Trump seems to have estimated that Ghalibaf is a pragmatic politician who is receptive to close relations with the US and is enthusiastic about fostering business and economic ties in particular, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy and his remarks referencing the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to the West Asia situation.
The delegations from the US and Iran head to Islamabad on Friday, carrying a ceasefire that is already fraying, a Strait that is technically open and practically closed, and a negotiating agenda that would challenge even parties actually negotiating in good faith, which these groups are not. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
Delhi Police have arrested a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) handler, Shabir Ahmed Lone, from the Ghazipur area. He is believed to have links with Pakistan's ISI and was allegedly involved in a terror module planning attacks in India.
Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting supports Marco Jansen's late arrival for the IPL, acknowledging logistical challenges faced by South African players after the T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh has reportedly contacted the PCB seeking diplomatic help as they look to pile on pressure on the ICC to shift their T20 World Cup matches to Sri Lanka.
One of the most uncivilised characteristics of this war has been the total disregard for international law and the laws of armed conflict, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
The fragile ceasefire in West Asia between the US and Iran to halt the hostilities in the region for two weeks faces renewed uncertainty as Tehran reportedly moved to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz once again due to Israel's intensified offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to Iranian state media Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), which US President Trump says was "not included" as part of the ceasefire deal.
The ICC has announced the distribution of a record USD 11.25 million prize fund following the men's T20 World Cup, with champions India receiving the largest share.
US President Donald Trump has shared an article suggesting that the option of enforcing a naval blockade was available in the context of Iran, as peace talks ended in a stalemate in Islamabad after differences of opinion arose between the two parties on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear capacities.
Two men have been arrested in Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly sharing photos and location details of religious sites with a Pakistan-based gangster network, raising concerns of a potential terror plot.
Newly declassified documents from the United States National Security Archive have revealed that Pakistan's nuclear proliferation was a significant concern for both the US and Russia, with leaders expressing 'nervous' fears about the country's atomic stability.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday backed Israel's ongoing military operation in Lebanon, stating that Hezbollah "was not included" in the recent ceasefire deal between Washington and Tehran, which halted the conflict in West Asia for two weeks.
The result extends a difficult run for the West Indies, who were coming off a clean sweep of defeats across formats against Australia earlier in the week.
Israel will continue its offensive in South Lebanon aimed at neutralising the threat from Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran.
The brave displays of cricket's second-tier nations were the brightest feature of the Twenty20 World Cup, which got off to a rocky start and culminated in a predictable home win for white-ball behemoths India on Sunday.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday claimed that Tehran "begged" for a truce, maintaining that Washington achieved a "decisive military victory" during 'Operation Epic Fury.'
Cricket Ireland is planning a Euro Nations Cup, with chairman Brian MacNeice targeting a 2027 launch.
Trump has made it clear: the US will not lift its blockade of Iranian ports until a deal is signed.
Darren Sammy: 'We are most people's second favourite team, but we're playing against their favourite.'
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Washington is considering a "joint venture" with Iran to secure the Strait of Hormuz, following his announcement of a two-week ceasefire.
For India, a win against the West Indies will guarantee a semifinal spot, with four points making net run rate a non-issue.
The core issues to be settled -- access to Hormuz, Israel's aggression in Lebanon, the question of Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions relief and compensation -- are thorny enough to require weeks of patient negotiation. The most likely outcome of the opening sessions is that both sides take the measure of each other, establish what is and is not negotiable, and return home without having broken anything. That would count as progress.
Praise poured in from all corners for Sanju Samson who guided India to a victory over the West Indies in a virtual quarterfinal in their T20 World Cup Super 8 match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, on Sunday.
Hundreds of Indian seafarers are stranded on vessels carrying crude oil, LPG, and LNG in the Persian Gulf due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, causing disruptions to India's energy supplies.
The ceasefire is still technically holding, to the extent that no overt hostilities have been reported yet, but the rhetoric has hardened dangerously. The week ahead will also clarify whether the Islamabad failure was a negotiating tactic or whether Washington has genuinely locked itself into a position from which the only exits are climb-down, escalation, or the slow bleed of a new status quo that nobody chose and nobody controls. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
England-born Richard Pybus has been appointed as the head coach of the Afghanistan cricket team, replacing Jonathan Trott.
Indian-flagged vessels are navigating the Strait of Hormuz safely despite ongoing tensions in the region, ensuring the continued flow of vital energy supplies to India.
A divisional level officer said that over 1,900 domicile certificates have been granted to West Pakistan refugees and the process to grant all of them citizenship certificates is going on.
The cost of the war is being counted not in the corridors of power in Washington or Tehran, but in Firozabad's darkened furnace rooms, Howrah's idle casting sheds, and a barbershop in Kochi where the wait is suddenly, inexplicably, an hour long, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Iran on Thursday spelled out three conditions to end the war with Israel and the United States, which entered its thirteenth day today. Taking to X, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said he reaffirmed the country's commitment to peace during talks with leaders of Russia and Pakistan.
By appearing to privilege ideological affinity over strategic balance, India risks eroding the trust painstakingly built across West Asia. Once the perception takes hold that India's friendship is conditional and transactional, rebuilding credibility will be difficult, warns Amberish K Diwanji.
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.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that the country has held no "direct" talks with the United States as of now and added that it has received messages through some mediators regarding the US' desire for negotiations.
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir predicts India will not reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, despite their strong group stage performance.
India's recent T20 World Cup victory signals a new era of dominance in the format, driven by strategic gameplay, exceptional talent, and the financial power of the BCCI, while other teams struggle to compete.
Team India opener Abhishek Sharma continued to stay at the top of the ICC Men's T20I batting charts despite a horrendous run in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
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.
ICC have announced the list of officials for the Super 8s, starting with New Zealand-Pakistan duel in Group 2 on Saturday, February 21.
