Month: March 2026

Thailand’s House of Representatives on Thursday elected Anutin Charnvirakul as the country’s new Prime Minister with 293 votes, state media reported.

The 59-year old Anutin was elected the country’s prime minister in a parliamentary vote following the February 8 general election.

His opponent, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut of the People’s Party, received 119 votes, while 86 members abstained, Thai news agency (TNA) MCOT said.

A total of 86 lawmakers abstained in the election.

Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party had won 191 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives, trouncing the progressive People’s Party (which won 120 seats) and then cobbled together a coalition of 16 parties — including the populist Pheu Thai — that together hold 292 seats.

As per the Bangkok Post, Anutin, who has become the first Thai premier to be voted back to office in two decades, can expect a very brief honeymoon as a host of problems beset Thailand

Best known for championing decriminalisation of cannabis in 2022, he headed a minority government after the court-ordered ouster of Paetongtarn Shinawatra in August 2025 after her phone call with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen was leaked.

The Bangkok Post analysis said that the first term of Anutin’s began six weeks after Thailand and Cambodia agreed to a ceasefire to end fierce border clashes, but the fighting resumed in early December with increased intensity, stretching the entire length of the land border between the neighbours.

The conflict, the news outlet said, afforded Anutin “an opportunity to not only burnish his nationalist credentials, but also a window to seek a decisive mandate with a parliamentary majority.”

His father, Chavarat Charnvirakul, founded the Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction Company, which initially worked on projects that included fencing US military sites in Thailand but eventually grew into a major construction firm.

Anutin joined politics when he entered an administration led by billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra in 2004. After Thaksin’s populist Thai Rak Thai party was dissolved by a court order in 2007, Anutin was also banned for five-years from politics. He returned in 2012 as the leader of the Bhumjaithai party. (ANI)

Alia Bhatt, who is set to don the producer’s hat once again with her upcoming film ‘Don’t Be Shy,’ unveiled the project at Amazon Prime Video’s 2026 content lineup event in Mumbai on Thursday.

The actor will produce the upcoming movie alongside her sister, Shaheen Bhatt.

According to the film synopsis, the story follows Shyamili “Shy” Das, a 20-year-old girl who believes she has her life fully planned. However, her carefully arranged world begins to unravel when unexpected events occur, gradually slipping out of her control.

The film will be produced under Alia’s banner, Eternal Sunshine Productions, in association with Chalkboard Entertainment. Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt will serve as producers, while Grishma Shah and Vikesh Bhutani are co-producers.

The film is directed by Sreeti Mukerji, who also wrote the story and screenplay, with dialogues and additional screenplay by Sehaj Kaur Maini.

The film is expected to be released in October 2026.

More details about the project are awaited.

The ‘Raazi’ actor previously co-produced the 2022 movie ‘Darlings’ with Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment. She also produced the action thriller ‘Jigra’ alongside Dharma Productions and Viacom18.

For the event, Alia, who never fails to impress fans with her fashion choices, opted for a white top paired with classic denim. The actress also spoke briefly with the media about her upcoming project.

On the acting front, Alia will next be seen in the spy thriller ‘Alpha,’ which also stars Sharvari Wagh, Anil Kapoor, and Bobby Deol. The film is produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films and is part of the popular YRF Spy Universe. It is scheduled for release in theatres on July 10, 2026.

Alia will also appear in ‘Love and War,’ directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, alongside her husband Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal. (ANI)

Preity Zinta has been away from the big screen for quite some time, leaving her fans eagerly waiting for her return to Bollywood. This year, however, promises to be special, as the actor is all set to make her comeback with the already announced ‘Lahore 1947’ and another film titled ‘Vibe’.

On Thursday, Vibe was officially announced at a Prime Video event, where Preity appeared alongside her co-star Kunal Kemmu. Interestingly, the film is directed by Kunal himself, marking his second directorial venture after the success of his comedy-drama Madgaon Express.

Vibe, which is touted to be a comedy drama, also features Sparsh Shrivastava and Vanshika Dhir.

Official synopsis of the film read, “A clueless slacker and his by-the-book best friend–two men who can barely manage their own lives–find the fate of the nation in their hands when they accidentally stumble into a terrorist plot.”

On being a part of ‘Vibe’, Preity said, “When I heard the script, I just fell down laughing.And it was just so funny. I just couldn’t say no to it.”

The release date of ‘Vibe’ has not been disclosed yet. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on the evolving situation in West Asia, with both leaders emphasising the urgent need for de-escalation and a return to dialogue and diplomacy to end the conflict.

Sharing the details of the conversation in a post on X, the Prime Minister described President Macron as a “dear friend” and said the two leaders exchanged views on the ongoing conflict and its broader implications for regional and global stability.

“Spoke with my dear friend, President Emmanuel Macron, on the situation in West Asia and the urgent need for de-escalation, as well as a return to dialogue and diplomacy. We look forward to continuing our close coordination to advance peace and stability in the region and beyond,” the post read.

The conversation comes amid heightened tensions in West Asia, with several countries in the region witnessing disruptions and security challenges.

Earlier today, PM Modi held a “productive conversation” with the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, during which the two leaders discussed the evolving situation in West Asia and emphasised the importance of dialogue and diplomacy in order to de-escalate the conflict.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister stated that during the discussion, he conveyed advance Eid greetings to Tariq Al Said and the people of Oman and reaffirmed India’s strong ties with the Gulf nation.

“Had a productive conversation with my brother Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and conveyed advance Eid greetings to the people of Oman. We agreed on the need to prioritize dialogue and diplomacy for de-escalation and subsequent restoration of peace and stability,” the post read.

He reiterated India’s condemnation of the violation of Oman’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while appreciating the country’s efforts in facilitating the safe return of thousands of people, including Indian nationals, amid the ongoing regional tensions.

The Prime Minister also underscored the shared commitment of both nations to ensuring secure maritime routes, particularly through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

“Reiterated India’s condemnation of the violation of Oman’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and appreciated Oman’s efforts to facilitate the safe return of thousands of people, including Indian nationals. India and Oman stand for safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,” his post added.

The remarks come amid the escalating tensions and conflict in the region that began on February 28 with the killing of 86-year-old Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability.

Due to the conflict in the region, Iran has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for global energy supply.

Following the death of Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the former leader, was appointed as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. (ANI)

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Principal Bench in New Delhi on March 18 passed directions in an ongoing environmental matter, allowing the impleadment of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and granting time to various respondents to file their replies.

The bench, headed by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava along with Expert Member Dr Afroz Ahmad, permitted the applicant’s oral request to implead CAQM through its Member Secretary.

The Tribunal directed that the cause title be amended accordingly and instructed the applicant to serve the newly added respondent, along with filing an affidavit of service at least one week before the next hearing.

During the hearing, it was noted that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) had already filed an additional reply dated March 17, 2026. Meanwhile, counsel appearing for the Ministry of Power and the Central Electricity Regulatory Authority sought time to obtain instructions and file their responses, which the Tribunal granted, allowing four weeks for submission.

Similarly, the States of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh also requested additional time to file their replies, and the Tribunal granted them four weeks to do so. The applicant was given two weeks thereafter to file a rejoinder to the response submitted by MoEF&CC.

The Tribunal further observed that the affidavit of service had not yet been placed on record, making it unclear whether all respondents had been duly served. In this regard, the applicant’s counsel was permitted to verify the status of service and take fresh steps to serve any unserved respondents.

The matter has now been listed for further hearing on May 18, 2026. (ANI)

There is no change in the situation of 22 Indian-flagged vessels operating around the west of the Strait of Hormuz, while all 611 sailors onboard are safe, the Ministry of Shipping said on Thursday.

In an inter-ministerial briefing, Special Secretary of the Shipping Ministry, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, said that 16 Indian sailors have returned in the last 24 hours amid the conflict in West Asia.

The Special Secretary also lauded the Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla, for creating additional storage capacity and allowing a 50 per cent rebate to port users.

Addressing the media briefing, Sinha said, “Sailors and vessels under the Indian flag are all safe. No maritime incident reported in the Gulf region in the last 24 hours. There is no change in the situation of 22 ships west of the Strait of Hormuz. 611 sailors are safe. We received about 150 calls and 225 emails and responded. In the last 24 hours, 16 Indian sailors returned to India after their sign-off. Ministry is coordinating with state maritime routes, with other than major ports in Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry.”

Futher, he said there are two container vessels in the East of Hormuz. One of them has 24 Indians while the other vessel has 23 Indians on board.

“There are two container vessels in the East of Hormuz. One is CMA CGM Vitoria at Sohar Port in Oman, carrying 24 Indian sailors. Second one, the SSL Godavari, is on the way to the Khor Fakkan Port, the UAE, carrying 23 Indian sailors. The Aqua Titan tanker is expected to arrive on March 21 on New Manglore Port and this tanker will be carrying crude oil,” the Shipping Ministry official said.

Yesterday, the Shipping Ministry maintained that the sailors on board the 22 vessels in the west of the key trade route were safe.

Meanwhile, Rajesh Kumar Sinha added, “Deendayal Port Authority Kandla has created additional storage capacity and has provided about 54 acres of additional land for storage. They have taken steps to waive off charges and provide operational support. As per a March 17 circular, the Deendayal Port has provided a 50 per cent rebate to the port users. We are monitoring the evolving situation in West Asia to ensure the safety of Indian sailors and maritime trade.”

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Shipping said no congestion has been reported at any port across India, assuring that maritime operations and cargo movement remain smooth and under close monitoring. Rajesh Kumar Sinha said the Visakhapatnam Port Authority has created approximately 2,250 square metres of additional storage space to handle any potential surge in cargo.

This comes as the conflict in West Asia entered its 20th day, with trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz hampered. (ANI)

Actress Divyanka Tripathi is set to become a mother after tying the wedding knot with Vivek Dahiya ten years ago. The actress has announced her pregnancy in a heartwarming post on her social media.

After a decade-long journey together, the couple shared a heartwarming update, announcing that they are expecting their first child. Divyanka described the news as “the most beautiful chapter” of their life.

The couple also shared a series of photos featuring Divyanka’s baby bump and husband Vivek Dahiya’s bright smile.

In one of the pictures, the couple was seen holding the shoes of the newborn.

While sharing the news, the couple wrote, “Plot twist after 10 years. Some journeys are not about rushing. They’re about becoming ready- together. And just when you think your story is complete…life adds the most beautiful chapter. Still soaking it in… still smiling for no reason…With our hearts full of gratitude. We are expecting.”

Divyanka got married to ‘Ye Hai Mohabbatein’ co-actor Vivek Dahiya in 2016. The actress got fame with the daily soap, ‘Banoo Main Teri Duhaan’.

From daily soaps to reality shows, Divyanka has come a long way. She featured recently in the reality shows like ‘Nach Baliye 8’, ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi 11’ and ‘The Voice’. (ANI)

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said on Thursday that a drone crashed into an oil refinery and that damage assessment is underway. According to Al Jazeera, the drone crashed at Samref refinery.

The developments follow as explosions were seen near a Saudi Aramco oil facility in Riyadh on Wednesday.

Sharing the details in a post on X, the Saudi Defence Ministry said, “The official spokesperson for Ministry of Defence: A drone has fallen in the Samarra refinery and damage assessment is underway.”

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence also mentioned that a ballistic missile launched towards the port of Yanbu was intercepted and destroyed.

Al Jazeera breaking reported that explosions were seen near a Saudi Aramco oil facility in Riyadh on Wednesday after Iran launched ballistic misiles at Saudi Arabia. Citing authorities, it said that four missiles were intercepted.

It also reported fire after a drone hit a second Kuwaiti oil refinery unit.

A “limited fire” broke out at Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery in Kuwait after a drone attack, reported Al Jazeera, citing the Kuwait News Agency.

According to the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, there are no reports of any casualties, and the fire has been dealt with “according to the highest safety standards.”

Earlier, there were reports of a fire at Qatar’s Ras Laffen industrial city, but no casualties were reported.

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) informed that the massive fire that broke at Ras Laffen industrial area after a strike has been contained with no casualties being reported.

As tensions continue to rise in West Asia and the Gulf amid the developing security situation, the Foreign Ministers of key Arab and Islamic countries held a consultative ministerial meeting in Riyadh regarding the Iranian attacks, as per a statement by Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry.

According to the statement, the ministers stressed the need for Iran to abide by implementing the Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), which called for an immediate halt to all attacks, and unconditional cessation of any provocative acts or threats against neighboring states, and the cessation of support, financing and arming its affiliated militias in Arab countries, which Iran is doing to serve its goals and against the interests of these countries.

Furthermore, to refrain from any measures or threats aimed at closing or obstructing international navigation in the Strait of Hormuz or threatening maritime security in Bab al-Mandab.

The ministers discussed the Iranian attacks on the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Jordan, Azerbaijan and Turkiye, and they affirmed their condemnation and denunciation of these Iranian deliberate attacks with ballistic missiles and drones which targeted residential areas, civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, desalination plants, airports, residential buildings, and diplomatic premises. The ministers further affirmed that such attacks could not be justified under any pretext or in any manner whatsoever. The ministers also stressed the right of states to defend themselves in accordance with Article (51) of the United Nations Charter, as per the statement.

The ministers called on Iran to immediately halt its attacks and affirmed the necessity of respecting international law, international humanitarian law, and the principles of good neighborliness, as a first step toward ending the escalation, achieving security and stability in the region, and promoting diplomacy as a means to resolve the crisis and further emphasized that the future of relations with Iran depends on respecting the sovereignty of states and non-interference in their internal affairs, as well as refraining from violating their sovereignty or their territories in any manner whatsoever, and not using or developing its military capabilities to threaten countries of the region. (ANI)

As the West Asia conflict intensified with the Israel led strike on Iran’s South Pars Gas field and retaliatory attacks by Iran on Qatar’s LNG facilities, Oil and gas prices rose on Thursday over fears of a global supply crunch, reported CNBC.

Qatar Energy confirmed that Ras Laffan Industrial City was the subject of missile attacks late on Wednesday night. It also reported that In addition to the previous attack on Ras Laffan Industrial City that resulted in extensive damage to the Pearl GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) facility, several of its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities were the subject of missile attacks, causing sizeable fires and extensive further damage. The fires at the facility have since been contained.

According to CNBC, International benchmark Brent crude futures with May delivery rose 6.3% to USD 114.13 per barrel. Gas prices were also sharply higher. The front-month gas price at the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) hub, a European benchmark for natural gas trading, traded nearly 30% higher at 70.8 euros per megawatt-hour.”

GB News reported that UK gas prices have also surged by more than 20 per cent on Thursday morning. GB News said that as of 7:54 am (UK Time), UK gas prices were sitting at 173p per therm, which is up more than 24 per cent from Wednesday.

The report further noted that Qatar had already suspended LNG production on March 2 after Iranian drone attacks on Ras Laffan and Mesaieed Industrial City. The country is the world’s second-largest LNG exporter after the U.S., accounting for nearly a fifth of global shipments, according to Kpler.

Brent crude rose above the $110-$115 per barrel range, reflecting heightened geopolitical risk and uncertainty over production and transport routes, especially through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil shipments. Tanker movement through the strait, which typically handles about 20% of global oil supplies, is now largely blocked, raising the risk of a deeper supply shock.

Gulf Oil’s senior energy advisor Tom Kloza, warned that markets could enter an “all bets are off” scenario if the conflict expands beyond the Gulf and begins targeting energy infrastructure in other regions.

“Can you imagine the response in the world if [Iran] targeted something outside of the Persian Gulf, a refinery in Rotterdam or a facility somewhere in the United States? That’s when all bets are off and prices could go absolutely apocalyptic,” he told CNBC .

Such a shift, the report noted, would signal a transition from contained geopolitical risk to a full-scale global supply shock, where traditional pricing models and risk assumptions may no longer apply. In that environment, fears of widespread disruptions to refining and fuel distribution could trigger extreme volatility, with oil and gas prices surging sharply.

Echoing similar concerns, Dan Pickering, founder and CIO of Pickering Energy Partners, told CNBC, “We’re moving from a supply chain problem to potentially a supply problem. There’s a big difference. You fix supply chain problems quickly.”

“If you start changing the ability to produce, whether it’s LNG or oil, and all of a sudden you can’t move the same amount of volumes because the volumes aren’t there … this is an escalation,” he told CNBC.

Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) took onus of attacks on what they dub are Oil facilities associated with the US in the Region. IRGC said the attacks were part of the 63rd wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4 which was undertaken after the US-Israel strikes on Iran.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that said the US and Qatar were not aware of the attacks on Iran’s South Pars Gas field and stated that Israel would not target the Gas Field unless Iran decides to attack Qatar again. He said that Washington would not be afraid of authorising destruction and violence on Tehran if Qatar’s energy facilities are targeted again. (ANI)

Hrithik Roshan has expressed excitement as he steps into a new phase of his career as a producer, collaborating with his brother Eshaan Roshan for the upcoming Prime Video projects ‘Storm’ and ‘Mess’.

The actor unveiled the first look of both projects at the Prime Video 2026 Release Slate event held in Mumbai on Thursday. Speaking about his transition into production, Hrithik shared that the journey initially seemed daunting to him.

“I became an actor out of fear. Fear of failure. Every instinct of my body said that it’s going to be impossible, and I pushed through that impossibility and from that, HRX was born. It was born out of hopelessness to transformation,” the actor said.

At the event, Hrithik also introduced the first look of the comedy film ‘Mess’, which features Pratik Gandhi in the lead role.

“The film follows the story of a group of robbers who break into the house of a man with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). As the night goes on, the robbers slowly realise that the situation inside the house is not what they expected, and they may be the ones who need to survive the night,” as per the press release.

The original screenplay of ‘Mess’ was written by American writer Paul Soter, while the adapted screenplay and dialogue are by Kapil Sawant. The film is directed by Rajesh A Krishnan.

In addition to ‘Mess’, Hrithik also unveiled the teaser of another project, ‘Storm’, a series featuring an ensemble cast including Parvathy Thiruvothu, Alaya F, Srishti Shrivastava, Rrama Sharma, Saba Azad, Suvinder Pal Vicky, Ashish Vidyarthi, Rajit Kapur, Ashok Pathak, Gautam Rode and Priyanka Setia in prominent roles.

The description of the project reads, “When a sustainable housing project unravels into a deadly scam, five women–each nursing wounds, dreams, and secrets–are drawn into a web of deception that threatens to crush them or set them free,” as per Prime Video.

The series has been created and directed by Ajitpal Singh and is produced by Hrithik Roshan and Eshaan Roshan.

The Prime Video 2026 release slate event is currently taking place in Mumbai. (ANI)