Despite suffering their first defeat in the qualifiers, India are still in contention. The meet group leaders Iran in a do-or-die match on Sunday. Victory in that match will secure India's passage to the AFC Asian Cup for the 10th time in history.
Iranian news agencies have denied reports of Iranian officials travelling to Pakistan for negotiations with the United States, even as Pakistan prepares for potential talks and faces criticism from Israel.
US Vice President JD Vance leads a delegation to Islamabad for talks with Iran, expressing optimism while warning against bad faith negotiations from Tehran.
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.
Iran has announced the Strait of Hormuz is open to commercial vessels, coinciding with a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.
Global energy markets saw a significant correction as oil prices nosedived following Iran's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz has been fully reopened, dismantling the 'war-risk' premium that had gripped the market.
Delegations from the US and Iran have arrived in Islamabad for talks aimed at resolving the conflict between the two nations, following a ceasefire brokered by Pakistan. The negotiations are being closely watched due to their potential impact on regional security and global diplomacy.
The India U17 women's team concluded their series of friendlies in Sochi with a third defeat to Russia, losing 3-0. This series was part of their preparation for the upcoming AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2026.
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.
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.
Is the current rally telegraphing a durable peace plan in West Asia, boosted by United States (US) President Donald Trump's incoherent and contradictory posts on social media?
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 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.
The ministry of external affairs on Monday said that a joint statement could not be issued following the BRICS deputy foreign ministers and special envoys on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) meeting, which took place on April 24 in the national capital, as member countries were unable to reach a general consensus concerning the conflict in West Asia.
India's impressive run in the AFC Women's U17 Asian Cup concluded with a 3-0 defeat against China in the quarter-finals, ending their hopes for a historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup.
The clock on the ceasefire is running out. But everyone's already whispering about round two, possibly as soon as this weekend.
The Indian U-17 Women's team is set to play a three-match friendly series against Russia in Sochi as part of their preparations for the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup 2026.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have conducted a massive military operation targeting more than 200 infrastructure sites within Iran and an additional 140 Hezbollah assets across Lebanon.
Israel will continue its offensive in South Lebanon aimed at neutralising the threat from Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.
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.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran's National Security Committee, stated that diplomatic talks with the US are governed by national interest and security, viewing negotiations as an extension of military efforts.
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).
India has condemned recent attacks on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, following the death of an Indonesian peacekeeper. India urged all parties to ensure the safety and security of the Blue Helmets and called for accountability for crimes against peacekeepers.
Israel has strongly condemned Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's "outrageous" remarks calling for Israel's annihilation and labelling it "evil" and a "curse for humanity", raising doubts about Pakistan's role as a "neutral arbiter" for peace.
India's AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup campaign began with a 0-2 defeat against Australia, marking their return to the competition after 21 years. Theodora Mouithys and an own goal secured the win for Australia.
The Indian rupee appreciated by 23 paise to settle at 92.91 against the US dollar, driven by a weakening American currency, retreating crude oil prices, and renewed foreign institutional investor (FII) inflows amid increasing hopes of easing geopolitical tensions.
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.
...is a way out, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War. What the indefinite extension produces is a prolonged condition of not-war-not-peace, in which oil markets cannot stabilise, Asian refineries cannot plan, European governments cannot stop subsidising consumption they cannot afford, and the next flashpoint -- a seized tanker, a miscalculated drone strike, a Truth Social post that claims too much -- is one news cycle away.
Occasionally, the silence of the night shift would be shattered by an ear-splitting alarm: 'ALERT, ALERT... This is a security warning.' We were drilled to move away from the windows and avoid the lifts, recalls Krishna Kumar NP, a veteran Dubai-based journalist.
The Indian Under-17 women's football team will play three friendly matches against Russia in Sochi from April 11 to 17 as part of their preparations for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup.
Tensions escalated dramatically on March 5, 2026, as the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, triggering retaliatory explosions across Tehran, Sanandaj, and beyond.
US President Donald Trump stated that military strikes against Iran could resume if they 'misbehave,' even as he reviews a new proposal from Tehran aimed at ending the paused conflict.
Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on Pope Leo XIV over the pontiff's views on American foreign policy and crime, escalating tensions between the White House and the Vatican.
Lapid said the Israeli military carried out everything that was asked of it, but Netanyahu failed politically and strategically.
Pakistan is set to host face-to-face talks between the United States and Iran, aiming to solidify a fragile ceasefire and prevent further conflict in West Asia. The discussions will focus on a long-term peace arrangement, including sanctions relief, regional security, and Iran's nuclear program.
'Iran cannot trust the USA because it considers the USA to be Israel-controlled. And no, the IRGC is not going to accept anything else but major US concessions.'
Indian equities on Dalal Street saw volatility as global market trends and fresh tariff concerns linked to Donald Trump impacted investor sentiment. Track Sensex, Nifty50 movement and key market drivers for April 9, 2026.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty experienced a significant tumble in early trade, driven by surging global oil prices, continuous outflows by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs), and persistent geopolitical uncertainties, particularly in West Asia.
As the negotiations continued, the Iranian government said on social media that "talks between Iran and the US in Islamabad entered the expert-level stage as economic, military, legal, and nuclear committees joined in".
India's U17 women's team faces a tough challenge against Japan in the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup after an initial defeat to Australia. Coach Pamela Conti emphasises the need for a focused and perfect match to compete against the formidable Japanese side.
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