Tehran, March 26 (IANS) As the conflict in West Asia continues to escalate, Iran has announced that it will not impose restrictions on vessels belonging to five “friendly” countries, including India, allowing them to pass through the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz even as access remains limited for others.Along with India, ships from Russia, China, Pakistan and Iraq have been granted safe passage through the key maritime chokepoint despite the ongoing conflict in the region.In an intervi…
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Mumbai, March 26 (IANS) Global oil prices jumped to cross $100 per barrel on Thursday after Iran said it was not engaged in direct negotiations with the US to end the war.Brent crude futures rose 1.21 per cent to $103.46 per barrel while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude jumped 1.35 per cent to $91.54 per barrel, as Middle East tensions continued to escalate.According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, exchanges between Tehran and Washington through intermediaries should not be int…
New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday felicitated the Indian men’s and women’s lacrosse teams for their gold medal wins at the Asian Lacrosse Games in Riyadh. He encouraged them to keep working hard and aspire to make history by qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. He highlighted to the athletes that determination, exposure, and consistent effort are crucial for the development of emerging sports like lacrosse. “Lacro…
Washington, March 23 (IANS) Legal immigration to the United States has dropped sharply in the first eight months of 2025, with India and China among the hardest hit as the Trump administration tightened visa policies, The Washington Post reported.The State Department issued about 250,000 fewer visas from January to August 2025 than during the same period in 2024, according to the report. Overall approvals for permanent resident and temporary visas fell by 11 per cent, based on official data rele…
Washington, March 22 (IANS) The Group of Seven (G7) nations on Sunday strongly condemned Iran’s attacks on civilians and key infrastructure across multiple countries in the Middle East, expressing firm support for regional partners facing what it termed “unjustifiable attacks”.In a joint statement, the G7 Foreign Ministers — representing Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States — along with the High Representative of the European Union, voiced solid…
Baghdad, March 21 (IANS) The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) said on Saturday that its headquarters in Baghdad was targeted by a “terrorist attack”, resulting in the death of an officer. An INIS statement said the attack occurred at about 10:00 a.m. local time and was carried out by “outlawed elements”, noting that it aims to deter the agency from performing its duties.It said that the “terrorist acts” only strengthen its resolve to pursue the perpetrators until they are apprehended a…
Washington, March 21 (IANS) The Trump Administration is pushing for a leaner and more focused United Nations, with its top diplomat to the world body, Mike Waltz, telling lawmakers that the organisation must return to its core mission of maintaining international peace and security.Testifying before lawmakers at a congressional hearing in New York, Waltz defended the administration’s effort to overhaul the UN, arguing that decades of expansion have not delivered proportional results.“The UN …
Warsaw, March 21 (IANS) Poland has withdrawn its troops from Iraq amid a deteriorating security situation in the Middle East, Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has announced.The decision followed an assessment of operational conditions and potential risks, Kosiniak-Kamysz said in a post on the social media platform X on Friday (local time).Up to 350 Polish soldiers had been deployed in Iraq, reports Xinhua, quoting the Polish Press Agency. The contingent is also authorised to operate in…
Baghdad, March 21 (IANS) The NATO mission in Iraq has commenced the temporary withdrawal of its personnel from the country due to security concerns, a high-ranking security source told the Iraqi News Agency (INA).The source described the move as a temporary measure prompted by the ongoing conflict and concerns over the safety of mission members, adding that they will return as soon as the war ends and the security situation in Iraq stabilises, Xinhua news agency reported quoting INA.The NATO Mis…
New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) Upstream oil and services firms are the biggest beneficiaries while downstream and end‑user industries may suffer after recent strikes at Gulf energy facilities disrupted flows and pushed prices sharply higher, a report said on Friday.The report from Systematix Institutional Equities warned of rise in energy prices and disruption of volume which could have a significant impact on energy deficient countries.It said that repairing and restarting supply could be prolong…