‘Calm before storm’: Trump’s warning sparks alarm over possible Iran strikes

​WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump issued a veiled warning over rising tensions​ in the ​West Asia​, posting an AI-generated image and message that read, “It was the calm before the storm,” amid reports that he is in discussions with top aides on potentially resuming air strikes on Iran. Trump's warning of a "calm before the storm" raises fears of escalating U.S.-Iran tensions amid regional instability....more

Pak Deploys Thousands Of Troops, Jets In Saudi: Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has deployed 8,000 troops, a squadron of fighter jets and an air defence system to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defence pact, ramping up military cooperation with Riyadh even as Islamabad serves as the main mediator in the Iran war. The deployment, the full scale of which is reported here for the first time, was confirmed by three security officials and two government sources, all of whom described it as a substantial, combat-capable force intended to support Saudi Arabia's military if the kingdom comes under further attack....more

US extends waiver on sanctions for Russian seaborne oil by 30 days

WASHINGTON: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that the US administration would extend for 30 days a sanctions waiver allowing trade in Russian seaborne oil after several countries requested more time to continue purchases. The move will allow temporary access to Russian oil and petroleum products stranded on tankers without breaching strict US sanctions imposed on major Russian oil companies....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

USA, China And Battle For Next World Order

By Sanjay Kaul

BOSTON: There are moments in history when meetings between leaders are not really about diplomacy, trade, or even conflict. They are to decide who will write the rules of the next era. The Summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping belongs to that category. Behind the carefully measured smiles, handshakes, and official statements lies a far deeper struggle, a contest between two powers attempting to shape the future of technology, global commerce, military influence, artificial intelligence, and even the political psychology of the modern world....more

India ready to counter any cross-border misadventure: Navy chief designate

MUMBAI: Indian Navy chief designate Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan has said the country has been a victim of terrorism for several years, and asserted that it remains prepared to counter and quell any "misadventure" from across the border. Operation Sindoor was targeted specifically at terrorists and terrorist camps that participated in a very dastardly incident in Pahalgam in 2025, said Swaminathan....more

India signs MoU on strategic petroleum reserves, LPG Supplies with UAE

ABU DHABI: During his two-hour stop over in UAE, Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed several key deals, including petroleum and LPG supply. India and the United Arab Emirates signed key pacts on energy security, defence partnership and trade....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

Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire

WASHINGTON: Lebanon and Israel on Friday extended a ceasefire for 45 days, despite a new flare-up in violence, the US State Department said after mediating talks. "The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said....more

Modi warns of ‘return of massive poverty’, flags ‘disaster decade’ of Covid, wars, fuel crisis

THE HAGUE: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered one of his starkest warnings yet about the state of the global economy on Saturday, telling the Indian diaspora in the Netherlands that decades of hard-won progress against poverty stood at serious risk if the world's cascading crises were not urgently reversed. "The world is dealing with new challenges," he said, speaking at a community event in The Hague during the second leg of his five-nation European tour....more

Rahul Gandhi questions Modi’s silence on NEET leak, asks why ‘failed’ minister not sacked

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday demanded the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case. He accused the Centre of failing to stop repeated examination leaks and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the issue. Gandhi compared the government’s handling of the NEET 2024 and 2026 controversies, saying the same cycle of leaks, investigations and committees was repeating itself....more

US Drops All Charges Against Gautam Adani, Case Closed Permanently

NEW YORK: The US Department of Justice has permanently dropped all criminal charges against Indian tycoon Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar, bringing high-profile securities and wire fraud case in New York to a complete close after prosecutors concluded they could not sustain the allegations. With this, multiple US regulatory and legal investigations involving the group have all closed in the last couple of days....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