The Saudi-led coalition issued a stern warning to Yemen's Houthi rebels after intercepting a drone targeting Mecca, Islam's holiest city. Describing it as a "hostile and terrorist act," the coalition declared the security of holy sites a "red line" and vowed deterrent measures. This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, with both sides exchanging accusations of military operations and civilian targeting.
Bangladesh has launched a diplomatic inquiry, seeking comprehensive details from Saudi Arabia regarding the recent execution of two Bangladeshi citizens in Makkah.
India on Tuesday firmly rejected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's reference to Jammu and Kashmir during his address at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), asserting that the issue pertains strictly to the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
A question has been raised whether the Mecca Pact will have a negative impact on our doctrine that the Operation Sindoor has only been suspended and that it would be resumed if Pakistan engages in terrorism in the future. But the Mecca Pact only speaks of aggression, not defence against terrorism, points out Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has reiterated the nation's unwavering commitment to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, underscoring its role in regional security following an attempted drone attack near the holy city of Mecca. The pact, signed by Pakistan, Turkiye, and Saudi Arabia, establishes a framework for collective deterrence against armed attacks.
Pakistan and Turkiye have agreed to deploy military forces in Saudi Arabia as part of the Makkah Alliance for Defence. This decision follows recent attacks by Houthi rebels and aims to strengthen collective deterrence against threats to Saudi Arabia. The alliance, formed in August, considers an attack on one member as an attack on all.
India has once again raised alarms over the escalation in the security situation in the Red Sea area and strongly condemned Houthi strikes targeting Saudi Arabian territory, "including on civilians and economic assets."
Karnataka Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddi stated that Islam is "greater" than other religions and expressed a desire to visit Mecca, despite being a non-Muslim. These remarks, made at a mass marriage event, drew sharp criticism from BJP leader R Ashoka, who accused the minister of portraying Sanatana Dharma in an inferior light and demanded his apology or removal from the cabinet by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
Ahead of Xi Jinping's visit, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held extensive talks in Beijing on August 25 on the boundary issue and reached an eight-point consensus.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has issued a stern warning that the Makkah Defence Alliance, a newly formed pact between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye, stands ready to activate its collective defence provisions in response to escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
'It beggars belief that Saudi Arabia would deploy military force against India, a top partner and market.'
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed a key joint defence agreement under which an attack against one of them will be treated as an attack against all of them, amid increasing security concerns in the wake of escalating tensions in West Asia.
Any military response to a cross-border terror attack from Pakistan will have to take into account the new alignments beginning to take shape in the region, points out former foreign secretary Shyam Saran.
Pakistan, Turkiye, and Saudi Arabia have signed a trilateral defence pact, agreeing to treat an attack on one as an attack on all. Analysts suggest this alliance could significantly diminish the United States' strategic influence in West Asia and elevate Pakistan's geopolitical standing, potentially acting as a deterrent in regional conflicts.
Bangladesh-China and Bangladesh-US relations have evolved from reluctant engagement to increasingly consequential strategic partnerships.
The ministry of external affairs on Friday dismissed as 'fake news' reports alleging that India had requested Israel to sign a defence pact in response to the newly formed Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-Turkey security framework.
Kolkata's iconic 'FIFA Gully' has transformed a small neighbourhood lane into a colourful World Cup attraction, with murals and giant cut-outs of Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and other football stars celebrating the city's enduring love for the beautiful game.
The monsoon session of Parliament will set the tone for how the Hindu community feels about what happened at the Ram Mandir. Whether emotions will be stirred within the voters of India lies solely at the oratory skills of the Congressis and Samajwadis, notes Zainab Sikander.
He posted a picture on X and captioned it 'ALHAMDULILAH'.
Former captain Diana Edulji believes openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma finding form quickly will be imperative and crucial to India's chances of winning the Women's T20 World Cup.
The Bombay High Court has discharged four men accused in the 2006 Malegaon blast case, overturning a special court order that had framed charges against them. The accused were charged under the Indian Penal Code and the UAPA.
The Bombay High Court has discharged four men accused in the 2006 Malegaon serial bomb blasts, overturning charges including terror-related offences. The ruling raises questions about who was responsible for the explosions that resulted in 31 fatalities.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised the deployment of CRPF armoured vehicles during the Assembly elections, accusing the BJP-led Centre of using government resources to favour their party. She also addressed concerns of potato farmers and urged them to sell their produce in other states.
Tips to avoid the heat, crowds, and travel risks, including incidents like the tragic Mufrihat accident that killed 45 Indian pilgrims.
Pankaja and O'Sey Balamma bring deeply personal yet universally resonant stories to Sundance. They represent a new wave of South Indian storytelling, blending cultural authenticity with cinematic innovation, and mark an important step in amplifying regional voices on the international stage.
Pakistan was created as a result of the 1947 Partition of then-undivided India, and the Sindh region near the river Indus has been part of Pakistan since then.
Satadru Dutta's rise was swift and ambitious. But that journey took a dramatic nosedive on Saturday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "deeply saddened" by the bus accident in Saudi Arabia's Medinah, in which several Indian Umrah pilgrims are feared dead.
Indian football remained in a state of terminal decline after experiencing arguably its darkest phase in a year marked by severe administrative crisis, court hearings, financial issues, absence of domestic leagues, and a steep decline in performance of the senior men's team.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) issued a statement clarifying that Lionel Messi's event in Kolkata was a private event organised by a PR agency and the federation was not involved in the "planning or execution" of the event at Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
'If at all human beings require a religion, the future religion will be Hinduism.'
The biryani, happily, was the very definition of simple. light-textured, with a subtle tomato-ey twang, it reminded me a lot of a North Indian pulao. The flavour whack came from the sweet-sour Khatta Baingan simmered in a gravy of tamarind, jaggery, fried mustard seeds, and spices, served with it.
Radical Islamist networks are deliberately targeting Muslim youths embedded within the country's professional and academic ecosystems, leveraging their skills, mobility, and digital reach to quietly strengthen operational capabilities. This trend highlights a dangerous evolution in terror recruitment -- one that exploits ideological faultlines, online echo chambers and transnational radical Islamist influences to attract individuals who outwardly embody India's modern and aspirational narrative, points out Dr Kanchan Lakshman.
KL Rahul becomes second India batter after Vengsarkar to score more than one Test ton at Lord's
'What we need to watch is how Saudi Arabia's financial assistance will be used by Pakistan. If the funds go to build their military hardware and operations, it should worry us.'
Manchester United's star football Paul Pogba paid a visit to Mecca -- the holiest site of Islam to mark the start of Ramadan.
For the first time a serving army officer was accused of terrorism.
After starring in Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 12, Jannat is getting ready for another exciting reality show, The Traitors.
Pogba regularly makes the Hajj pilgrimage to celebrate Ramadan
The MiG-21's sharp silhouette and supersonic roar will live on in the memories of those who flew it, those who maintained it, and those who watched it streak across the sky as a symbol of India's strength, asserts IAF veteran Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).
