India has strongly condemned Pakistan's military airstrikes against Afghanistan, citing significant civilian casualties, and criticised its 'trade and transit terrorism' against Afghan traders, calling these actions blatant violations of international law and UN norms.
India has expressed firm opposition to attacks on merchant shipping amidst the ongoing Iran conflict, revealing that several Indian nationals have died or are missing due to these incidents. The nation also called for restraint, de-escalation, and prioritising civilian safety in the region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Indonesian parliament, emphasising India's commitment to development over expansionism and advocating for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. He highlighted the strong historical ties between India and Indonesia, calling for enhanced cooperation in various sectors, including defence, technology, and counter-terrorism, amidst growing concerns over regional security.
Former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi has strongly criticised the Election Commission's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating it is 'focussed more on exclusion' and has 'played havoc with democracy' by disturbing free and fair elections.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise to students for alleged police brutality and resign along with Home Minister Amit Shah. Gandhi criticised the government's handling of student protests concerning the education and testing system, highlighting the use of force against demonstrators near Parliament.
'When you are standing for what the Constitution guarantees you, you are not alone.'
Dhamaal 4, the latest instalment in the comedy franchise, struggles with lazy writing, recycled jokes, and an over-reliance on self-referential humour, despite a committed cast.
'Actual implementation of the 14-point agreement is proving hard to achieve let alone striking and sustaining a long-term treaty or deal.'
India has accused Pakistan of violating the spirit of the Indus Waters Treaty by engaging in acts of terrorism and refusing to modify the treaty. India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, addressed the UN Security Council, highlighting Pakistan's disinformation regarding the treaty and its continued support for cross-border terrorism. He stated that India has always acted responsibly as an upper riparian state and that Pakistan's actions have jeopardized civilian lives, religious harmony, and economic prosperity. India has suspended the treaty until Pakistan ends its support for terrorism.
Tensions escalate at the UN Security Council as the US and Israel defend their military actions against Iran, while Iran condemns the strikes as war crimes, raising fears of a wider Middle East conflict.
Lawyers, spies, sexist men, goats and filthy rich folk, there are all kinds to be found on OTT this week
India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, delivered a sharp response to comments made by Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad.
'Vijay did not defeat Dravidian politics from outside. He entered the Dravidian field and claimed ownership of it. 'His argument was not that the room should be destroyed. It was that the present occupants no longer deserved to remain in it.'
The United Nations has said that the verdict against Bangladesh's ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina on charges of crimes against humanity is an 'important moment' for the victims, but expressed regret over the imposition of the death penalty.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Israeli Parliament, reaffirming India's support for Israel in the face of terrorism and expressing support for the Gaza peace initiative.
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
'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.'
Trump has made it clear: the US will not lift its blockade of Iranian ports until a deal is signed.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticizes Pakistan's attempts to protect a terror group at the UN Security Council, highlighting the need for urgent reforms within the global body.
'Today's girls are freer than the earlier generation. They perform more freely.'
Ask rediffGURU and tax expert Mihir Tanna your income tax-related questions
A UN spokesperson said an escalator at the UN headquarters that abruptly halted just as US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stepped onto it was stalled after a videographer accompanying them likely triggered a safety mechanism inadvertently while trying to capture their arrival.
Both sides have now revealed a preference for escalation over strategic defeat, and each new provocation narrows the space for the next pause. The Touska seizure, Iran's refusal to negotiate under blockade, Israel's strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure -- all of these add up to an increasingly untenable situation. This makes the wild card -- Trump and his motormouth -- more consequential than ever, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
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.
United States President Donald Trump has demanded an investigation into three 'sinister events' at the United Nations headquarters, including an escalator breaking down while he and First Lady Melania Trump were on it, describing them as 'triple sabotage'.
The LPG squeeze on India's restaurant sector is the quotidian face of a deeper crisis.
The purge in Washington does not pause the war. Strikes continue, Hormuz remains closed, and Brent crude is still dancing around $109 a barrel. For India, the command chaos in the Pentagon is another layer of uncertainty piled on five weeks of conflict that was already straining every buffer Delhi has.
'Filmmaking is such a weird line of work, artistic expression and collaboration.' 'It is letting go, then holding on to something, being democratic and then being tyrannical.'
The question is no longer whether the war will expand. It has. The next few days will tell us whether the war stabilises around Hormuz or whether the Strait itself becomes the trigger for a far larger rupture. What to watch for over the next 48 hours is simple: Any move by the US toward direct naval control of the Strait; any credible Iranian attempt to disrupt or mine shipping lanes and, critically, whether energy infrastructure in the Gulf continues to be targeted.If those lines are crossed in tandem, the war will no longer be containable within the region.
Iran is fighting a different war: Older, slower, and in some ways more dangerous. Iran doesn't need to shoot down an F/A-18. It only needs to make the Strait of Hormuz feel dangerous long enough for insurance markets, shipping companies, and oil futures traders to do the rest. Prem Panicker continues his must-read daily blog on the war in the Middle East.
'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.'
'To suddenly give the impression of taking a position that is hostile to Iran, or, at least, not friendly to Iran, is not a good thing.'
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.
'I suspect that Bangladesh being given permission stuck in India's official craw, and this story was an attempt to balance the scales by giving the impression that a similar waiver had been given to India as well.'
I am inclined to believe that the Venezuela adventure is not an indication of American strength, alas, but rather of American weakness, points out Rajeev Srinivasan.
Lavrov said that the US has set itself the objective of 'achieving economic domination', adding further to it that Americans want to control the routes to leading countries to provide its energy sources to them.
'It is best to remain vigilant. Tarique Rahman arranged arms smuggling to Indian insurgent groups.' 'He has criticised India for sheltering Sheikh Hasina, but has also sought India's support.'
'To have made it to the shortlist of 15 films for the Academy Award is a big deal for us.''
India has voiced regret over the Ukraine conflict's 'collateral consequences', including prices of fuel, saying countries of the Global South have been left to fend for themselves, as Delhi underscored that diplomatic efforts hold the promise to end the war and bring lasting peace.
World leaders, including Modi, also inaugurated the Gandhi Solar Park at the UN headquarters here and released a commemorative stamp issued by the UN on the occasion of Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary.
