United States President Donald Trump said that American forces will strike Tehran “very hard tonight”. He also threatened that his country’s military would seize key Iranian oil export terminal of Kharg Island as well as Tehran’s oil and gas infrastructure and markets.

The island is an eight-km stretch of land off the Iranian coast that handles about 90% of the country’s crude exports. Trump’s statements escalates tensions in West Asia and threaten a fragile ceasefire that took effect on April 8.

Trump claimed on social media the action would be “​much like we ​have ⁠with Venezuela”. However, shortly after his post, he said that he was not certain that “America has the stomach” for a larger conflict despite it being his “preference”. Read on.

New Delhi has registered a “strong protest” to the United States’ chargé d’affaires after three Indian seafarers were killed when the US military struck a commercial tanker off the coast of Oman. Randhir Jaiswal, the external affairs ministry spokesperson, added that the American diplomat was also informed of “our deepest concerns on the ongoing incidents of attacks” amid the war in West Asia.

The Indians who were killed on the Palau-flagged M/T Settebello were identified as chief engineer Patnala Suresh, deck cadet Aditya Sharma and engine fitter Shivanand Chaurasiya. “These attacks came from the US Navy stationed there,” Jaiswal said. Read on.

Twenty Indian seafarers were on board another ship involved in a “maritime security incident” off the coast of Oman, said the Union government. The crew members are safe and were being evacuated.

Videos posted on social media showed smoke billowing from the Guinea-Bissau-flagged bitumen tanker MT Jalveer. It was unclear what had caused the fire on the ship off the port of Shinas in northern Oman.

The Indian diplomatic mission said that it was monitoring the situation and coordinating with the local authorities. Read on.

The Calcutta High Court granted interim protection from arrest for three weeks to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee. However, he was directed to appear before the Crime Investigation Department by 6 pm in the case, which pertains to allegedly forged signatures in a letter submitted to support the appointment of Sovandeb Chattopadhyay as the leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly.

Abhishek Banerjee had earlier skipped summons issued by the department. Subsequently, the CID searched the Kolkata home of TMC chief Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday. Abhishek Banerjee is Mamata Banerjee’s nephew. Read on.

Meanwhile, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said that he will not appear as a lawyer for party leader Abhishek Banerjee in cases before the court because of his “arrogant attitude”. He told reporters that party chief Mamata Banerjee should choose between him and Abhishek Banerjee.

Kalyan Banerjee claimed that he was not consulted before a separate writ petition was filed in a case relating to searches conducted at Mamata Banerjee’s home.

He further said that he was senior to Abhishek Banerjee in politics and that he cannot be disrespected or humiliated. “[Abhishek Banerjee] also needs to understand that the party is facing this crisis because of him,” said Kalyan Banerjee. Read on.

Why the Trinamool Congress is collapsing like a house of cards, explains Anant Gupta

Two members of the Kuki community were killed and several homes were burned down when the Kultuh Kuki village in Manipur’s Kamjong district was attacked by militants. The attack came hours after arson was reported in Senapati district and other places.

In the Liangmai Taphou village of Senapati district, the state headquarters of the Naga People’s Front was vandalised. Earlier in the day, unidentified miscreants ransacked the premises. The NPF is the ruling party in neighbouring Nagaland. Read on.

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