India will celebrate its 80th Independence Day on August 15, 2026, with the national ceremony centred on Delhi’s Red Fort. The Prime Minister leads the Independence Day flag ceremony, while the President plays a different constitutional role. The reason comes from the events of 1947 and the traditions that developed after India became independent. Red Fort tradition The Red Fort has become th

Iran has called for environmental protection to become part of any future Iran Strait of Hormuz arrangement after reporting oil pollution near Qeshm Island. Tehran says commercial shipping, energy consumers and other parties benefiting from the strategic waterway should share responsibility for environmental damage. Qeshm oil spill raises environmental concer

A senior adviser to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has suggested Tehran could prolong the Iran-US war until President Donald Trump leaves office, framing a lengthy conflict as a strategy to impose costs on Washington and strengthen Iranian deterrence. Mohammad Reza Naqdi made the remarks during an interview with PBS. IRGC adviser outlines war attriti

A reported Trump Air Force One Iran threat has drawn fresh scrutiny after US intelligence reportedly detected a credible risk to the president's aircraft while he was leaving Ankara following the NATO summit. Donald Trump has since confirmed that the Secret Service and military ordered him onto another aircraft because of a threat. Ankara threat triggered extraordinary security response The security operation unfolded on July 8 as Trump

North Korea fired a ballistic missile from its eastern Wonsan area early Wednesday, sending it more than 700 kilometres toward waters off the Korean Peninsula just days before major US-South Korea military exercises. The launch has renewed regional tensions, with Seoul and Tokyo condemning the test while Washington said it posed no immediate threat to US personnel or allies.

Jake Whisenant, a 30-year-old Yosemite speed climber from Mammoth Lakes, died after a climbing-related incident in the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness. He was known for record-setting El Capitan ascents, including Lurking Fear. Jake Whisenant, a 30-year-old California climber known for high-speed ascents of major Yosemite routes, died August 3 following a climbing-related incident in the Sequoia-K

Delhi is seeing a sharp rise in H1N1 influenza infections, with 1,344 cases reported so far in 2026 compared with 229 during the comparable period last year, according to recent reports. The increase has renewed attention on H1N1 symptoms, health risks, flu prevention and the importance of seeking medical care when warning signs develop. H1N1 symptoms can resemble common seasonal infections H1N

Iran military leadership reshuffle has formally installed six senior commanders across the Armed Forces, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Basij. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's appointments place Ali Abdollahi at the top of the military command while confirming Ahmad Vahidi as commander-in-chief of the IRGC. Iran commanders appointed after wartime loss

The Pakistan Saudi Turkiye defence pact is facing scrutiny only days after its signing in Makkah. A Houthi strike on a Saudi Aramco facility has raised an immediate question: what does the agreement's collective-defence commitment require when one member comes under attack? The answer is more complicated than simply expecting Pakistan or Turkiye to enter a war.

China Taiwan military activity continued as Taiwan detected one PLA aircraft sortie, nine PLAN vessels and 11 official ships around the island. The aircraft entered Taiwan’s southwestern ADIZ as Taipei continued monitoring growing Chinese air and maritime operations. China Military Activity Around Taiwan Continues Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence said that it detected one sortie of a C

A Belgorod drone attack killed six people and injured 25 as Russia and Ukraine exchanged another wave of deadly strikes. Residential areas were damaged in Belgorod and Kharkiv, while attacks around Odesa highlighted the growing focus on ports, energy and logistics. Belgorod Drone Attack Kills Six Civilians Six people were killed and 25 others injured in an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on th

Trump’s Iran economic pressure strategy is currently taking priority over renewed major military action as Washington watches Tehran’s worsening economy. Indirect Iran talks and a possible Strait of Hormuz arrangement continue, but major disagreements remain unresolved. Trump Iran Economic Pressure Strategy Takes Priority US President Donald Trump has signaled that Washington is temporarily

Mohsen Rezaei has taken two senior roles in Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, becoming SNSC secretary and Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s representative. The former IRGC commander replaces Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr after his resignation from the key security post. Mohsen Rezaei Named Supreme Leader’s SNSC Representative Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei appointed veteran m

Iran has issued a fresh warning against any possible US ground intervention, while diplomatic communication between Tehran and Washington continues through intermediaries. The commander of Iran’s army ground forces, Brigadier General Ali Jahanshahi, warned that any foreign military intrusion would face a strong response. “If any US military personnel set foot in Iran, we will cut them off,” Jahanshahi said, according to Iranian state media. He said Iranian

The United States is intensifying pressure on Iran’s financial networks, focusing increasingly on cryptocurrency exchanges and digital assets that Washington says have helped Tehran move money internationally and bypass sanctions. The action comes as tensions remain high over commercial shipping and negotiations involving the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. authorities have previously targeted Iranian exchanges and individuals accused of facilitating transactions connected to t

Iran has sharply criticised Washington’s handling of the latest Iran-US tensions, with Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accusing the United States of practising “theatre diplomacy.” His remarks came as President Donald Trump expressed optimism about negotiations while Tehran continued to dispute Washington’s account of direct talks. The conflicting statements highlight the de

Pakistan and Somalia have signed a new defence cooperation agreement as security tensions rise around the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab. The Pakistan Somalia defence deal focuses on military training, counterterrorism and capacity building, while its timing puts Islamabad’s expanding defence diplomacy in the Horn of Africa under fresh attention. Pakistan Somalia defence deal expands military cooperation

Israel Lebanon strikes have renewed fears of a wider regional conflict just as Iran and Oman move closer to an agreement on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The violence in southern Lebanon, threats against Gulf infrastructure and stalled Iran-US diplomacy show how fragile the search for peace remains. Israel Lebanon strikes hit southern villages Israel carried out strikes in southern Leb

The proposed Trump-class battleship fleet could cost the United States about $275 billion and place severe pressure on an already strained shipbuilding industry, according to a new Congressional Budget Office estimate. The first nuclear-powered vessel alone could cost $23.4 billion. President Donald Trump announced the new battleship programme on December 22, 2025, as part of what his administration calls the Navy?

At least 30 Yemeni government soldiers were killed and 15 others wounded after Houthi forces launched missile and drone attacks on military camps in Marib and Hadramout on Thursday. The Houthi Yemen attacks mark one of the deadliest escalations in the country in years, raising fears of renewed large-scale fighting. Marib strike targets government military camps Yemeni government and military so