It is an unusual choice to depute a retired general for the funeral of a revered religious figure but a thoughtful one in an attempt to inject verve into the bilateral relationship and restore the equilibrium in India's West Asian policies, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The International Olympic Committee has provisionally lifted its ban on the Russian Olympic Committee, which was imposed in 2023. This decision opens the door for Russian athletes to return to international competitions, including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, though the use of national symbols remains undecided.
Indian companies' overseas expansion plans are holding strong despite geopolitical tensions in West Asia, driven by structural factors like supply-chain diversification, free trade agreements, and market expansion, according to Ajay Sharma, managing director and head of banking at HSBC India.
Two family members of Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian general killed in a US strike in 2020, have been arrested in the United States after their residency permits were rescinded.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar amid American demand that countries mediating the peace talks with Iran join the Abraham Accords and establish diplomatic and economic ties with Israel.
The Indian government is set to accelerate reforms, including measures to enhance foreign direct investment, speed up divestment, and boost asset monetisation, to maintain economic growth despite rising fuel and fertiliser import costs driven by the West Asia crisis.
Khamenei urged the pilgrims for unity and called on them to pray for "the liberation of Palestine and Al-Aqsa Mosque, the alleviation of the great hardships afflicting Muslims, and the attainment of ultimate victory against global arrogance."
One of the most important provisions this year is that qualifying NEET-PG does not automatically guarantee participation in counselling.
'The flip side of this is that he won't hesitate to call out India if he thinks its policies are hurting US economic interests or border US foreign policy goals.'
Legendary economist and former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan has died at the age of 100 due to complications related to Parkinson's disease, his wife Andrea Mitchell confirmed.
For the foreseeable future, the most likely outcome remains continuation of the status quo. Taiwan will remain self-governing without formally declaring independence, while China continues to apply sustained pressure short of war, predict Krishnan Srinivasan and Manoj Mohanka.
Indian startup funding plummeted by 43 per cent year-on-year to $7.81 billion between March 1 and June 15, 2026, largely due to the West Asia conflict, which has amplified global risk perceptions, tightened liquidity, and led to rupee depreciation, making global investors cautious.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that Iran is instead working with Oman to establish a mechanism for the safe passage of ships through the Strait.
'Why not aspire for 8 or 9 or even 10 per cent?'
Top leaders from the US, Iran, and Pakistan, along with other nations, have gathered in Switzerland for high-level talks aimed at restoring peace in West Asia. These negotiations follow a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran, initiating a 60-day window for a deal. Discussions focus on Iran's nuclear programme and the fragile interim peace deal, amidst renewed tensions and the fluctuating status of the Strait of Hormuz.
India has expressed serious concerns about the West Asia crisis and its potential impact on energy supplies and maritime stability, urging BRICS nations to find practical solutions to geopolitical challenges and unilateral sanctions.
The 42-year-old, who has had stints at Microsoft, Facebook and Twitter, made the announcement of leaving his role as Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence in a post on X on Saturday.
Through his commitment to democratic norms, debate, dissent and constitutionalism, Jawaharlal Nehru helped ensure that parliamentary democracy took deep root in independent India. Utkarsh Mishra evaluates Nehru's 17 years as India's first prime minister, examining his role in nation-building, democratic institution-building, economic planning, scientific advancement and foreign policy.
Rupert Lowe, leader of the far-right Restore Britain party in the UK, has sparked controversy with anti-immigration posts targeting Indian and Pakistani immigrants, leading to a social media backlash and raising concerns ahead of a crucial by-election.
The mayor of Arcadia, California, Eileen Wang, has agreed to plead guilty for acting as an illegal agent of China, according to the US Department of Justice. Wang, along with her then-fiance, Yaoning 'Mike' Sun, were charged with promoting pro-China propaganda in the US at the behest of Chinese government officials.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have reaffirmed their commitment to dismantling global hegemonism and building a 'multipolar world' during high-level talks in Beijing.
'Every year we import approximately $70 billion worth of gold -- closer to $72 billion in 2025-2026, an all-time record.' 'There is no parallel for this anywhere in the world. And this love for gold will not disappear overnight.'
An Indian doctoral student from Tamil Nadu, Q Manivannan, has sparked a debate on immigration and representation in UK politics after winning a local election in Scotland. Manivannan's victory has drawn criticism from anti-immigration voices, highlighting the rules that allow foreign nationals to contest elections in Scotland.
S Mahendra Dev, chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, expressed confidence that the rupee would stabilise around the 92-93 level against the US dollar, despite geopolitical tensions, and that foreign investment flows would return.
rediffGURU Pankaj Vyavahare, career counsellor and life coach at the Bhagirath Counselling Centre, counsels students on how to make informed career choices.
'Nepal today is far more aware, self-confident, aspirational, and assertive.' 'India's policy so far has not been geared to this shift. It is time to redraw our Nepal strategy.'
'What exactly is on the prime minister's mind, we do not know. But it feels like the government wants the country to be prepared for unseen challenges ahead.'
Relations with India experienced a downturn during Yunus's tenure, while ties with Pakistan saw positive developments.
rediffGURU Nayagam PP, career counsellor and founder of EduJob360 explains why cracking the UPSC exam is a dream for lakhs of young Indians.
The broader conflict in West Asia, the largest international market for Indian carriers, has forced a sharp reduction in daily flights relative to the summer schedule.
The official statement highlighted that these "blatant Iranian attacks" have also targeted members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and several other Arab and Islamic nations.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in New Delhi for a six-day visit, marking the first high-level trip from Kabul since the Taliban's takeover. He is scheduled to meet with Indian officials to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the West Asia conflict's impact on the global economy, particularly energy security, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He also engaged with GCC ambassadors and his Sri Lankan and German counterparts on the same issue.
Iran was the chance to arrange a concert of nations, to actually be a Vishwaguru. Instead, we are watching from the sidelines as Pakistan, the same country that is apparently still at war with Afghanistan, hosts talks between US-Israel and Iran. The irony is hard to miss, points out Amberish K Diwanji.
A woman in Goa has been booked for allegedly concealing her Portuguese nationality and fraudulently enrolling in the voter list.
China and Bhutan held the 15th Expert Group Meeting to discuss boundary alignment, focusing on areas where there are no disputes, and agreed to maintain the momentum of negotiations.
The targeted eastern area is of immense strategic importance, as it is where the "majority of the country's oil resources are located."
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
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.
'The West Asia or the Gulf crisis has shown that what we develop as national infrastructure when things are not as bad as they could be, we forget to plan for adversities.'
