US, Iran Agree On Deal Framework, Awaiting Trump Approval: Report

WASHINGTON: The United States and Iran have agreed on a framework deal for a 60-day ceasefire extension, but the memorandum of understanding still needs US President Donald Trump's approval. Sources told a news agency that the two nations had reached an agreement on extending the ceasefire and to launch negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme....more

US, Iran exchange strikes; Washington warns over tolls in the Strait of Hormuz

WASHINGTON: The United States and Iran traded accusations of violating an ongoing ceasefire on Thursday after exchanging fire, marking the most serious flare-up since the truce began in April, three months after the Middle East conflict was triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran. The escalation rattled efforts to negotiate a broader end to the war and drew in US ally Kuwait, which accused Tehran of carrying out a “dangerous escalation”....more

India slams Pakistan-China joint statement on Kashmir, hits back on CPEC

NEW DELHI: India's ministry of external affairs has responded sharply to references to Jammu and Kashmir in the recent joint statement by China and Pakistan. “India's position is consistent and well-known to the concerned parties. The Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh have been, are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Tuesday....more

India Needs a National Maritime Commission to Safeguard Strategic and Economic Interests: Experts

By Rear Admiral Dhiren Vig (Retd)

NEW DELHI: The growing instability in West Asia and the increasing weaponisation of maritime choke points have renewed calls for India to establish a National Maritime Commission (NMC) to strengthen maritime security, streamline governance and accelerate the country’s blue economy ambitions. Strategic analysts and maritime experts argue that recent geopolitical developments, including disruptions to oil and gas supply routes in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), have exposed vulnerabilities in India’s maritime preparedness and highlighted the urgent need for an apex-level maritime body....more

Vihaan Jain Clinches Maiden IGU Category A Title

VISAKHAPATNAM: Vihaan Jain clinched his maiden IGU Category ‘A’ (15–17 years) title with an impressive three-shot victory at the IGU Andhra Pradesh Junior Boys Golf Championship held at East Point Golf Club, Visakhapatnam. The 16-year-old displayed remarkable composure in the final round, carding a two-under 70 to finish the 72-hole championship at four-under 284....more

‘Denial is not answer’: Rahul Gandhi after CBSE rejects his claims on Coempt Edu Teck contract

NEW DELHI: The political row over the CBSE’s new digital evaluation system intensified on Wednesday after Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi reacted sharply to the board’s clarification on the ongoing On-Screen Marking (OSM) controversy. Hours after the Central Board of Secondary Education rejected allegations linked to the awarding of its digital evaluation contract, Gandhi accused the board and the Union government of avoiding direct answers to what he called “four simple questions”....more

Modi invites Dutch companies to design, innovate and manufacture in India

By Deepak Arora

THE HAGUE: On the first day of his visit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima at the Royal Palace and discussed close cooperation in digital technology, innovation, fintech and blue economy. Modi also held wide-ranging talks with his Dutch counterpart Rob Jetten, focusing on trade, investment, and critical technologies....more

@ Netherlands Returns 1,000-Year-Old Chola-Era Copper Plates To India

@ Modi invites Dutch companies to explore opportunities in India

DGCA issues directives for airlines after Ebola outbreak declared as 'health emergency'

NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued directives on Monday for airlines following the World Health Organisation's declaration of the Ebola Disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)....more

Siddaramaiah, Accompanied By Successor DK Shivakumar, Submits Resignation

BANGALURU: Congress leader Siddaramaiah confirmed Thursday morning that he will resign as Chief Minister of Karnataka, bringing the curtain down on a three-year leadership dispute with his deputy DK Shivakumar that has, at times, sidelined and even threatened to derail the party's government. He also confirmed Shivakumar will succeed him....more

Quad Foreign Ministers meet: Jaishankar, Rubio sign India-U.S. Critical Minerals Framework

NEW DELHI: The Quad grouping on Tuesday expanded cooperation in critical minerals and energy while unveiling new measures to boost maritime surveillance and port infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of China’s growing military posturing in the region. The new measures were announced following a meeting of the grouping’s foreign ministers in New Delhi. The meeting was chaired by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and attended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi....more

Netanyahu Orders Israel Army To Take Control Of 70% Of Gaza Strip

TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he had ordered the country's military to take control of 70 per cent of the Gaza Strip, in defiance of the terms of a fragile ceasefire that took effect in October. "We are currently squeezing Hamas. We now control 60 per cent of the territory in the strip," he said at a conference in an occupied West Bank settlement, according to a video aired by Israel's Channel 12 network....more

India abstains on UNGA resolution on ICJ climate opinion

UNITED NATIONS: India abstained from voting on a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling on countries to comply with their obligations on climate change, voicing concern that the draft "undermines" the "sacrosanct architecture" of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The resolution was adopted in the 193-member General Assembly on Wednesday (May 20, 2026) with 141 votes in favour, eight against and 28 abstentions, including by India....more

America at 250: Advancing Freedom Worldwide Still Matters

By Daniel Twining

WASHINGTON: America was built on a radical premise: that individual liberty is an unalienable, inherent right worth fighting for in the face of tyranny. Revolutionary at the time of our founding, this idea remains the bedrock of American democracy and strength. As we approach our nation’s 250th anniversary, we should acknowledge the endurance of these ideals and their relevance today....more

From Fuel Shock to Supply Chain Strain: How the Strait of Hormuz Crisis Is Rippling Across Indian Industry

By Avica Kumar

NEW DELHI: India's energy security and industrial stability are coming under increasing strain as tensions around Iran continue to disrupt critical oil and gas supply routes. The fallout is no longer confined to global markets. Indian industries are now confronting escalating operational and financial risks, with cascading midstream and downstream impacts....more