The United States and Iran are moving toward extending their fragile ceasefire for another 60 days, with mediators working on an interim agreement that could create a framework for broader talks on Tehran’s nuclear program and regional security issues, according to a report in the Financial Times. People briefed on the talks told the newspaper that the proposed agreement includes a gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, phased sanctions relief for Tehran, easing of the US blockade of Iranian ports and discussions on Iran’s reserves of highly enriched uranium. The talks are aimed at preventing a new round of military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.US Iran War News – Follow Live UpdatesIranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmael Baghai said on Saturday that Tehran was discussing a “memorandum of understanding” to formally end the war as a first step before broader talks in the next 30 to 60 days.“We are now finalizing this MoU,” Baghai said.Also read: Trump connection? How does Iran finance its war machine?The proposed extension comes amid fears that President Donald Trump could resume attacks on Iran if talks fail, potentially escalating a conflict that has already destabilized large parts of the Middle East.

What does the proposed agreement reportedly include?

According to diplomats involved in the talks, one of the central elements of the agreement is the phased reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important shipping route through which a large share of global oil exports passes. Gulf countries are particularly concerned that a prolonged conflict could disrupt maritime trade and trigger fresh energy shocks around the world.The agreement will also reportedly include discussions on Iran’s stockpile of approximately 440 kilograms of uranium enriched near weapons-grade levels. Washington wants Tehran to either dilute the material or move it elsewhere as part of a broader nuclear understanding.In return, the United States is expected to ease sanctions on Iranian ports and gradually move toward providing sanctions relief and freeing up Iranian assets held abroad.

Why is conversation important?

Mediators believe a 60-day extension could help stabilize the situation enough for comprehensive diplomatic talks to take shape. Giving information about the talks, a diplomat said that progress is being made.“The agreement is going in the right direction. It is now up to the Americans for review,” the diplomat said.“The Iranians are probably willing to give up more on nuclear energy, but they won’t do so as long as the war continues – this deal helps bridge the gap,” the diplomat said.The talks gained momentum after Pakistani and Qatari negotiators held discussions with Iranian officials in Tehran on Thursday and Friday. Pakistan later said the talks had led to “encouraging progress towards a final understanding” between the US and Iran.The mediation effort reportedly included regular contacts with US envoy Steve Witkoff, while the Iranian delegation was led by parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

What are the stuck points?

Despite signs of diplomatic movement, deep disagreements remain unresolved. One of the biggest obstacles is Trump’s demand that Iran completely abandon any path to a nuclear weapons capability.The US President has reportedly insisted that Iran hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and dismantle its three major nuclear facilities at the Natanz Nuclear Facility, the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant and the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center. The facilities were targeted during US strikes following Washington’s involvement in Israel’s 12-day conflict with Iran last June.Enriched uranium is believed to be buried beneath the debris of those facilities, particularly in Isfahan.Meanwhile, Iranian leaders have continued to insist that they will not give up their sovereign rights.Ghalibaf told Pakistani negotiators that Tehran would not back down from its “rights”, especially when dealing with the United States, which “is not honest and cannot be trusted”.At the same time, he said Iran is willing to pursue diplomacy to secure its “legitimate rights and interests.”Baghai also cautioned that talks remain delicate.Baghai said, “On the one hand, we have the experience of contradictory statements and changing stances from the American side. They have put forward contradictory positions many times.” “We cannot be completely sure that this approach will not change.”“On the other hand, the idea [of the two sides] Coming closer, not in the sense that we have reached any agreement on such important issues, but in the sense that we can reach a mutually satisfactory solution based on certain parameters,” he said.

Why are Gulf countries worried?

Regional powers including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are closely watching the talks as renewed conflict could destabilize the Gulf region and worsen the global energy crisis.Trump said earlier this week that the United States had postponed new strikes on Iran while “serious talks” continued. He said Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE had requested Washington to suspend military operations.Regional allies fear that if US-Israeli strikes resume, Iran could retaliate by targeting Gulf states and disrupting energy infrastructure and shipping routes across the region.

New Delhi: Online satire movement Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) suffered another blow on Saturday when founder Abhijit Dubke said the official website of the organization has been taken down by the Centre, days after its main X handle was blocked in India following a legal demand.However, there was no statement from the Center till the filing of this report and a counter-narrative was running on social media that Dipke was playing the “victim card” by deleting his website. Deepke did not respond to messages and DMs.Dipke alleged that the website was removed after the movement grew rapidly among young users online and amid the petition over NEET-UG paper leak. “The government has taken down our iconic website,” he wrote, adding that “10 lakh cockroaches” had registered and “6 lakh cockroaches” had signed a petition demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. In another post, Dubke stepped up his attack on the Centre, asking, “Why is the government so afraid of cockroaches?” He said the episode was exposing India’s youth to “dictatorial behavior”.In another X post, he said that the party’s Instagram page, his personal Instagram account and a backup X handle have also been hit. “You can hack and block accounts but you can’t hack this movement,” Dupke wrote. He stressed that the campaign would continue online.According to sources, the original CJP handle on X was blocked in India after the Ministry of Electronics and IT took action under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act on Intelligence Bureau inputs citing sovereignty and national security concerns. Neither X nor the Ministry of Home Affairs and Information Technology provided any official confirmation.X’s own policy states that an “account frozen” notice reflects action taken in response to a valid legal demand or local law. After the ban, the party soon launched a handle called Cockroach is Back.The viral, meme-driven movement emerged following the controversy over Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s comments that sparked outrage online, before he clarified that his comments were aimed at people using “bogus and bogus degrees” and not unemployed youth. On Saturday, BJP’s Rajiv Chandrashekhar alleged that CJP’s overtures were part of a cross-border “influence campaign”, a charge Deepke denied.

New Delhi: Three Indian Army officers had a narrow escape when their helicopter crashed in the mountainous Tangste near Leh in Ladakh.A Major General, a Lieutenant Colonel and a Major survived the crash but sustained injuries when the Cheetah helicopter fell down. “The helicopter crashed on May 20. All three officers are safe. An inquiry has been ordered,” officials familiar with the matter told TOI.An officer’s selfie after the May 20 accident has now gone viral. All three came out of the debris on their own. The single-engine HAL Cheetah helicopter was piloted by a Lieutenant Colonel and a Major, while Major General Sachin Mehta, who commands the 3 Infantry Division, was on board as a passenger.The accident occurred while flying in the high altitude area of ​​Ladakh. The specific cause of the incident is still under investigation.Cheetah helicopters, inducted into service in 1976, have been a vital asset for the Indian Army, especially in high altitude and forward areas such as the Siachen Glacier. The Cheetah, which is vital for the armed forces for high-altitude logistics and reconnaissance missions, has been the subject of ongoing technical scrutiny due to its aging fleet.Over the past decade or so, more than 15 Cheetah and Chetak helicopters have been involved in accidents, resulting in the loss of many pilots’ lives.Due to these security issues, the Army plans to phase out the old Cheetah and Chetak helicopters within the next 1 to 2 years, to be gradually replaced by new generation Light Utility Helicopters (LUHs) over a period of 8 to 10 years.Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is playing a key role in this transformation. The Army has already placed orders for six limited-series-production LUHs, which are designed to reach a top speed of 220 kmph, a service range of 6.5 km and an operational range of 350 km.

Ludhiana: Riot police were deployed on a major national highway on Saturday after furious residents blocked traffic for two hours to protest against prolonged municipal water and power failure that has left thousands without drinking water during the scorching heat.growing standoff PunjabThe largest industrial hub highlights how crumbling civic infrastructure and a lack of inter-agency coordination are fueling public unrest as temperatures rise across the region.Dozens of women, many of them carrying children in their arms, sat across the highway near Tibba Road to block vehicular movement, forcing the police to divert traffic. An emergency fire brigade vehicle became temporarily stuck in the standoff before officers could find their way through the crowd.Residents of Jai Shakti Nagar said there was acute water shortage in their neighborhood for two weeks and it has become worse in the last seven days. Families reported being forced to buy bottled water to survive, with some even struggling to cook food.“Drinking water is not even reaching our homes,” resident Rohit Arora said. “Children, elderly and women are in bad shape in this extreme heat.”The protesters expressed anger that local officials, including the MLA and the mayor, live nearby, yet they have ignored their repeated complaints. A previous demonstration outside the local municipal office earlier this week failed to yield any results, forcing residents to extend their protest to the national highway.Municipal Corporation Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Amritpal Singh Acknowledged the crisis but held the power utility solely responsible for it. He said that unscheduled power cuts are constantly clashing with the scheduled hours of water pumping.To resolve the impasse, senior municipal corporation officials are now formally requesting that the State Electricity Corporation exempt water-pumping stations from power cuts during delivery windows.The blockade attracted political personalities including former MLA Sanjay Talwar, who joined the protest and accused the current administration of failing to provide basic public necessities.The protest ended after municipal engineers reached the spot and formally assured residents that water services would be restored immediately. However, community leaders warned the authorities that they would launch an intense agitation if the supplies failed again.

New Delhi: After a rocky last 12 months, the US and India are trying to stabilize ties, with visiting Secretary of State Marco Rubio meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and inviting President Donald Trump to visit the US “in the near future”. As the two sides discussed the situation in West Asia, according to the US readout, Rubio stressed that the US will not let Iran hold the global energy market hostage and affirmed that US energy products have the potential to diversify India’s energy supply. Speaking at a US Embassy event later, Rubio, who will attend the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting on Tuesday, also said the India-US relationship “is the cornerstone of our vision for the Indo-Pacific”. The announcement about the invitation was made by US Ambassador Sergio Gore, who accompanied Rubio on what he described as a “productive” discussion with Modi on ways to deepen US-India cooperation in security, trade and critical technologies – areas that “strengthen both our countries and advance a free and open Indo-Pacific”. Although India is open to the idea of ​​Modi visiting the US, it is learned that the government will wait to get more information from Washington about the possible schedule of the visit. Modi may in any case travel to Florida for the G20 summit, which will be hosted by the US in December this year. Officials are tight-lipped on what the invitation could mean for the Quad summit, for which Trump’s presence in India has been long awaited. The Indian readout or Modi himself did not mention the invitation. “India is an important partner of the United States,” Gore said in a post on Twitter after the meeting. Rubio said he also discussed efforts to secure energy and supply chains with Modi. According to an Indian readout, Rubio also briefed Modi on the US perspective on regional and global issues, including the situation in West Asia. It said Modi reiterated India’s continued support for peace efforts and called for peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy. Rubio’s visit comes amid hectic efforts to secure a US-Iran peace deal, and the threat of imminent US military action if these efforts fail. “Delighted to welcome US Secretary of State Mr. Marco Rubio. We discussed the continued progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and issues related to regional and global peace and security. India and the United States will continue to work together for global good,” Modi said in a post on Twitter. The Indian readout also said Rubio briefed Modi on “continued progress in bilateral cooperation” across a range of areas, including defence, strategic technologies, trade and investment, energy security, connectivity, education and people-to-people ties. Rubio began his visit to India in the morning from Kolkata, before reaching Delhi for a scheduled meeting with Modi in the afternoon. His bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is scheduled to be held on Sunday. At the US Embassy event, she recalled that her first assignment as Secretary of State was the meeting of Quad Foreign Ministers. “And we were going to renew it. We wanted to do it here, not only because of our commitment to that structure of work, but as a concrete signal of how important a role India plays in the United States and in our approach, and our approach to the Indo-Pacific,” Rubio said, adding that this commitment was implicit in the relationship between Modi and Trump. Rubio said, “The relationship between the leaders is incredibly important. These are two very serious leaders who are focused not just on the short-term, but the long-term. And so, I think that’s important to note, because it’s an important part of the foundation of the relationship between our countries.”

Mullanpur: Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer, left, with head coach Ricky Ponting (PTI photo)

Punjab Kings head coach ricky ponting praised the captain a lot Shreyas Iyer The PBKS captain scored a sensational unbeaten century to keep the franchise alive in the race for the IPL 2026 playoffs. Punjab ended their six-match losing streak with an impressive seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday, chasing 197 in just 18 overs. Shreyas played a brilliant inning of 101 not out in 51 balls and scored his first IPL century, while Prabhsimran Singh scored 69 runs in 39 balls to form a match-winning partnership of 140 runs for the third wicket. Reflecting on the win, Ponting acknowledged that Punjab have faced a tough road in recent weeks, but credited the team for responding under pressure. “We’ve done it the hard way, let’s put it this way. We’ve done what we needed to do today. Carelessness again in the field, they gave away 20 more runs than they should have got. “Very clinical chase, especially being in trouble early on,” Ponting said after the match. The former Australia captain had special praise for Shreyas, revealing why Punjab invested heavily in him in the auction and lauded both his leadership and temperament. “Captain, he has done this all season. This is his first IPL century tonight. We will celebrate it and then sit back tomorrow and wait for the results,” he said. “That’s why I spent as much money in the auction as I did a few years ago (on Iyer). He’s a talented guy, a very mature player now, a very mature leader. Often he keeps his emotions under control on the field. The respect he gets from his players is second to none.” Ponting also highlighted Shreyas’s influence inside the dressing room and said that the PBKS players fully accept their captain’s leadership. Ponting said, “The moment he stands in front of the group and speaks, no one bats an eye at a single word he says. He’s been a pleasure to work with. I’m really happy with his season last season.” The PBKS coach also backed Shreyas for a bigger role in India’s white-ball setup in the future. “It’s great to see him back in the Indian ODI team. I really think he has a big and bright future in the Indian T20 team as well,” he said. Punjab’s win moves them to fourth place with 15 points from 14 matches, although their playoff hopes still depend on results elsewhere. Rajasthan Royals face Mumbai Indians on Sunday, and PBKS needs a defeat for Rajasthan to stay in the top four. Ponting admitted that Punjab’s dramatic drop in form after a strong performance in the first half of the season had hurt their campaign. “The level of cricket we played in the first half was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. And then we made some crucial mistakes at different times in the last six games,” he said. The Australian great also praised Prabhsimran Singh for continuing his impressive season and credited the young opener’s growing confidence. Ponting said, “Fantastic player. It’s probably only in the last few years that he’s realized how good he is. He and Priyansh have been excellent for us over the last few seasons. It will be great for him to see him play a mature innings in a good run chase tonight.” Punjab’s fate now hinges on Sunday’s results, with Ponting revealing that the team will be keeping a close eye on the remaining playoff-deciding fixtures. He concluded, “We will try to get the boys together and watch it (RR-MI game).”

Pune: Prime Minister Narendra ModiAn appeal to ban foreign travel for a year can boost domestic tourism, provided the government emphasizes on it.Tour operators highlighted two constraints in the Indian tourism industry. First, exorbitant domestic airfares. Second, high hotel rents during holidays. He demanded some kind of limit to be imposed to encourage inland travel.Nilesh Bhansali, president of the Travel Agents Association of Pune, said domestic tourism should be made more affordable if people are expected to avoid foreign travel. “Sometimes, a flight from Mumbai to Leh costs more than a trip to Dubai. Hotel charges in destinations like Goa often double or triple during long weekends, making domestic travel unaffordable for many,” he said.Prime Minister Modi earlier this week appealed to Indians for frugality amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia and disruption in global energy supplies due to rising fuel prices. He encouraged people to use public transport, avoid unnecessary gold purchases, revive the practice of working from home and reduce non-essential foreign travel to conserve resources.Travel industry representatives said the advisory could further hurt the struggling international travel segment, but would boost domestic tourism. “International travel is suffering due to high aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price. It has made every aspect of holidays costlier. Such appeals will have an impact on the travel industry, which has been facing tough times since the beginning of this year,” said a travel company official on condition of anonymity.Mehboob Shaikh, president of the Central and South Maharashtra chapter of the Travel Agents Association of India, said travel agents would be affected if there is a further decline in international travel. “We make most of our profits from international packages, flights, visas and foreign exchange. Domestic travel may increase, but it cannot compensate for international business. International travelers spend a lot more per trip. Naturally, revenue per customer will decline with the decline in foreign travel,” he said.Sheikh said the expensive ATF has also pushed up domestic airfares, limiting the scope for the expected shift towards domestic tourism. “Nonetheless, this is a good opportunity to strengthen the domestic travel market,” he said.Santosh Gupta, owner of Shri Vinayak Holidays, believes that the Prime Minister’s appeal will not have any immediate impact on travel behavior. “Nothing can stop people from travelling. Post-Covid, travel has resumed in a big way. People are adjusting their budgets and continuing to travel despite the high price of ATF. Summer holidays remain the favorite travel period for most Indians,” Gupta said. times of IndiaHaving said that, visible impacts may emerge during the winter travel window.Makarand Angal, owner of Go Holidays, said some travelers are reconsidering foreign holidays. “Two of my clients were planning to travel to Hong Kong and Macau, but at the last moment they went to Kashmir,” he said.Sujit Palikar, an IT professional from Kharadi, is planning to travel to Australia with his family next month. He said Modi’s appeal surprised him. “This has raised doubts. We are reviewing our plans,” he said.According to Angle, domestic tourism provides better customer satisfaction. “Domestic travel is easier to manage and strong competition keeps prices relatively under control,” he said.Another travel company representative said, “Travel today is not just a luxury. People travel for business, education, family needs, mental well-being and experience. If airfares and hotel tariffs within India become more reasonable, we will strongly promote domestic tourism.”