The escalating conflict involving the U.S. and Israel with Iran has led to widespread disruption in the world of sports, with events postponed, travel plans thrown into chaos, and athletes seeking asylum.
The 'rescue' operation occurred within kilometres of Iran's underground tunnel complex at Isfahan, assessed by the IAEA and US intelligence as holding a substantial portion of the country's 60 per cent enriched uranium stockpile. Retired senior US military officers have highlighted that the mission's footprint -- hundreds of special operators, multiple heavy-lift aircraft deep inside Iran -- appears outsized for recovering a single airman. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
Mexico experienced unprecedented cartel violence following the reported death of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, known as 'El Mencho', in a military operation in Jalisco.
Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey met in Islamabad in what analysts say is the formal opening of a new diplomatic formation that could reshape the post-war regional order. Their immediate goal is a ceasefire; their larger ambition is to ensure that neither Iran nor Israel emerges from this war in a dominant position. Pakistan's foreign minister then flew directly to Beijing and mooted a Chinese role as guarantor of any eventual agreement. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The US Embassy acknowledged the attack in a post on X, urging Americans to avoid the facility 'until further notice' and announcing that all appointments had been cancelled.
The pause will begin on January 21 and will remain in effect indefinitely until the State Department completes a reassessment of visa processing, the report said.
Amid an escalating regional war, questions deepen over whether Iran's soccer team will compete at this year's FIFA World Cup to be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged its citizens to immediately depart from several Middle Eastern countries, citing "serious safety risks."
A senior government official asserts India's independence in purchasing Russian oil, stating that US sanctions waivers merely remove friction but do not dictate India's energy policy. The official highlights India's commitment to energy security and affordability for its citizens.
Iran has rejected United States allegations that it is preparing attacks on American facilities, alleging that Washington, DC is attempting to escalate tensions in West Asia, Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported.
'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.'
Mexico is facing widespread violence and travel advisories after the death of drug lord 'El Mencho,' the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, during a military operation.
David Perdue said in a post on X that the US-India relationship delivers real results through close cooperation in diverse areas, including defence, energy and through Quad engagement.
US Representative Greg Steube, a Republican from Florida, introduced the 'Ending Exploitative Imported Labour Exemptions Act or EXILE Act', a bill that would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act by ending the H-1B visa programme.
Aseem Chhabra lists his top 10 films from this year's Sundance festival, a blend of narratives and documentaries made in the US and other parts of the world.
Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde has vowed to take strict action against illegal immigrants who have obtained fake birth certificates, as well as the agents and officials who assisted them. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has already cancelled 237 fake birth certificates and is working to recover the original documents.
The US has expanded its review of social media and online presence to cover all H-1B speciality occupation workers and their H-4 dependents, the US embassy in India said on December 10.
This comes as people in Iran continue to protest against rising prices and economic hardship pouring into the streets across several provinces in Iran, with some protests escalating into fatal confrontations with security forces, CNN reported.
'Neither SAI nor state departments have a dedicated sports administration service. Instead, roles are filled by generalist civil servants or contractual staff, often lacking sector-specific expertise.'
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed cooperation in trade, critical minerals, nuclear energy, and defence, reaffirming commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The Trump administration has sanctioned entities and individuals from India involved in sales of Iran's petroleum and petroleum products, saying the funds from this trade support Tehran's regional terrorist proxies and procure weapons systems that are a direct threat to the US.
The US Department of State highlighted a mission-defining challenge during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's visit in November amid the US government shutdown, detailing the security measures taken to ensure his protection.
Forty-two members of the United States Congress, led by Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Congressman Greg Casar, have written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding immediate sanctions against senior Pakistani officials for what they termed an 'escalating campaign of transnational repression and worsening human rights crisis in Pakistan' under the military-backed government of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.
At least 16 files released in the batch of Jeffrey Epstein documents appeared to have been removed from the website, as of Sunday morning (local time).
The United States has warned China against escalating tensions as Taiwan detected multiple Chinese naval vessels, official ships and balloons operating around the island amid Beijing's large-scale live-fire military drills.
I am inclined to believe that the Venezuela adventure is not an indication of American strength, alas, but rather of American weakness, points out Rajeev Srinivasan.
'America has historically been a magnet for people who aren't from here.' 'That sort of thing -- the promise of opportunity, no matter what that looks like -- doesn't grow on trees.' 'It also happens to be geopolitical gold that Trump is flushing down the toilet,' points out Sree Sreenivasan.
The US Department of State's Consular Affairs, in a "security alert", said that "while the cause of the explosion is unknown at this time, the Government of India has placed several Indian states on high alert."
The United States Department of Justice released a batch of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking investigation, including photos and records showing Bill Clinton, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Michael Jackson in social settings with Epstein, CNN reported.
The FBI is offering a reward for information about an Indian national wanted in connection with the 2017 murder of an Indian woman and her son in New Jersey. US authorities are urging India to extradite the suspect, Nazeer Hameed.
Luckily for us, a Russia that is desperate to stay relevant in an emerging multipolar world finds in India a reliable geostrategic partner. The Russian proximity to India also keeps China from exploiting its economic dominance vis a vis Russia, points out Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Indian private sector and State-run refiners continued to receive crude oil from Russian suppliers even after November 21 -- the winding-down date for US sanctions on supplies from leading Russian oil producers imposed in October -- as new intermediaries sprung up in West Asia to sell the oil, according to senior refining sources and ship tracking data.
Thousands of Indian H-1B workers are stranded in India after sudden visa appointment cancellations at US consulates.
According to the Justice Department, Tellis, 64, the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment think-tank, served as an unpaid senior adviser to the State Department and was also a contractor with the Office of Net Assessment at the Department of Defense.
The US has approved the sale of Excalibur Projectiles, Javelin Missile System and related equipment totalling over 90 million dollars to India.
The embassy of India in Bamako said it was "aware of the unfortunate incident" involving the kidnapping of five Indian nationals in Mali on November 6 and is working closely with local authorities and the concerned company to ensure their "safe release as quickly as possible."
The development comes as relations between the two countries showed marked improvement following the four-day military conflict between Pakistan and India in May.
India emerged from the war militarily bruised and strategically altered. The United States, under the guise of friendship, had succeeded in achieving what open alignment never could: The psychological and political repositioning of India within the Cold War order, points out Dr Kumar.
This will be the first face-to-face meeting between Rubio and Jaishankar following President Donald Trump's imposition of an additional 25 per cent tariff on India for Delhi's purchases of Russian oil, taking the total levies imposed on India by the Trump White House to 50 per cent.
