Iran’s powerful Assembly of Experts has chosen a new Supreme Leader to replace Ali Khamenei, but the name has not been announced.   Assembly member Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri said the panel has largely agreed on a candidate. However, “some obstacles” remain before the decision can be formally declared.   Reports say members disagree on how to finalise the announcement. Some want a full meeting. Others say security risks make that difficult during the ongoing war.   One cleric said the choice followed the late leader’s advice that Iran’s top leader should “be hated by the enemy”.   The Assembly of Experts is responsible for selecting Iran’s supreme leader.

A large crowd of Indian fans is gathering at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup final between India national cricket team and New Zealand national cricket team.   Fans in blue shirts have returned to the venue, but the mood is calmer than the tense atmosphere during the 2023 final loss.   New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said his team expects strong Indian support. “It’s fair to say we are a bit outnumbered over here — 1.4 billion Team India fans,” he wrote.   Many supporters believe India has played strongly in the tournament. Thousands have travelled to watch the final despite high ticket and hotel costs. (PC: NDTV)

Iran’s Assembly of Experts has agreed on a candidate to replace Ali Khamenei as the country’s next supreme leader, clerics said on Sunday. Officials said a consensus has been reached but warned that “some obstacles” remain before the appointment becomes final.   The development came as heavy smoke covered parts of Tehran after oil depots were struck in US-Israeli air raids. Residents reported loud explosions and large fires.   Videos showed flames spreading across streets after fuel spilled from damaged storage sites.   Israel’s military has also warned it could target any successor to Khamenei. The conflict has spread across the Gulf, with drone and missile attacks reported in several countries. (PC: BBC)

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington had earlier asked India to stop buying sanctioned Russian oil and New Delhi complied.   “The Indians had been very good actors. We had asked them to stop buying sanctioned Russian oil this fall. They did,” Bessent told Fox Business.   He said the U.S. has now allowed India to buy Russian oil already at sea to ease supply pressure during the West Asia conflict.   “Yesterday, the Treasury agreed to let our allies in India start buying Russian oil that was already on the water,” he said.   The U.S. has issued a temporary 30-day waiver for such purchases. (PC: The Hindu)

Large fires broke out in Tehran after Israeli airstrikes hit several fuel depots in and around the Iranian capital. Iranian officials said at least four people, including two tanker drivers, were killed. Warplanes struck at least five oil facilities, including storage depots and a fuel transport centre.   Videos showed huge flames and thick black smoke rising over the city. Residents described a “river of fire” flowing along roads where leaking fuel caught fire. Emergency crews worked overnight to control the blazes.   Israel said it targeted fuel storage sites to stop their use by Iran’s military. Iranian authorities said fuel reserves remain secure, though distribution was temporarily disrupted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal for allegedly insulting President Droupadi Murmu. Speaking at a Women’s Day event, Modi said the country and “Nari Shakti” will not forgive the insult to the President. The controversy began after the venue of the 9th International Santhali Conclave was shifted to a smaller location near Bagdogra Airport. President Murmu said she was saddened that many people could not attend the event because of the change. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was also absent from the programme. Banerjee later accused the BJP of using the President to attack the state government for political reasons. (PC: @NarendraModi)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated two new Delhi Metro corridors, including India’s first operational ring metro line. He opened the 12.3-km Majlis Park–Maujpur-Babarpur stretch of the Pink Line and the 9.9-km Deepali Chowk–Majlis Park extension of the Magenta Line. The Pink Line now forms a circular metro network around parts of Delhi. The new corridor has nine elevated stations and a bridge over the Yamuna. The Magenta Line extension adds seven stations and improves connectivity in north Delhi. Services started at 3 pm on Sunday. The metro projects are part of development works worth about Rs 33,500 crore aimed at improving public transport and reducing travel time.

A top Iranian official has warned US President Donald Trump that Iran will “avenge” the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani said Iran will not leave Trump alone and vowed to continue strikes on US and Israeli bases. He also claimed several American soldiers were captured during the conflict, though the US denied the claim. Trump dismissed the warning and said he “couldn’t care less”. He added that Iran had already been defeated and demanded unconditional surrender. The comments come as fighting between the US, Israel and Iran continues, with airstrikes, missile attacks and rising casualties across the Middle East region. (PC: Reuters)

At least 19 people were killed after Israeli airstrikes hit a town in southern Lebanon on Sunday. The strike destroyed a three-storey building in Sire al Gharbiya. Reports said children were among the dead. Rescue teams are searching through the rubble to find survivors and recover bodies. The attack comes as the Middle East war continues for a ninth day. Israel has also carried out strikes in Iran, targeting oil facilities and military sites. Iran earlier launched drone and missile attacks on US bases in the region. Thousands of civilians have been affected as the conflict spreads across several countries and tensions continue to rise.

Iran launched missile and drone attacks across parts of the Gulf, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In the UAE, four people were killed and 112 injured after debris from intercepted missiles fell in areas of Dubai. A Pakistani driver died in Al Barsha when debris hit the ground. Air defence systems intercepted several drones and missiles. Dubai airport briefly stopped operations before resuming flights. Several airlines cancelled or delayed flights as airspace restrictions continued. Qatar Airways said it will run limited flights to and from Doha. Authorities in the UAE later lifted the safety alert and said the situation is currently safe.