News for 'middle-east'

'Enemy of my enemy': How Saudi, Israel helped trigger Iran strike

'Enemy of my enemy': How Saudi, Israel helped trigger Iran strike

Rediff.com1 Mar 2026

For years, these two powers operated as "frenemies" in the shadow of Iran's regional influence. The frame here is "The Enemy of My Enemy."

Haryana Rice Exporters Face Disruptions After Iran Strikes

Haryana Rice Exporters Face Disruptions After Iran Strikes

Rediff.com1 Mar 2026

Rice exporters in Haryana are facing potential payment delays and shipment disruptions to Iran and Afghanistan following recent military strikes on Iran.

India's manufacturing sector recovers marginally in Jan

India's manufacturing sector recovers marginally in Jan

Rediff.com2 Feb 2026

India's manufacturing sector activity witnessed a slight recovery in January, amid faster increase in new orders, even as business confidence slipped to its lowest level in three-and-a-half years, a monthly survey said on Monday.

India backs Gaza peace plan, Modi tells Israeli Knesset

India backs Gaza peace plan, Modi tells Israeli Knesset

Rediff.com25 Feb 2026

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.

Gulf War: US, Israel Didn't Expect This To Happen

Gulf War: US, Israel Didn't Expect This To Happen

Rediff.com27 Mar 2026

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.

US Sinking IRIS Dena Doesn't Embarrass India

US Sinking IRIS Dena Doesn't Embarrass India

Rediff.com11 Mar 2026

The US torpedo attack on the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in international waters was a lawful act of war between belligerents, not a diplomatic or strategic embarrassment for India, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).

Sri Lanka recovers bodies of 80 Iranian sailors killed in US strike

Sri Lanka recovers bodies of 80 Iranian sailors killed in US strike

Rediff.com4 Mar 2026

The Sri Lanka Navy rescued 32 Iranian sailors from a sinking naval ship off the southern coast, while also recovering several bodies. The incident occurred outside Sri Lankan waters but within its search and rescue zone.

'First after WWII': US submarine sinks Iranian ship off Sri Lanka

'First after WWII': US submarine sinks Iranian ship off Sri Lanka

Rediff.com4 Mar 2026

At least 101 people are missing and 78 are injured after a suspected submarine attack on an Iranian naval ship off Sri Lanka's southern coast on Wednesday, Reuters quoted sources in Sri Lanka's Navy and defence ministry as saying.

Iranian missile hits Israeli town, 9 killed

Iranian missile hits Israeli town, 9 killed

Rediff.com2 Mar 2026

An Iranian missile strike targeted the town of Beit Shemesh, located west of Jerusalem, resulting in significant casualties and structural devastation, as reported by Al Jazeera. The strike caused extensive damage earlier Sunday to several buildings, with one structure completely collapsing under the impact.

Rs 14 Trillion Investor Wealth Wiped Out

Rs 14 Trillion Investor Wealth Wiped Out

Rediff.com7 Mar 2026

Sensex and Nifty post steepest weekly loss in over a year, falling nearly 3 per cent.

Is US using Indian ports to strike Iran? MEA clarifies

Is US using Indian ports to strike Iran? MEA clarifies

Rediff.com5 Mar 2026

India has firmly denied allegations that the US Navy is using its ports to launch attacks against Iran, reaffirming its commitment to strategic autonomy and non-alignment in international conflicts.

Will Trump's 5 Day Pause End The War On Friday?

Will Trump's 5 Day Pause End The War On Friday?

Rediff.com24 Mar 2026

'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.

Tehran, Lebanon Hit By Israeli Bombs

Tehran, Lebanon Hit By Israeli Bombs

Rediff.com8 Mar 2026

US-Israel air attacks intensified on the seventh day of war, striking Tehran and other Iranian cities.

Is Khamenei dead or alive? Foreign minister answers

Is Khamenei dead or alive? Foreign minister answers

Rediff.com28 Feb 2026

Following US and Israeli strikes in Iran, reports have surfaced questioning the wellbeing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, prompting a swift denial from Iranian officials and condemnation of the military action.

Mohamed Nasheed: Democratic Institutions, Not Bombing, Can Bring Change

Mohamed Nasheed: Democratic Institutions, Not Bombing, Can Bring Change

Rediff.com12 Mar 2026

Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed advocates for building democratic institutions over military intervention in resolving international conflicts, particularly in the context of the escalating West Asia crisis. He also discusses the impact of the conflict on the Maldives' tourism-dependent economy and calls for a stronger, more understanding India in the Indian Ocean Region.

'If I Go To Iran They Will Kill Me'

'If I Go To Iran They Will Kill Me'

Rediff.com4 Mar 2026

India-based Iranian actresses Mandana Karimi and Elnaz Norouzi share their deep concerns and anxieties about the escalating crisis in Iran, and reveal the personal toll on their lives and the Iranian diaspora.

Will Trump Send Troops To Iran By The Weekend?

Will Trump Send Troops To Iran By The Weekend?

Rediff.com26 Mar 2026

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.

War Fallout: UAE Challenger Halted; Medvedev, Rublev Delayed

War Fallout: UAE Challenger Halted; Medvedev, Rublev Delayed

Rediff.com4 Mar 2026

Travel disruptions following airspace closures in the Gulf have forced Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev to miss an Indian Wells exhibition, while an ATP Challenger in Fujairah was cancelled amid security concerns.

Iran Has Not Allowed Any Indian Ship To Pass Through Strait Of Hormuz

Iran Has Not Allowed Any Indian Ship To Pass Through Strait Of Hormuz

Rediff.com13 Mar 2026

24 Indian-flagged vessels with 677 Indian seafarers were currently located west of the Strait of Hormuz, and four vessels with 101 Indian seafarers were stationed east of the strategic waterway.

Who Sleeps The Least? 7 Countries With Sleep Defecits

Who Sleeps The Least? 7 Countries With Sleep Defecits

Rediff.com16 Feb 2026

Barely 45.45 per cent of South Koreans achieve the recommended nightly rest, highlighting a growing wellness concern. Data from PlushCare places South Korea and several nations in the Middle East among seven nations where people consistently fall short of the expert-advised 8-9 hours of sleep each night, reflecting how modern routines are reshaping global rest patterns.

'US Bombings Have United All Of Iran'

'US Bombings Have United All Of Iran'

Rediff.com13 Mar 2026

'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.'

Iranian drone strikes British Air Force unit in Cyprus

Iranian drone strikes British Air Force unit in Cyprus

Rediff.com2 Mar 2026

Amidst rising tensions in the Middle East, an Iranian drone struck a British RAF base in Cyprus, prompting the UK to allow US defensive operations and consider evacuation plans for British citizens in the region.

Trump's War Has Crossed Energy Rubicon. And There's No Turning Back

Trump's War Has Crossed Energy Rubicon. And There's No Turning Back

Rediff.com19 Mar 2026

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.

WATCH: Lara Dutta's Tear-Stained Plea From Dubai

WATCH: Lara Dutta's Tear-Stained Plea From Dubai

Rediff.com5 Mar 2026

'No civilian deserves to live in fear. No civilian deserves to be caught up in a war which is destabilising the entire region.'

Why Regime Change Hasn't Happened In Iran

Why Regime Change Hasn't Happened In Iran

Rediff.com10 Mar 2026

'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.'

Iran's Consul-General: 'We Hold The Upper Hand'

Iran's Consul-General: 'We Hold The Upper Hand'

Rediff.com21 Mar 2026

'Despite the large number of missiles and drones we have already launched, we still possess reserves and missile cities whose doors have not yet been opened,' says Iran's Consul-General Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh.

'15 out of 10': Trump rates US war performance against Iran

'15 out of 10': Trump rates US war performance against Iran

Rediff.com5 Mar 2026

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.

Trump Is Caught Between Two Bad Options

Trump Is Caught Between Two Bad Options

Rediff.com16 Mar 2026

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.

Iran's War: 'Mojtaba Khamenei Is Being Hunted By Foreign Powers And Internal Foes'

Iran's War: 'Mojtaba Khamenei Is Being Hunted By Foreign Powers And Internal Foes'

Rediff.com12 Mar 2026

'Mojtaba Khamenei supervised the most recent repression in December 2025 and January 2026 which remains ongoing.'

Ishaan Tharoor among 300 staff axed by Washington Post

Ishaan Tharoor among 300 staff axed by Washington Post

Rediff.com5 Feb 2026

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."

Why Did Israel Kill Ali Larijani?

Why Did Israel Kill Ali Larijani?

Rediff.com18 Mar 2026

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.

Iran War Exposes Washington's Strategic Chaos

Iran War Exposes Washington's Strategic Chaos

Rediff.com12 Mar 2026

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.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei killed in US-Israel strikes

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei killed in US-Israel strikes

Rediff.com1 Mar 2026

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in a US-Israeli attack, sparking celebrations in Iran and raising questions about the future of the regime.

Age 40, still hungry: Ronaldo sets sights on 1,000 goals

Age 40, still hungry: Ronaldo sets sights on 1,000 goals

Rediff.com29 Dec 2025

Ronaldo's double for Saudi side Al-Nassr on Saturday took his tally to 956 goals for club and country, and with the 40-year-old set to play on for "one or two more years" his target looks achievable.

Qatar halts LNG production amid Iran attack, supply to India disrupted

Qatar halts LNG production amid Iran attack, supply to India disrupted

Rediff.com4 Mar 2026

Qatar has halted liquefied natural gas (LNG) production after its facilities came under attack amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, disrupting supplies to India and squeezing feedstock availability for key domestic sectors.

Key factors that will drive the markets this week

Key factors that will drive the markets this week

Rediff.com8 Feb 2026

Inflation data, trading activity of foreign investors and global trends would dictate sentiment in the stock market this week, according to analysts.

India, UAE seal defence pact, set $200 bn trade target

India, UAE seal defence pact, set $200 bn trade target

Rediff.com20 Jan 2026

Under the defence partnership, India and the UAE are eyeing defence industrial collaboration and cooperation in advanced technologies, cyberspace training, special operations, interoperability of their militaries and counter terrorism.

'Iranian Ship Was A Sitting Duck'

'Iranian Ship Was A Sitting Duck'

Rediff.com10 Mar 2026

'Torpedoes travel at more than 100 kilometres per hour, about 50-60 knots.' 'It must have been a matter of a few minutes before it detonated under the Iranian ship.' 'The Iranian ship would have probably got three, four minutes and wouldn't have known till they actually heard the whirr of the torpedo.'

Hormuz Crisis Threatens Global Economy

Hormuz Crisis Threatens Global Economy

Rediff.com12 Mar 2026

When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.

US-Israel-Iran Conflict: 'India Is Too Late In...'

US-Israel-Iran Conflict: 'India Is Too Late In...'

Rediff.com6 Mar 2026

'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.'