World News

Israel vs Iran military showdown: From manpower to missiles, who has the edge?

According to the 2026 assessment by Global Firepower, Israel ranks 15th among 145 countries with a PowerIndex score of 0.2707, while Iran ranks 16th with a score of 0.3199.

Trump justifies US-Israel strikes on Iran: ‘Choose immunity or face certain death’ | WATCH

Israel-Iran conflict: Escalating his rhetoric against the Iranian leadership, Trump invoked decades of hostility between Washington and Tehran.

Where is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? Iran Supreme Leader's whereabouts unclear amid US-Israeli strikes

According to multiple reports, strikes targeted key military and strategic locations in and around the Iranian capital. There are also claims that Khamenei’s residence in Tehran was among the sites hit in the joint operation.

Multiple countries issue advisories and urge citizens to leave Iran amid tensions with US, Israel | Check here

Israel declared an “immediate state of emergency” across the country after carrying out preemptive attacks on Iran, according to defence minister Israel Katz on Saturday

US-Israel strikes on Iran: US base in Bahrain hit, explosions reported in Abu Dhabi | Top Updates

US strikes focus on Iran's missile program while Israeli attacks target senior Iranian officials and missile capabilities

Israel Iran War News Live: Iranian Red Crescent says more than 200 killed in US-Israeli strikes

'Deeply concerned, urge all sides to exercise restrain' - India reacts to Gulf tensions

Pakistani fighter jet crashes in Jalalabad, pilot captured: Afghan military, police

Wahidullah Mohammadi, spokesman for the military in eastern Afghanistan, confirmed the Pakistani jet was downed by Afghan forces

Israel announces 'preventive strike' on Iran

The military characterised the step as a precautionary measure amid concerns over the possible launch of missiles toward Israel.

Trump administration seeks delay in tariff refund fight

The government wants to wait as long as four months before reviving litigation before the US Court of International Trade on the refund question

Trump heaps praises on Shehbaz Sharif & Asim Munir amid Pak-Afghan clashes; refuses to intervene in 'open war'

The US President's remark comes a day after Pakistan declared a state of 'open war' with Afghanistan as tension escalated earlier this week.

At least 15 killed after cargo plane carrying banknotes crashes near Bolivia's capital

The plane, a Hercules aircraft belonging to the Bolivian air force, was transporting new banknotes from the Central Bank to other cities and a large number of bills scattered on the ground at the crash site.

US singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka, a ‘rock and roll legend,’ dies at 86

Over a career spanning six decades, Sedaka scored three No. 1 hits in the United States and also wrote chart-topping songs for other artists.

UN chief Antonio Guterres calls for immediate ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan

Guterres "is deeply concerned by the escalation of violence we're seeing between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the impact that violence is having on civilian populations," his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

Trump says wants Iran to have 'no enrichment' of uranium: 'I think it's uncivil'

Trump said he was frustrated by Iran's position in talks but added he had not yet decided whether to carry out a threatened attack.

Oman says Iran agrees to zero enriched Uranium stockpiles: 'Think we have cracked the problem'

Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, whose country brokered talks between the United States and Iran in Geneva on Thursday, said he believed all issues in a deal could be resolved "amicably and comprehensively" within three months.

'Hundreds of billions' at stake: Trump blasts Supreme Court, again, for striking down tariffs

The comments came a week after the Supreme Court struck down a large swath of Trump’s tariffs that he had imposed under a law meant for national emergencies, handing the Republican president a significant legal setback.

US backs Pakistan 'right to defend itself' against Afghan Taliban govt

Hooker's brief statement did not call for an end to the fighting. Britain earlier called for "de-escalation," China called for a ceasefire and Iran offered to mediate.

Trump tells US govt to 'immediately' stop using Anthropic AI tech: 'Will not do business with them again'

Amid the dispute, Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei said Thursday that "these threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request."

'Sometimes you have to': Trump keeps military option open on Iran

Asked about the potential for use of force, Trump said the United States has the greatest military in the world. "I'd love not to use it but sometimes you have to," he said.

'They Have No Money': Trump hints at US ‘friendly takeover’ of Cuba

The Trump administration has imposed a strict oil embargo on Cuba since ousting Havana's key regional backer, bringing the island nation to the brink of economic collapse.

Afghan Taliban open to talks after Pakistan bombs Kabul, Kandahar

The strikes by Pakistan were the first time it had directly targeted its former allies over allegations they are harbouring militants; it described the situation as "open war".

Trump says 'not happy with Iran but more talks expected Friday' on Tehran's nuclear programme

According to a source cited by Reuters, Oman has stepped up its role, dispatching its foreign minister to Washington for discussions with U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

India-EU FTA to include structured mediation mechanism

As per the draft text, an annexure on “model mediation procedures” outlines how disagreements related to trade measures can be handled.

Bill Clinton denies wrongdoing in Epstein probe as democrats push focus on Trump ties

Bill Clinton features prominently throughout the Epstein files, but he insists that he broke ties well before the disgraced billionaire's 2008 conviction for sex offenses.

Epstein probe: Bill Clinton tells House Panel 'I saw nothing and I did nothing wrong' in heated deposition

Bill Clinton denied wrongdoing before a US House panel probing his links to Jeffrey Epstein, defending his record as Republicans questioned him while Democrats urged that Donald Trump be called to testify.

Bill Clinton deposition focused on Epstein flights, DC visits

Hillary Clinton was questioned by the panel Thursday and told reporters afterward she is confident her husband knew nothing about Epstein’s crimes.

Rising Bharat Summit 2026: As elections loom, PM Modi attacks TMC, DMK govts, says 'they don’t care about poor'

At the Rising Bharat Summit 2026, Narendra Modi accused TMC and DMK governments of stalling Ayushman Bharat and housing schemes, alleging they “don’t care about the poor” ahead of crucial Assembly elections.

Rising Bharat Summit 2026: PM Modi says voters reject Congress, 'people don’t consider it worth voting for'

At the Rising Bharat Summit 2026, Narendra Modi said voters have steadily rejected Congress since 1984, accusing it of blind criticism, dynastic politics and opposing key national reforms.

Rising Bharat Summit 2026: India’s rise a ‘balancing’ force in Southeast Asia, says George Yeo

Former Singapore foreign minister George Yeo said India’s self-sustaining growth, reforms and FTA push have boosted its global standing, calling its rise a stabilising and balancing force in Southeast Asia.

Sticky inflation rattles Wall Street: Dow sinks 715 points, Nasdaq caps bruising February

Dow drops 715 points after January PPI jumps 0.5% and core inflation hits 0.8%. Nvidia, AI stocks slide as Nasdaq heads for worst month since March.

UK PM Starmer under pressure to tack left after Green election upset

The result underscores the recent fragmentation of UK politics and the disruption of long-held electoral certainties

Taliban seeks talks as Pakistan launches ‘open war’, says 'want peaceful resolution through dialogue'

The appeal for talks came hours after Pakistan launched a large-scale retaliatory military operation following what it described as attacks by Afghan Taliban forces on multiple border posts.

Rising Bharat Summit 2026: 'No need for them to become enemies,' George Yeo says India–China choice will shape global peace

Former Singapore foreign minister George Yeo said India–China cooperation will determine global peace, stressing there is “no need” for rivalry and their collective weight will shape 21st-century governance.

US embassy exit, China evacuation call: Is Washington positioning for Iran strikes? Here's what we know

US-Iran conflict: The developments come even as Oman-mediated talks between Iran and the United States resumed in Geneva. The negotiations are widely seen as a last attempt to avoid open conflict.

Even states with no income tax in US are flirting with taxing the rich

In Washington state, where income taxes have long been anathema, there is talk of a new levy on top earners

Deutsche Bank’s Epstein Files throw family offices into the open

For Deutsche Bank, the new details on its historical ties to Epstein sets back a long-running effort to shake off the lender’s previous reputation as a magnet for scandals

‘Make a clear choice’: DG ISPR asks Taliban to choose between militant groups and Pakistan

The remarks signal a dramatic deterioration in ties between two governments that were once seen as ideological allies following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.

Mark Carney begins India visit, skips Punjab stop: Why Canadian PM's trip breaks from predecessors | Explained

Notably absent from Carney's schedule is a visit to Punjab, a departure from the travel patterns of previous Canadian prime ministers and a decision that has drawn criticism from some Sikh groups.

Moderna gets EU approval for mRNA combination Covid-flu shot

It’s the first approved vaccine to protect against both respiratory diseases in a single dose.

Wheat crisis brewing in Pakistan? Indus Waters Treaty strain and Afghan conflict collide as supply dips

Pakistan faces a wheat shortfall of over 2 million tonnes amid Afghan conflict, Indus Waters Treaty tensions and reduced rainfall.

Pakistan details Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, terms Taliban ‘master proxy’ as it claims 274 killed in Afghan strikes

Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict: Detailing the military operation, Lt Gen Chaudhry claimed Pakistani forces had destroyed 83 posts and captured 17 during the clashes.

Ceasefire collapse to cross-border war: How TTP’s 'chilling threat' in 2022 has come full circle as Pakistan and Afghanistan clash

Pakistan’s long reliance on militant proxies, lax internal security strategy, and propensity to externalise its failures have brought it to a point where domestic insurgency has transformed into international conflict.

'India is strong enough to...': Afghan MP-in-exile urges denuclearisation of Pakistan after Kabul strikes

Afghan MP-in-exile Mariam Solaimankhil urges India to seek sanctions on Pakistan as Islamabad bombs Kabul and declares “open war”.

Pakistan–Afghanistan clashes: How Moscow, Beijing and Tehran aim to broker a fragile truce

Russia, China and Iran have urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to halt escalating military clashes, offering mediation and pressing for dialogue, restraint and an immediate ceasefire to prevent wider regional instability.

Strategic asset to strategic nightmare: How TTP has turned into Pakistan’s biggest security threat

The TTP’s rise illustrates a bitter irony. A militant landscape once seen as a strategic lever has transformed into a domestic insurgency that now threatens Pakistan’s own stability.

Netflix, Paramount shares jump as months-long fight for Warner Bros ends

Paramount Skydance maintained its dogged pursuit of Warner Bros, launching a hostile campaign to wrest the prize from Netflix

China dismisses 19 lawmakers, including 9 military officers, ahead of Congress as Xi Jinping’s crackdown deepens

China’s legislature has dismissed 19 deputies, including nine military officers, ahead of its annual National People’s Congress, as Xi Jinping’s long-running anti-corruption campaign continues targeting senior armed forces officials.

Afghanistan claims 55 Pakistani soldiers killed, 19 posts seized; Islamabad says 133 Taliban fighters dead

Afghan officials said Taliban fighters had captured 19 Pakistani outposts along the border after launching retaliatory operations in response to Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory.

Beyond Indian equities: Multi asset, global stocks, commercial real estate seen as alternate return avenues

Vishal Gupta, Alternative Investment Fund Manager at ICICI Prudential Asset Management; Ketul Sakhpara, Founder of Bayford Capital; and Anil Rego, Founder and CIO of Bright Horizons, shared their perspectives on alternative avenues capable of delivering equity-like outcomes.