The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will assess the performance of India's National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in the coming months, a process described as routine by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). WADA President Witold Banka expressed satisfaction with the facility after a recent visit, while India is also in the running to host the next WADA Global Education Conference.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, attacking Mamata Banerjee's TMC and promising development if the BJP wins the state elections. He accused Banerjee of appeasement politics and vowed to prevent the construction of a Babri Masjid-like structure in Bengal.
A devastating airstrike on a Kabul drug rehabilitation centre has killed hundreds, escalating tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan and prompting international calls for de-escalation and investigation.
'She was not a yes person. She would tell the truth and her feelings to Indira Gandhi, and Indira Gandhi would value her opinion. The same was the case with Rajiv Gandhi who would value her opinion.'
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that the initial stages of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be held without spectators due to regional tensions and government austerity measures.
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.
'There is no substantive basis for Bangladesh-Pakistan relations. The only real link they can have is mischief, with Pakistan's intelligence agency using Bangladesh to create trouble along our eastern borders.'
An ex-assistant professor, Srinivas Louis, has been arrested for allegedly making over 1,100 hoax bomb threats across India and Pakistan. Police investigations revealed that Louis was motivated by resentment towards the legal system due to a family land dispute.
Bangladesh's sports advisor, Asif Nazrul, claims the decision to refuse playing T20 World Cup matches in India was made by the Cricket Board and players to protect national dignity, despite earlier citing security concerns.
India and Pakistan exchanged lists of nuclear installations and prisoners, continuing a long-standing practice despite strained relations.
There is no cause for concern, as the overall situation arising out of the crisis is firmly under control, the Centre informed while briefing political parties at the all-party meet.
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.
A medical team examined jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, following an Islamabad High Court order. Khan is suffering from central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).
An India-Pakistan fixture in an ICC event generates revenue to the tune of a staggering 'USD 250 million (over Rs 2200 crore', as per some estimates and the absence of the cash-cow fixture from the upcoming T20 World Cup is certain to cause heavy losses to all stakeholders.
Pakistan's aviation authorities have issued permission to the Bangladesh national airline, Biman Airways, to start direct operations on the route of Dhaka-Karachi.
Bangladesh has expressed a potential interest in procuring JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft from Pakistan, according to a statement from the Pakistan military. The development came during a meeting between the air chiefs of both countries, focusing on strengthening operational cooperation and institutional synergy.
India is one of the few nations, and perhaps the only nation, that has good relations with America, Israel and Iran. Knowing that a war in the Gulf would damage our economy, hurt supply of fertilisers and fuel, and cause general chaos, we should have tried to ensure this war did not begin, asserts Aakar Patel.
Former US President Donald Trump has criticised Iran's stance on the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a form of 'extortion' amid ongoing negotiations for a peace deal. The remarks come as Iran considers imposing transit fees on vessels crossing the strategic waterway.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh assures India's energy security amidst West Asia tensions, highlighting naval protection of tankers and readiness to counter cross-border terrorism.
America's population and its media and its democratic structures seem fine with this, which is why Trump continues as he does, asserts Aakar Patel.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is attempting to repair strained relations with the BCCI after pulling out of the T20 World Cup in India, seeking to revive India's white-ball tour in September.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that the American Navy will henceforth block all maritime traffic entering the Strait of Hormuz.
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.
A pay dispute hit Pakistan hockey as some senior players threatened to boycott the men's FIH Pro League second phase in February.
With Bangladesh refusing to travel to India over security fears for the 2026 T20 World Cup, Pakistan has offered to host their matches at short notice.
'A genuine tribute to Dr Ambedkar does not lie in selective invocation. It lies in asking a harder question: Is the Constitution still doing its job -- restraining even assertive majorities?' asks Manoj Mohanka.
PCB writes to ICC to invoke 'force majeure', global body asks for justification
Afghanistan's anti-doping programme has collapsed since the Taliban's return to power, with no tests conducted for three years and the country's exiled anti-doping chief admitting there is currently 'no hope'. The programme faces numerous challenges, including a lack of Doping Control Officers, logistical issues, and political instability.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed the West Asia crisis and the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure. They also reviewed progress in bilateral ties and anticipated upcoming deals in the energy sector.
A US federal government commission has raised concerns about the state of religious freedom in India, recommending its designation as a 'Country of Particular Concern' and suggesting targeted sanctions.
BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla said that the BCCI completely agrees with the ICC and the Indian cricket board won't make any comments on the boycott until we speak with the ICC.
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.
The Indian National Congress has strongly condemned the air strike by Pakistan that hit a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, resulting in a high number of casualties. The party calls for global rejection of such acts of barbarism and expresses solidarity with the Afghan people.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said the Pakistan government will take the final and binding decision on whether its national team will participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup, following Bangladesh's removal
Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Sikandar Raza deny ball-tampering charges during a Pakistan Super League match, leading to an investigation and potential penalties for the Lahore Qalandars.
'Many have contributed in terms of gold and silver. Ladies in big numbers have contributed their home belongings and gold.' 'Some have donated their cars too.'
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.
The LPG squeeze on India's restaurant sector is the quotidian face of a deeper crisis.
'Never before has the Congress been part of a rainbow coalition, and the response from the people has been overwhelming.' 'Assam's diversity cannot be represented by a single voice -- it requires a collective effort, and that is what we are building.'
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.
