Olympic Council of Asia Director General Husain Al Musallam defended Japan's decision not to have a dedicated Athletes' Village for the Aichi-Nagoya Games, citing cost and sustainability. This comes amidst criticism over accommodation chaos. Musallam confirmed that future Asian Games in Doha (2030) and Riyadh (2034) will feature dedicated villages, emphasising flexibility and legacy considerations. He also supported the increasing number of athletes, highlighting the importance of sport in current global crises.
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.
The mortal remains of a 26-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh, who was killed in a suspected missile attack in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have been returned to his family in Sitapur. Ravi Gopal, who worked as a driver, died on March 18. The Ministry of External Affairs has expressed condolences and facilitated the repatriation of his body.
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has dismissed concerns about organisational chaos at the Asian Games, attributing criticisms to attempts to "politicise" the event. Despite widespread issues like accommodation scarcity, lengthy check-ins, and athlete complaints, OCA officials insist challenges are normal and are being handled effectively. They also addressed a diplomatic complaint from South Korea regarding a historical figure at a welcome ceremony and defended cost-saving measures like container-style accommodation.
A 26-year-old Indian man working in Riyadh has reportedly been killed in a suspected missile attack, according to his family. They are seeking official confirmation and assistance from the Indian government to repatriate his body.
Mike McCabe, COO and Deputy CEO of the Esports Foundation, believes India has "more potential than any country on the planet" for esports, citing its enormous fan base, improving competitive ecosystem, and evolving policy environment as key drivers for rapid acceleration in the sport.
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.
An Indian national was killed in an attack on Kuwait International Airport, prompting the Indian Embassy to offer condolences and assistance. The attack, attributed to Iranian strikes, led to the suspension of air traffic and caused casualties and damage.
The targeted eastern area is of immense strategic importance, as it is where the "majority of the country's oil resources are located."
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.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed the deaths of eight Indian nationals and one missing person in West Asia due to the ongoing conflict. The Indian government is providing support to affected families and facilitating the return of citizens from the region.
What we are watching is something different: A fog manufactured and maintained by the people who started the war, so that the question of why it was started never has to be answered, observes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the war in the Middle East.
The entry of other Arab countries in the mutual defence deal between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is not ruled out, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said, adding that 'doors are not closed' for such developments.
'The background for the Saudi-Pakistan agreement is the fact that the regional security order has collapsed due to the Israeli attack on Doha.' 'The Americans have largely abandoned their security guarantee for West Asia and the region has no choice but to look at alternatives.'
The final NRC, a list of Indian citizens residing in Assam, was released in 2019 by excluding 19,06,657 people. However, it has not been notified by the Registrar General of India, leaving the controversial document without any official validity.
The US move to align with Russia is prompted by fear of a Sino-Russian joint threat. Russia, fully aware of its military vulnerability vis a vis China may cautiously welcome the American move, assesses Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
'Putin dreams about his legacy. He wants to forcibly restore the Russian empire.' 'Unfortunately, after three years of large-scale war with massive human losses, Putin will not budge from his goal because human life is the cheapest resource in the Russian State.'
'The Saudis are in the driving seat in navigating the relations with India; they set its compass and calibrate its pace,' points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
India was earlier slated to host the summit in 2022.
Modi will embark on a three-nation tour beginning March 30 during which he will attend the crucial Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, India-EU Summit in Brussels and travel to Saudi Arabia, a key partner of India in the sensitive Gulf region.
A total of 11.45 lakh candidates out of 20.38 lakh have qualified the examination, up by 48 per cent from last year.
"We had a crazy coach who gave us instructions and motivated us strongly during halftime," Saudi Arabia midfielder Abdel-Ilah al-Maliki told Al-Kass TV station after the win over Argentina.
'The attacks made clear to all the Gulf States that Pakistan was the nursery and sanctuary of extremist violence and that this violence threatened all the countries in the region.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for the Belgian capital as part of a three-nation tour during which he will attend the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington and visit.
Russian forces have made minimal progress on land, sea or air in recent days and they continue to suffer heavy losses, the UK's ministry of defence said on Thursday.
A picture of a Socceroos fan holding up a sign saying, "Give us a public holiday", was widely shared on social media.
Pro-Palestinian sympathies among fans have also spilt into stadiums as four Arab teams compete
As a politician, Yadav is amiable and a consensus-maker, not hamstrung by dogma.
'Qatar has been funding and supporting terrorist organisations.' 'It has used its media to spread lies and create unrest in neighbouring countries.'
A dominant India remained in pursuit of a comprehensive victory after Bangladesh finished the penultimate day at a precarious 103 for three, chasing a mammoth target of 459 in the one-off Test in Hyderabad.
The list, according to media reports, also features reducing ties with Iran and closing a Turkish military base.
Trump becomes first sitting US President to pray at the Western Wall.
Not with standing the Western nations' zeal to wage a war against the group, unless its source of funding is known and curbed, its rampage will likely continue.
'Mr Trump is too capricious to be trusted,' says Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
Summary of World Cup qualifiers played across the world on Thursday
'Agreements signed between the Maldives and China have seriously worried India.'
Rediff.com brings you a glance of all the action from the week gone by.
India looks less equal to China than 5 years ago, the strategic alliance with the US is hobbled by trade, and Pakistan is looking anything but chastened by Balakot. What has gone wrong? asks Shekhar Gupta.
He was arrested after a 'brief exchange of fire'.
With the Rafale fighter deal stuck over price negotiations, can the prime minister step in and find a way out for both countries?
