Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru carried off from last season with dominating performances in their opening two games of IPL 2026.
Former US President Donald Trump claimed victory over Iran, stating they agreed to never have a nuclear weapon and provided a 'significant prize' related to the Strait of Hormuz. He also suggested a change in Iranian leadership and acknowledged Pakistan's role in facilitating talks.
The Kremlin has announced it will not disclose data on crude oil exports to India, citing concerns about 'ill-wishers'. This decision follows reports of increased Russian oil supplies to India and China amid geopolitical tensions.
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.
A US Congressman has introduced a resolution urging the US government to recognise the 1971 atrocities committed against Bengali Hindus in Bangladesh by the Pakistani Army as a genocide, seeking justice and historical acknowledgement.
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.
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.
Brace yourself for Sunny Deol's roaring patriotism and more on OTT this week, as Sukanya Verma lists your choices.
In a testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, also said that the threats to the US were set to expand collectively from more than 3,000 missiles at present to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035.
Ali Mousavi stated that such cooperation is essential for maintaining stability in the strategic waterway.
The ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran intensified sharply with attacks on critical energy infrastructure across the Gulf, even as US President Donald Trump said he had cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against targeting Iran's key South Pars Gas Field.
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.
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.
Iran has blamed the US for disruptions in oil and gas shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, citing 'destabilising actions' as the cause amid the ongoing West Asia conflict and rising energy prices.
Sourav Ganguly supports the IPL's Impact Player rule, despite criticism from players like Axar Patel.
Russia has shared intelligence with Iran that could help Tehran target American warships, aircraft and other military assets in the region, according to United States intelligence assessments cited by media reports, marking the first indication of Moscow's possible involvement in the ongoing conflict. Officials familiar with US intelligence findings said a significant portion of the shared information reportedly includes imagery from Russia's network of surveillance satellites.
The outreach comes amid a drop in Indian student enrolments in management programmes at American universities last year, following changes to US student visa policies.
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.
India's loss to South Africa in the T20 World Cup Super 8s has sparked outrage among fans, who are questioning Coach Gautam Gambhir's decision to bench Axar Patel in favour of Washington Sundar.
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.
India defend the decision to drop Axar Patel for Washington Sundar against South Africa, calling it a tactical call based on powerplay match-ups.
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.
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 has rejected a report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) that criticised India's record on religious freedom and called for linking US security assistance and trade to improvements in this area.
Michael B Jordan's emotional Oscar win for Sinners celebrates a milestone for Black representation in Hollywood, honouring the actors who paved the way and inspired future generations.
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.
Hegseth said the military campaign, code-named Operation Epic Fury, against Iran is "laser focused" and "decisive," with objectives set directly by the US administration remaining unchanged since the start of operations.
'Engaged in very fruitful discussions to expand our trade and economic partnership.'
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.
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.
'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.'
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.
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.
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.
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.
Piyush Goyal on Friday rejected reports suggesting that India is planning to hold off trade deal with the United States for several months.
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 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.
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.
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.
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