Month: March 2026

Despite claims by US President Donald Trump that negotiations with Iran were underway and the conflict could soon end, the Pentagon is expected to deploy troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East as the war enters its fourth week, according to CBS News.

The news report said, citing a source familiar with the planning, that the Pentagon is planning to send elements of the division, including a command component and some ground forces, to the region.

Citing a US official, CBS reported that the deployment could involve fewer than 1,500 troops.

US President Trump had earlier confirmed that negotiations were on with Iran, claiming that the war was going to end.

“We’re in negotiations right now. I can tell you, they’d like to make a deal and who wouldn’t if you were there? Look, their navy’s gone, their air force is gone, their communications are gone. pretty much everything they have is gone. I think we are going to end it. I cannot tell you for sure. We have won this… We literally have planes flying over Tehran and other parts of their country. They can’t do a thing about it. For instance, if I want to take down that power plant, they can’t do a thing about it… They are totally defeated… Militarily, they are dead,” he said.

The Iranian perspective on the ongoing conflict, however, differed from US President Trump’s claims. In a video posted by Fars News, the Iranian Military spokesperson took a jibe at the US, saying that the situation had reached a stage where the Americans were negotiating with themselves.

“The strategic power you used to boast about has now turned into a strategic defeat…Do not label your defeat as an ‘agreement.’ The era of your promises has come to an end. Today, there are two fronts in the world: Truth and Falsehood. No freedom-seeking truth-seeker will be deceived by your media waves. The level of your internal conflicts has reached the stage where you are negotiating with yourselves. There will be no more talk of your investments in the region, nor will you ever see the former prices of energy and oil again, until you understand that stability in this region is guaranteed only by the powerful hand of our armed forces,” the spokesperson said.

Also, Iran released footage of the 80th wave of Operation True Promise 4, launching missiles towards US-Israeli positions in the region even as US President Trump indicated that a negotiated settlement was on the horizon.

There has, been no formal response from the Iranian side to the latest overture from Trump. The Iranians on Tuesday had denied reports of any negotiations with the US, claiming that peace would only be achieved once the US-Israel stopped its campaign. With the Iranian military taking a belligerent stand even as it launched wave 80 of its retaliatory strikes, peace remains elusive in West Asia. (ANI)

Praising Indian batter Rinku Singh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that he has been given an appointment letter as a Regional Sports Officer by the Uttar Pradesh government.

Rinku rose to stardom by smashing Gujarat Titans’ Yash Dayal during the IPL 2023 for five successive sixes in the final over during a tense chase of 200-odd runs for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and since then, has become an Asian Games gold medal winner, Asia Cup winner and, most recently, the T20 World Cup winner with Team India.

He has won Men in Blue several matches by playing the role of an explosive, six-hitting finisher down the order.

Speaking during a programme organised for the distribution of appointment letters and prize money to international medal-winning players on Wednesday, CM Yogi emphasised that Uttar Pradesh is the first state in the country giving prioirty to athletes in government services.

“UP is the first state in the country to give athletes priority in government service. So far, we have provided appointment letters to over 500 athletes for various police positions… For his performance in cricket and the Asian Games, Rinku Singh has been given an appointment letter as a Regional Sports Officer. He is already a part of a camp (KKR camp in the IPL), so he has gone there. Many other players have also got appointment letters here today,” he said.

Rinku has been named the vice-captain of KKR for the upcoming IPL 2026, taking on a new leadership role within the team.

Rinku will serve as the deputy to Ajinkya Rahane, stepping into the vice-captaincy role previously held by Venkatesh Iyer, who was acquired by defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 7 crore ahead of the season.

The announcement was made by KKR CEO Venky Mysore at the Knights Unplugged 3.0 event held in Kolkata on Tuesday.

“On behalf of everyone in the franchise, we’re really delighted to announce that Rinku Singh will be the Vice-captain of the team. Rinku joined KKR in 2018 and has been a regular in the team ever since,” said Venky Mysore.

Rinku’s form will be a big concern for the Knight Riders, as he had a sub-par T20 World Cup 2026, scoring just 24 runs in five innings. In the midst of the T20WC campaign, Rinku’s father, Khanchand, also died after a battle with cancer. But after completing all the rituals, Rinku rejoined the squad, making this an extremely inspirational story emerging out of the tournament.

Also in the IPL, his performances have witnessed a decline since his breakout season in 2023, in which five successive sixes against Yash Dayal in a 200-plus run-chase against the Gujarat Titans (GT) launched him into stardom. Rinku’s 2023 season saw him score 474 runs in 14 innings at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.52, with four fifties.

However, since then, he has scored just 374 runs in 22 innings at an average of 23.37, with a best score of 38*. Rinku has played 59 matches for the side, scoring 1,099 runs at an average of 30.53.

Having scored 55 runs in two ODIs, Rinku has also played 45 T20Is for India, scoring 665 runs at an average of 39.11 in 33 innings at a strike rate of over 155, with three fifties to his name. (ANI)

The Estate Department on Wednesday issued a notice to the Congress party, directing them to vacate their office at 24 Akbar Road by March 28, according to Congress sources.

The Akbar Road bungalow served as the Congress party’s headquarters for 48 years.

However, after the opposition party opened its new office, Indira Bhavan, at Kotla Marg last year, the Akbar Road premises have yet to be vacated, with party activities still taking place there.

Meanwhile earlier in the day, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh launched a sharp attack on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government over its plan to amend the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, accusing it of making a “U-turn” and using women’s reservation as a “Weapons of Mass Diversion”, aimed at deflecting attention from pressing national issues such as the PM’s foreign policy setbacks and the ongoing LPG and energy crises amid escalating West Asia crisis.

In a post shared on X, Ramesh recalled that the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, 2023–which guarantees one-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies–was originally tied to the completion of a fresh census and delimitation exercise.

“In September 2023, the new Parliament House was inaugurated by the passage of the Nari Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, which amended the Constitution to provide for one-third reservation of women in the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas and also provided for one-third reservation for women in seats reserved for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Both these reservations were to become operational after the delimitation and census exercises would get completed,” he wrote.

Ramesh further pointed out that the Congress had pushed for its immediate implementation ahead of the 2024 general elections, a demand that was rejected by the government at the time.

“When the Nari Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 was being debated, the Indian National Congress had demanded its immediate implementation from the 2024 Lok Sabha elections itself. The Modi Govt said this was not possible since both delimitation and the census had to necessarily be completed first. Now the U-turn Ustad has, after 30 months, suddenly changed his mind and wants to implement the reservations WITHOUT completing the delimitation and census operations,” he said. (ANI)

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt paid a courtesy visit to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday.

Here are some of the pictures of Sanjay with CM Naidu

The two held discussions on the development of the film industry in Andhra Pradesh.

Sanjay Dutt expressed his interest in establishing infrastructure related to the film industry in the state.

They discussed the government’s vision of making Andhra Pradesh a hub for film shootings, along with the opportunities available.

Meanwhile, on the acting front, Sanjay is basking in the success of ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’. In the film, he plays Pakistani police officer Chaudhary Aslam.

The film, which hit theatres on March 19, has already crossed Rs 700 crore worldwide. Directed by Aditya Dhar, ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ is a sequel to ‘Dhurandhar’ (2025), which was the highest-grossing Hindi film of that year.

Produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, the project also features Ranveer Singh, R. Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi and Arjun Rampal. In the first part, Akshay Khanna also played a pivotal role. (ANI)

The holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi on Wednesday witnessed a huge rush of devotees, as the ongoing Chaitra Navratri festival continues to attract devotees from across the country.

According to official sources, 2.4 lakh devotees have already paid obeisance during the initial days of Navratri, and the inflow remains steady with a continuous movement of pilgrims along the track from Katra to the Bhawan.

Authorities earlier had to regulate registrations due to the unprecedented rush; however, the yatra is presently proceeding smoothly under strict crowd management and security arrangements. Adequate deployment of security personnel, medical teams, and support staff has been ensured to facilitate a safe and hassle-free pilgrimage.

Officials have advised devotees to undertake the journey only after proper registration and to strictly follow all guidelines issued by the administration.

The registration for the pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji was temporarily suspended on the eve of March 21 due to a heavy inflow of devotees during the Navratri festival, but resumed by 4 AM on March 22.

Authorities had suspended the registration process as a precautionary measure to manage the large crowd and ensure the safety and smooth movement of pilgrims. With the situation improving and better crowd management in place, registration has now been restored.

With Navratri being an auspicious period for the pilgrimage, the footfall is expected to increase further in the coming days.

The Trikuta hills continue to resonate with chants of “Jai Mata Di” as the yatra remains in full swing.

The large turnout reflects strong faith among devotees during Navratri, with numbers expected to increase further in the coming days.

The surge in footfall comes in the wake of the ongoing Chaitra Navratri festival, hence drawing thousands of devotees from across the country to seek the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi Ji. (ANI)

Star Indian batter Rinku Singh has been named the vice-captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the upcoming Indian Premier League 2026, taking on a new leadership role within the team.

Rinku will serve as the deputy to Ajinkya Rahane, stepping into the vice-captaincy role previously held by Venkatesh Iyer, who was acquired by defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 7 crore ahead of the season.

The announcement was made by KKR CEO Venky Mysore at the Knights Unplugged 3.0 event held in Kolkata on Tuesday.

“On behalf of everyone in the franchise, we’re really delighted to announce that Rinku Singh will be the Vice-captain of the team. Rinku joined KKR in 2018 and has been a regular in the team ever since,” said Venky Mysore.

Rinku’s form will be a big concern for the Knight Riders, as he had a sub-par T20 World Cup 2026, scoring just 24 runs in five innings. Also in the IPL, his performances have witnessed a decline since his breakout season in 2023, in which five successive sixes against Yash Dayal in a 200-plus run-chase against the Gujarat Titans (GT) launched him into stardom.

Rinku’s 2023 season saw him score 474 runs in 14 innings at an average of 59.25 and a strike rate of 149.52, with four fifties.

However, since then, he has scored just 374 runs in 22 innings at an average of 23.37, with a best score of 38*.

Rinku has played 59 matches for the side, scoring 1,099 runs at an average of 30.53.

KKR will begin their IPL campaign against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on March 29. (ANI)

Actor Athiya Shetty celebrated her daughter Evaarah’s birthday and shared glimpse from the celebration.

On Tuesday, the ‘Hero’ actor posted a carousel of pictures and penned a heartfelt note on Instagram.

Calling Evaarah her ‘Jaana’, she wrote, “Happy 1st birthday, my jaana. Thank you for choosing us, we love you beyond words and beyond worlds.”

Athiya shared the priceless moments from the celebration like she was seen holding Evaarah high up in the air, with a big smile on her face.

Looks like, the birthday girl was enjoying her birthday as her hands were next to her appetizing birthday cake.

Athiya also treated netizens with a theme of birthday celebration with the animal-themed cakes. Also, Evaarah can be seen holding her father, KL Rahul’s finger with her little hands.

Anushka Sharma and Ananya Panday reacted to the post and showered love on the birthday girl.

Anushka wrote, “Sweet sweet baby” while Ananya commented, “Happy birthday sweet angel.”

Mama Ahan Shetty also shared a picture of his little ‘Evaaru’ where he was holding her in his lap.

“1 year already??? Happy birthday my Evuuu”, he captioned.

Athiya Shetty, who has been away from the film industry for some time, tied the knot with KL Rahul on January 23, 2023, in an intimate ceremony at her father and veteran actor Suniel Shetty’s farmhouse in Khandala.

The couple announced their pregnancy in November 2024 on Instagram and welcomed their first child, a daughter named Evaarah, in March.

On Instagram, the couple later shared an adorable picture of themselves with their newborn.

“Our baby girl, our everything. Evaarah/Ivaaraa ~ Gift of God,” read the caption of their post.

Athiya made her acting debut in 2015 with ‘Hero’.

Later, she appeared in films such as ‘Mubarakan’ and ‘Motichoor Chaknachoor’. (ANI)

Amid intensifying global efforts to secure vital energy corridors, PM Narendra Modi held a high-level telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday to discuss the prevailing conflict in West Asia. The dialogue comes at a critical juncture as regional tensions continue to impact global energy markets and maritime security.

In a post on X, PM Modi detailed the diplomatic exchange, stating, “Received a call from President Trump and had a useful exchange of views on the situation in West Asia. India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace at the earliest. Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible is essential for the whole world. We agreed to stay in touch regarding efforts towards peace and stability.”

US envoy Sergio Gor earlier confirmed the exchange, noting that the dialogue focused on the ongoing situation, “including the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open”.

This diplomatic outreach occurs as President Trump signalled a potential de-escalation in the US-Israel standoff with Iran, marking on Monday that his administration was already engaged in “productive” talks with Tehran.

Following these developments, Trump extended his deadline for potential strikes on power plants by five days, citing Iran’s “chokehold on the key oil shipping route Strait of Hormuz”. While Iranian officials claimed the US President had backed down “following Iran’s firm warning”, the internal messaging from Tehran remains cautious. Reports from CBS suggest Tehran has “received points from the US through mediators and they are being reviewed”.

Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, PM Modi underscored India’s proactive role in navigating the crisis through constant communication with all stakeholders.

“Since the start of the war, I have held two rounds of phone conversations with the heads of state of most countries in West Asia. We are in continuous contact with all the Gulf countries, and we are also in touch with Iran, Israel, and the United States,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister further highlighted that New Delhi is leveraging its diplomatic capital to protect its maritime and diaspora interests.

“Through diplomacy, India is trying to ensure safe commutation of the country’s ships even in a war situation. India has opted for a solution through dialogue to resolve this issue,” PM Modi added, reiterating that the safety of the Indian community in the region remains a “priority”.

Amid this diplomatic push, the government clarified the legal status of the contested waters.

Rajesh Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping, dismissed concerns regarding transit rights, stating, “It is an international strait. Permission was not required before. It is not required even today. You definitely assess the situation as to how the safety will be, how one should move, at what time one should move, but still, it is not that permission is required from anyone.”

In a significant operational breakthrough, two Indian LPG carriers, Jag Vasant and Pine Gas, have successfully transited through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The vessels, carrying a substantial cargo of 92,612.59 MT of LPG, were seen in visuals as they crossed the critical maritime chokepoint. These massive carriers have 33 and 27 Indian seafarers onboard, respectively, managing the transit through the high-risk area.

The Union Government confirmed on Monday that these two additional Indian-flagged tankers are anticipated to arrive at Indian shores within the next forty-eight hours.

The Pine Gas and Jag Vasant conducted their transit in close proximity to one another after commencing their journey from the Persian Gulf on Monday morning. These tankers were part of a group of 22 Indian-flagged vessels that became stranded following the escalation of the conflict.

This successful movement follows the previous safe arrival of the MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi, which carried roughly 92,712 tonnes of LPG–an amount equivalent to “roughly a day’s cooking gas consumption of the country.”

Emphasising the commitment to maritime security, Sinha told reporters, “Ultimately, we want to secure safe passage of all our vessels that are stranded in the region.”

The safe transit of these energy carriers occurs against a backdrop of heightened regional tension, following earlier statements from Iran asserting it would not allow “enemy countries’ ships” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. (ANI)

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill 2026, amending the original 2019 Act, with a voice vote.

The Bill was introduced by the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Virendra Kumar.

The Bill alters the definition of transgender person to exclude several individuals.

According to the statement of the objects and reasons for the bill, it is the legislative policy to recognise a specific class of transgender persons, who face social issues and to create a regime for their protection. The legislative policy was and is intended to protect only those who face severe social exclusion due to biological reasons for no fault of their own and no choice of their own.

The definition of a transgender person as per the Bill reads, “a person having such socio-cultural identities as kinner, hijra, aravani and jogta, or eunuch, or a person with intersex variations specified below or a person who, at birth, has a congenital variation in one or more of the following sex characteristics as compared to male or female development:– (a) primary sexual characteristics; (b) external genitalia; (c) chromosomal patterns; (d) gonadal development; (e) endogenous hormone production or response, or such other medical conditions.”

The Bill also includes transgender persons coerced into their gender identity by any sort of force; however, it excludes people who “self-perceive” as transgender persons, as Section 3 of the Amendment Bill omits Section 4(2) of the 2019 Act.

With the amendments, the District Magistrate can issue a certificate of identity only after examining the recommendation of the authority and, after taking the assistance of other medical experts, if needed.

The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 11 am on Wednesday.

The Bill was initially introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 14 and was met with protests from transgender persons across the nation.

Earlier today, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed disappointment for the Bill not being sent to a standing committee.

“I really think that it’s unfortunate that they are not sending it to the standing committee. What the community feels is that this bill is going to obliterate their identity, and therefore it was very, very important that they should have been consulted and that this bill that is being brought about should have taken place or should have been passed after proper consultation. I think it’s very unfair that the entire community feels like they have not been consulted, and such a big decision is being taken in their context. I wish the government had listened and put it on the standing committee,” she said. (ANI)

A total of 170 custodial death cases have been reported across the country from January 1 to March 15, 2026, the Parliament was told Tuesday.

The figures shared by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) are part of state-wise information received from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The state-wise data detailing custodial deaths from 2021 to 2026 shows a notable increase compared to the previous year.

In 2024-25, the total number of cases registered in respect of custodial deaths stood at 140, while earlier years recorded 157 cases in 2023-24, 163 in 2022-23, and 176 in 2021-22.

Among states, Bihar reported the highest number of custodial deaths this year so far, with 19 cases, followed by Rajasthan with 18 and Uttar Pradesh with 15. Punjab, Gujarat and Maharashtra recorded 14 cases each.

In southern states, Tamil Nadu registered seven cases, Telangana five, and Karnataka three. Kerala also reported three cases during the same period. In eastern India, West Bengal recorded seven cases, while Odisha reported nine.

In the northeastern region, Assam accounted for five cases, while Arunachal Pradesh reported three. Several smaller states and Union Territories, including Mizoram, Sikkim, and Ladakh, reported no custodial deaths during the period.

Among Union Territories, Delhi recorded four cases, while Jammu and Kashmir reported none in 2026 so far. Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Puducherry reported one case each.

The data reflects variations across states but indicates an overall rise in custodial deaths in the current year compared to the previous financial year. (ANI)