The Asian Age
US & Iran agree on peace deal to end war in Gulf; signing in Geneva Friday
Washington/Islamabad, June 15: US President Donald Trump has announced that the US and Iran have finalised a deal to end their 107-day war, which triggered a global energy crisis. The peace agreement is scheduled to be signed on Friday, June 19, in...
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Don’t blow it: Trump to Iran, Israel as strikes threaten deal
Jerusalem, June 14: US President Donald Trump on Sunday urged no further attacks by anyone after Israel’s military said it launched strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut, potentially complicating efforts to finalise a deal to end the US-Iran...
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France & Slovakia visits will boost India-EU, G-7 ties: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India’s presence at the G-7 summit reflects global trust and the country’s growing global profile. In a statement ahead of his departure to France and Slovakia on a six-day tour from June 13 to 18, the...
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India flays Hormuz ship attacks, US blames Iran
India on Friday afternoon summoned United States chargé d’affaires (CdA) Jason Meeks for the second time within two days in the national capital to lodge a “strong protest over continuing attacks by the US naval forces on commercial vessels carrying...
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Pak Army kills 16 in PoK; stir intensifies
The Pakistan Army on Thursday killed another 16 unarmed civilians and injured 37 others in PoK’s Rawalakot city as protests against Islamabad intensified, according to inputs received by the intelligence agencies. Earlier on Sunday, 11 people were...
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TMC splits in Parliament too as 20 MPs vow to back NDA
The political turbulence that had rocked the Trinamul Congress in Kolkata has now shaken the party’s ship in New Delhi too as the wave of rebellion started by its MLAs in West Bengal reached Parliament on Monday. Beleaguered TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee...
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23 Opp. leaders to join INDIA bloc meet today
Amid signs of cracks in the INDIA bloc and with the DMK refusing to attend the Delhi meeting on Monday, the leaders of 23 parties have converged in the national capital to chalk out the Opposition's strategy to take on the BJP. With an eye on the 2029...
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DMK out, TMC down: Rahul consolidates position in Opp
With the DMK deciding to boycott the INDIA bloc meeting on June 8 and the Trinamul Congress going through an existential crisis, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appears to be emerging as the prime challenger to the Prime Minister Narendra Modiled NDA....
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Modi a friend; India-US trade deal soon: Trump
United States President Donald Trump hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “good friend” and said India and the US will ink a trade deal but once again repeated his claim that New Delhi took advantage of his country in trade ties previously, adding...
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Malviya Nagar B&B violated multiple norms, finds probe
The deaths of 21 people, including 12 foreign nationals, in a South Delhi guesthouse fire have triggered a sweeping government crackdown on illegal hotels and unauthorised constructions across the national capital. Probing the deadly inferno,...
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21 die as blaze ravages B&B in South Delhi, toll may rise
A fire that ripped through a budget hotel in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar on Wednesday morning, killing 21 people including 12 foreign nationals, has exposed a chain of alleged regulatory violations, illegal construction and glaring fire safety...
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India, US begin trade talks: ‘Sec 301 tariffs key hurdle’
Trade negotiators from India and the United States began three-day talks in New Delhi on Tuesday to finalise the details of an interim bilateral trade agreement (BTA). As New Delhi and Washington are looking to clinch the first phase of the trade deal,...
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35 ministers join Suvendu; portfolios not allocated yet
The first BJP government in West Bengal expanded its council of ministers by inducting another 35 party MLAs on Monday, increasing its total size to 41. The second batch of legislators was sworn in as ministers by governor R.N. Ravi at Lok Bhavan here...
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India & US to resume talks on interim trade deal today
The chief negotiators of India and the US will begin four-day talks in the national capital on Monday on finalising the details of the interim trade pact. At the fresh round of negotiations, India and the US are expected to work out the details of the...
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DKS elected Karnataka CLP leader, to take CM oath Wed
The Karnataka Congress MLAs on Saturday unanimously elected state Congress president D.K. Shivakumar as the new leader of the legislature party, paving the way for his elevation to the chief minister post. Later, Mr Shivakumar, accompanied by outgoing...
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US-Iran tentative deal to extend truce for 60 days
Washington, May 29: US and Iranian negotiators reached a tentative agreement on Thursday to extend the ceasefire in the three-month-old war by 60 days and start a new round of talks on Iran’s nuclear programme, according to a US official familiar with...
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Sidda resigns as K’taka CM; DKS’ oath likely on Sunday
Ending the Karnataka Congress’ protracted power struggle and days of suspense, Siddaramaiah on Thursday finally resigned from the post of chief minister, paving way for his deputy D.K. Shivakumar to take over. Accompanied by Mr Shivakumar and other...
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Sidda may quit today; DKS tipped to be Karnataka CM
The all-important breakfast meeting of Karnataka Congress leadership is scheduled for Thursday morning at the residence of chief minister Siddaramaiah. Insiders claim this is the first step towards the transition of power in the state, which will see...
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Talks under strain as US strikes Iran; Tehran to retaliate
Tehran, May 26: Iran accused the United States of breaching their ceasefire Tuesday and warned it was ready to retaliate after overnight US strikes targeting Iranian missile sites and minelaying boats threatened a deal to end the war. The Brent...
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Rubio set to attend Quad FMs’ meet in Delhi today
Before leaving for Agra and Jaipur on Monday morning, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump “is a big fan of India, a big fan of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi” and was further quoted in reports as saying: “I wouldn’t be here if...
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India & US reaffirm strategic ties; push trade, energy deals
Trade, defence and security, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, civil nuclear and counter-narcotics cooperation were some of the issues that external affairs minister S. Jaishankar and US secretary of state Marco Rubio discussed during their...
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Rubio meets Modi, signals a renewed push to repair ties
India and the US will continue to work closely for the global good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday, after US secretary of state Marco Rubio briefed him on the West Asia crisis and discussed ways to bolster bilateral ties in crucial...
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India will host Quad FMs’ meet Tues: Oz, US, Japan to attend
India on Friday announced that external affairs minister S. Jaishankar will chair the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting on May 26 in the national capital. US secretary of state Marco Rubio, Australian foreign minister Penny Wong and Japanese foreign...
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First coalition govt in TN in 74 yrs: 23 join Cabinet
Inducting 23 new ministers into the Tamil Nadu Cabinet on Wednesday, chief minister C. Joseph Vijay established the first coalition government in the state since 1952 by giving ministerial berths to two Congress members — S. Rajeshkumar and P....
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Rubio in India Sat; talks likely to focus on defence & trade
The US confirmed early on Wednesday that secretary of state Marco Rubio will undertake a four-day visit to India from May 23 to 26. Just hours before, the US embassy in New Delhi had stated that the visit would include “ministerial Quad meetings”...
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Petrol, diesel rates hiked by 90 paise/l; further raise likely
The state-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Tuesday increased petrol and diesel prices by about 90 paise per litre. The second hike in less than a week comes after the petrol and diesel prices were hiked by `3 per litre last Friday, citing...
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Satheesan takes charge in Kerala: 14 new faces in UDF Cabinet of 21
Vadassery Damodaran Satheeshan, who brought an end to the LDF’s decade-long rule, was sworn in as the chief minister of Kerala in a grand ceremony at Central Stadium on Monday. Kerala governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar administered the oath as...
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Trade to chips: India inks 14 Netherlands pacts, lifts ties
THE PM thanked the Dutch govt for facilitating the return of historic 11th-century Chola plates that were taken to the Netherlands more than three centuries ago India and the Netherlands elevated bilateral ties to a strategic partnership and agreed on...
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Tighter online censorship and political dictatorship
When the Government of India introduced the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules in 2021, experts raised concerns about expanded executive influence that tantamounted to Constitutional overreach qua...
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Trump wraps up China visit after talks on Iran, trade
Beijing, May 15: Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump on Friday hailed their talks as “historic” and “landmark”, as the American leader wrapped up his three-day visit on a high note, but no deals on any contentious issues...
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Cong picks Satheesan as next CM of Kerala; oath on Monday
Amidst pressure and resentment from the Kerala state unit and its allies in the state, the Congress high command on Thursday bowed down and appointed V.D. Satheesan as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP). Later, the Kerala chief...
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Cong to name new Kerala CM today after Delhi talks
Dramatic scenes played out in New Delhi and Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday as the Congress high command, after extensive discussions with various leaders over the last week, postponed the decision on the Kerala chief minister until Thursday. AICC...
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Himanta back as Assam CM; 4 ministers sworn in
Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP’s strongman in the Northeast, took the oath as Assam chief minister on Tuesday for a second consecutive term after the BJP-led alliance won the elections with a record mandate. Besides Mr Sarma, four ministers — senior BJP...
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PM attacks ‘some forces’ in India backing ‘politics of appeasement’
Drawing parallels to the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asserted that no power in the world can make India bow or succumb under pressure. Addressing a gathering at Somnath Amrut Mahotsav, marking 75 years since the...
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Tighten belts, use less fuel, put nation first, urges PM
In an unprecedented move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on the people to adopt a slew of measures to help India overcome the impact of the ongoing war in West Asia, including considering work from home, and avoid purchasing gold for a...
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BJP’s Adhikari is new Bengal CM
Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in by West Bengal governor R.N. Ravi as the first BJP government’s chief minister in the state in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and several other Union ministers and CMs of all...
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Left supports Vijay, but TVK still lacks majority
Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam president C. Joseph Vijay's bid to form a government in Tamil Nadu after the TVK emerged as the singlelargest party in the justconcluded Assembly elections, winning 108 of the 234 seats, endured another setback on Friday when...
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Gov seeks proof of majority, Vijay’s oath impasse lingers
The impasse over the swearing-in of Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay as the next Tamil Nadu chief minister continued on Thursday. Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar made it clear that the TVK has not established the requisite...
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Shah in Kolkata today, set to decide on BJP govt’s first CM
Union home minister Amit Shah will reach West Bengal on Thursday in his first visit after the Trinamul Congress’ ouster from power in the state to select the chief minister of the first BJP government here ahead of its swearing-in ceremony at the...
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Vijay stakes claim to form govt, seeks 2 wks for floor test
President of the victorious Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) Vijay on Tuesday sought an invitation from Tamil Nadu governor Rajendra Arlekar to form the next government in the state. In his letter to the governor, Vijay assured that the TVK will prove its...
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‘Hindu wave’ sweeps BJP to historic Bengal victory; Mamata loses seat
On Monday, West Bengal has taken a sharp political turn. The BJP’s lotus ripped through the Trinamul Congress, dismantling its dominance with ruthless precision. The state, that was once considered as its impregnable bastion, has been torn open as...
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9 killed as major blaze engulfs East Delhi house
A pre-dawn fire gutted a four-storey residential building in East Delhi’s Vivek Vihar on Sunday, killing nine people, including a toddler, from two families and leaving several others injured. Expressing grief over the loss of lives, Prime Minister...
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Bengal on edge as violence fears rise before vote count
Ahead of the assembly poll results on Monday, the spectre of post-poll violence looms large in West Bengal with reports of clashes already trickling in from across the state. Even as the Election Commission has decided to retain 70,000 Central forces...
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Eye on China, Shah declares Buddhism’s origins in India
In a bid to counter China’s claim of being the land of Buddhism, India on Friday opened an exposition of sacred Piprahwa Relics of Gautam Buddha at Leh. Union home minister Amit Shah inaugurated the exposition of sacred holy relics of Tathagata Buddha...
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Trump to continue Iran blockade, oil rises to $126/barrel
Washington, April 30: President Donald Trump said a US naval blockade against Iran could last months, leading oil prices to spike to their highest level in more than four years, which held into Thursday. Mr Trump is expected to receive a briefing on...
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US extends ceasefire, Iran silent as ships fired, seized
Washington/Islamabad, April 22: US President Donald Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran indefinitely at the request of Pakistan to give Tehran’s leadership more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, even as Iranian forces fired on three...
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Campaigning hits fever pitch across TN & Bengal Ph-1
Campaigning hit fever pitch on Tuesday, the final day of canvassing for the first phase of elections in West Bengal and the single-phase polls in Tamil Nadu. While all 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu will vote in one go, 152 constituencies across 16...
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Delhi, Seoul to double trade; ink 15 pacts, upgrade strategic ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held “friendly, fruitful and forward-looking” talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung here, with both sides agreeing to strengthen their special strategic partnership across key sectors, including in the...
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Imphal valley tense, amid 5-day shutdown call
Amid the ongoing attempt of the Manipur government to restore peace and harmony among the communities, the Meira Paibis, a collective group of Meitei women, and several other civil bodies have called for a five-day total shutdown of the Imphal valley...
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Opp. ‘crushed women’s dreams’: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday apologised to the country’s “nari shakti” a day after the women’s reservation amendment bill was defeated in Lok Sabha despite his government’s sincere efforts. Mr Modi accused the Opposition of carrying out...
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Women’s quota bill falls on floor of LS: First major defeat for Modi govt
In a setback to the NDA government, the muchtouted women’s reservation bill called the Constitution (One Hundred and ThirtyFirst Amendment) Bill 2026 got defeated by 54 votes in the Lok Sabha on Friday. Out of 529 MPs present, the government got the...
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India, Austria ink 6 pacts, reach 9 deals to push ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held "productive and wideranging" talks with Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker in the national capital to take "innovation-centric and futureready" bilateral ties "into a new era". Following the...
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Opp, govt head for duel over women’s quota, delimitation
The government and Opposition are headed for a showdown in the Lok Sabha with the tabling of the Women’s Reservation Amendments Bill on Thursday. During the three-day special Parliament Session amidst ongoing Assembly polls, while the government will...
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Modi, Trump hold 40-minute talks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed the situation in West Asia, including the importance of “open and secure” navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, during a phone call on Tuesday. The talks come as the US Navy has...
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Iran targets Gulf ports as US starts Hormuz blockade
Cairo, April 13: The US military began a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, as US President Donald Trump sought to ratchet up pressure on Iran in a move that risks driving oil prices even higher and reigniting the war. Iran...
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TMC backing plot to cut off Siliguri Corridor link: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Trinamul Congress of supporting the “tukdetukde” gang, which threatened to cut off the strategically important Siliguri corridor that connects West Bengal with Sikkim to snap the country’s link with...
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Efforts for Mideast peace takes shape in Islamabad
Islamabad, April 11: A US delegation led by vice-president J.D. Vance held historic face-to-face talks with top Iranian negotiators in Pakistan on Saturday to reach a peace agreement to end the war in West Asia that has paralysed global energy markets...
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Vance warns Iran ‘not to play’ US as peace teeters
US vice-president J.D. Vance on Friday warned Iran not to “play” the US as he headed to Pakistan for negotiations aimed at ending their war. However, before the peace talks in Islamabad could start, “mediator” Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif...
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Iran ceasefire wobbles over Lebanon, Hormuz disputes
Dubai, April 9: A tentative ceasefire in the Iran war staggered Thursday under the weight of Israel’s bombardment of Beirut, Tehran’s continued chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and uncertainty over whether talks expected on Saturday can find common...
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US, Iran agree on 2-week ceasefire; relief for world
Tehran, April 8: The US and Iran both claimed victory Wednesday after the two countries and Israel agreed to a two-week ceasefire that halted more than a month of war, and world leaders expressed relief, even as more drones and missiles hit the Islamic...
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3 killed in Manipur firing as 2 children die in bomb blast
Fresh violence rocked Manipur on Tuesday after a likely rocket attack in the Bishnupur district, killing two minor siblings. Later at least three civilians were killed and several others injured in firing after a mob stormed a CRPF camp in the district...
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Entire Iran could be taken out in just 1 night: Trump
Washington/ Tehran, April 6: US President Donald Trump warned on Monday that all of Iran could be “taken out” on Tuesday at the expiry of a deadline he issued for the Islamic republic to reopen the key Strait of Hormuz waterway. “The entire country...
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PM claims ‘maha jungle raj’ in WB, slams Malda gherao
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Trinamul Congress government in West Bengal of “sponsoring" the gherao and attack on seven judicial officers by a violent mob in Malda last week. Addressing a rally in the Cooch Behar district, Mr Modi...
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Sign a deal or face ‘Hell’: Trump gives Iran 48 hrs
Washington, April 4: President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Tehran had 48 hours left to cut a deal or face “all Hell”, as US and Iranian forces scrambled to find a downed American airman. Mr Trump’s latest threat came after a strike near an...
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Russia offers extra crude oil, LNG supplies to India
As India and Russia agreed to further enhance the overall bilateral ties, Russian first deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov has communicated to the Indian leadership that Russia is ready to increase oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies to...
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