The clock on the ceasefire is running out. But everyone's already whispering about round two, possibly as soon as this weekend.
S&P Global Ratings warns that Indian oil marketing companies like IOC, BPCL, and HPCL may face reduced profit margins due to rising crude oil prices and government pressure to maintain stable retail prices.
As days turn into weeks and America loses more planes, as the destruction of trillions of dollars worth military assets piles up, and dead bodies of soldiers return in ever greater numbers in coffins, Trump will have to answer some very difficult questions to save his presidency, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
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.
'The next two to three weeks will not be decided in Washington.' 'They will be decided in Tehran, in whatever calculation Iran makes about the costs of continued resistance against the costs of appearing to have yielded.'
Netherlands will aim to combine strong batting and disciplined bowling to secure a win against the United States of America in a crucial Group A T20 World Cup match, essential for their Super Eights qualification hopes.
'Without ground troops the US will not be able to oust the Iranian Islamic regime. Political change does not happen just by using bombs or planes.'
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.
'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.'
'We are profoundly energy-dependent on the Gulf. That dependency must now be redirected towards the United States, because we require American permission to procure oil.' 'We additionally require Iranian permission to acquire oil from that source. So India now has to seek two separate permissions merely to secure its energy supply.' 'Should we be compelled to source from America, or from Venezuela -- which is, in effect, American-controlled supply -- that will inevitably carry a price premium, an elevated shipping cost, and a considerably extended delivery timeline, given the distances involved.'
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday said that the United States has not ruled out the option of sending troops on the ground in Iran and that military operations in the Persian Gulf nation would end once the objectives of Operation Epic Fury are achieved.
MLS enters its 31st season amid World Cup buzz and Lionel Messi's impact, with Don Garber calling it a defining moment for the league's future.
Although extensive air attacks have been carried out to destroy most of Iran's defence capabilities, the latter's resilience and sustenance during the war clearly indicate that the US landing force would encounter severe resistance in the operation, explains Commodore Venugopal Vengalil (retd).
Former Pakistan pacer Umar Gul terms Hardik Pandya India's biggest threat ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 clash in Colombo but tips Pakistan to edge the high-pressure contest.
The Washington Post Guild, the union for staff members, had appealed to the public to send a message to Bezos: "Enough is enough. Without the staff of The Washington Post, there is no Washington Post."
Taking Kharg would give the US control over virtually all of Iran's oil exports and thus provide significant leverage, notes Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War. It would also put American troops within range of Iran's remaining missiles, drones, and artillery on a piece of real estate that is just eight square miles in size, and just 15 miles from the Iranian mainland.
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.
'TTP has vowed to take revenge for the attacks that Pakistan is carrying out against Afghanistan.' 'To diminish this threat, Pakistan is hitting Afghanistan hard.'
'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.'
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.
Sahibzada Farhan's explosive half-century and a clinical showing by the spinners lifted Pakistan to a convincing 32-run win over the United States of America.
Menon to officiate in his fourth T20WC, Padmanabhan to make his debut
'The US landed in this war without planning. The US felt that if they kill Ayatollah Khamenei the people of Iran will come out on the roads and do a regime change.' 'On the contrary, the US bombings on Iran has united the entire nation.'
Automobile exports from India rose 24 per cent in 2025 driven by robust demand for cars, two wheelers and commercial vehicles in the overseas markets, as per the latest SIAM data. Overall exports last year raced to 63,25,211 units as against 50,98,474 units in the 2024 calendar year, up 24.1 per cent.
'Was the five-day pause ever meant to hold, or was it simply another instrument of signaling, of positioning, of buying time in a war where even the pauses are tactical?' asks Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
'Mojtaba Khamenei supervised the most recent repression in December 2025 and January 2026 which remains ongoing.'
Speaking during a meeting with top US oil and gas executives, Trump added that he was "very disappointed" the conflict had not yet ended.
Canada and the UAE, after suffering heavy losses in their opening matches, are set to compete in a crucial Group D clash of the T20 World Cup. Both teams are aiming to improve their performance and keep their hopes alive in the tournament.
Indian team management will heave a sigh of relief with Tilak Varma ticking all the boxes on his return to competitive cricket after a lower abdominal surgery as the 'A' team, comprising mostly of IPL stars, comfortably defeated the United States of America by 38 runs in a high-scoring warm-up game in Navi Mumbai on Monday.
The pause gives the US time to breathe, to regroup, to move its expeditionary force into position without risk of interception along the way. It gives Iran nothing -- on the ground, attacks against its infrastructure continue apace. Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
New faces with big dreams. These players are set to step onto the T20 World Cup stage for the first time.
Pakistan will be looking to avenge the defeat to the USA in the 2024 T20 World Cup when they clash in Colombo on Tuesday.
Israel has for more than two decades and several US presidencies worked to draw the United States into a full-scale war with Iran. Having finally achieved that, the last thing it wants is Trump declaring victory and going home, as he is prone to do. Ali Larijani was the figure most capable of handing Trump a negotiated exit with something to show for it. Without Larijani, the road to an exit gets considerably narrower. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
What despots and dictators, jammers and competitors, had not managed to do in 83 years -- what the Soviet Union had failed to counter during the Cold War; what China had failed to crush during the Tiananmen Square uprising -- a US President had succeeded with his own hand, notes Krishna Prasad.
Former captain Rohit Sharma highlighted Arshdeep Singh's effectiveness with the new ball and in the death overs.
From the USA to UAE, Canada to Italy, Indian-origin cricketers will represent associate nations at the T20 World Cup. Meet the Desis chasing global glory at a home away from home.
'It's a very, very large opportunity -- not just for India, but even for Uber globally.'
The Smithsonian will return three ancient bronze sculptures to India after evidence showed they were illegally removed from Tamil Nadu temples in the 1950s
'The day tilkut gets the GI tag, it will be a big hit for its health benefits during the cold season in the USA, Canada and Europe.'
