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.
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.
Bengaluru FC has appointed Spaniard Pep Munoz as their new head coach, signing him until the end of the 2026-27 season. Munoz brings experience from FC Barcelona's youth setup and a successful stint in Cambodia.
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
Indian golfer Aditi Ashok began her week at the Blue Bay LPGA with a 4-under 68, placing her in T-7 after the first round. Chinese players Mary Liu and Weiwei Zhang, along with South Korea's Youmin Hwang, lead the tournament.
India's top sprinters are set to compete in the International Invitation Relay Competition in Chandigarh, aiming to qualify for the World Athletics Relays in Botswana. Several national relay teams are hoping to secure their place at the World Relays in Gaborone.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa drew against Wei Yi in the second round of the FIDE Candidates tournament, maintaining his joint lead. In the women's section, Divya Deshmukh missed a chance to take the lead, drawing with R Vaishali.
An Air India flight bound for Vancouver returned to Delhi after being airborne for seven hours due to an aircraft approval error. The Boeing 777-200 LR was not approved for the route, leading to the flight's return and subsequent rescheduling.
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.
'One Chinese interlocutor said India should realise that "China can do without India, but India could not do without China", pointing to its inability to do without Chinese intermediates and components,' former foreign secretary Shyam Saran discovers on a visit to China.
Security has been tightened around former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia as a medical team from China arrived to assist in her treatment. Zia is in critical condition at a private hospital in Dhaka, suffering from heart and lung infections.
India's compound archers, led by Rajat Chauhan and Chikitha Taniparthi, dominated the Asia Cup World Ranking Tournament, while the recurve team faced disappointment.
US President Donald Trump will travel to China in May for a rescheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, following a postponement due to the war in Iran. The White House has announced the new dates and indicated a reciprocal visit to Washington DC is planned.
'American stature has been reduced because they have not been able to achieve their aims.'
India's women's team faces a tough challenge against Japan in their second AFC Women's Asian Cup match after a narrow defeat to Vietnam. The team aims to maintain intensity and adapt tactically against the formidable Japanese side.
A female suicide bomber, allegedly trained by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), has been arrested in Pakistan, highlighting the group's tactics of brainwashing young individuals for terror attacks.
Domestic institutional investors, on the other hand, made a net investment of Rs 1.13 trillion during this period.
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.
India face Vietnam in their opening match of the AFC Women's Asian Cup, with concerns over India's lack of international game time.
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa faces a tough challenge at the Candidates Tournament, where he will compete against top players for the chance to challenge for the World Championship title.
Kiran George was defeated in the pre-quarterfinals of the Swiss Open, while Tharun Mannepalli advanced after his opponent retired. Other Indian players also faced setbacks in the tournament.
George Russell said Formula One's new engine and chassis regulations made racing feel more like karting after the Mercedes driver won Saturday's Chinese Grand Prix sprint race.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has briefed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation in West Asia. This follows Pakistan's offer to host talks between the US and Iran to resolve the ongoing conflict.
George Russell held off the fast-starting Ferraris to win the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race for Mercedes on Saturday.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in West Asia, offering to host talks between the US and Iran and engaging with regional leaders to promote peace and stability.
India U20 women's team head coach Joakim Alexandersson expresses confidence in his team's progress ahead of the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup in Thailand, highlighting improvements in ball movement, passing, and defensive organisation.
Vikram Doraiswami, a seasoned diplomat, has been appointed as India's new ambassador to China, succeeding Pradeep Kumar Rawat. This decision comes as both countries attempt to improve bilateral relations following a period of strain.
Galgotias University issued an apology after falsely presenting a Chinese-manufactured robotic dog as their own innovation at the India AI Impact Summit, sparking controversy and leading to their removal from the event.
Lakshya Sen defeated Li Shifeng in straight games to reach the semifinals of the All England Open.
The 'rescue' operation occurred within kilometres of Iran's underground tunnel complex at Isfahan, assessed by the IAEA and US intelligence as holding a substantial portion of the country's 60 per cent enriched uranium stockpile. Retired senior US military officers have highlighted that the mission's footprint -- hundreds of special operators, multiple heavy-lift aircraft deep inside Iran -- appears outsized for recovering a single airman. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
In Operation Sindoor, Pakistan had deployed additional squadrons of the Chinese-origin HQ-9 air defence systems, which could not do much against the Indian aircraft when they brought down multiple terror targets inside Pakistan.
'TTP has vowed to take revenge for the attacks that Pakistan is carrying out against Afghanistan.' 'To diminish this threat, Pakistan is hitting Afghanistan hard.'
The India-EU free trade deal could help Indian-made cars enter Europe at lower costs and challenge Chinese dominance.
'Nehru was an idealist, he was certainly a visionary in one way, but Mao Zedong was not. Mao Zedong was a very down-to-earth strategist. He wanted to take Tibet, to take the plateau, to take the rivers, to take the minerals.'
The All India Football Federation's women's committee chief, Valanka Alemao, has alleged procedural lapses by the body's technical committee led to a series of blunders during the national team's Asian Cup campaign, including ill-fitting jerseys.
'Oil is still well below its all-time highs, and the world is gradually running out of known reserves.'
India's recurve and compound archers showcased their skills at the Asia Cup World Ranking Tournament Stage 1, securing top qualification spots in multiple events despite fielding a relatively inexperienced team.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered to mediate between the US and Iran to de-escalate the ongoing conflict in West Asia, following a joint US-Israel attack on Iran. Sharif has been in contact with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other nations to promote dialogue and diplomacy.
'For the first time in a hundred years, the army has been taken out of the political equation. And for the first time ever, there is only one man who calls the shots. Not even Mao had this kind of power.'
Two shooters allegedly involved in the murder of a property dealer in Chandigarh have been arrested following a joint operation by Punjab and Haryana Police.
