Month: March 2026

India’s young batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi opened up about his childhood heroes ahead of Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) first match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. He hailed cricket legends Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh as cricketers he liked growing up.

RR will start their IPL 2026 campaign against the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 30. A crucial part in RR’s title bid will be played by the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026 winner Suryavanshi, who has registered several records to his name across all formats of the game ever since he became the youngest player with an IPL deal at 13 years of age, ahead of the 2025 season.

Speaking on JioStar, Vaibhav Suryavanshi spoke about his childhood heroes. He said he admired former West Indies cricketer Brian Lara and the former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh for their ability to single-handedly finish matches, which made a strong impression on him growing up.

“I saw both, Brian Lara and Yuvraj Singh, finish matches single-handedly. If they were in, there was no chance for the opponent to come back into the game, and that was something I really liked about them,” Suryavanshi said.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi said his focus after being picked by Rajasthan Royals is to give the team strong starts, play aggressively in the powerplay, and convert those into runs long innings. He emphasised that his main goal this season is to help the team win the title, believing individual performances will naturally stand out if the team succeeds.

“When I was picked, my only goal was to give the team a good start. I wanted to play my game in the Powerplay, and if I got a good start, I wanted to continue and play long without giving my wicket away. I knew that if I played my shots, the scenario of the game would change, because chasing 200-plus runs would not be easy for any team. This season, the goal is to win the trophy for the team. My performances and the team’s performances will automatically get highlighted if we win the trophy, and that is the most important thing,” he said.

During the IPL mega auction ahead of the 2025 season, Suryavanshi secured a deal worth Rs 1.1 crore with Rajasthan Royals, making him the youngest IPL player ever. In the IPL clash against the Gujarat Titans that season, at the age of 14, Suryavanshi became the youngest T20 centurion and the first Indian to hit the fastest IPL fifty. Starting his IPL journey with a first-ball six, he became one of the young, emerging stars of the season, with 252 runs in seven innings at an average of 36.00 and a strike rate of 206.55, with a century and fifty. (ANI)

Cadres and supporters of former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday continued to hit the streets, demanding his release.

Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) cadres and supporters have continued to march in the capital Kathmandu, but the turnout has been minimal, with numbers diminishing day by day.

With most senior leaders absent from the streets while the cadres have been facing off with the police for the first three days, the protest of Monday saw a march to near the vandalised former parliament and then dispersed.

The agitation, announced from Saturday, was expected to mobilise party ranks nationwide. However, only a small number of supporters turned up, particularly in restricted areas, leading to several injuries among participating cadres.

Despite the protest being formally declared by the party’s central leadership, top leaders and office bearers were largely missing.

Following Oli’s arrest on Saturday morning, a secretariat meeting had assigned responsibilities, with General Secretary Shankar Pokharel publicly announcing protest programs and outlining parallel efforts for political dialogue and legal response.

However, none of the 17 office bearers, apart from Oli himself, were seen participating in the demonstrations. Similarly, leaders of sister and mass organisations, who were expected to lead street mobilisation, were also not visible.

On Saturday, protests were held from Baneshwor to Maitighar and in the Chabahil area of Kathmandu. By Sunday, participation had shrunk to around 200 people, mainly confined to the Babarmahal and Maitighar areas.

With senior leaders staying away and participation declining, concerns are growing that the UML’s protest movement could weaken further in the coming days.

The cadres and supporters of Oli have been demanding an impartial investigation into the incidents that occurred on September 8 and 9, 2025. They called for the report prepared under the leadership of Gauri Bahadur Karki to be scrapped, terming it biased.

The party further demanded a fair investigation into acts of vandalism, arson, and looting during the protests, and called for legal action against all those involved. It also stressed the need for a serious probe into the alleged involvement of various non-governmental organisations.

UML has demanded the immediate release of Chair Oli, warning of further protests if their demands are not addressed.

The government has accused them in connection with deaths that occurred during the Gen Z protests on September 8 and 9, 2025. Authorities have filed charges related to homicide, leading to their detention for investigation.

Oli is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital, where doctors say he is dealing with several health conditions. He was admitted after experiencing irregular heart palpitations and has a medical history that includes two kidney transplants.

According to the hospital, he is also suffering from multiple conditions, including hydronephrosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid-related issues, and atrial fibrillation. Doctors have also detected gallstones.

Hospital authorities said Oli is currently receiving treatment under medical supervision at the hospital’s Annex-1, bed number 501. (ANI)

Nestle has confirmed that a large shipment of KitKat chocolate bars was stolen in Europe.

In a statement shared on its official Instagram handle, KitKat revealed that over “12 tonnes of its chocolate bars” were taken in a major heist. The brand said there are no concerns for consumer safety, and the supply is not affected.

“We can confirm that 12T of KitKat products were stolen while in transit between our factory in Central Italy and their destination in Poland. We are working closely with local authorities and supply chain partners to investigate. The good news: there are no concerns for consumer safety, and supply is not affected. Thank you,” the post read.

KitKat’s parent company, Nestle, confirmed that the shipment left its production facility the previous week, with the bars set to be distributed throughout Europe before eventually arriving at their final stop. And while a company spokesperson playfully praised the thieves’ “exceptional taste,” they also noted that their predicament has become increasingly common across the industry, as per eonline.

Amid the ongoing investigation, social media users couldn’t resist turning the situation into a meme fest.

“This is what happens when your transit people ‘take a break’,” a social media user commented.

“We’ve seen all kinds of robberies… but this one definitely breaks the internet,” another X user wrote.

The theft occurred just a few days before Easter, a time when many people enjoy the chocolate hunt, a tradition where chocolate eggs or bunnies are hidden for children to discover. (ANI)

Superstar Salman Khan on Monday announced his new action film with ace producer Dil Raju and director Vamshi Paidipally.

Taking to Instagram, Salman shared a picture with Vamshi Paidpally and wrote, “Dil, Dimag, Jigar se from this April with @directorvamshi and #DilRaju.”

The film is likely to go on floors next month.

Vamshi Paidpally also shared the update on his Instagram, calling it an “honour” to direct Salman Khan.

“Honored to collaborate with @beingSalmankhan Sir for my next film. This One is Powered by Heart and Driven by Conviction. April — We Begin..,” he wrote.

More details regarding the film have not been disclosed yet.

Meanwhile, Salman is gearing up for the release of ‘Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace’, which also stars Chitrangada Singh. The film was earlier titled ‘Battle of Galwan’.

Produced by Salman Khan under the Salman Khan Films banner, the movie is helmed by director Apoorva Lakhia. It is based on the 2020 Galwan Valley clash between India and China.

A teaser released in December last year offered a first look at Salman Khan in the role of an Indian Army officer. (ANI)

As Keralam prepares for the upcoming Assembly elections in April, home voting for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PwD) commenced on Monday across the state.

Polling teams began the process early in the morning, including in the Poonthura area under the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, where officials initiated home voting at around 9:30 AM.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the facility is available to voters aged 85 years and above, as well as those with 40 per cent benchmark disability, who are eligible to avail the home voting facility through postal ballots. The option is available to those who submitted applications after the poll schedule was announced.

Each mobile polling team includes a polling officer, two assistants, a micro observer, a videographer, and police personnel to ensure transparency, accountability, and security during the voting process.

The home voting process in the state will continue until April 4. A total of over 2.07 lakh voters have opted for the facility, including 1,45,592 senior citizens and 62,220 PwD voters whose applications were approved through Form 12D.

Among districts, Thiruvananthapuram has the highest number of elderly voters (14,672) opting for home voting, followed by Kannur (14,132) and Ernakulam (14,117). In the PwD category, Thiruvananthapuram again tops the list with 6,791 voters, followed by Kozhikode (6,788) and Malappuram (6,746).

The Election Commission has deployed 2,468 teams across the state to ensure the smooth conduct of the home voting process.

The polling for Kerala Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.

Keralam has traditionally followed an alternating pattern of governance, switching between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) every five years since 1982. This trend was broken in 2021 when the LDF, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, was re-elected for a second consecutive term.

While the LDF and the UDF are frontrunners in the polls, the BJP will attempt to make a mark after its historic win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections. (ANI)

Amid ongoing developments in the West Asia region, a senior official from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said on Monday that all Indian seafarers and ships operating in the Persian Gulf region are remain safe and there has been no report of any incident in the past 24 hours.

Speaking at a joint inter-ministerial briefing, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Rajesh Kumar Sinha stated that all Indian vessels and crew are currently being closely monitored, and 8 sailors returned safely to India in the last 24 hours.

“18 Indian ships in the Persian Gulf with 485 seafarers are all safe. No maritime incidents reported in the last 24 hours,” Sinha said.

He added that ports across states are operating smoothly without congestion. “Two LPG carriers with 94,000 metric tonnes are expected to dock at Mumbai and New Mangalore ports on March 31 and April 1,” he informed.

He later added that India continues to ensure an uninterrupted maritime operation and energy supply.

“We are maintaining continuous coordination with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian missions abroad, and other stakeholders in the maritime sector,” he said.

Further, Joint Secretary of the Department of Fertilisers, Aparna S Sharma, added that there was a significant surge in the prices of all these commodities in the global fertiliser market, and freight and related costs also rose amidst the prevailing situation.

“Urea and DAP are being made available to farmers at regulated prices: Rs 266 per 45 kg bag of Urea, and Rs 1,350 per 50 kg bag of DAP…” Sharma said.

She added that the domestic urea production was impacted, resulting in a temporary initial decline in output of approximately 30,000 to 35,000 tonnes per day.

She added, “Other key feedstocks such as ammonia, sulfur, and sulfuric acid are also of critical importance to us for our domestic production, which has been impacted. Amidst the prevailing situation, there has been a significant surge in the prices of all these commodities in the global fertiliser market, and our freight and related costs have also risen.” (ANI)

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday refuted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks regarding political alliances in Kerala, asserting that the people of the state are well aware of the ground reality.

“Entire Kerala knows the alliance is between whom. No matter what the PM says, everyone knows the truth,” she told reporters.

The Congress leader also raised concerns over the ongoing West Asia conflict, urging the government to discuss it in Parliament.

“We are demanding a debate on the West Asia conflict, because the entire country is in trouble. Prices of gas cylinders have increased, and the challenges are rising,” she stated.

“It is not right to do politics on a topic like war, but we do want solutions to the increasing challenges. That is why we are seeking a debate. The government should clearly state its preparedness so that we can work together on future strategies,” she said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called his road show in Thrissur, Kerala, “memorable”.

He launched an all-out attack against the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), accusing them of “looting” the state for decades by allegedly sharing the spoils.

Addressing a public rally in Palakkad, PM Modi said, “The LDF and UDF have looted Kerala for decades by sharing the spoils; there has been an understanding between them that for some years the LDF will run the government and fill their pockets, then after a few years the UDF will loot. Our Kerala has gotten entangled in this alliance of theirs. These days, the communists and Congress have joined hands to start a new propaganda, where the Communists say that Congress is the B team of the BJP, and Congress says that the Communists are the B team of the BJP”.

“They too have now accepted that in this Kerala election, if there is any one team–the ‘A’ team–it is only the BJP,” he added.

With both Congress and the CPI(M) calling each other the BJP’s “B-team”, the Prime Minister said, “Today, the truth about who is whose B-team in the upcoming elections needs to be revealed to the people of Kerala. They are in an alliance with each other across the country. Look at Bihar, look at Jharkhand, look at Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Assam. They are together in the INDI alliance; even in Tamil Nadu, they are in alliance. But here in Kerala, the Congress and the Left parties are abusing each other. That’s why you should be careful about both of them,” said the Prime Minister.

The polling for Kerala Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4. (ANI)

As Tamil Nadu Assembly elections near, Chief Minister MK Stalin filed his nomination from the Kolathur constituency on Monday.

Following his nomination filing, CM Stalin conducted a roadshow to interact with the public.

“Our victory will be very bright. Compared to the last three times, this time I’m witnessing a huge support. This is the United Progressive Alliance. Tamil Nadu is fighting against Delhi. This time the victory is going to be very big,” Stalin told ANI.

DMK will contest 164 out of the 234 constituencies in the state, while 70 seats have been allocated to its alliance partners. These partners include the Congress Party with 28 seats, the Communist Party of India (CPI) with 5 seats, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) with 5 seats, VCK with 8 seats, and MDMK with 4 seats.

Other smaller parties in the alliance include the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) with 10 seats, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) with 2 seats, and several other regional parties.

The DMK will contest 164 out of the 234 constituencies in the state, while 70 seats have been allocated to its alliance partners. These partners include the Congress Party with 28 seats, the Communist Party of India (CPI) with 5 seats, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) with 5 seats, VCK with 8 seats, and MDMK with 4 seats. Other smaller parties in the alliance include the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) with 10 seats, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) with 2 seats, and several other regional parties.

AIADMK has also released the second list of 127 candidates for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, taking the total candidates from the party to 150. The second list offers a mix of sitting MLAs, former MLAs and new faces as the party eyes a return to governance under the leadership of E Palaniswami.

Yesterday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin unveiled what the party termed a “Superstar Manifesto” for the 2026 Assembly elections, triggering a sharp political face-off with the opposition AIADMK and BJP, who dismissed the document as a “copy-paste” exercise and accused the ruling party of indulging in “sticker politics,” even as DMK leaders defended it as a comprehensive, people-driven roadmap anchored in the Dravidian model. (ANI)

Actor Priyanka Chopra has once again delighted fans with a slice of her India trip, this time spotlighting the rich culinary heritage of Punjab through a vibrant Instagram story from Amritsar.

The actor shared a visually indulgent post featuring a traditional North Indian thali, captioned “Just Amritsar things…” alongside a face-savoring-food emoji.

The image captures a quintessential Punjabi meal, offering a glimpse into the region’s celebrated food culture. At the centre of the platter are two golden-brown Amritsari kulchas, likely stuffed with spiced potatoes or paneer and baked in a tandoor.

Accompanying them are small bowls of dal makhani and chole, staples of Punjabi cuisine, along with sides of yogurt, butter, pickled onions with green chilies.

Adding to the cultural mood, the story is set to the song ‘Sohni Lagdi’ by Diljit Dosanjh.

The food post comes amid ‘The Bluff’ actor ongoing visit to India, which has already sparked curiosity among fans.

On March 26, she documented her journey from New Delhi to Amritsar via a digital flight map shared on Instagram Stories. She also posted short clips of Punjab’s lush green farmlands, filmed from her window seat.

Before heading to Amritsar, the actor was spotted at the Delhi airport interacting with fans and posing for photograph.

This India visit follows her recent work on the film ‘The Bluff’ and comes ahead of her much-anticipated collaboration with filmmaker S. S. Rajamouli for the upcoming project ‘Varanasi’, which is expected to release in 2027. (ANI)

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor claimed that the Chief Ministerial face in Bihar would ultimately be chosen by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, suggesting that incumbent Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is being sidelined due to health concerns.

Kishor also accused the ruling alliance of failing to fulfil promises, including the provision of jobs to Bihar’s youth.

Speaking to the reporters on Sunday in Bhagalpur, Kishor said, “He has not been healthy since before the elections, which is why he is being removed, but who betrayed the people of Bihar? His party and the BJP… Who will give 1 crore jobs to the youth of Bihar now?…”

“The Chief Minister’s face today will be the one who PM Modi and Amit Shah want,” he said.

Kishor’s remarks follow recent developments in Bihar politics. On March 5, Nitish Kumar, the state’s longest-serving Chief Minister, filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections, expressing “full support” to the new Cabinet.

The 75-year-old penned a heartfelt message announcing his decision. He expressed his longing desire to be a member of both houses of the Bihar Legislature as well as the Houses of Parliament. He asserted his commitment to building a “developed Bihar” and extended his “cooperation and guidance” to the new government.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) welcomed Kumar’s decision, hailing his continued engagement in parliamentary democracy.

Last week, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was unanimously elected as President of the Janata Dal (United) after no other candidate filed a nomination for the post.

Nitish Kumar’s political career is a masterclass in coalition manoeuvring, marked by a series of high-stakes ideological shifts. Beginning his journey as an MLA in 1985 and later serving as a Union Minister under the Vajpayee government, he first ascended to the Bihar Chief Minister’s office in 2005 as a pillar of the NDA.

Since 2013, however, his tenure has been defined by a “revolving door” of alliances, alternating between the BJP and the Mahagathbandhan (RJD and Congress) in 2013, 2017, 2022, and 2024. Despite these frequent realignments, his political survival remains unparalleled; most recently, he secured a fifth electoral landslide in 2025, taking the oath as Chief Minister for a record-breaking tenth time. (ANI)