Month: March 2026

Preity Zinta has heaped praise on ‘Dhurandhar 2’, terming the film a “mindblowing” cinematic experience and praised its direction, acting, music, editing, story, and casting.

She watched the much-awaited ‘Dhurandhar 2’ at the film’s paid previews on Wednesday. The actress

Taking to her X handle, Priety Zinta penned a long note describing her experience of watching ‘Dhurandhar 2’. She also shared pictures with Arjun Rampal and casting director Mukesh Chabbra.

“Just watched Dhurandhar 2 all I wanna say is ‘Revenge ho toh Dhurandhar jaisa ho warna na ho’. Direction, Acting, music, editing, story, casting & every other department is MINDBLOWING.”

She continued, “The first thing mom said after watching the movie was that she wanted to see it again in the Theater with her friends &; I feel exactly the same. Aditya Dhar Films, you have turned me into a fan girl ; I love it. Thank you for this incredibly immersive experience. Your skill, your talent and most of all your heart is in the right place.”

The ‘Veer Zaara’ actress praised Ranveer Singh’s performance, describing it as “stunning.” She also appreciated Sanjay Dutt’s “swag” and Rakesh Bedi’s impeccable “timing” in the film.

“Ranveer Singh, you have my heart. What a stunning performance. What range, what depth, what sincerity I still need to process everything before I can articulate my thoughts. Actor Madhavan, you know how I felt about your flawless performance earlier & to be honest, that goes for the entire cast. Rakesh Bedi what timing, Sanjay Dutt what swag, so much sweetness & sincerity Sara Arjun & last but not the least Arjun Rampal you have hit it out of the park again. A very special mention of Shashwat Sachdev for taking this film to another level with the music.”

Earlier, superstar Allu Arjun described ‘Dhurandhar 2’ as a film that carried “patriotism with swag” after watching it on Wednesday. He applauded the entire cast of the movie, including R Madhavan and Ranveer Singh, for their performances in the film.

Taking to his X handle, Allu Arjun praised the film ‘Dhurandhar 2’ as a high-energy patriotic entertainer while highlighting its impactful moments and strong performances.

“Just watched Dhurandhar 2 Patriotism with swag. A film that will make every patriot proud. Many clap-trapping moments. BLAST! Congratulations to the entire team. Fine performances by R Madhavan garu & all actors. Technical brilliance. So proud to have a brilliant and versatile actor like my brother Ranveer Singh in our country. RVS on fire. Aditya Dhar garu hit the ball out of the park. So happy to have brilliant filmmakers like him in our country. Show Rocker. An Indian story… International swag! Jai Hind,” wrote Allu Arjun.

Directed by Aditya Dhar, Dhurandhar 2 has been released in theatres worldwide today. The first instalment was released in theatres on December 5 last year and went on to become the highest-grossing film of 2025. (ANI)

CPI (M) State Secretary MV Govindan launched a sharp attack on the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), alleging internal discord in its candidate selection process ahead of the Assembly elections, while backing a third term for the Left Democratic Front (LDF).

He said the Opposition’s early confidence has weakened due to unresolved issues within its own ranks

“The Indian National Congress and the United Democratic Front had approached the upcoming election with a lot of confidence. They believed they would be able to put up a strong fight, especially based on their assessment of strength at the local body elections. However, with the candidate selection process, they have now realised that their problems lie within their own camp,” Govindan said.

He pointed to delays in accommodating senior leader K Sudhakaran, stating, “It took them so long to decide on accommodating K Sudhakaran, and even now, reports suggest he continues to maintain a firm stand. This round of candidate selection will only deepen the crisis within the Congress.”

Govindan asserted that the LDF is witnessing growing public acceptance, positioning itself strongly for a third consecutive term.

“At a time when people across the state are strongly accepting the Left Democratic Front’s journey towards a third consecutive term, it must be understood that this is not about any individual Chief Minister, minister, or MLA. A third term for the LDF is something that has become essential in Kerala’s political context, as it is aimed at serving the people and continuing the development trajectory. In this election backdrop, the LDF will be able to achieve significant political gains and further strengthen its position among the people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan on Thursday announced that the Congress party has completed the candidate selection process for all 95 seats it is contesting in the upcoming state elections.

Congress leader and State LoP VD Satheesan, while speaking to ANI, said, “We have decided on all the 95 candidates in the Kerala Assembly elections… We declared 55 seats the day before yesterday, and we decided on the rest of the 40 seats now. The selection of the candidates is over, now we are going to campaign…” (ANI)

The domestic share markets witnessed a bloodbath with a sharp sell-off in the opening session on Thursday, amid the latest attacks on energy infrastructure in West Asia that have triggered fears of an energy crisis.

The benchmark indices opened deep in the red, with the NIFTY 50 index starting the session at 23,197.75, down by 580.05 points or 2.44 per cent. The BSE Sensex also plunged 1,953.21 points or 2.55 per cent to open at 74,750.92.

The steep fall comes after damage to energy infrastructure amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has raised uncertainty and alarm over potential disruptions in global energy supplies.

Ajay Bagga, Banking and Market Expert, told ANI, “The attack on the biggest gas production field of Iran yesterday and Iran’s escalation into attacking the largest LNG production facility in the world based in Qatar has taken the Gulf War into a very dangerous turn. The US Fed held rates steady as Chairman Powell mentioned the word ‘uncertainty’ 7 times in his press conference. Powell spoke about the continued impact of tariffs and the incoming inflationary impulses due to the energy supply shortages created by the Iranian conflict. He was hawkish in his conference. Indian markets are poised to open in the red in consonance with the global markets.”

Sectoral indices reflected broad-based selling pressure, with the Nifty Financial Services sector declining 2.87 per cent, while Nifty Private Bank dropped 3.41 per cent. Nifty Auto fell 2.03 per cent, Nifty FMCG slipped 1.10 per cent, and Nifty IT declined 1.41 per cent. Nifty Metal was down by 2 per cent, while Nifty Media saw a relatively smaller fall of 0.84 per cent.

Global cues further dampened investor sentiment. Brent crude was trading at USD 112 in the morning, reflecting concerns of prolonged supply disruptions due to infrastructure attacks.

In commodity markets, gold prices were on a downward trend, with 24 carat gold priced at Rs 1,52,026 per 10 grams. Silver prices also declined to Rs 2,44,756 per kilogram.

Asian markets mirrored the global downturn in early Thursday trade. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index declined 2.18 per cent to 53,787 levels, Singapore’s Straits Times slipped 0.47 per cent to 4,978, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell 1.68 per cent to 25,587, Taiwan’s weighted index dropped 1.17 per cent to 33,946, while South Korea’s KOSPI index declined 1.55 per cent to 5,836.US markets had already set a negative tone overnight. On Wednesday, the Dow Jones index tanked 1.63 per cent to 46,225, the S&P 500 fell 1.36 per cent to 6,624, and the Nasdaq declined 1.46 per cent to 22,152, indicating widespread selling pressure across global equities. (ANI)

Marking the first day of Chaitra Navratri, devotees across the country visited temples on Thursday in large numbers to seek blessings and begin the auspicious festival with devotion. The occasion was celebrated with great faith as people observed rituals and prayers from early morning.

In Uttar Pradesh, a large number of devotees gathered at the Shri Durgakund Temple in Varanasi from early morning on the first day of Chaitra Navratri.

In Jammu and Kashmir, despite continuous rainfall, a large number of devotees thronged the temple in Katra early in the morning to begin their pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji on the auspicious occasion.

A devotee said, “Today is the first day of Navratri. I’ve also been observing the Navratri fast. It’s my great fortune to be able to visit Maa on the very first day of Navratri. It’s thanks to her that she invites me every year, and I’m able to come every year…”

Devotees also gathered in large numbers at prominent shrines, including the Jhandewalan and Chhatarpur temples in Delhi and Mumba Devi in Mumbai, to offer prayers on the first day of Chaitra Navratri.

The air resonated with the sound of bells and hymns as the Aarti performed marked the commencement of the nine-day festival dedicated to Goddess Durga.

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj, while talking to the reporters, said, “I wish everyone a Happy Chaitra Navaratri. May the Goddess bring prosperity in everyone’s life and may Her blessings stay on our country…”

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami extended his greetings to the people of the state on the occasion of the Nav Samvatsar and Chaitra Navratri.

He described Chaitra Navratri as a festival dedicated to the worship of Shakti and said it marks a great tradition of Indian culture.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office, Dhami said that the festival highlights the importance and strength of women in society, and that the ritual of Kanya Pujan performed during this period represents the significance of women’s empowerment.

The Chief Minister further said that Chaitra Navratri holds special significance in our ancient scriptures and is considered a foundation for self-purification and virtuous living.

“Worshipping Goddess Durga during this time helps eliminate negative energy and promotes positive energy,” he said.

On the other hand, the district administration imposed a complete ban on the sale and purchase of meat, fish, and eggs across the Maihar Nagar Palika area during the upcoming Chaitra Navratri festival, citing the religious significance.

Maihar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Divya Patel said that the restriction would be in place from March 19 to March 27, during which non-vegetarian items would be prohibited for sale across the municipal area.

“Maihar is a religious city; therefore, in view of the Chaitra Navratri fair, a complete ban has been imposed on the sale of meat, fish, and eggs from March 19 to March 27. If anyone is found violating the order, legal action will be taken against them,” SDM Patel told ANI.

Chaitra Navratri marks the beginning of the Hindu new year and is one of the most significant festivals dedicated to Goddess Durga. Over nine days, devotees worship the nine forms of the goddess, observe fasts, and perform rituals seeking blessings for prosperity and well-being.

The festival concludes with Ram Navami, which celebrates the birth of Lord Ram. Temples witness heavy footfall, and special prayers, jagrans, and cultural programs are organised across the nation. (ANI)

After the world’s largest liquefaction facility located in Qatar were subjected to missile strikes by Iran, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) said that Washington had no knowledge of the attack, claiming Israel for “acted out of anger” striking at Iran’s South Pars Gas Field which resulted in retaliation from Tehran.

In a sharply worded statement shared on Truth Social, the US President said, “Israel, out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East, has violently lashed out at a major facility known as South Pars Gas Field in Iran. A relatively small section of the whole has been hit.”

He said the US and Qatar were not aware of the attacks and stated that Israel would not target the South Pars 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.

“The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and the country of Qatar was in no way, shape, or form, involved with it, nor did it have any idea that it was going to happen. Unfortunately, Iran did not know this, or any of the pertinent facts pertaining to the South Pars attack, and unjustifiably and unfairly attacked a portion of Qatar’s LNG Gas facility. NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL pertaining to this extremely important and valuable South Pars Field unless Iran unwisely decides to attack a very innocent, in this case, Qatar – In which instance the United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before. I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran, but if Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so. Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP”

His remarks come Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City was hit by ballistic missiles from Iran, resulting in extensive damage, as per the country’s Ministry of Defence. The attack is the second to take place in the last 12 hours at the largest liquefaction facility in the world.

According to QatarEnergy several of its LNG facilities were also subject to Iranian missile attacks after the attack on Ras Laffan.

“In addition to the previous attack on Ras Laffan Industrial City on Wednesday that resulted in extensive damage to the Pearl GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) facility, QatarEnergy confirms that in the early hours of Thursday, several of its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities were the subject of missile attacks, causing sizeable fires and extensive further damage. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting damage with no reported casualties.,” its stated.

Meanwhile, Qatar has declared the military and security attaches at the Iranian Embassy, along with their staff, “persona non grata” and has requested that they leave the country within 24 hours, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday. (ANI)

Lionel Messi created history on Wednesday by becoming only the second men’s footballer to score 900 goals in official matches, reaching the landmark during Inter Miami CF’s 1-1 draw against Nashville SC in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, according to ESN.

The result means Inter Miami is eliminated from the CCC on the away goals rule, as a strike by Nashville’s Cristian Espinoza proved decisive when he cancelled out an early goal from Messi to send his team through.

Messi’s milestone strike came in a tightly contested encounter, as Inter Miami secured progression on aggregate despite the draw.

The goal marked yet another extraordinary achievement in the Argentine superstar’s decorated career, placing him among an elite group of footballers to have reached such a staggering tally in official competitions.

The Argentine legend and Inter Miami captain joined his rival Cristiano Ronaldo as the only men’s players to reach 900 goals. The Portugal legend and Al-Nassr skipper Ronaldo achieved this historic feat in September 2024.

Currently, Ronaldo has 965 goals and has made it clear he wants to reach the historic landmark of 1,000 goals before retiring. Messi, on the other hand, took 1,142 games to get to 900, while Ronaldo needed 1,236 matches to reach the mark.

Brazilian legend Pele occupies third place on the all-time scoring charts with 765 goals. Among active players, Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski sits well behind Ronaldo and Messi with a tally of 690 goals.

Since making his professional debut for Barcelona on October 16, 2004, Messi’s bulk of goals have come during his stint in Spain, where he scored 672 goals for Barcelona.

The legendary footballer later added 32 goals during his spell with Paris Saint-Germain and has continued his scoring run with 81 goals for Inter Miami CF.

At the international level, the World Cup-winning forward has scored 115 goals for Argentina, underlining his influence on the global stage.

The most prolific calendar year of Messi’s career came in 2012, when he scored a remarkable 91 goals for both club and country, setting a benchmark that still stands out in modern football. (ANI)

The third week of the conflict in West Asia has seen critical expansion in the scale of attacks mounted by both US-Israel and Tehran. On Wednesday night (local time) the Iranians hit back after an Israel strike targeted the South Pars Gas field. On their target Gas fields in Qatar.

Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City was hit by ballistic missiles from Iran, resulting in extensive damage, as per the country’s Ministry of Defence. The attack is the second to take place in the last 12 hours at the largest liquefaction facility in the world.

According to QatarEnergy several of its LNG facilities were subject to Iranian missile attacks after the attack on Ras Laffan.

“In addition to the previous attack on Ras Laffan Industrial City on Wednesday that resulted in extensive damage to the Pearl GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) facility, QatarEnergy confirms that in the early hours of Thursday, several of its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities were the subject of missile attacks, causing sizeable fires and extensive further damage. Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting damage with no reported casualties.,” its stated.

Ras Laffan Industrial City is Qatar’s main energy hub and has sustained extensive damage after being attacked.

Sharing the details in a post on X, the Ministry of Defence said, “The Ministry of Defense of State of Qatar announces that State of Qatar was attacked ballistic missiles, from Iran, which targeted Ras Laffan Industrial City and caused damages. May Allah protect Qatar, its Amir, its people, and all residents on its land.”

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior said that the civil defence fully contained two of the three fires in the Ras Laffan Industrial Area, with no injuries reported.

“Cooling and securing operations at the sites are ongoing, while the Explosives Group of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) is carrying out its tasks in handling any hazardous elements”, it added in a post on X.

As tensions rise in West Asia, Qatar on Thursday, strongly condemned the Iranian targeting of energy facilities in Saudi Arabia and UAE in the last two days, calling it a blatant violation of international law and a serious threat to global energy security, navigation, and the environment.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Iranian attacks on countries in the region have crossed all red lines by targeting civilians, civilian objects, and vital facilities, and stressed the need to spare the region the consequences of these unjustified attacks and to work towards de-escalation to restore regional and international security and stability.

Qatar has declared the military and security attaches at the Iranian Embassy, along with their staff, “persona non grata” and has requested that they leave the country within 24 hours, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday.

The City is an industrial hub, located about 80 kilometres north of Doha and is a bedrock of the country’s economy and the largest liquefaction facility in the world, according to the International Energy Agency. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday extended heartfelt greetings on the auspicious occasions of Navratri, Gudi Padwa, Ugadi and Cheti Chand.

In two separate posts on X, the PM expressed wishes on the first day of Navratri, praying for discipline, peace and positive energy for everyone.

“On the first day of Navratri, the ritual is to worship Devi Shailaputri, the first form of Maa Durga. May her blessings infuse discipline, peace, and positive energy into everyone’s life–this is the heartfelt wish,” the PM wrote in a post.

“I bow to the one who grants desired boons, with the crescent moon adorning her crest. Mounted on a bull, wielding a trident, the glorious Shailaputri. My salutations and obeisance at the feet of the Mother of the Universe, Maa Durga, on behalf of millions of my fellow countrymen! On the sacred occasion of Navratri, I beseech the Divine Mother to bestow her blessings of affection and compassion upon one and all. Jai Mata Di!” he wrote in another post.

In another post, the PM extended best wishes on Cheti Chand and hoped for a good year for all.

“Best wishes on Cheti Chand! Praying for a very good year,” the PM captioned the post.

The PM also wished Ugadi and Gudi Padwa to the people.

“Have a wonderful Ugadi!” PM wrote in a post.

“Greetings on Gudi Padwa,” he wished in another post.

These festivals mark the Hindu Nav Varsha and the arrival of the spring season and are celebrated with different names in various regions of the country.

Meanwhile, devotees on Thursday gathered in large numbers at prominent shrines, including the Jhandewalan and Chhatarpur temples in Delhi and Mumba Devi in Mumbai, to offer prayers on the first day of Chaitra Navratri.

The air resonated with the sound of bells and hymns as the Aarti performed marked the commencement of the nine-day festival dedicated to Goddess Durga. (ANI)

Calling Pakistan’s recent actions a threat to wider regional stability, Former Afghanistan Deputy Information Minister Zardasht Shams has urged India to play a more proactive diplomatic role as tensions between Kabul and Islamabad sharply escalate.

His remarks come after a Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation centre in Kabul in which at least 400 people were killed and hundreds more were injured.

Condemning the strike on civilians, Shams, who also served as the former deputy ambassador to Pakistan, said Pakistan is committing war crimes against Afghanistan and has brought its own civil war into Afghanistan.

“Pakistan is engaging in aggression against innocent civilian for their own wrongdoings, for their own internal problems. They are blaming Afghanistan. The Afghan civilians are being targeted. It’s the first time in the past several decades that Afghanistan has had a little bit of stability, though there are political issues, but these are Afghan internal issues; Pakistan is brought its own civil war into Afghanistan, and now they want Afghanistan in this war,” Shams told ANI in an interview from London.

India has “unequivocally” condemned Pakistan’s bombing of Omid Drug Addiction Treatment Hospital terming it “barbaric” and “unconscionable”.

When asked about the role he sees India playing in this conflict, Shams said while India’s humanitarian assistance and development support to Afghanistan have been widely appreciated over the years, the current situation demands greater diplomatic and strategic engagement from New Delhi.

“We welcome India’s engagement, its humanitarian role and its contributions in education, health and infrastructure sectors over the past two decades,” he said, adding that India has remained a consistent partner for the Afghan people even during periods of political uncertainty.

However, he stressed that the ongoing crisis requires India to step up its involvement at the international level. “The Pakistani threat is not limited to Afghanistan. It is a threat to regional stability. India needs to play a more proactive role, particularly on global platforms,” he said.

Shams also pointed to Afghanistan’s current diplomatic isolation under Taliban rule as a limiting factor, suggesting that India could help bridge some of those gaps. “The Afghan government today lacks international recognition. That makes it harder to present its case globally. India can help amplify Afghanistan’s concerns and ensure that such incidents are not ignored,” he said.

He also underlined that internal political legitimacy within Afghanistan remains crucial. “For Afghanistan to gain global legitimacy, the government must also address the expectations of its own people and ensure their rights,” he added.

Pakistan, meanwhile, has denied that it struck a medical or rehabilitation centre, saying its military targeted technical support facilities and ammunition depots.

Shams strongly dismissed Pakistan’s denial of responsibility for the airstrike, calling it part of a long-standing pattern of deflection. He said that despite Islamabad’s claims that it targeted “technical facilities”, multiple accounts from Afghan authorities and aid agencies indicate civilian areas were hit. “It is very clear what has happened. Independent reports and on-ground accounts have verified this,” he said.

Questioning the credibility of Pakistan’s response, he argued that such denials are consistent with its past conduct. “Pakistan has never told the truth in such situations. When you look at history, there is a pattern of denial despite evidence,” Shams said, alleging that Islamabad often shifts blame to avoid accountability.

He further said that the remarks from Pakistan’s leadership, including calling the incident “propaganda”, reflect an attempt to downplay the scale of civilian harm. “Instead of acknowledging the damage, they are dismissing it. But the reality on the ground cannot be hidden,” he added. (ANI)

Missiles were launched from Iran towards Israeli territory, Israel’s military said, as tensions escalated following reported strikes on energy infrastructure linked to Iran’s major gas field, according to Al Jazeera.

The Israeli military said missiles had been fired from Iran towards its territory, in the latest developments in the ongoing confrontation between the two countries.

Earlier, Iran issued an evacuation warning to people living near oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a report cited by Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, a fire that broke out at Iran’s South Pars gas facility has been brought under control, and no casualties have been reported so far, a regional governor said, according to Iran’s Fars news agency as cited by Al Jazeera.

According to Al Jazeera, Qatar condemned the targeting of natural gas facilities linked to Iran’s South Pars field, warning against attacks on energy infrastructure amid the escalating West Asia conflict.

Israeli fighter jets had struck a gas facility in Bushehr, Iran, according to reports cited by Al Jazeera, as Iran is set to target “enemy infrastructure” following attacks on its gas sites.

According to Al Jazeera, Iran warned it would respond to strikes on its gas sites by targeting the “enemy infrastructure”.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday said it had struck more than 100 targets in the city of Tel Aviv in retaliation for the martyrdom of Ali Larijani, Iran’s former top security official.

In a statement on Wednesday, the IRGC announced hitting the targets during the 61st wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4.

The hostile objects, it added, were targeted using multi-warhead Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles as well as Emad and Kheibar Shekan projectiles.

The IRGC said Operation True Promise 4 had so far either killed or injured more than 230 Zionists.

Earlier, a funeral ceremony was underway in Tehran on Wednesday for top security official, Ali Larijani, and head of the Basij forces, Major General Gholamreza Soleimani, according to the Iranian state media Press TV. (ANI)