The outcome will determine whether the TMC maintains its dominance or if the BJP can gain ground in the state.
As Iran heads into crucial peace talks with the United States of America, here are the six men who decide the Islamic Republic's course.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday claimed that Tehran "begged" for a truce, maintaining that Washington achieved a "decisive military victory" during 'Operation Epic Fury.'
Trump emphasised that diplomatic discussions remain ongoing. At the same time, he issued a stark warning, saying that failure to reach an agreement could trigger military action.
Srivastava warned that continued bombing of Iran by the US and Israel could severely undermine any prospects of reopening critical maritime routes through negotiation with Tehran.
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.
West Bengal's upcoming 2026 election may hinge on the impact of recent electoral roll revisions, particularly in 65-70 closely contested constituencies where victory margins are slim. The deletion of over 90 lakh names, especially in key areas like Nandigram, Bhabanipur, and the Matua belt, has redrawn the electoral map, potentially influencing the outcome for both the TMC and BJP.
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.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced a series of military operations against US and Israeli targets in retaliation for earlier airstrikes. The IRGC claims to have launched multiple missile and drone strikes, and has warned against any potential ground operations within Iranian territory.
'Despite the large number of missiles and drones we have already launched, we still possess reserves and missile cities whose doors have not yet been opened,' says Iran's Consul-General Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh.
Karex, the Malaysian company that makes roughly one in five of the world's condoms -- about five billion a year, supplying Durex and Trojan among others -- announced this week that it is raising prices by up to 30 percent. The reason is the Strait of Hormuz.
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.
Trump has made it clear: the US will not lift its blockade of Iranian ports until a deal is signed.
