The big question is whether Trump is any longer in command of the situation. For all practical purposes, the war seems set to cascade as the US is preparing for a potential ground operation in Iran and threatens to destroy 'bridges next, then electric power plants', points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The United States, which entered this war in expectation of a short, sharp win along the Venezuela model, is now preparing for deeper involvement in a conflict it does not fully control, without the allies it typically relies on, against an adversary that is not behaving as expected, in a global environment that is already absorbing economic shock. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
Donald Trump has warned Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or face military action, escalating tensions amid regional conflict and impacting global oil supplies.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru carried off from last season with dominating performances in their opening two games of IPL 2026.
Cooper Connolly slammed a fine unbeaten fifty as Punjab Kings defeated Gujarat Titans by three wickets in their opening Indian Premier League match on Tuesday.
Gujarat Titans' star players Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada will be looking to revive their international careers with strong performances in IPL 2026.
He also criticised the possible succession of the son of the late supreme leader of the Islamic Republic, Mojtaba Khamenei, who is widely viewed as a leading contender for the position.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered to host talks between the US and Iran to help resolve the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, following reports of Pakistan's involvement in backchannel diplomacy.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump outlined key goals of the campaign, including degrading Iran's missile capabilities, dismantling its defence industrial base, eliminating naval and air power, preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear capability, and protecting United States allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
If the Iranian regime needs to be punished for promoting quasi-terrorist outfits like Hezbollah and Hamas, then what about Pakistan which has spent decades exporting terror around the world, killing thousands, particularly in Afghanistan and India? asks M R Narayan Swamy.
Brace yourself for Sunny Deol's roaring patriotism and more on OTT this week, as Sukanya Verma lists your choices.
Nearly a year after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma stepped away from Test cricket, questions over how and why they retired continue to linger. Many fans still believe the decision may not have been entirely theirs, pointing to possible pressure from the selectors or the team management.
Ali Mousavi stated that such cooperation is essential for maintaining stability in the strategic waterway.
Amid escalating tensions with Iran, President Trump is urging nations dependent on Middle Eastern oil to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard critical global energy supplies.
India defend the decision to drop Axar Patel for Washington Sundar against South Africa, calling it a tactical call based on powerplay match-ups.
For weeks, the war skirted the edge of catastrophe without tipping over. Missiles flew, there was much destruction, commanders were assassinated, cities across the Gulf and even in Israel struggled to absorb the shock. But one line held: Energy infrastructure, the arteries of the global economy, remained largely untouched. That is no longer true. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
India's Washington Sundar has joined Hampshire for their last two match of the 2025 Championship campaign, the English county side announced on Thursday, weeks after the all-rounder emerged as one of the breakout stars of the Test series against England.
Sunil Gavaskar says India played with overconfidence and failed to adapt in their 76-run T20 World Cup defeat to South Africa, and backs Axar Patel's return for the Zimbabwe clash.
Delhi should keep all its options open in what is essentially a transitional period in the geopolitics of energy rather than remain a gatekeeper serving Trump's 'America First', suggests Ambasssador M K Bhadrakumar.
According to the report, the Pentagon is deploying the USS Tripoli ARG, along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), part of its own strike group.
A fit-again all-rounder Washington Sundar will link up with the Indian squad in New Delhi ahead of the Namibia game on February 12, skipper Suryakumar Yadav said after the team's 29-run win against the USA in the T20 World Cup in Mumbai on Saturday.
The United States has encouraged India to purchase Russian oil already at sea to mitigate supply shortages and price increases amid the West Asia conflict, according to Energy Secretary Chris Wright. This move is described as a short-term effort to stabilise the market without altering Washington's policy towards Russia.
Fight on toward goals that keep receding, or exit with most objectives unmet. Trump is agitated, his poll numbers falling below the Plimsoll line, his base fractured between those who back the war and those who remember that he campaigned on ending them.
Israel and the United States had a plan. Iran punched back. And now the Gulf is reeling, the world is beginning to feel the pain and, as on date, no one in Washington or Tel Aviv appears willing to admit that the punch has landed, notes Prem Panicker, continuing his must-read blog on the war in the Middle East.
Amid rising tensions in West Asia, China is urging all parties to cease military operations, following Trump's appeal for help in securing the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel wishes to continue its bombing campaign until Iran's military and industrial infrastructure are degraded to a point where it ceases to pose a threat to Israel. Iran, for its part, has learnt from its experience in the 12-day war of last June. Any ceasefire, it believes, will only be a prelude to another attack on itself. It is determined to convey that any attack on Iran will impose heavy costs on Israel, the US, America's allies in the Gulf -- and on the world at large, points out T T Ram Mohan.
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) office on Wednesday launched a sweeping investigation into manufacturing and industrial practices in 16 economies, including India, citing concerns over what it calls 'structural excess capacity' that could distort global trade. Announcing the move on a White House press call, Jamieson Greer said the probe would be conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, one of Washington, DC's most powerful trade enforcement tools.
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.
Alliances fight wars effectively only when they share an endgame. If Israel acted without US knowledge, then the military alliance is operating without real coordination at the level of strategic targeting. Neither picture is reassuring in a war that is no longer regional in its consequences. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
President Trump asserts the US military has decimated Iran's forces and no longer requires assistance from NATO allies to secure the Strait of Hormuz, despite earlier requests for support.
India opener Abhishek Sharma's availability for Thursday's match against Namibia is uncertain because of a stomach bug.
'The White House lunch that Trump hosted for Munir last year came just after Munir returned from a visit to Iran, at a moment when Israel and Iran were at war.' 'Trump said after that lunch that the Pakistanis know Iran very well. He likely views Munir as a useful interlocutor that can give helpful insights on Iran.'
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.
A new poll indicates that President Donald Trump's approval rating is suffering as economic anxieties and the rising cost of living weigh heavily on US voters, revealing deep political divides and widespread dissatisfaction with the government.
Trump claims the United States is performing exceptionally well in its ongoing conflict with Iran, citing weakened Iranian military capabilities and a strong US position.
Save yourself a seat on the couch to binge watch these many OTT offerings of the week.
The FBI has increased the reward money to USD one million for information leading to the capture of fugitives on its Ten Most Wanted list, which includes an Indian national wanted in a murder case and a cyber criminal involved in an ATM jackpotting scheme.
The US President had hosted Modi for an official working visit in Washington, DC, on February 13 last year.
US President Donald Trump stated the war with Iran would end 'soon,' citing significant military gains and minimal remaining targets. This contradicts earlier administration statements about an open-ended timeline.
US President Donald Trump stated that the decision regarding the conclusion of the conflict with Iran will be a 'mutual' decision made in coordination with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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