Even though the fundamental elements of competitive examinations in India over the last decade have remained similar to those of previous years, the technology associated with them continues to evolve. Imagine a JEE, NEET or IAS aspirant being able to identify and simplify the problems within
"Call me Ringo." That's what the former Beatles drummer says when asked if we should call him Sir. He joins us at the swanky Sunset Marquis hotel in West Hollywood where rock stars have gathered for decades in a luxury oasis behind the Sunset Strip."Call me Ringo
India is set to become a global sporting powerhouse. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya predicts India will rank among the top 10 sporting nations by 2036. By 2047, the nation is projected to break into the top five. This vision is fueled by government initiatives like Fit India and Khelo India
The Gauhati High Court on Friday (April 24, 2026) rejected Congress leader Pawan Khera’s anticipatory bail plea in connection with a case registered by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, in the Assam Police Crime Branch
Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled in early trade on Friday (April 24, 2026) as surging oil prices and unabated foreign fund outflows unnerved investors. Weakness in IT stocks and a negative trend in global markets also weighed on investor sentiment
Decision time for Trump on Iran but what does he ultimately want?
Decision time for Trump on Iran but what does he ultimately want?
For President Trump, it's decision time.
Ten days ago, he said the US was prepared to go to the "rescue" of Iranian protesters if their government used violence against them.
The US was, the president said, "locked and loaded and ready to go".
That was before the violent crackdown in Iran had really begun. Now, with its full extent being shockingly revealed, the world waits to see how Trump will respond.
Nobody knows what President Trump is going to do except for President Trump," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. "The world can keep waiting and guessing.
But for how long?
Senior officials are due to brief the president on Tuesday on possible courses of action. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he was looking at "some very strong options".
Flushed with success in Venezuela - the president described the capture of Nicolas Maduro as one of the most successful operations in US history - the temptation to deploy the military must be considerable.
As events last summer demonstrated, the US is perfectly capable of mounting attacks from a distance. B-2 stealth bombers flew 30-hour round trip missions from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to drop bunker busting bombs on two of Iran's most important nuclear sites.
Whether the US opts for more of the same, or pinpoint attacks on elements of the regime responsible for the current repression, it is reasonable to assume Washington has a lengthy target list to draw on.
Pentagon officials, quoted by the BBC's US partner CBS News, say the response could include a variety of other, more covert methods, including cyber operations and covert psychological campaigns intended to disrupt and confuse Iran's command structures.
One scenario that can almost certainly be ruled out, however, is anything remotely resembling what unfolded in Caracas on 3 January.
Even in its weakened state, and battered by recent American and Israeli strikes, Iran is not Venezuela. The Islamic Republic is a battle-hardened regime. The removal of a single figure is unlikely to bend the entire country to Washington's will.
Trump's recent reference to Jimmy Carter's disastrous 1980 attempt to rescue American hostages held in Iran also shows that he is aware of the pitfalls that could accompany any attempt to put US boots on the ground.
Eight American servicemen died when a helicopter and EC-130 transport aircraft collided on the ground in Iran's eastern desert.
That botched operation, coupled with the humiliation felt at the spectacle of hooded American hostages being paraded in front of cameras in Tehran, was a significant factor in Carter's electoral defeat later that year.
I don't know that he would have won the election," Trump told journalists from the New York Times last week, "but he certainly had no chance after that disaster.
But 46 years later, there is a bigger question driving Washington's military calculations: what is the Trump administration actually trying to achieve in Iran?
It's hard to tell exactly what course of action Trump is likely to take," Will Todman, senior fellow in the Middle East programme at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said, "given we don't know what his full aim is here.
President Trump is probably trying to influence the Iranian regime's behaviour, Todman said, rather than topple it.
I think the risks of regime change are so great that I don't yet believe that is his primary objective here," he said. "It could be more concessions in the nuclear talks. It could be to stop the crackdown. It also could be to try to implement reforms that lead to… some sort of sanctions relief.
Trump has said elements of the Iranian regime have reached out, anxious to negotiate, presumably to keep a dialogue going on the country's nuclear programme.
"What you're hearing publicly from the Iranian regime is quite different from the messages the administration is receiving privately," Leavitt said on Monday, adding that diplomacy was "always the first option".
Unnamed officials have told the Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, that Vice-President JD Vance is one of a handful of senior aides urging Trump to pursue diplomacy first.
The smartest thing for them to have done," Vance told reporters last Thursday, "is for them to actually have a real negotiation with the United States about what we need to see when it comes to their nuclear program.
But if a bloody crackdown continues across Iran, diplomacy runs the risk of looking like weakness.
"If it's not sufficient, it demoralises protesters," Todman said.
Perhaps with this in mind, and with gruesome accounts emerging from Iran despite the internet blackout, the president has said he may feel compelled to act even before diplomatic channels have been explored.
A limited strike, some believe, could help to encourage the protesters, while putting the regime on notice that there may be worse to come.
"All Trump has to do is shoot to cause panic inside the regime," said Bilal Saab, an associate fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House.
"A US strike could embolden the protesters and distract the regime," he added.
But Saab said military action could also backfire.
It could harden the resolve of the regime and its still-large support base across the country. A rallying around the flag wouldn't be shocking," he said. "That's more likely… if the strike is symbolic or a one off.
It is a complex set of calculations for the president, made worse by the knowledge that Iran has threatened to respond to any American attack.
And despite the damage inflicted by Israeli and American attacks, Iran still has a significant arsenal of ballistic missiles.
Across the Middle East, Iran's allies and proxies may be gone - such as Syria's former President Bashar al-Assad - or weakened, as is the case with Hezbollah in Lebanon, but the "Axis of Resistance" is not yet a spent force.
The Houthis in Yemen and Shia militias in Iraq are still capable of action.
Among the voices urging President Trump to act boldly is the man offering to lead Iran's transition away from the rule of the clerics.
"The president has a decision to make fairly soon," Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran's last monarch, told CBS News.
The best way to ensure that there will be less people killed in Iran is to intervene sooner," he said. "So this regime finally collapses and puts an end to all the problems that we are facing.
It sounded simple. At the White House, officials will know it is anything but.
With additional reporting from Kayla Epstein
Follow the twists and turns of Trump's second term with North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher's weekly US Politics Unspun newsletter.
Readers in the UK can sign up here. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Sources dismiss claim that Indian Navy provided intelligence on Iranian warship Ten skiers missing Ten-year-old girl Ten suspected Maoists killed in gunfight with security forces Bayer Leverkusen starts again with a new coach after two games under Ten Hag Ten skiers missing in California avalanche The Ten of Wands is guiding you to make space for the good things to come Ryan Ten Doeschate Backs Sanju Samson To Excel In Middle Order Actor among West Bengal residents stranded in Dubai amid West Asia tensions Ten killed in fire at India hospital intensive care unit
Kolkata saw inventory levels improve further, with unsold housing stock declining 7% to 19,062 units from 20,595 units a year earlier Kolkata recorded a 5% year-on-year rise in housing sales to 4,043 units in the first quarter of 2026, outperforming the broader Indian housing market where overall
5 hours ago
Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League table with a narrow 1-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor, a result that also confirmed the hosts’ relegation on Wednesday. A fifth-minute strike from Erling Haaland proved decisive as City climbed above Arsenal on goals scored
5 hours ago
Chennai Super Kings continue to be without MS Dhoni who is yet to attain full fitness after enduring a calf strain. Chennai Super Kings remain hopeful that MS Dhoni will feature for the franchise later this IPL season, despite already missing seven matches due to a calf strain
5 hours ago
IIT Madras's SWAYAM plus launches 3 new AI courses for beginners, registration beginsIIT Madras's SWAYAM plus has launched three new AI courses for beginners. The registration process is underway and will close on May 10. Published on: Apr 24
5 hours ago
Veteran actor Annu Kapoor is often known for voicing his opinions candidly, never shying away from sharing his thoughts on films, society, and the industry with his trademark honesty and wit. In 2025, he found himself at the centre of a controversy after commenting on Tamannaah Bhatia’s
5 hours ago
Chhattisgarh: Forest dept rolls out action plan for conservation, livelihoods in BalodabazarChhattisgarh: Forest dept rolls out action plan for conservation, livelihoods in Balodabazar Published on: Apr 24, 2026 2:11 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link Raipur
5 hours ago
West Bengal Elections BJP vs TMC: Political campaigns in West Bengal are creatively using fish and meat, staples of Bengali culture, to connect with voters. This strategy highlights the significant economic importance of the state's non-vegetarian food industry
5 hours ago
A father and his toddler daughter have gone viral after sharing videos of their bike rides together, with heartwarming clips of their outings crossing millions of views online. Gareth Williams, 33, from Blaenau Gwent in Wales, began filming short clips of rides with his daughter Indie after
5 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Under ₹1000 but still cute: These 8 summer dresses prove budget can look chicLooking stylish doesn’t have to come with a heavy price tag. These dresses prove that under ₹1000
5 hours ago
Singapore is transforming from East-West gateway to neutral ground for the AI sector, with Chinese startups hoping to operate beyond government reach while U.S. firms seek foreign talent without the headache of stricter visa regulations. The city-state
5 hours ago
Odisha govt asks colleges, varsities to constitute internal committees under POSH ActThe Higher Edu Dept directed universities, colleges, and teacher education institutions to strictly adhere to the provisions of the POSH Act, or face action. Published on: Apr 24
5 hours ago
Theegala, Rai make modest start in Zurich ClassicTheegala, Rai make modest start in Zurich Classic Published on: Apr 24, 2026 11:48 AM IST PTI Share via Copy link Avondale , Sahith Theegala and Aaron Rai, who are very close friends, made a modest start in the Zurich Classic
5 hours ago
China's DeepSeek releases long-awaited new AI modelDeepSeek-V4, "features an ultra-long context", the company said in a statement on social media platform WeChat, hailing it as “world-leading.” Published on: Apr 24, 2026 1:31 PM IST AFP Share via Copy link Chinese startup DeepSeek released a
5 hours ago
Near the Kremlin several dozen people are queuing outside the presidential administration office. They've come to submit petitions calling on President Vladimir Putin to end a crackdown on the internet. Russian authorities have been tightening control of the country's cyber space
5 hours ago
AirPods Max 2 is Apple doubling down on a sharp formula of subtle refinementFive years after the original, the AirPods Max 2 keeps that divisive yet iconic design , but delivers important audio hardware upgrades that define renewed finesse Published on: Apr 24
5 hours ago
![New Delhi [India], April 24 (ANI): Australian cricketing icons Matthew Hayden and Brett Lee extended birthday wishes to Indian master blaster Sachin Tendulkar](http://newsorbit360.com/files/news/en/imgs/the-man-who-became-cricket.webp?height=520)
New Delhi [India], April 24 (ANI): Australian cricketing icons Matthew Hayden and Brett Lee extended birthday wishes to Indian master blaster Sachin Tendulkar on his birthday. Sachin, perhaps the most technically flawless batter to live, with nearly every cricket record to his name
5 hours ago
Restaurant Week India (RWI) is back this April after a decade out of circulation, but it returns to a dining culture that no longer needs an introduction. Running from April 24 to May 3 across Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, and Bengaluru, the 2026 edition brings together over 55 restaurants offering
5 hours ago
A woman who was taking a toilet break while on a road trip in the Australian outback ended up getting stuck waist-deep in a pit latrine after it collapsed. She was "trapped in the sewage pit for approximately three hours, until [she was] rescued by a local tradesman who happened to be passing by
5 hours ago
Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan have officially kicked off the next schedule of their upcoming film with director Anees Bazmee, as the team heads to Kerala for an extensive shoot. The development was confirmed by Akshay himself, who shared a video on social media, giving fans a glimpse of the journey
5 hours ago
The Uttarakhand Board of School Education (UBSE), Dehradun, is set to announce the Class 10 and Class 12 results on April 25. The UBSE board exams for 2026 were held across the state from February 21 to March 20, while practical exams were conducted between January 16 and February 15 at schools and
5 hours ago
A US special forces soldier involved in the military operation that captured Nicolas Maduro has been arrested after he allegedly bet on the removal of Venezuela's former leader before the information was publicly available. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged Gannon Ken Van Dyke after he
5 hours ago
An Iranian Ship Tried to Slip the Blockade. A U.S. Destroyer Chased It Down.Hundreds of ghost-fleet vessels are playing a game of cat-and-mouse as the U.S. tries to lock down Iran’s oil trade and pressure it to accept Trump’s terms Published on: Apr 24
5 hours ago
Marco Rubio has said that the Iranian footballers will be allowed to take part in this year’s FIFA World Cup 2026 as he distanced the U.S. government from a reported idea suggesting that Italy could replace Iran in the tournament. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office
5 hours ago
Who is Parminder Singh? Akash Ambani welcomes ex-Google MD as CEO of Reliance-Meta AI ventureParminder Singh was appointed as the CEO of REIL, a joint venture between Reliance Intelligence Limited and Facebook Overseas Inc. Published on: Apr 24
5 hours ago
India is projected to have 313 billionaires and more than 25,200 ultra-high net worth individuals by 2031, according to a study by global property management firm Knight Frank. India currently has 207 billionaires and 19,877 ultra-high net worth individuals, the study showed
5 hours ago
A strong El Nino is expected in the second half of 2026. This will bring hotter, drier weather to Asia. Crops and food supplies will be affected. Farmers face fertiliser shortages and high fuel costs. India anticipates below-average monsoon rains
5 hours ago
Nita Ambani at TIME100 Gala ditches gowns, represents India in a saree and stunning pearl-diamond jewels | PICSAt the TIME100 gala, Nita Ambani wore an exquisite traditional saree showcasing Indian craftsmanship, paired with statement jewellery from her collection. Updated on: Apr 24
5 hours ago
